So... I was thinking yesterday, this would be a nice, maybe a feel-good, funny topic to relieve from the sometimes all too serious leak discussions and the like - I assume many of you guys here play the game for some time, maybe not, maybe yeah... how about sharing what have you learned thanks to TSW, directly or indirectly, that was kind of shocking, surprising to you etc. ... or some assumption you had about sth regarding railways and had it corrected by people with more knowledge Just from the top of my head - that Acela's power cars dont tilt, only the carriages... that UK class 801 doesnt tilt... and learning how ATC and ACSES actually work thanks to discussions around LIRR commuter 2.0 (didnt know that despite regularly playing Boston Sprinter, NEC NY Trenton and even old LIRR)... of course learning the quirks and features of BR 218 was quite something
I didn't realise that British trains had day and night running lights. I though there were just taillights and headlights. Once I found out on the East Coastway, I can't unsee the single headlight arrangement!
regarding headlights/taillights, I learned that those lights arent really there so you as driver see better, but more so for you to be SEEN by people, trackside crews etc. also that there are other factors determining overall speed than trackside signs or so... like IRL, Marchegger Ostbahn is supposed to be designed for 160-200 kph now after upgrades, but only for long-distance services that do not run there yet, some S-Bahn services run up to 140 kph, but the REX I did take a couple days ago did only go up to 120 kph with limited stops... not sure why, if cos of the older carriages (with original design speed 160 kph) or why still discovering little facts like that, usually when I obsess over some minor BS in the game, and trying to find out how things are meant to be
So much. I learned the alarms in the cab weren't just random and that they were the safety systems. I learned a train had safety systems I learned how some safety systems worked. I learned signal buzzer codes I learned how to drive most modern trains (and some older ones) I learned semaphore signals and what they mean I learned that guards panels exist and how they work I learned how to drive my local train and route learned the Edinburgh to Glasgow line, one I frequent alot. I learned trains use things called sanders to reduce wheel slip I learned what that squeeling sound called flange was and how it's caused I learned alot. There's probably more but that's a basic rundown. Thanks TSW for giving me alot of railway knowledge.
thats one thing I am quite good at atm, but which I would LOVE to learn more of - with class 66 and US freight especially, how to set up those behemoths and then enjoy the challenge of managing speed and braking with them also, thanks to all the knowledge I gained because and thanks to the game, every train (and even tram) journey is no longer boring if I grab a good seat, I can try and read signals and such trackside... watching reconstruction/renewal/upgrade works and other railway-related construction... or passing my time at a station studying locos and coaches etc... sometimes when I dont have any ideas where to go in Vienna, I go to Kledering and watch the yard action, like dividing cars, putting together new trains, shunting etc or the passing passenger trains on either side (VIE and Wolfsthal corridor and the corridor towards Bruck an der Leitha) ... aka stuff that would bore most ppl, but for a rail enthusiast, a gold mine of things to watch and calm down
