Hello all, I wanted to dive into this and see if anyone has experienced anything different. It is my impression that DP does not function properly in TSW2 Sand Patch. I am doing the Q353 Manifest Cumberland to Willard. This starts with two AC4400s in front and two in the rear. I do know how to setup what "should" be DP and here are my steps then I will explain why I think it does not actually work in game. Lead. 1. Set Ind Brake to full. 2. Set Auto Brake to release. 3. Open up Air Settings and Select Cut-in and Lead. Save. 4. On the three "control" switches, turn all on. 5. On circuit breaker panel, turn on all breakers on the top two rows. That includes DP. Lead Trail. 1. Ind brake, Auto Brake, and Air settings are all set correctly. 2. On the three "control" switches, turn all off. 3. On circuit breaker panel, turn off all breakers on the top two rows. DP off. Rear Lead. 1. Ind Brake, Auto Brake are set correctly. 2. Open up Air settings and Select Cut-Out and Lead. Save. "Should be Cut-In but if you do it applies brake cylinder pressure and you will not move." 3. On the three "control" switches, turn all on. 4. On circuit breaker panel, turn on all breakers on the top two rows. That includes DP. Rear Trail. 1. Ind brake, Auto Brake, and Air settings are all set correctly. 2. On the three "control" switches, turn all off. 3. On circuit breaker panel, turn off all breakers on the top two rows. DP off. Now that they are all setup, I go back to the lead engine and turn on the Banking Comm. In theory, that is that is needed. You do have to wait until the Rear pressure is close to 89psi before you try to start moving. If you try earlier, you won't move. So at this point, I engage the throttle to 3 and start moving. If you go external camera 3, you can hear the front two engines rev up and off you go. If you move to the rear lead engine, you can see that it's throttle matches the lead. If you look at all engines, you will see the correct Effort shown. BUT....if you got external camera 3, push twice to move to the rear engine pair, you will NOT hear the engines rev. They sound quiet. So I tried this. I restarted scenario and did the lead pair setup. When I moved to the trailing pair. I shut down their engines, as they do not sound on, and powered them back up. You hear them start and rumble, and can see the Engine RPMs climb on the monitors. Then I set them up as the trailing pair. When I moved to the lead engine, and enable the Banking Comm and apply throttle to 3, I went to external camera 3, and you do NOT hear the engines rev. They are quite. But if you camera 3 again to move to the rear pair, you hear them rev and running. DP appeared to work as I could still control from the lead engine. Now for the weird test, I did a normal DP setup and started rolling with lead engine pair revving and trailing pair were quite. I switched to the trail, lead engine and turned off its engine. Then restarted it and verified air brake settings. Went back to lead engine and reset the Banking Comm. Now when I would go external, my trail, lead engine made noise, lead did not. Trailing lead engine made noise, trailing trail engine was silent. So only two of the four engines would sound like they were running at any given time. I have not yet tried to complete the scenario after setting up the "normal" DP setup to see if I can complete it. You have four engines for a reason but if only two "appear" to be running, are you really getting that extra pair of traction? I do not know yet. So I wanted some feedback from others to see if you noticed this weirdness or if you try what I did, get the same result. Thanks.
There are already a few threads in the forum that make you think AC is broken. MU, DPU, Dynamic Brake ... Working configuration >> DPU
Front Lead and Rear Lead need to have Radio Fuse set to On, and in Lead (the one you're driving) loco you need to enable the Banking Comm. You do this through the Radio. This will simulate a 2nd driver in the rear lead loco who is replicating everything you are via radio in the consist lead. There are no bugs, it all works as intended, you just need to know how.
1. There are tons of bugs. One example https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/major-ac4400-dynamic-brakes-behaving-incorrectly.26863/ 2. In ALL manuals DPU lead is set to CUT-IN what is not working in TSW2 - intended? Don't think so
The AC4400CWs don't use a second engineer. They work via radio messages from the lead loco. The SD40-2 does require a second engineer.
Thanks for looking at this post, but please read what was posted. I stated the top two rows on the lead locos in the front and rear have all their circuit breakers on. This includes the Radio. I also noted that the Banking Comm was also enabled. I am quite aware of the DPU normal set procedure. I can get it working where you can verify that all locos have running engines, via sound, and lead locos respond to inputs simultaneously on SD-40s and GP-38s. Here I am referring only to the AC4400. What I am demonstrating in this thread is a bug. If you follow my setup as a normal DP then follow what I stated I found, then you will see for yourself. Regarding MU for the AC, that I have had no issues with. Just the DP.
Use this setup. I also made a thread about this bug. Also sound is broken becasue when there is AC44CW and SD40 in the lead, you hear only SD40 and AC44CW sound is non-existent. State in which they released CSX HH in TSW 2 is just the most pathetic thing they did throughout entire TSW history.
No drama, Sand Patch is almost sparkling now, but they wouldn't be themselves if they didn't mess up something - see AC locomotive
Thanks Mokady but I have the DPU setup that way already. This particular scenario does not have any mixed locos, all are AC4400s.
Aren’t the brakes from the DPU supposed to apply to the rest of the train as a lead unit? Has this been reported to Dovetail?
If You set-up DPU properly - everything works OK. The only questionable thing about SPG train behavior is AC4400's dynamic brakes (there are different opinions on this...). BR
The problem here is a sound bug. The rear pair are working fine, and will give you all the power you want, but there is a glitch that keeps them looping the "idle" sound file at all times. In this case, don't trust your ears!
Ok so I'm trying to decipher this thread. I want to make sure I understand, as I've struggled with this recently. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm referencing the worksheet that was provided as a link. 1. The manual is not correct. It says to put lead DPU in cut-in and lead (or freight and lead). 2. According to the sheet, you should put the lead DPU in cut-out but there is an asterisk as if the author is confused. Which is the correct setting? 3. You turn ALL autobrakes to "Handle Off", with the exception of the front engine. I read somewhere that you set lead DPU to "full service". 4. Radio fuses AND distributed power fuses are ON for the two lead units ONLY. So I'm mostly confused about item #2. When I set up last night, I was able to see the throttle position move on the lead DPU but I did not get power out of it (couldn't move). I think the recommendation was to turn on the Bank COMM last. I will try that today.
cut-out // only one loco has to be cut-in In theory - when You turn Bank COMM on - the game sets everything (DPU locos) for you. In theory.
Back to rear MU power and the sound bug: I tried another way to check it. Use the 3 camera to look at the banking pair's ammeters. They will be reading positive amps to match the lead, despite the "idle" sound
On PC you can 'teleport' between cabs and check AMPs on indicators. [Ctrl][+] change cab of pair [Ctrl][-] change pair But Your method is sometimes (some SCENARIOS...) better
Another way and the one I personally use is the exhaust..... if you are under power the exhaust from the rear locos is the same as the front ones and a lot more intense than when only idling.
Ok thanks again everyone! It appears that I was never really set up correctly. I had the lead loco in the DPU set for cut in.. I think a few save/reloads with me flipping the Bank COMM switch a few times could have magically made it work in my last run.
.. well I've refreshed myself on the distributed power configuration, read up on how the air brakes are supposed to work (so I'm not just yanking on the brake stick unwittingly lol), and I'm off to start a fresh mission!
