Drivers Guide

[sleepyto]

With the drivers guide open and the 2d map open is it possible to see the end of a train versus the front? It sure would make it easier to throw switches when you are in reverse.

[Basherz]

With Mk2, it should reverse the view as I inderstand it!!

[sleepyto]

I have MK2 installed but it does not reverse the train. I read in the notes this was one of the upgrades. For some reason it is not working on my system.

[Basherz]

I have not checked, but I will tomorrow!! :)

[OTTODAD]

With the drivers guide open and the 2d map open is it possible to see the end of a train versus the front? It sure would make it easier to throw switches when you are in reverse.

I am not sure I understand what you are asking.

F3 driver's guide displayed or not #2 will take you to the front of the train and #3 to the back.

These keys do not work when in the #9 Map, MARK-2 or not !

You can not have the F3 driver guide displayed at the same time as the #9 Map !

O t t o

[sleepyto]

This is the problem.

When the drivers guide is open and the small 2d map is being displayed in the drivers guide window and the train is going in reverse the 2dmap stays on the front of the train.

I thought the small 2d map in the drivers guide window would switch to the end of the train. I know the main screen will switch from front to rear by pressing keys 2 and 3.

Hope this describes the problem better.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[sleepyto]

A little more info on my problem.

This is the statement from the improvements in MK2.
" Improved F3 Drivers Guide to automatically switch ends when direction of train changed."

This is not happening for me.

Thanks again

[OTTODAD]

Yes, I realized that this is what you mean, having had to look into the Mark-2 relnotes.txt for another reason.

What they mean by Switch ends of a consist is doing that with Ctrl+= or Ctrl+- !

But does work only if there is a loco at the other end or the lead loco has cabs at both ends. In the case of the latter you will be looking out of it's rear cab but the F3 window will show the reversed consist in the F3 display ! ;)

I would have thought that Ctrl-2 & Ctrl-3 would have been better to toggle the consist end in the F3 window ?

O t t o

[sleepyto]

Thanks for your reply.
I will play with that and see what the results are.
Thanks again

[sleepyto]

After playing with the ctrl + & -

Is this a correct statement?

You cannot see the end of the train in the drivers guide when you are switching if you don't have a loco or caboose on the end of the train. This also means that you cannot switch effectively from the lead loco. You have to open the 2dmap with the 9 key to set any switchs and then go back to the Loco or stay in the rear view with the 3 key and stop to switch or be quick with your mouse.

One last question. Is there any visual indication that a switch is thrown a certain direction from a distance of 50 yards or so with out going to the 2dmap? I know the lever moves when throwing the switches but it is pretty hard to see from a distance. That is why in my humble opinion you should be able to see the switches in the rear in the hud.

Don't mean to be a pain, quess its just inexperience on my part.

[OTTODAD]

After playing with the Ctrl + & - Is this a correct statement?

To move to other driver cabs in a consist you have to hold down the Ctrl key and then press either = or - which will take you from one cab to the other and back again !

You cannot see the end of the train in the drivers guide when you are switching if you don't have a loco or caboose on the end of the train.

A caboose is just another wagon and you need a loco's driver cab at the end of a train or a loco with twin cabs at the front you can change to, most UK diesels have but not US ones.

At least I do not think that you can change cab views to a caboose like you can to a loco ? I do not use them, most of my player trains requiring helpers at their ends ! ;)

This also means that you cannot switch effectively from the lead loco.

You can throw the switch ahead of the lead loco with G and the one behind with Shift-G. But as you said it is not easy to see what they have been set to until you get closer and these functions are also not instantly responsive either.

You can not set a switch beyond a trailing switch ahead of the train with G until after you have cleared the trailing switch.

All that was much easier in MSTS.

In RS I prefer to set my player trains path switches by Shift-left-clicking on their nodes in the #9 Map, it's limited length blue path then indicting were it leads to and where it came from.

You have to open the 2dmap with the 9 key to set any switches and then go back to the Loco or stay in the rear view with the 3 key and stop to switch or be quick with your mouse.

Correct.

Now that the #9 Map can be linked to the moving player train by clicking on the player icon at the bottom right of the #9 Map, switching into and out of the map with the #9 key makes setting player trains paths ahead and behind them much easier.

One last question. Is there any visual indication that a switch is thrown a certain direction from a distance of 50 yards or so with out going to the 2dmap? I know the lever moves when throwing the switches but it is pretty hard to see from a distance. That is why in my humble opinion you should be able to see the switches in the rear in the hud.

The MSTS F8 driver aid displays switch ahead and switch behind settings, you can monitor in all it's views, but in RS you can see their distant setting in the #9 map only ! :(

O t t o

P.S.: In the with the MARK-2 updated RS you can pause the RS #9 Map display action with the Pause key like you could before, but now can Shift-click set switches at leisure without the player train moving until the Pause key is being pressed again, I have asked for a while ago ! ;)

[sleepyto]

Thank You very much for your replies they were greatly appreciated.