MSTS Bin and Sanding

[pstraten]

Ok, looks like we're stuck with this forum. So here goes:

Biggest problem I've encountered with MSTS Bin (God bless it otherwise)--sanding with steam locomotive consists in winter on snow.

Yes, I know you need X + Shift to keep it going. It just doesn't seem to work very well anymore, regardless.

I'd appreciate hearing any comments or advice. But. especially, is there any simple answer (like modifying and .eng file in wordpad) that even a member of the brain-dead like me could understand?



PaulS

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[tpilot]

I discuss it in these threads, but never found a solution:

http://forums.flightsim.com/ts/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=3&topic_id=168026&mesg_id=168026&page=&topic_page=3

http://forums.flightsim.com/ts/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=3&topic_id=168026&mesg_id=168026&page=&topic_page=3

[jovet]

Are you: Holding down Shift, Holding down X, Letting go of X, and then Letting go of Shift? If you let go of Shift before X, it won't stick.

[pstraten]

Joseph,

As I said, X + Shift is NOT the problem. That works fine and I can see and hear that sanding is on continuously.

What I have found is that, on routes that I have run plenty of times before with the same consists, there is hardly any additional adhesion compared with the effect of sanding in the original MSTS.

Places I could get over a mountain with no problem before, now I just stall out... It is as though sanding is only working at 25% of its former efficiency or strength.



PaulS

http://forums.flightsim.com/vbts/up1/67488.gif

[tpilot]

Ah, I didn't understand your question either.

Yes, you should be able to do this.

Swissie recently fixed my Amtrak dash9 .eng file and changed the following line with comment:

Adheasion ( 0.32 0.42 1.35 0 )

"-Adheasion adjusted to more realistic values: 0.32 on wet rails, 0.42 on dry rails, sanding multiplies adeasion by 1.35 and brings e.g. adheasion on wet rails up from 0.32 to 0.43. Default multiplier of 2 is way too strong."

So I suspect you could change the third number of the adheasion line to 2.0 or 2.5 and get WAY more effective (but not prototypical) sanding.

[pstraten]

"-Adheasion adjusted to more realistic values: 0.32 on wet rails, 0.42 on dry rails, sanding multiplies adheasion by 1.35 and brings e.g. adheasion on wet rails up from 0.32 to 0.43. Default multiplier of 2 is way too strong...So I suspect you could change the third number of the adheasion line "

Ah, thanks. I used the word "adhesion" but didn't think beyond that. But that was what I was looking for, and I'll have to play around with it.

Frankly, while that number may be "way too strong" for modern diesels, it may be not too strong for old narrow gauge steamers. I'm not a prototype fanatic in any event--I just want to get my narrow-gauge double-headers over the pass in winter without being reduced to screaming in frustration!

Thanks again.



PaulS

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[tpilot]

The "way too strong" was Swissie's comment in reference to a Dash 9.

[drjoe]

Just a wild thought:

Do any of your locomotives in your consist have their loco brakes "set" at startup. I am thinking that that can be a problem with Bin. I don't quite understand the explanation in the Bin manual, but I think locomotives with the locomotive brake set may cause a problem, the way I read things in the manual.

[FreightKing]

Hi Joe

I found that when you switch cabs the locos revert to startup setup. ie: reverser-neutral, train brake 75%, loco brake 50 % as an example.

When running in MU mode if you change cabs this can be a problem because you can release the train brakes in the AI engines as they follow what you do in the player controled engine. However I have found that this doesn't work on the loco brake.

The solution i've found is to alter this section.

from this
Brake_Engine ( 0 1 0.025 0.75
NumNotches ( 1
Notch( 0 1 Dummy )
)
)

to this
Brake_Engine ( 0 1 0.025 0.00
NumNotches ( 1
Notch( 0 1 Dummy )
)
)


In this example the loco brake was originaly set to 75% at startup.
This modification changes it to 0%.

This is probably why the popup when swithching cabs says to release the loco bake before cab switching.

I may be wrong, but it seems to work (for me anyway)

Cheers from down under

Graeme

[drjoe]

Graeme,

That's exactly what I was talking about. I was wondering if it affects the MU locos even if you don't switch to them. At OVS, we have a training activity where you are driving a helper locomotive. The train passes you and stops just out of sight ahead. Then dispatch sends you to couple on to the rear of the train and you push it up the hill. I was running it again the other day so I could refresh my memory about the activity to help some of our new members with a problem they were having with the activity. It seemed to me that in order to keep up the train speed, I was having to use much higher throttle settings ( using MSTSBin ) than I had used in the past ( without Bin ). The locomotives on the front end don't have the locomotive brakes set, but they are set at a high train brake application when they start ( our routes have some hills, so our locos are all set up to "hold" at the start of an activity since rolling backwards into something usually causes the activity to end. They also have new brake pipe physics, and perhaps, being on the other end of the train, they hadn't had time to release fully, even though my locomotive showed the brake pad pressure as zero.

[FreightKing]

Hi again Joe

Sorry i didn't get back to you, I had to go to work.

My guess is it does affect MU locos that you don't switch to.

I first discovered this problem when i ran a doubleheaded bigboy freight. After switching cabs I noticed the loco brake lever moving all on it's own. I released the train brakes and then the loco brake. When I tried to pull away I also had to apply a lot more power than before to even move the train.

I haven't fully tested this but I have modified all my locos as in my previous post so the loco brake doesn't come on. I have not had any further problems.

I also noticed that if I apply the train brake a small amount, say 5% and come to a stop, release the loco brake and then switch cabs, the loco I switch to applies the train brake start setting specified in the engine file. Also the reverser will reset to neutral and the loco brake will set to startup setting as well. My guess is this happens to all locos in the player consist.

I guess you could try the suggested modification and see what you think. I'm certainly happy with the results.

About the time it takes to release the brakes. It can take 3-4 minutes depending on the length of the train, especially If you use Bob Boudoin's excellent V4.7 physics.

Good luck with it

Graeme

[jbilton]

Hi
Yes I have to agree I have found brakes do not release on a lot of stock, and it is a real problem if on a gradient.
I have tried to produce Handbrake 'invisy' wagons, but unfortunately msts does not hold the train steady enough with these.
Personally the only brakes I've found do release are Air_single_pipe diesels....and Vacuum and Air_single_pipe steam locos.
Anything else will not.
This has become most noticeable on Units.Which is a shame as these have the greatest operational potential.
Cheers
Jon