Very good tutorial Geepster. I can add a few thoughts from real world railroading, at least one of which is not implemented in OR:
1. Opening angle cocks should be done slowly to avoid putting the train in emergency. A triple valve senses not only the change in brake pipe pressure but the rate of air flow as well. A normal brake pipe application or release is akin to a large leak, and does not upset the triple valve. In an emergency application, air flushes from the brake pipe at a significantly higher rate and the triple valves can sense this and trigger their own emergency state.
If you fully open an angle cock quickly into a cut of uncharged cars, the effect is very much the same as dumping the air from a designated valve on the locomotive. Open the angle cock slowly, gently tapping it with your hand until you hear the air begin to flow. An experienced conductor will know just how far the angle cock can be opened before the train goes in emergency. When doing this, you can see the brakes apply on the charged cars just the same as we've seen above, it just mimics a full service application rather than emergency.
OpenRails opens the angle cock fully in an instant, triggering the emergency application. In the real world, you, the engineer, should place the Automatic Brake handle in Emergency until all the air has drained from the system, then move it back to release to reset the system. This is very inefficient and OpenRails users should not do this.
2. Many diesel locomotives (definitely older EMDs) have air compressors that are driven directly by the prime mover. The faster the engine turns, the faster the air compressor pumps. In the real world, you can center the reverser and shut off Generator Field, then rev the engine up to maybe Run 4 at the max (I'm not sure exactly why, but the compressor may reach max output by 50% throttle?). I'm not sure if this practice is used any more. I haven't tested OR to see if charging time is affected by prime mover speed. AirBrakesIsCompressorElectricalorMechanical would lead me to believe that the idea was considered in MSTS.
It can take a LONG time to charge trains in OpenRails. I had a single C628 on the Monon a few weeks ago trying to charge 74 cars for a move. It took about 45 minutes to get the pressure up for an air test. Only so many screenshots you can take....
Tyler
1. Opening angle cocks should be done slowly to avoid putting the train in emergency. A triple valve senses not only the change in brake pipe pressure but the rate of air flow as well. A normal brake pipe application or release is akin to a large leak, and does not upset the triple valve. In an emergency application, air flushes from the brake pipe at a significantly higher rate and the triple valves can sense this and trigger their own emergency state.
If you fully open an angle cock quickly into a cut of uncharged cars, the effect is very much the same as dumping the air from a designated valve on the locomotive. Open the angle cock slowly, gently tapping it with your hand until you hear the air begin to flow. An experienced conductor will know just how far the angle cock can be opened before the train goes in emergency. When doing this, you can see the brakes apply on the charged cars just the same as we've seen above, it just mimics a full service application rather than emergency.
OpenRails opens the angle cock fully in an instant, triggering the emergency application. In the real world, you, the engineer, should place the Automatic Brake handle in Emergency until all the air has drained from the system, then move it back to release to reset the system. This is very inefficient and OpenRails users should not do this.
2. Many diesel locomotives (definitely older EMDs) have air compressors that are driven directly by the prime mover. The faster the engine turns, the faster the air compressor pumps. In the real world, you can center the reverser and shut off Generator Field, then rev the engine up to maybe Run 4 at the max (I'm not sure exactly why, but the compressor may reach max output by 50% throttle?). I'm not sure if this practice is used any more. I haven't tested OR to see if charging time is affected by prime mover speed. AirBrakesIsCompressorElectricalorMechanical would lead me to believe that the idea was considered in MSTS.
It can take a LONG time to charge trains in OpenRails. I had a single C628 on the Monon a few weeks ago trying to charge 74 cars for a move. It took about 45 minutes to get the pressure up for an air test. Only so many screenshots you can take....
Tyler
Comment