Atomic Systems

Can someone please explain how to properly operate the dampers in advanced mode? If I understand that correctly to turn the dampers off (allow more air into the firebox and therfore produce more steam) you have to pull both "front" levers up (if you're travelling in the forward direction) or the "rear" levers up (if travelling in the backward direction). Is it so?

Additionally, what is weird is that the info shown when you press F5 always shows dampers on in the advanced mode no matter what position are the damper levers in. Is this normal? In simple mode it works OK.

I can't remember which way around is which now, but basically, you want the damper doors open, in relation to the the direction of travel. As you said, open the front ones smokebox first and rear ones for travelling backwards.

To answer about the F5 HUD always showing open. I think that is because the custom scripting for the engine is too advanced for the game core to interact fully, think it may mention this in the loco manual. I tend to actually keep them closed at the minute as find I always have too much steam. So need to keep the fire cool, but I mainly drive preserved routes so could be why.

The dampers are open (providing air to the fire) when in the raised position, closed (not providing air) when lowered. There is a midway position you can use as well. The F5 HUD almost entirely in advanced mode is not as useful as normal, again due to the limitations of the core game, the dampers definitely won't read correctly on there no matter what (aside from simple mode). I find there to be no real difference according to the direction of travel so I just have them all open when necessary and shut them all when they're not needed (e.g. coasting downhill).

OK, thank you both, all clear. It's just that I'm not sure I see any difference in steam production with dampers open or closed, it seems to me the speed of pressure increase stays the same. But maybe it just requires more time to actually observe the effect of it?

And one more question - is there a speedometer gauge somewhere in the cab? Couldn't find one...?

Can't remember off the top of my head if there's a speedo, probably not as it's a freight loco. The dampers will take time to have an effect as they control the air flow to the fire, so by altering their setting you're effecting the fire over whatever period of time you have them set the way you do, so you'll make no difference if you shut them and then open them straight back up again. The dampers are really something you need to know your train (tonnage) and your route (stops, gradients etc) to be able to take advantage of to keep the loco quiet.

Ok, thanks a lot for your answer.

However, if there's no speedo how can the driver follow speed signs etc.?? By guessing?

On speedometers: http://ftp.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php ... 1c3e0832c1

Marcus

The old steam drivers I worked with said that they judged their speed initially by the track joints (there was no welded rail in those days) and the telegraph poles that were present alongside every line at the time. Some old railway companies actually regarded speedometers as dangerous distractions to the driver and the technology was not regarded as very accurate, sometimes to a dangerous extent. These men worked many years as firemen before becoming drivers, and they had a good feel for speed by the time they became drivers to the point that they usually knew their speed by the motion of the locomotive. Seems crazy in this day and age, but that's how it was. Even BR didn't fit speedos to every loco they built.

Thank you, Marcus and Holz, very interesting indeed...