Rolling rolling err not rolling

[pmorgancym]

Having had a play I get the feeling there's more to this not being able to flyshunt than purely just trying to represent fitted stock, I can't seem to get anything to rolll on a gradient. Even if I slightly nudge a loco in the direction of a gradient then shut off, brakes fully released, mid gear it gradually coasts to halt halfway down a gradient.

The behaviour you get when bufering up to a consist, but not couple, even one with a drivable loco on it, is rather odd, at first it's like your pushing an immovable object, then it slowly picks up speed, the attached loco starts to do some work. Compared to the same consist if you buffer up and couple to it, open up the reg and your off like a rocket.

There's something amiss there, but physics isn't my area, so I couldn't say what I get this feeling things can only move if they're coupled up and being driven.

[AdamsRadial]

Strangely, I had the opposite experience. I had a 7f with wagons coming from Evercreech New down to Evercreech. I shut off the throttle and let it drift under the bridge into Evercreech Junction, then switched over to the other computer to browse the forums. When I looked back, the train was rolling backwards the way it had come. I watched, in between reading posts, as it ran back and forth between a couple of points, steadily losing a few feet on each trip. Ultimately, if I had left it alone, it would have settled down to a halt somewhere a little bit North of the overbridge.

Another test is to take a loco and train north from Shepton Mallet to the sidings North of the tunnels at -2.55910 51.20550, then close the regulator and leave the brakes off while you wander around the sidings and coal mine opposite. You should find your train rolling back down through the tunnel after a short while.

What control mode are you using? I did most of my running on intermediate controls, because I had somehow convinced myself you couldn't have automatic firing in expert. Now I've found out differently I ought to rerun a few of my experiments in case there's a difference. Being able to use the handbrake on the 7f is far superior to the train brakes when shunting. I'll have a look later on when I've finished learning how to drive diesels.

[pmorgancym]

Expert with auto fireman. I had the same thoughts as you about the auto fireman

[AdamsRadial]

Well, it looks like you're right. I just ran the train I used in the banking experiments up through the tunnel and came to a halt opposite a 7f and some wagons I'd set up in the sidings for the shunting experiments. I left the black 5 in mid gear, regulator closed, and train brake at 4%, and clicked on the 7f. The passenger train hasn't moved an inch, but if I click back into it's cab it immediately starts rolling back down the grade. Click back into the 7f and the passenger train stays frozen, but it does seem to be making a faint chuffing noise as though it were trying to move but isn't allowed to.

So the control mode does make a difference? I'll habe to switch back now and double-check.

[jamespetts]

See here for details on this problem.

[AdamsRadial]

Thanks for the pointer James, at least RSD have said they will have a look at it.

I've managed to repeat the vanishing train act. It has nothing to do with control level.

I let the train roll to a halt North of the tunnel past the signal box, and waited until it just started to roll back, then clicked on the 7f in the opposite sidings. Immediately, the rolling passenger train halted. I clicked back onto the passenger train, and it started rolling again. This time, I used key 8 to detach from the train, and it began to roll away towards the tunnel. I flew over to the 7f and turned round to watch the train. Before it had completely entered the tunnel I clicked on the 7f. Immediately there was a muffled boom, and when I changed to the 7f's cam 2, the passenger train was stationary again. I detached from the 7f with cam 8, and the train still didn't move. I then clicked on the passenger train and immediately switched to cam 8. The train vanished into the tunnel. I flew up and watched until the rearmost coaches had emerged from the far end of the tunnel. when I clicked on one of them I was instantly inside the cab of the passenger loco inside the tunnel.

So, no worries about different difficulty levels altering the rolling physics.