Hey you, the rock steady crew, I'm back for another swing of this forum help thingy. So as I've become more competent with driving using PZB, I've found something that has me puzzled. Slowing for a speed reduction or red isn't an issue, but I'm not sure if I'm trying to cheat the system or there's a difference between Ruhr-Seig and MSB... When slowing a heavy freight, I'm still getting to grips with the amount of braking needed, without slowing too much, and have started to realise that even removing the brake force, you'll always have the lag between when the brakes release across the length of the train...so I've started testing by releasing my brakes before I hit the required speed for the PZB restrictions (1000hz) On Ruhr-Sieg this seems to be working, my train slows to the required speed but also the brakes almost fully release before I drop too much under the safe speed... But when I try this on MSB, I'm finding it hits me instantly with an emergency stop as soon as I remove any braking even though the brakes are still technically on Any ideas friends?
Well, the way PZB works is, you have a certain amount of time (don't ask me how much exactly, around half a minute depending on PZB mode if I'm not mistaken) to reach a certain "check speed" (25, 45, 70, 85,... this way the system verifies you not only confirmed you saw the signal, but are in fact slowing down fast enough. If that check speed isn't met, you'll get a penalty brake. PZB also relies on you beginning to slow down as soon as you can see the signal, not just when you passed it. Is it possible you just used too little brake force and needed too much time to slow down?
Nice one! I think you're onto something... I could accept I'm probably not complying to the required reduction of speed even though I am complying to the braking requirements... Also I'm going to up my game and employ that technique of actually braking as I see the speed reductions or double yellows before the PZB system tells me I need to.
That will most likely help. That timer/countdown thing I mntioned, starts at the moment you pass the signal (the PZB magnet more specifically) so if you have lost some speed at that point already... you get the picture.
It's not only time, also speed. Your actual speed gets constantly checked while under a active PZB monitoring. There is a braking speed curve. If you exceed that curve you will get a emergency braking. PS: if you not know about that page: http://www.sh1.org/eisenbahn/rindusi.htm
I did consider the braking curve, and assumed I'd still be within the safe zone if the train still had braking force within the system, even with me releasing the brakes as it's not a 1:1 on/off, perhaps I need to use less initial braking but keep it on longer or perhaps I'm using the correct amount but released it too soon...but I'm definitely going to start reacting to the signals more realistically and start my breaking as I see them rather when I pass/acknowledge them
Let's say when you have a heavy train, in brake mode G, and PZB mode U, and you start braking at the distant signal, you will never slowing down fast enough to not exceeding the braking curve. As soon as you see the distant signal with a warning sate, you need to grab to your brake handle first. Don't think about it, just use it. The rest of it is experience in using it over the time. The more you do that, the more handy you get with it.
