Just picked up NTP and I’m really enjoying it up to now but I’m really struggling with the 101 and braking. Acceleration is fine, I kinda get it but I’m finding braking to be my downfall. I can’t seem to work out how they work and when to apply them. It seems to be all or nothing when I apply the brakes. Any hints and tips are greatly welcome.
If they work like the ones in TS then it's not like a new loco where you put it at 56% and you get 56% braking There are "zones" in the apply sequence where brakes will either be applied, and the higher the application the faster they are applied; where the brakes are released, and now the LOWER the application the faster they will be released or the brake pressure is held So you need to find the brake pressure readout and then work out how to apply it, release it or hold it and you should have your answer
Make sure the brake is set to "Lap" while not using it, otherwise it will take longer to engage the brakes. Whilst applying a brake application use your Brake Pressure meter (BP) to see how fast your stopping and judge the distance correctly. It takes some getting used to but eventually it becomes second nature.
What was confusing to me at first is that the percentages don't correspond to the actual braking force, as ARuscoe mentioned. They basically tell you how fast vacuum/braking force is applied, but once they are back to 0% whatever braking force is applied stays constant until further change. Here the brake pressure meter is really important, and without it you won't know what you're doing. Once I understood that it was easy going. I just had to find out how much braking is necessary for a smooth stop. I usually aim for 15 inches of vacuum, as DTG recommend in the Driver's Manual, (roughly 9 o'clock on the brake pressure meter), put the braking to 0% (no change in brake force) and then adjust whenever necessary. That said, downward slopes are really challenging and I still misjudge the timing on them.
byeo have a look here. I also added my comments on how I work it out https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/class-101-braking-help.14709/
Since no one else has mentioned these, I will: have you run this engine's tutorial? have you read its section of the user's manual? Having raised these questions, I will also admit that despite what the manual says about the guard buzzer in step 2 of "Driving the BR Class 101, I've never heard the buzzer nor pressed it.
Have you run the tutorial for this engine and read its section of the user's manual? I''ll admit to having done both more than once and still having trouble driving the 101, especially the business of setting up both cabs. Since I'm not a fan of passenger runs anyway, I've been more interested in the route's other two engines, which I imagine will be used in the promised freight duties. Good luck!
I checked the manual, it doesn't actually detail the operation of the brakes, only how to stop at a station
it all depends on the speed your doing and the gradients. i would since you are new to the 101 start braking about 1 mile or 1.5 miles away from the stations. what i do when braking i make sure the brakes are in lap before i start to brake then i'll look to see how fast im braking. if im braking to fast i put the brakes to release and then back to lap then i start to brake again. until im stopped at the station i put the brakes into lap to hold the train. So when ready to set off again i just release the brakes once im on the way and gone through the gear changes i then put the brakes back into lap.
Thanks man all your advice and suggestions. I’ll have to pay Moreno attention to the BP meter and must admit, I didn’t have the brake set to Lap.
Air systems these days have a valve called a regulator. In simple terms, you ask for say 50% (move the lever to half way) and you get 50%. Back in the days of the 101, there were no regulators so the drivers had to do the regulating themselves. When the handle is in the LAP position, the "pressure in the brake system" will remain constant. No increase, do decrease. Valve is closed. The valve has two other "variable" positions. One to increase, one to decrease, at variable rates. If you set to 10% increase, the brake pressure will increase at 10% for the entire time the valve is at 10% until you set to lap to stop it from increasing. If you do not set to lap, the pressure will continue till it is at full pressure. Same for releasing. If you set to release and leave it, all the pressure will released. Thus the brake system will never work the same as newer locos, ask for 50% and get 50%. So to bring a train to a stop, from the lap position you apply (say 20%) and watch the pressure indicator rise. When about half way, push level back to lap and train will slow down at that rate. If slowing too fast, move to release then back to lap and vice versa. Always returning to lap. When start from station, apply small power, move brake to full release and move off. When pressure has fully released, move back to lap ready for next application. Hope this helps. Just think, these older drivers got very good at this. A real art.
https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/222564/manuals/Class 101 DMU Strath.pdf?t=1519808722 That's the 101 manual for TSx but the cab layout is the same Brake gauge is the one to the right of the green dome AWS flower
