Running on empty

[orangzeb]

woww mate , I just read your instructions on youtube , had downloaded all parts but never watched them because with your instructions only , I was able to complete this scenario without any problem ! You the man..

to cut this short :

Throttle 100% (uphill) 0% (downhill)
reverser 28% All the Time
coal level 30% all the time (uphill)
Dampers always on till the end
Boilers only on when in tunnels (and if we don't do this , what will happen?)
steam injector on for at least one minute (twice in this scenario) when going downhill to retain boiler water level
and increasing decreasing speed according to limits..

So I was able to complete the first objective with 189 Gallons left
The reason I was failing on this scenario was : I was not totally using coal / firing, it was always off

Thanks you so much !

[deadly]

...
Boilers only on when in tunnels (and if we don't do this , what will happen?)
...

You get a fatal blowback from the fire into the cab. Something to avoid.

[USRailFan]

So has anyone _actually_ completed this one successfully using auto fireman, F4 hud, and the latest RW2 upgrade??

[transadelaide]

I have done it previously using the auto fireman, but not recently as I've switched to using manual fireman. I tend to switch between the F4 and F5 displays and generally use the keyboard to operate most controls even when in F4 mode, but this is immaterial. I will give it a go just for you though, and report back once I'm done.

EDIT: I have just successfully done most of the scenario (up to the point of refilling) with the automatic fireman switched on while using my clean install of RW2 including all updates. I had 96 gallons remaining when I reached the point of filling. My top tips:
1. Don't over use the regulator and reverser, I used 60% and 50% and that was fine for getting up the steep hill at 20-25 mph.
2. Anything above 30mph while going uphill is way too fast.
3. To avoid producing too much steam and wasting it through the safety valve leave the dampers closed to keep the fire temperature a bit lower and reduce steam production.
4. Let gravity do the work for you after the summit. Don't be tempted to then drive up the small slopes from the two dips you get in between there and Evercreech, coasting will be fine there and you'll still have a decent amount of speed to spare.

[USRailFan]

Well I'm still S-O-L - could anyone post some more detailed regulator/reverser settings suggestions (as I say: for _automatic fireman_), and when (distance before Evercreech) you apply them? Also when to start braking before the 30mph tunnels, how much brake to apply and when to release again.

[Kromaatikse]

So has anyone _actually_ completed this one successfully using auto fireman, F4 hud, and the latest RW2 upgrade??

I did. It was very tight, but I managed it.

[USRailFan]

So has anyone _actually_ completed this one successfully using auto fireman, F4 hud, and the latest RW2 upgrade??

I did. It was very tight, but I managed it.

Could you post some detailed regulator/reverser settings suggestions, and when (distance before Evercreech) you apply them? Also when to start braking before the 30mph tunnels, how much brake to apply and when to release again (I think this is where my main problem lie - I have a tendency to apply the brakes too hard and for too long...)

[Kromaatikse]

Well, for a starting point please see the three-part video I posted. The basic technique should also be applicable to auto-fireman, with a few minor changes (including not doing the firing yourself, of course).

The brakes in particular should be handled the same way, as these are absolutely no different in the two modes. The exception I would make is to release the brakes entirely as soon as you are through the twin tunnels, temporarily ignoring the weak bearings of the wagons in order to gather enough momentum to coast through Shepton Mallet decently quickly - this effectively means that less coal is burned and less steam is generated from that dwindling supply of water. Once on the downhil beyond that, control your speed as in the video. A decent rule of thumb is that about 15" vacuum will keep your speed roughly constant on the 1:50 downhill. In the video, I try to use the internal cab view when adjusting the brakes, so that the vacuum gauge is visible.

The only firing control available in auto-fireman mode is the damper, and that seems to be an oversight on RSC's part - it is not visible on the F4 panel, but you can see if it's open (on) or closed (off) in F5. At the point where I shut down the fire, approaching Masbury summit, that's the best place to close the dampers - just hold Shift-M for a few seconds. You can open them again once you've got water - hold M (without Shift) for a few seconds. Unfortunately there is no way to turn off the blower similarly.

[USRailFan]

Sadly Youtube is out of the question at the moment as I am on a . mobile broadband, still waiting (three weeks now...) to get proper broadband in the new flat...
Still, managed to get through this one in the end, even with automatic fireman - pulled up to the water tower on Evercreech Junction with 14 gallons of water left - phew!

[sefrutjens]

Well, after almost a year since the publishing of this item, I started with TS2012 and of course, I too ran into the troubles with this Drive by Route in Running on Empty. It is called medium, but I think it should be called Difficult in the 3th degree.
But what is my problem?

I did almost exactly what was shown in the 3 YouTube movies and I managed to reach the Watersupply with plenty of water in my tank. Very beautiful. But then, the troubles showed up (again). I could couple the wagons to the loc and move forward to the destination. Then, whatever I tried, the train gets slower and slower. Until it stops about 2 miles for the destination is reached. I supply all water I loaded, but the boiler keeps running empty!

I did a resume for the game from an earlier point where everything seemed to be normal. But then the Reverser does not work anymore (the reverse setting at -75%) and the train still moves forward.

Is this a bug, or do I do something very stupid?

Please, there might be a person who can clarify things for me....

[Trev123]

One important thing when driving a steam engine is not to use mre steam than being generated. You can control this by both the regulator and the reverser. Generally in a steam engine with the regulator at 100% as you build up speed slowly decrease the reverser. On some engines you only need about 25 to 30% reverser to maintain speed on level ground. Remember as you come to an incline don't try and maintain speed, but as you gradually slow down increase the reverser but make sure as mentioned above don't be using more steam than is being generated.

[Kariban]

Don't use less steam than is being generated either, or you'll waste it by blowing the safety valves. However you want boiler pressure as high as possible, because more pressure means more power for the same amount of steam ( and that means the same amount of water ). In broad terms, anyway.

[ttjph]

All made more complicated by the fact that the amount of steam used has a dramatic effect on the amount of steam generated, courtesy of Mr Stephenson's blastpipe.