"Open Rails for Dummies"

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • ronfalt
    Senior Member
    • Feb 2008
    • 249
    • Antioch, Il.

    #1

    "Open Rails for Dummies"

    Hello all. I have just begun with Open Rails. Download went fine, Selected route(s) open fine. However, I cannot get ANY engine/ consist to budge, whether it be Steam, Diesel or Electric. All views of selected stock work great, but there they sit. What am I doing wrong? Please help.
    Thanks in advance,
    Ron
  • johanno4
    Member
    • Mar 2007
    • 44
    • Durban, South Africa

    #2
    Press shift+/ to initialize the consists brakes. Your train will then move forward. This type of information can be found in the OR Manual...

    Comment

    • peaches461999
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2014
      • 118
      • Green Bay

      #3
      Ah the long lost art of reading a manual.

      Comment

      • ronfalt
        Senior Member
        • Feb 2008
        • 249
        • Antioch, Il.

        #4
        Without sounding too bold, where in the 209 page manual is this info provided? Tried the shift+/ still no go.
        Thank you.

        Comment

        • ftldave
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2008
          • 448
          • Bloomington, Indiana

          #5
          Originally posted by peaches461999
          Ah the long lost art of reading a manual.
          And when you can't find or clearly understand the information in the manual, we have this wonderful trainsim.com forum where helpful people can point in the right direction. I've always thought that's one of the most important reasons we have a forum.

          I found the section in my copy of the OR manual titled 7.6.2 Intialize brakes that includes this phrase: "Check the keyboard assignment for the keys to be pressed", so it doesn't explicitly explain that "Shift +/" is the keyboard command. And that actually means "Shift key and / key simultaneously", no plus symbol needed, right right? There is a reference in the manual about some rolling stock not being able to fully release brakes due to configurations that MSTS ignores. Nowhere does it say, try this command if the train won't move, as a helpful "Open Rails for Dummies" manual surely would, to help beginners to better understand.
          Last edited by ftldave; 06-24-2015, 18:39. Reason: edit txt
          FTLDave

          "Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing." - Wernher von Braun


          "A software suggestion is not a valid answer to a configuration/troubleshooting question." - Timelmer

          Comment

          • R. Steele
            3500 Post Veteran

            • Feb 2013
            • 3928
            • known universe
            • ORTS

            #6
            Originally posted by ronfalt
            Without sounding too bold, where in the 209 page manual is this info provided? ....Thank you.
            All the commands can also be found in two other places...
            When in the game: F1 (Help) >>> first page, Key Commands scroll through all the keystrokes
            On the OR main menu window Options > Keyboard Tab, where you can also assign keys, check your keys, set everything to default, or export the commands.
            Cheers, Gerry
            "A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." Frank Zappa
            It's my railroad and I'll do what I want! Historically accurate attitude of US Railroad Barons.
            Forever, ridin' drag in railroad knowledge.
            Audi, Vide, Tace, Si Vis Vivere In Pace​

            https://www.trainsim.com/forums/filedata/fetch?filedataid=79656&type=medium​ https://www.trainsim.com/forums/filedata/fetch?filedataid=79654&type=small

            Comment

            • peaches461999
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2014
              • 118
              • Green Bay

              #7
              But you stated it does say to check the keyboard commands...and therein lies the answer to your question. Within the manual. And as stated above also, F1. The nice thing about OR, it's commands closely mimic those of MSTS. Especially the F keys. And in many instances, OR has expanded what can be seen using the F key commands.

              Comment

              • markus1996
                Senior Member
                • Apr 2012
                • 203
                • Leoben, Styria, Austria, Europe

                #8
                Originally posted by peaches461999
                But you stated it does say to check the keyboard commands...and therein lies the answer to your question. Within the manual. And as stated above also, F1. The nice thing about OR, it's commands closely mimic those of MSTS. Especially the F keys. And in many instances, OR has expanded what can be seen using the F key commands.
                I would rather check the keyboard commands on the in-game help menu (F1) as the same key might be called differently on different keyboard layouts.

                Cheers, Markus
                sigpic

                Trains. Trains? Trains! =)
                I usually hang out at www.elvastower.com (markus_GE).
                Also take a look at my homepage: http://mgelbmann.jimdo.com/

                Comment

                • dphorton
                  Senior Member
                  • Nov 1999
                  • 852
                  • Las Vegas, NV USA.
                  • General

                  #9
                  Hey guys. What's the problem asking something on the Forum. Isn't that what it is all about. Sometimes you need a little help to jog your thought process. If you don't like the question, then don't answer. There is a lot of information to digest in the Operations Manual.
                  HP Omen Obelisk Desktop, i7-8700, GeForce RTX 2080, Windows 11 Pro

                  Dave Horton
                  Las Vegas, NV

                  Comment

                  • peaches461999
                    Senior Member
                    • Sep 2014
                    • 118
                    • Green Bay

                    #10
                    Originally posted by markus1996
                    I would rather check the keyboard commands on the in-game help menu (F1) as the same key might be called differently on different keyboard layouts.

                    Cheers, Markus
                    True, but the bare bones, unmodified, Open Rails download, does not have randomly assigned key assignments. The OP is a NEW user to OR, and I seriously doubt that the OP changed his keyboard layout. So in this case, the manual saying to check the keyboard layout, if perfectly correct, as EVERY download of OR from their site, comes with the same keyboard assignment. Keyboard layouts may be different, but here in the USA, most every keyboard has the same keys. F keys are all common, they come with standard issue keyboard alpha numeric layout as has been standard for well over 70 years. Most all come with the 9 key numeric pad.

                    Comment

                    • OTTODAD
                      1
                      • Feb 2001
                      • 32344
                      • England
                      • General

                      #11
                      Originally posted by dphorton
                      Hey guys. What's the problem asking something on the Forum. Isn't that what it is all about. Sometimes you need a little help to jog your thought process. If you don't like the question, then don't answer. There is a lot of information to digest in the Operations Manual.
                      How many operating systems, computers, laptops, tablets they and programs, games and simulators run on, their users have studied all their manuals of, many no longer being supplied Hard Copy ?

                      No, what is needed is for all of them to have adequate F1 HELP when using them, hoping that the user is aware of this universal F1 Help function, used by most programs, including the ones that I have created !

                      Problem is that many don't even know the basics in Computing !

                      Comment

                      • slipperman
                        3500 Post Veteran



                        • May 2010
                        • 3787
                        • Worksop, UK
                        • MSOR

                        #12
                        Hi Otto,
                        Problem is that many don't even know the basics in Computing !

                        Never have truer words been written!! We dinosaurs grew up with DOS and its huge manual (remember MSDOS 5?); even Windows 3 and 3.1 came with their own manuals, which covered a lot of the basics. Where do today's beginners learn all that??

                        Apologies for going "off-topic"


                        Cheers,
                        Ged

                        Comment

                        • dphorton
                          Senior Member
                          • Nov 1999
                          • 852
                          • Las Vegas, NV USA.
                          • General

                          #13
                          You are correct but I kind of thought that it came off a little like "hey dummy". We all started out some place and I remember spelling osculate instead of oscillate and I had lots of stupid comments. That was back in 1999, seem a long time ago but the again it don't. I always give the new guy a brake and use a positive to be helpful, no matter what I think of the question, is my point. So I will leave it there as I certainly don't want to stir up any hostility.
                          HP Omen Obelisk Desktop, i7-8700, GeForce RTX 2080, Windows 11 Pro

                          Dave Horton
                          Las Vegas, NV

                          Comment

                          • ronfalt
                            Senior Member
                            • Feb 2008
                            • 249
                            • Antioch, Il.

                            #14
                            Hello all. Thanks for all of the feedback this post has generated. Just want to clarify some things without stepping on toes. Firstly, I consider myself adequately computer literate. I too am a "dinosaur"... pre-pc... Apple 2, Apple 2 GS, then Windows 3.1. Basic Four at work... backing up nightly required several cassettes as big as my son's Millenium Falcon toy.
                            Yes I have used the F1 help guide... Things are still to no avail. Keyboard commands all used, no train movements.
                            I am in a real quandry here, especially as all function correctly in MSTS.
                            Ron

                            Comment

                            • Darter7
                              Senior Member
                              • Jan 2008
                              • 109

                              #15
                              I, too, had the same lack of train movement problem. The solution for me: release train brake by pressing the ";" key (same as MSTS), release engine brake by pressing the "[" key (same as MSTS). what that does is allow brake pressure to build. and lastly, initialize the brakes with the Shift Key and the "/" key pressed at the same time. The train now moves, with great physics I might add; problem solved.
                              Last edited by Darter7; 06-25-2015, 17:02. Reason: more specific expanation

                              Comment

                              Working...