Engine brake settings--better for independent brake simulation

[Busdriver]

Hi,

I was moving 3 engines around after they were coupled to a stopped train. When I uncoupled the 3 engines, I turned on the new F5 screen, and noticed that it took a very long time for the engine brakes to release on the trailing units--I could not get them to move until notch 3 on the throttle. This is not very realistic since they would release almost instantly, and there really would not be an aux reservoir charge time since that is not how engines "really" work. The sim is just treating trailing units like additional cars with the requisite charge times and release rates.

So, here are the settings I put into the sim for some engines, and then tested them while running around the yard. Now, if you use the engines by themselves, you can use the train brake handle and get basically a response that you would get if the independent brake actually worked across all of the engines. And, if you do connect to a train, you can either use the independent brake for just the lead if you do not want to set air in the train, but if you do use the train brake, the engines will not be holding up the release and appication process. Granted this is not perfect, but seems to be a reasonable compromise to an imperfect sim (unless George pulls off some magic and has all engines work off of the independent brake).

EmergencyBrakeResMaxPressure( 90 )
TripleValveRatio( 2.5 )
EmergencyResVolumeMultiplier ( 1.461 )
MaxReleaseRate( 4 )
MaxApplicationRate( 4 )
MaxAuxilaryChargingRate( 4 )
EmergencyResCapacity( 2.604 )
EmergencyResChargingRate( 4 )
BrakeCylinderPressureForMaxBrakeBrakeForce( 50 )

Seeing what the sim is doing with the data now is really great. Thanks, George!

Comments welcome.

Bryce

[Turbo Bill]

I have brought this MSTS problem with regards to how trailing units are treated by MSTS both here and on George's forum. You are correct in that the sim does treat trailing units like railcars. I went one easier then you on getting the engines to not be a factor in Train Air usage situation. I calculated the engines weight versus Maxbrakeforce values. I have a set of max brake force versus tonnage tables along with application and release tables contributed by another RW, Jean-Louis Chauvin. My trailing units no longer cause the train to bunch up due to excessive brake force and now only brake enough to control minimize their dead weight's effect on the train as it goes down the line. Since I never use the train air in switching or very rarely with long cuts, this has proven to be acceptable until Bin George or someone figures how to code MSTS to treat AI engines differently in the sim in regars to their braking.