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Well, fellas, while I've been having fun with MSTS over the last year or so, it has yet to compare with my real job on a tourist railroad. For the last several months, I've been moving diesels (an ex-UP NW-2 and an ex-U.S. Army MRS-1, which is similar to an SD-9) around the yard as part of my hostling duties, mostly from shop track 1 to shop track 2, or back again, or up to the fuel tank, etc. I've also had minor throttle time on one of our 2-8-0's, and also took a Davenport 44-tonner down the mainline light-engine about 7 miles.Last Saturday, though, I guess the Chief felt pretty comfortable with my locomotive handling ability; he let me stay in the seat of MRS-1 No. 1813 after just making a joint to a cut of four cars that needed to be switched. The switching ended up getting pretty extensive, as the wrong consist was ordered for an evening charter, and the right cars had to be put on within the hour.Working with a conductor and a brakeman, we must have made 8 or 9 switch moves to get the job done. I've never handled 4 passenger cars at once, and it gave me a a chance to get a feel for the train brake. (Not self-lapping, I might add...) In short, for the first time in my 26.75 years on this planet, I felt like an engineer. While train simulator simulates a lot-- like the effects of 50 grain cars on three SD40-2's going up a 2% grade, automatic block signaling, basic dispatching, and all the other physics involved-- there's still a lot it doesn't do. You can feel slack-action against the locomotive when you move a cut of cars- especially if you are rough-handling. (Have your little brother, sister, son, daughter, etc. kick the back of your chair whenever you make a joint at 2 MPH.) It's also nice to have a brakeman signaling to you, instead of having to switch to unrealistic views to see what you're doing. There's also a lot of rules not programmed into the simulator, like setting the brakes on a cut of cars before you uncouple them, or waiting for a cut of cars to pump up after you've just coupled to them. In the meantime, I will probably continue to play train simulator, and visit virtual mainlines that I may never get to see in real life. But you can bet that I'm going to finish my fireman certification requirements, start studying the engineer section of the book, and continue to take opportunities at the throttle. In addition to the real engineers who use MSTS, I'm sure others of you have had a chance to get a cab ride. I encourage everybody to seek out their nearest tourist railroad or railroad museum and offer to help out as a volunteer. At the Heber Valley Railroad, volunteers get treated to cab-rides every now and then. That usually hooks them into getting involved in railroad operations. (Sneaky, aren't we? ) That's how I started, and now my childhood dream is becoming a reality. - dispatcher618 Engineer1813
Wow! Great story. I sure wish I could drive "real" trains too. I'm a member of a steam train society right here in Falun. And at steam day I visit the train sheds and watch the steam engines. Last year I got to ride in the cab of a Class-B steam engine, I got to stoke the fire and blow the whistle and I had a lot of fun. And I'd gladly do it again. I hope that you to hit the mainlines soon, and that you keep on steamin'. Here's a picture of a Class-B./Jonatan
Well, I'll tell you my "story" which follows those lines... I'm only in my 15th year of life (meaning I'm 14 for those mathematically challenged), but have been in the cab of suburban while running a timetabled service a couple of times, and got showed over the controls. I have been guard for a day on a tourist railway (I cannot say which one for certain "reasons") when I was barely 10 as I recall, which also meant that cab rides, albeit only a few hundred yards were a common event of the day. Not to mention having visited the cab of my fav. diesel and steam locos several times, the diesel is very easy to learn the controls of (esp. if you know someone who drove them in Government service) and I pride myself in thinking that if needed I could drive the loco (and by all rights, if I was required to drive it I could, although it may be a rather rough ride ).Now, getting to the MSTS part of things, having rode many a time in cabs or guards compartments, you get to learn the gauges, how the brakes handle, and other such things. MSTS does have a load of downfalls (e.g. signalling no where near Australian practices - yes it was designed for America/Canada but gees the signalling would have to be totally re-writen for Australia) however opening up the regulator on a J. Spinella C38 (steam loco in the library - seach for "Spinella") does feel great, the way it handles and all. The J. Brooks' bulldogs are just GREAT, the way they handle, the way they look, just GREAT! However, other diesels, like the NR class (search for "Craig Scott" in the library) are great looking models, but in real life the throttle has to be in notch 6 when the brakes are released otherwise the train will roll backwards!!! This could never be simulated in train sim, and so is a downfall.I'm not sure how "on subject" I've stayed, so I'll finish up now.Cheers. Projects - 421 class Public Transport Commission of New South Wales diesel electircs: Fuel & Air tanks - 95% No. 2 end - 88% (Pilot details and number boards/headlights need to be added) No. 1 end - 05% (Headlight & handrails are on) Sides - 33% (frame work is up, about 1/4 of panels on) Overall - 15.3% - 422 class New South Wales Government Railways diesel electircs: On the drawing boards for a project after the 421's. Overall - Not official
