Speed limits and other location-based constraints?

[GlideBrick]

Trains complete noob here.

The game gives you an overlay of what is your speed (which I can also see in the trains dashboards) and a speed limit. How am I supposed to know the speed limit at a given place without such overlay? I mean, in flight simulation you can check charts so you can fully simulate real airport procedures where you see speed and altitude limits nearby airports. How is it done with trains or is it done at all?

Thank you!

[Skully]

 

[stronzio]

Basically, in-game you have two kinds of max speeds:

• line (incl. permanent/temporary restrictions)
• signals

In (very) short, you are supposed to have a timetable showing the max permissible speed in each section, like this:

My understanding is that in Poland max speed allowed on the mainline isn't shown on the ground, unless it's lower than the previous limit; that's why a timetable would be mandatory to drive without HUD, but atm it's not implemented.

Permanent/temp. restrictions are always signalled by a specific set of signals and should be also included in a specific document (WOS I think it's called), but basically you could be fine by observing them as they come, though they're not always easy to spot

Speed limits can be given by signals with certain combinations, i.e. for running on diverging junctions and they're basically observed from signal to signal or from signal to the mainline, check this site if you want more informations: http://jareks.zonk.pl/signal/index.html

Edited January 1, 2023 by stronzio

[giBBer8]

Well, no, in reality, you have to learn every aspect of the route your depot operates on. Grades, shunting manoeuvres, signals, braking points for stations, places where you may snap a freight train into 5 pieces etc.

I'm talking UK at least, and it will be even more important in the US, South Africa and Australian Pilbara ops. 

There are no flight plates for approaches in trains. Every day is a different train, different weight distribution, brake force, isolated traction motors (so no dynamic brake) etc. 

Your route knowledge is key. 

If you can drive a train in Simrail without the HUD on at all, then you are 50% there. 

[robert357 - W7 FTW]

1 godzinę temu, stronzio napisał(a):

My understanding is that in Poland max speed allowed on the mainline isn't shown on the ground, unless it's lower than the previous limit; that's why a timetable would be mandatory to drive without HUD, but atm it's not implemented.

Max speed allowed on the mainline is only shown when it will change and sometimes on big stations as "reminders". So for example main line have 140-200-160 speed limits. In this scenario driving on 140 section you will see 200 speed limit sign and approaching section with new lower speed limit first there will be a warning sign and them actual 160 speed limit sign. You can see white square signs with number on them in game.

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by robert357

[GlideBrick]

Wow thank you all, already quite a few things for me to chew!

[stronzio]

49 minutes ago, robert357 said:

Max speed allowed on the mainline is only shown when it will change and sometimes on big stations as "reminders". So for example main line have 140-200-160 speed limits. In this scenario driving on 140 section you will see 200 speed limit sign and approaching section with new speed limit first there will be a warning sign and them actual 160 speed limit sign. You can see white square signs with number on them in game.

Interesting, is it so 100% of the time? I think I remember that in maszyna (which is not "the law", I know) speed signs aren't always there 🤔

In simrail I think I encountered very few of them so far, despite the many speed changes; I have a lot of trouble spotting signs in game (it's the motion blur making things muddy, I think... plus, they're small) so maybe I may have missed those though. Also, the hud takes a surprising amount of attention away when driving

 

50 minutes ago, giBBer8 said:

Well, no, in reality, you have to learn every aspect of the route your depot operates on. Grades, shunting manoeuvres, signals, braking points for stations, places where you may snap a freight train into 5 pieces etc.

I'm talking UK at least, and it will be even more important in the US, South Africa and Australian Pilbara ops. 

There are no flight plates for approaches in trains. Every day is a different train, different weight distribution, brake force, isolated traction motors (so no dynamic brake) etc. 

Your route knowledge is key. 

If you can drive a train in Simrail without the HUD on at all, then you are 50% there. 

Route knowledge is very important, IRL you're in fact required to run on a line for an x amount of times (which depends on the country and other factors) in order to learn it before you're considered certified to do it on your own.

However, you shouldn't be supposed to drive "blindly", there is a certain degree of "support documents", which may be integrated by various degrees into the timetable docs of a train, to rely upon and which will usually show all the relevant informations about the line (locations, speeds, local characteristics/operating rules etc.).

Each country does it differently, on a side note my vague understanding is that in the UK there is a very different philosophy, with a strict reliance on mnemonics, while on mainland Europe you also have to know your line well but will mainly follow sign(al)s and the timetable "dynamically"; I think this is due to the fact that we mostly use speed based signalling in place of route signalling, so it's not "critical" to know each single speed variation everywhere for example. In certain circumstances in practice you can't even drive without some sort of detailed documentation, because speeds may change a lot in relation to braking percentage and other factors and you'd have no other way to know them

[Gazz292]

Yep, in the uk the signals show the route ahead, so it's upto the driver to know if that route has a 20mph limit at the points... there are speed marker boards, but i don't think they warn you of the speed limits on the route you're about to take until you are about to diverge off the main line.

http://igg.org.uk/rail/3-sigs/svgh9gi4.jpg

It used to be all the driver may have is a print out / written schedule of what stations to stop at and the time expected there... that may well have changed nowadays tho,

 

Most of Europe uses speed signalling, so if you get a '40 km/h' signal ahead, it's likely you are going to be changing line and going over speed restricted points,

But the driver is expected to have a printed or electronic schedule / timetable that shows the expected route they will take, and you use the hectometer boards to know where you are and what speed to do (or the electronic ones usually know your location, and move a pointer for you to see what speed it is now and will be ahead,

Obviously getting diverted off the usual route changes things a little... but as said above, the signals and signs warn you of the speed limits ahead.

[robert357 - W7 FTW]

Godzinę temu, stronzio napisał(a):

Interesting, is it so 100% of the time? I think I remember that in maszyna (which is not "the law", I know) speed signs aren't always there

Well, every permanent and temporary speed limit is marked in SimRail and I didn't notice any unmarked speed limits here yet. In maszyna in-game helper sometimes don't show right speed, especially on older scenarios. However IRL there are situations that require slow down and usually these are mentioned in so-called WOS or in "written order" (and in maszyna you can find these sometimes in game folders or hear in the radio).