This might be purely down to route knowledge. Ive just started out on the LIRR (bought in the sale this week). Driving without the HUD. Im satisfying the ATC, it hast stopped me yet. On reviewing performance, noticed there was a lot of speeding. Is there any warning I need to look out for? Speed boards, signals? Or is it route knowledge?
First off, oddly enough, there are only 2 speed limit signs on the whole route in TSW. I think there are more in real life, but in TSW... well, you'll know when to slow down to 30 MPH after East New York on the Atlantic branch. And yeah, ATC has a few problems.
Also there should be a “W” sign appropriately a quarter mile away from a grade crossing! This warns the engineer to blow his or her whistle. Long long short long
ATC doesn't show you the line speed. It shows you the maximum permitted speed in that signal block based off track signals which can be lower or higher than the routes speed limit. It still seems odd to me for it show a speed higher than the speed limit though. I think there's actually another piece of technology that shows the driver the speed limit in the cab but at the time the route was in development it wasn't implemented on the route in real life. So you have to use route knowledge (the actual speed limits) and ATC together to know what speed you should be doing.
On the actual LIRR, engineers and even the conductors have to know every speed limit on the lines. Where they start, where they end. There's the occasional wayside sign but it's more knowledge. And yes, theres suppose to be "whistle" signs before crossings but I've been up and down the Hempstead branch on this sim that I know where they are now after four days.
