How do you drive?

[NiallGray]

Definitely each to their own.

For me it varies what I am doing. If I am exploring a new route, I'll go through them all, trying to take in as much as possible.

If I am writing an act, I tend to use the cab only, except in stations where I quickly use an exterior view to check where I stopped in the platform (some cabviews are bad for getting your real position right). However by the 10th time in testing I begin using all the camera views just to keep interest going during testing!

I've also been playing with a bit of routebuilding and when I run a train along that, I'll do the first run to see how it looks out the cab, the next run is passenger view and then a couple of more runs, using external views.

[gswindale]

Tends to be mainly Shift 1 with the occasional 2/3 views if checking where AI and positioning is whilst creating acts. Occasionally use 4 for a nice view of the train if just moving along with not much to do.

Tried the CTRL numpad 2 to go ITR, but nothing happened??

[supergoods]

When driving steam I use the head out view and have a virtual otherside head out view mounted as a pascam on the tender to give the firemans view.

I need to discipline myself to not use the firemans view when actually firing.

I usually use the keyboard controls as some of the control configurations on my modified files are not available on the models.

The only diseasel I use is a souped up 200mph Western which I use for exploring new routes in a shift/1 view.

When testing the boring AI fireman versions I will use the lineside cam especially on heavy gradients where the boiler is producing more steam than the loco can use.

[tubemad]

I tend to be in the cab, most of my activities assume you are in the cab thus any trains out of sight from the cab wont be added so when you look at view 1 etc, a yard can look empty (Sometimes I add a bit more for external view addicts but sometimes I add less loose consists if I think the average PC will blow up due to the overload of graphics!)

Another question along with this maybe is how does everyone respond to signs? If a new higher speed limit comes up (say from 40 to 80) will you accelerate there and then or go by the rulebook and accelerate only when the whole train passes the speed sign (This is exempt from TSRs as in F4 it will resume to linespeed once your whole set has passes the 'T' sign anyway)

Same for whistle boards, I generally whistle a bit later past the sign in some cases, like on the Hounslow loop on DC v5 as the Level crossings are located quite a distance from the sign if you are going slow/pulling out a station so I tend to give a warning toot later (However I don't think you can do that in real life at Level crossings as I believe the rulebook states you can now only whistle when absolute necessary)

When I pass new speeds to check if the whole set has passed the sign, I stick my head out the window rather than use view 3, and if I'm in a train that you can't stick your head out (like a HST, as there's no opening window), I will imagine the whole set passing the sign then accelerate (like you would do in real life), though I have caught myself using view 3 for that a couple of times!!



Cheers,

James.

[douglee]

Hi Everybody,
Well that is interesting. (Easily pleased you see)

I didn't mention in my first post that I predominantly drive steam. Hence View 1 and Headout.

Martin mentioned not using View 6 at all.
I use ' daandmda's' Camera views:-

Replacement Camera Configuration File [152683 bytes] - camcfg.zip File ID: 17717 Date: 29 Oct 2007 - 996 Downloads

Which give great 'Shunters' position views from the front/rear footplate steps or riding the first/last wagon 'hanging on for dear life'. Also View 6 has 100% view which can be used in certain cases like the approach to points when you can see the way they are set.

How many times have you shot up the wrong siding when manual point changing.

My mouse has a wheel that allows keys to be set to the wheel. I have Left Wheel click for 'g' and Right Wheel click for 'shift g'. This gives instant control over the approaching point.

That's just me anyhow.