Emergency Braking Behavior

[INRDfan]

Hello all,

I am running OR version 1.1.1.3487, and am noticing that emergency braking does not seem to function prototypically. Is there a way for me to modify something so that this acts more realistic, with the brake pipe rapidly dropping to zero and the brake cylinder building up rapidly?

A couple times, I have come across conditions (rogue AI's, wacky signal changes, etc) which led me to put a train into emergency, only to have it SLOOOOOOOOOOWLY creep down in speed. It seems like it's usually faster to do blended braking with full dynamics (when equipped) and some air. Specifically, most recently I was running two of 3DTrainstuff's Amtrak P42's with 8 cars and went into emergency at 60 MPH on flat ground. It took a little over a minute and around a mile to stop.

This is not a big deal, but would add some realism if it were to function more realistically when needed in the sim.

[Vince]

You need to adjust the engine file braking parameters. What worked in MSTS required un-prototypical settings and so will have a problem in OR.

I know, next question is how do I know what setting to use?
Pretty simple really. Look at an engine file you have that performs correctly.
Then set the problem engine the same way.

regards,

[EricF]

Vince's suggestion is the best permanent solution, and I'd add that it would be best to use an engine of the same or similar type (at least the same or similar type of braking system) as the example to base your changes on.

If you are using a recent "Experimental" branch version of Open Rails, you can also try a quick fix that's been added. In Options, on the "Experimental" tab, tick the box next to "Correct Questionable Braking Parameters". It won't change any files, but OR will attempt to ignore bad configuration lines and substitute better behavior on the fly. Not a fix-all, but it can get things working in some situations.

[OTTODAD]

If you are using a recent "Experimental" branch version of Open Rails, you can also try a quick fix that's been added. In Options, on the "Experimental" tab, tick the box next to "Correct Questionable Braking Parameters". It won't change any files, but OR will attempt to ignore bad configuration lines and substitute better behavior on the fly. Not a fix-all, but it can get things working in some situations.

Thanks, Eric, going to use that too, just in case !

[geepster775]

Yea, something is definitely amiss with the made-for-MSTS files. It took me 6100 feet and 1:30 to E-stop a 70 mph Amtrak train. While in this video a 70 mph Amtrak E-stops in 30 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHnzAAP65H8

Where are the long-standing physics gurus, and what say ye?

[Vince]

https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showthread.php?325410-Emergency-Braking-Behavior&p=1900451#post1900451

To add to what I said it's going to take some time to clear up the patched and incorrect MSTS physics. Keeps me happily busy tinkering.
Have you forgotten how bad the MSTS physics were in the beginning? And to make it worse, re-skinners just copied the bad engine files into their skin and the errors spread through the downloads.
But now you can fix them for running beautifully in the new Sim.

regards,

[INRDfan]

I noticed that with that particular locomotive, opening the front angle cock dumps the brake pipe immediately, and the eq. reservoir follows, but it still seems to take the same distance to stop as with the "emergency push button." When I have some time, tomorrow perhaps, I will go through .eng files and see if I can tweak this. I'll report back with what I find.

[Vince]

As it should!
Opening the front angle cock does exactly what the emergency position on the brake valve does, vents the brake pipe to the atmosphere.

It is the brake force and mass parameters in the wag files you should take a look at.
May I suggest you use one default engine and one default freight car.
Get the mass, and brake force fixed so you'll know what parameters to setup the rest of your fleet.
First compare the problem engine to one that performs correctly then do the same for a freight car.
Then make a consist made up of just the car and engine you have fixed and see how it performs.
When you have the tweaks for engine and wag file figured out you can use EnginMod or Route_Riter to setup the rest of your fleet.
It took me a couple of hours to get a string of two identical engines and eighty identical cars to get the parameters right and then 10 minutes with Route_Riter v7.6.26 to do all the rest of my rolling stock.

Regards,

[OTTODAD]

Here is a standard ICE-3 applying its emergency brakes running in my MSTSBin DB-Tracks Wupper Express-11 version route:

https://youtu.be/3H8mdiZMPs4
Best viewed FULL screen !

Observe the signal lights glare !