I was reading a thread this morning and I realised we have a few trains in game with this feature and others without(bizarrely). For noobs, and myself I don’t always know what has them and how to use. Therefore, for our resident experts may I ask please… Which trains have an in game working counter? What route? A brief line or two how to set up and activate? Much obliged in advance
For the Class 66: there is a button that says "train length", or something similar. BR 182: Double tap the throttle.
For the ES44 watch the start of my video on where I set the distance counters the biggest issue is you have to set the length in feet but obviously the game gives you the lengths in yards (or even fractions of miles) so I have to measure them all in game to get the lengths so check out this guide where I list the main lengths of trains for SH https://trainsimrouteguides.wixsite.com/website/post/sim-world-2-horseshoe-curve-eastbound The AC4400CW on CCR and AC4400CW on SPG have the same set up, although these you set up in yards (although the game says feet). Im not aware of any other US freight trains which have working distance counters, and for me it is a notable missing feature on SH.
Mine is the Einstein train lenght counter and works for every train. You need a counter and a calculator. Also making a template with velocity / lenght should work. In our case the t = s / v is needed. Time = trainlenght / speed. Theory: an 1mile long train needs 1 hour for that mile with a speed of 1mph. 1 mile long train needs 10mins with 6mph 0.5 mile long train needs 5mins with 6mph. All you have to do is to count the time with a watch and know your train lenght, which you should know anyway Practical example: Your train is 0.25miles in lenght and your speed at the "50mph sign" is 30mph: Calc: (0.25 miles / 30mph) = 0.0083h Calc: (0.25 miles / 30mph) x 60' = 0.5min To do: count 30s before accelerating to 50mph.
The ACS64 has a rudimentary distance counter which only counts up, to activate it press the 8 button on the screen then start to count up (a 9 car Amtrak train is 740(ish) feet long). To reset the distance press the stop button followed by the start button twice and it will start counting up again.
The 182 distance counter is fantastic. Just double tap the throttle again you get a “beep beep” sound when the back of the train reaches the same point. For the other German locos, I am left counting catenary poles ….
