Headlight Brightness On Trains And Locos

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by Lightspeed, May 4, 2022.

  1. Lightspeed

    Lightspeed Well-Known Member

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    Hi everyone.

    Since my last few years of driving at night and at dusk, I have noticed that some headlights on trains don’t do a very good job at lighting up signage and the track from a distance, unless you’re right in front of a speed sign! So here’s my thoughts of various locos that I have played during night services.

    BR 31,45,47,52 and 101.
    They all have little marker lights, that are barely noticeable from a distance, let alone from a drivers perspective. Thank goodness for the yellow paint on the drivers cab!
    BR 43 HST, 166,377,395,465.
    Modern British trains have LED marker and headlights that are very noticeable from a distance, they even light up speed signs, fences and signals. Although, I have a feeling that modern British headlights are more brighter in real life than in game, as I was at Nottingham station the other night and a train pulled in with night time headlight configuration on and the glare that the headlight gave off was like a searchlight!
    DB BR 143,155,101,146,185,442, basically all modern German trains.
    The DB BR 143 from Rhein Ruhr Nord has headlights that are dim to say the least, same applies the the ICE 3 and 3M. Even though the ICE 3 has High Beam headlights that light up the track. It wasn’t until Nahverker Dresden-Riesa route that, although we got the exact same trains from previous dlcs but, these trains have prototypical headlight beams as expected.

    American locos and cab cars.
    On Peninsula Corridor, the headlights on the F40PH-3CAT and the Gallery Cab Car are very noticeable to everyone including the engineer, although the headlights on the Cab Car are very bright and blinding even on Dim setting. In comparison though, the headlights on the Cab Car are a lot brighter than the ones on the F40PH-3CAT. The Baby Bullet dlc that came with the new cab car and loco have headlights that are even brighter than the older stock on the route.

    On Boston Sprinter, the headlights on the ACS 64 loco are weaker than older stock, even though it’s a newish train! I like the Headlights on the updated F40PH-3C and the engine idle sounds from Neutral to Forward or Reverse are pleasing to my ears! But, the headlights on the cab car on the other hand are weaker and barely see any track ahead of you, unless you’re driving near a wall. Which I think is a step backwards from the Gallery Cab Car on Penisula Corridor.

    These are from locos, DMUs, EMUs and cab cars on routes that I play daily. Now as I said earlier, that these are my thoughts of driving these trains at night. I wonder when high intensity headlights became a thing on British railways?
     
  2. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    Sadly, the headlights on Clinchfield are about as effective as having the conductor stand on the front platform with a lit match.
     
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  3. Lightspeed

    Lightspeed Well-Known Member

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    They really are aren’t they? Can’t do a switching job on the Mainline without having to use external camera and yet still can’t see anything.
     
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