JT 20

[Darpor]

The route has nothing to do with the issue, I get this little surprise on all routes.

Thats what Alex was asking for, so they can investigate and get to the bottom of it!

[wolly1380]

I wouldn't be to worried about coupling's more the fact RW has never had compressable buffers or stretchable draw bars

Hiya,

While RailWorks doesn't have the technology to dynamically resize geometry, the physics system does in fact support compression and stretching of the coupling gear. This functionality was introduced before RailWorks was launched.

Regards

Oh my bad sorry I have noticed it is there in the phyics but just not animated, it would be nice if it was though Adam

Thats what Alex was asking for, so they can investigate and get to the bottom of it!

I think Alex is at the bottom if it, It can't be very roomy in there Alex?

[simuk]

The route has nothing to do with the issue, I get this little surprise on all routes. But if you must ask on my The Kalm line v1.5! Now available on UKTS for the modest price of $0.00!

I know you've said you get it on "all routes", however, if you select Oxford to Paddington and then the Morning Spray scenario, do you get it on those Class 20's on that scenario?

Thanks,

Simon
Just Trains

[Klaabu]

Strange that there isn't keyboard command for turning gauge illumination on/off in the cab. In total darkness it's absolutely impossible to find right switch using mouse. Maybe the keycommand still exists but is not documented?

[AlexFord]

Hi - Which route(s) are you seeing this issue on please?

Thanks

Alex.[/quote]

The route has nothing to do with the issue, I get this little surprise on all routes. But if you must ask on my The Kalm line v1.5! Now available on UKTS for the modest price of $0.00! [/quote]

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So even on a default RailWorks route you see this? Is that 100% correct?

Thanks - Alex Ford.

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[Wikkus]

Review time. As I've said earlier in the thread, I'm not going to be comparing here, just looking at the JT 20 on its own.

Looks
Super. Nicely detailed body and bogies with a good spread of liveries in the pack plus variants of those, too, e.g. different levels of weathering ranging from pretty much ex-works to minging (no, really -- it's difficult to find a more appropriate word for one of the supplied DRS finishes!). We even get a LaFarge cement liveried version -- anyone doing a Hope Valley route?

In addition, there are specific variants that cater for day or night-time use, although these sub-variants are really just cab mods wherein the interior is rendered much darker to give a more realistic feel to this 1950s-era diesel type.

Personally, I'm finding it hard to justify that extra step toward realism as there's a few other things in the RW world that break the suspension of disbelief anyway, e.g. the way the lighting works in tunnels and it'd be nice to see those fixed at some juncture and have the lighting in the cab work truly dynamically, but I digress. You also get independently switchable instrument panel lighting just as we got in the Class 60 which does a pretty good job in both variants at allowing the driver to see what does what and when

The cab itself is no disappointment either and is superbly finished and detailed and swapping to the "other" seat means it is possible to drive "Scottish/Southern Style", i.e. bonnet- (or hood- ) end leading.

As mentioned elsewhere, there appears to be a slight anomaly with the couplings, but this may just be a pivot-point issue and besides, this is not in any way a problem unique to this model.

Performance
Again, seems pretty much bang-on the money although I've not done any proper performance testing, e.g. what can it drag up what sort of gradient, however, one of the included scenarios is on the default Newcastle-York route and involves 30 HAA hoppers which a brace of EE Type 1s can hustle along at a steady clip of 60mph quite nicely, thank-you very much

Acceleration is pretty brisk but not alarmingly so, although I'd have to put my hand up and state that I have no first-hand, real-life experience at driving one of these (or any other type for that matter) so don't have any frame of reference in that respect. Braking performance, particularly in respect to the rate of response from keyboard commands is quite possibly the best I've ever experienced in an RS/RW model although I've yet to get it 'dialled-in' so that I can drive it like I can drive the 37, i.e. by 'eyeballing' the gauges and knowing how much to give it so that it pulls up where I want it rather than before or past the point I'd like for it to stop, although I've no doubt this will come in time. Again, don't know how realistic these are and so far, I've only driven it with air-braked stock. Incidentally, the straight brake seems to work well, too -- just the thing for pottering about the depot. It works far, far better than that on the Class 60...

Sounds
Brilliant. Producing convincing sounds for RW seems to be something of a dark art, but the JT gang seem to have been sacrificing the chickens in the right place as they've produced a soundpack that almost scores a full 10 in my book. They've got a real spread of engine speeds in there and critically for this prototype, got the turbo whistle across the whole rev range. There's that characteristic "burp" as the power handle position is changed to apply the beans, with all the right noises playing catch-up in response.

The only place where they lose a point from me is 1) the sound set is absolutely on the money in terms of the level of what one can hear in the cab but go to an external view and... nothing alters. It's the same sound set. There's none of the additional 'bark' and rasp you get from being outside where you're directly exposed to the exhaust outlets. 2) The distance at which it can be heard from in the external view. I don't want to be seen as jumping on any particular band-wagon following the very recent mods demonstrated by Richard Armstrong in light of the research carried out by 'scefwhil', but we're talking "stealthy" choppers here -- an oxymoron, I'm sure you'll agree

Summary
This is another cracking model of a 20 and it comes with two highly unusual and quite usable wagon models. too; you get the quite modern RHTT (Rail Head Treatment Train) -- not just one wagon, but three and in also in a variety of states of filthiness -- and you also get the late-80s vintage FNA nuclear flask wagon, too, in both loaded and unloaded variants. Railworks users get the added bonus of dynamic operation of the RHTT, when coupled to the JT 20, i.e. it automatically starts spraying at a preset speed.

Also well worth a mention is that the supplied scenarios are actually rather good -- not really a surprise to those of us who're fortunate enough to have experienced Richard Armstrong's efforts already, but possibly that final little push to anyone who may be undecided about this pack. Even the S&DJR and Newcastle-York Modern are catered for. I spent a really fun hour on the latter, earlier, having used RWTools to sub all the HAAs and "Railfreight grey 47"s for EWS- and Freightliner-liveried HTAs and Class 66s...

It's a really, really nice model to drive and I really cannot find anything to gripe about apart from the aforementioned lack of 'oomph' from the external sounds. It's every bit as good as all JT's stuff thus far and although I did flinch ever-so-slightly at the asking price, I'm starting to think that when you consider how much you get for your 20 sovs, it's actually pretty good value...

It's going to be a long while before I get tired of hearing that characteristic noise -- much thrashing will ensue!

9/10.

Rik.

[FoggyMorning]

My only disappointment with the nuclear flask models is that they didn't include a scenario in which you get to crash a Peak into them at high speed

[TractorBasher]

A good review, Rik. I think you're spot on, it's a smashing add-on, and I think it's great value for money for what you get in terms of different models and numbers of scenarios, especially for RailWorks users. Just one comment to make, the RHTT spraying can be turned on and off at will by pressing 'B'.

I love the grubby versions of the 20 and RHTT wagons. Just like the real things when they've been hard at work for a couple of weeks in the autumn. They must take some cleaning!

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

I really would like to read some honest opinions about how Just Trains' model (the actual engine and sounds, not concerned about the wonderful sounding extras) compares to IHH's, eg the visual model, cabs, sounds, physics. It'll be a perfectly valid discussion given they they're both commercial products and many will have the choice between one or the other. I am sure we'll be warned not to overstep the mark - and that's fine - but this is, I think, the discussion many are secretly waiting for

[stephenholmes]

Hello
Have you tried you tube? I'm sure there will be videos on there by now
This will allow you to sample the sounds
The Class 20's are without doubt fantastic models from Just Trains
I have these installed in Rail simulator as well......well done JT
Kind regards Stephen

[rml345]

Purchased the JT20s last night and I am delighted with them.

Just wish I had a bit more spare time at the moment to use them.

[kirkheath]

This is a brilliant add on indeed! although I seem to notice there is no way to get the domino headcode in a clean BR livery.

[AlexFord]

This is a brilliant add on indeed! although I seem to notice there is no way to get the domino headcode in a clean BR livery.

Glad you like them. Are you saying you can set the headcode in other domino models but not in the clean BR livery version?

[growler37]

Hi
A friend of mine has just bought this and he invited me to give it a go.
This is by far the best diesel loco for RW atm,The sound is perfect,both in, and out of the cab, the modelling quality and detail raise the standards bar yet again,especially the weathering, which looks very realistic.
The RHTT and the nuclear flasks are equaly as impressive, and unlike some packs,as much care and attention has been put into these as into the loco,so brilliant work JT.
IMHO if you want Class 20,s this is the pack to go for, without question!true, its more expensive than other comercial offerings of the same class,but very much worth it IMO,i am saving up to buy this pack myself because it really is something special.
Regards
Kevin

[Sly401]

Hi
A friend of mine has just bought this and he invited me to give it a go.
This is by far the best diesel loco for RW atm,The sound is perfect,both in, and out of the cab, the modelling quality and detail raise the standards bar yet again,especially the weathering, which looks very realistic.
The RHTT and the nuclear flasks are equaly as impressive, and unlike some packs,as much care and attention has been put into these as into the loco,so brilliant work JT.
IMHO if you want Class 20,s this is the pack to go for, without question!true, its more expensive than other comercial offerings of the same class,but very much worth it IMO,i am saving up to buy this pack myself because it really is something special.
Regards
Kevin

And you have the other commercial pack to compare with.... ?

Sly