Hi all, very new to this but really enjoying TSW4 after having a brief stint on TSW3. Playing with the EWS class 66, I find the brake controls hard to manage. Everytime I apply some brake, either coming up to a red or to slow the train down, I tap the brake (LT on Xbox) but it slows more or less to a stop. I then have to release the brakes (LB) and start again from a stop, once the pressure has built back up. Is there a better way to do it? With the azumas you can just add a bit of brake then apply throttle no issues. Sorry if I’m sounding a bit stupid!
When released, the brake pressure dial shows ~5 (I think). What number does it come down to after you tap the brakes?
And nope, you're not sounding stupid at all. This happened to me loads when I started playing TSW, and still happens to me too particularly at low speeds. By the time I've re-released the brakes, the train has come to a stand.
You can do the same with the class 66, but don't hold the brakes, you just need to tap them to adjust the pressure, just keep an eye on the BP gauge, normally you'd only need between 3.5 & 4.5 to slow down enough. Don't forget that freight trains are going to take longer to build up brake pressure again after coming to a stop compared to passenger trains, especially the Azuma.
Simply put, the brakes have three ‘modes’ - which I can’t remember off the top of my head! It’s something like release, apply and pressure. The 10 minute tutorial in the training centre for the Class 66 will teach you
Just practise, when you feel the brakes are kicking in, and depending on the situation and brake timing settings (Passenger/Goods), you will learn to release them much earlier than you're doing now, as soon as you have the feel for it. Start with smooth 4.5 bars and leave it there, see how the train reacts and how long it takes to come to a halt. Try different pressures (4.0 and 3.5) and so on. Take it round the Training Centre loop and try different methods, see how fast they apply and release - aim for making a stop with the brakes being fully released as soon as the train comes to a halt. The key is to release the brakes gradually while the train is slowing down. (In Germany it's common practice at a station stop that the brakes are released just a moment before the train comes to a halt, and then secure it using the loco brake, so you can get right away with a fully pressurized brakepipe.) Basically train driving is all about mastering the brakes. And freight trains require thinking ahead, due to the slow reaction of the brake system and the weight of the train. So make use of the Training Centre loop, it's there for a reason. Once you master the 66, meet the ultimate challenge, a heavy train down Cajon Pass, which requires much knowlegde to not come to a halt (because you cannot gradually release the train brake on these US locos, and cannot apply - release - apply quickly which would drain the brakes and lead to a runaway) but keep it at desired speed using a combination of air and dynamic brakes.
