EU08 444058 is not powerful enough to pull the train

[Gazz292]

it's deffo true that you drive a train more by sound and feel, 

the sound bit can be copied in a simulator, but the feeling of different vibrations, jumps and jolts is harder to copy without a motion set up, 
so the best that can be done is to move the drivers view. 

You get this a tiny bit as you are going along the line, the gentle rocking back and forth motion you see, and the larger rocking on the track joints in the bad places of the line, 

But in reality driving a loco is a lot more 'violent'  you get shaken all over the place, gotta remember it's an 80+ ton steel box, on steel springs, with steel wheels on steel track, it can be like a bucking bronco ride at times. 

This is one point i think SimRail could improve, maybe with an optional 'realistic cab view movements' switch (i say optional as some people already complain about the gentle rocking motion making them feel sea sick! or claiming it's not realistic because they travel in air ride coaches and could build a card tower on the table during the ride) 

 

 

[DazT]

The worst loco I've ever had a cab ride in is a Class 67, bouncy as fook. Class 66s rattle your fillings out 🤣 Class 47s, very draughty, might as well take the front windows out 🤣

Think the best I've had is a good old Skoda, aka a Class 90

Edited April 24, 2023 by DazT

[giBBer8]

3 hours ago, Gazz292 said:

In reality driving a loco is a lot more 'violent'  you get shaken all over the place, gotta remember it's an 80+ ton steel box, on steel springs, with steel wheels on steel track, it can be like a bucking bronco ride at times. 

No, sorry Gazz. I agree with 99% of your posts but not this 1% sorry mate.

Wheel slip is an uphill condition, (too much tractive effort), and is easily detected by the relays or computer and is countered by closing throttle or creep control, supplemented by some loco brake application and/or sanding. It takes a lot of practice and mess-ups to master. Very basic (and applicable to old BR locos or 'modern' DC traction motor locos). This is expected by the driver and their route knowledge/season/training. It manifests itself in a wheel slip light/creep screech/loss of speed. Not a juddering mess by any means, more a 'slow grind to a late finish' thing at worst. 🙂

Wheel slide is where a loco has too much brake force for the local adhesion conditions, and can't grip the railhead. Usually found on speedy light consists, or light locos, without the rest of the train to drag speed down.  Silent and very alarming, but quickly rectified with a firm 'feathering' of the independent brake (straight air for UK chaps).

Now a whole train slide is something I have suffered twice. I hope SimRail may model it, but both are events I can recall with clarity today, 22 years later, with horrified angst.

The only shake you get, be it 08, 66, 47, 92 is the track. Nothing violent about brake, dynamic or otherwise.

[Gazz292]

I think what i was trying to get across has got mixed up. 

Mostly i was saying how hard it is to simulate the 'seat of the pants' feel that you get as a train driver without a motion simulator rig,
by this i mean the in cab movements that result from the loco going along the track, and that the amount of 'head bob' we get is very much toned down in all train simulators.

It's been many years since i had cab rides... and they were on heritage railways (the old 'driver for a fiver' and 'cab ride the length of the line for a donation on top of your ticket price' on the diesel gala days) so the max speed was 25 mph, but i do remember how rough the ride was, that was due to the weight of the loco plus steel wheels on steel tracks feeding all rail imperfections back to the cab.