Obviously everyone will have a slightly different experience with what trains that have used and what they find easy/hard and I am interested to hear about them all. For me as basically a UK only player on Xbox, the BR Class 101 is another level hard. I thought I was pretty co-ordinated before starting with it, but I am not so sure these days!! Just trying the get all the gear shifting right and then coasting only in fourth, regardless of speed and then back to a suitable gear to get back on the throttle again and neutral right at the end before stopping. This in conjunction with 'open the brake and then lap and then release and then open and then lap' etc, etc. is all too much for me at times. Embarrassing stop accuracy compared to my usual efforts with other trains. Dunno if it is easier on PC or not?
Agree with you class 101 is my most difficult that said I still enjoy driving it. Its more challenging then then the modern emus and dmus.
I would say the TGV/LGV. Faffing about with the power change various switches and breakers, also you have to remember to hold the brake lever in release to get the brakes off.
100% this ^ I had to resort to writing a checklist so I could remember all the steps needed to get the train to move, and half the time it still doesn't go.... Baffling.
Probably the 86 because you have to really focus on lineside signals a lot more otherwise the power will go out.
Any occasional foray into vacuum-braked stock, apart from the 101DMU oddly enough, which I've 'largely' (!) got the hang of. It's also my favourite train ie the one I have the most experience points on. Three-handled DMU! But other vacuum-braked stuff I always seem to grind to a halt way before the station
For trains that I have (so not including the expert 101 + plus most non UK trains) definitely the LGV also
For me personally, there's no difficulty. The operating logic is the same as with a regular car with a manual transmission. It's unusual from a locomotive's perspective, but it makes sense. I haven't ridden it much, but a couple of runs weren't too difficult. Yes, sometimes you miss the neutral zone sign, the power cuts out, the positions reset to zero, and You can start accelerating again.
Before, I would have said the Class 101 like everyone else, but after driving it for a while, I find it simple. My personal nemesis is the BR 143.
I can never get the hang of the tube stock, I've watched tutorials on YouTube and it just never wants to just work, I have to fight it the whole way. So for me at least, it's the "72 Underground Tube Stock.
Little bit different but I loved the challenge of getting to grips with the 31's absolutely dreadful brakes on TVL. Otherwise I spent an evening learning the 101 but it's actually quite fun to drive on console the controller works a dream for it. Definitely look up the shortcuts for moving the brake back to lap it makes the 101 much easier I'd agree with the 87 tbh as the tap changer and neutral sections really do make you pay that little bit more attention!
And besides, I've never tried it but I imagine everything is extremely simplified. It must already be quite different from what was done in TS (for the Paris-Le Mans line), but compared to all the procedures in reality... I'll let you imagine what it's like for an old tap changer locomotive, BB Jacquemin, nez cassé, etc (comparable to a Class 86 or 87)...
Same. I learnt to just commandeer an ‘in service’ tube train, just after the ai driver spawned, as the cab would be mostly set up. There wasn’t a ‘72 Stock tutorial with WCMLS so I didn’t learn it properly either!
Personally I don't find many of the trains depicted in TSW hard to drive (I don't own the expert German loco). The only difficulty I have is with German trains and understanding PZB. When I began playing TSW 5 years ago (TSW2020), I originally hated the British class 101 DMU because I didn't fully understand the braking. Now, the revised version of the class 101 by Just Trains is one of my favourite units to drive, along with the class 142 Pacer. I much prefer driving older UK diesel stock to the modern 1 handles units. I may be biased though because I have spent quite a bit of time around Pacers, a 1st gen DMU (class 121) and some of the older diesel stock. The fact that I like driving the class 101 may be helped by the fact that I have been in the cab of the class 121 many times and have also been on cab rides in said unit so I could watch and learn the operation.
The only train I still struggle with is the braking on the NJT ALP-46 and ALP-45DP. It's tough getting a smooth stop!
The brakes on the br class 101 probably took the most getting used to. Especially before I realised there was a return to lap shortcut. The amount of times I approached a station only to realise my brakes are still 100% released.
You've just perfectly described my ineptitude to drive the 101. It's the hardest train for me to drive...and I also have a preference for UK locos. I think the person responsible for designing this driving technique was having a laugh at the time! Quite satisfying when it runs/works well though.
I got on well with the Class 101 with the classic controls but since switching to immersive it's not so straightforward so avoid it now. Yes, I know I could change the controller, but I simply can't be bothered! Never heard of the return to lap shortcut others have mentioned though. As mentioned, the slow brake release on the Class 31 takes some getting used to. Never had a problem with the 72 stock. Think that's quite easy. Always thought the neutral sections should have more warning than they do on the UK routes. Maybe an AWS ramp or bigger signs but I guess that's what comes with route knowledge.
72 stock is mainly the dual process of inserting the key behind the seat then the tiny, tiny interaction spot to activate without just removing it again!
