am I the only one who cant get a SD70 moving on Sherman Hill Have followed all the tutorials and cant get it to budge
If you have a long train, it takes a long time (though not quite as long as in real life, some have said). Leave it for 10 minutes (have a refreshment ) and see if the brakes have come off.
It will take upwards of 10 minutes for the brakes to release such that you can start moving with a long train. I managed to get going when the EOT was registering around 76 psi, which is still a hefty bit of brake drag. Even after 20 mins of driving was still only up to 85 psi. So sadly, yes you basically need to read a book or play Hay Day/Rival Kingdoms on your tablet until the train is ready to move.
At the DFD display, you can see the BP vanlue at the rear of the train. Wait till it is at least above 75. Then apply some power and get your train moving. When going downhill at the 1.5% grade, use the dynamic brake, but you also need to apply the auto brake a bit. Two tricks: 1. Make sure to bail off the independent brake each time you change the setting of the auto brake. 2. Keep your speed low, if let it run above 30-35 Mph you get a runaway train. Do this independent of the track speed limits.
Also, once you set the train brake, you can increase it to taste but avoid reducing or releasing it until you're at the bottom and your brakes will have time to recharge. This is because every decrease in train brake just vents air to the atmosphere, and it takes a loooong time for the pipe to refill, and the less pressure in the pipe, the less effective your brakes are for the same reduction. So start with initial reduction, and add air brake gradually! Ideally. you should be able to hold speed with about 40-60% dynamic brakes, so you have room to fine-adjust speed with them. You cannot drive these beasts like an EMU.
done the 10 minute wait and it moves! was it my imagination, or did the right hand pressure gauge turn a slightly different shade of green when there was sufficient pressure?
