Couple of BVE questions.

[JustinStacey.x]

Hi, first time post here, a few questions. I use BVE 4 and mainly run the Network West Midlands Routes and a few others.

First question:
Sometimes when I am driving along, usually quite fast, I'll hear a beeping sound (the one you press DEL to override). What is that and why does it beep? It only happens when I am blasting along at high speeds and particularly when I am doing 120 in the Turbostar. I know the Turbostar has a 'rated' maximum speed of 100, but almost all of the trains can go at least 10% past that - is this the reason I keep hearing the alarm and is it bad? I don't break speed limits btw, just some routes (like Maybank to Hammerwich) allow one to go fast for significant periods of time.

Second question:
Again on many of the Network West Midlands routes, timing is extraordinarily tight. By this, I mean to arrive on time at a station one has to quite often ride along amber or double amber signals for a good portion of the route. If I were to hang back a little and make sure I was passing mostly green signals, I would be late. Is this normal? I don't particularly like the idea of constantly riding on another train's ass.

Third and final question:
The brakes on the 156 seem really really bad, and the acceleration is even worse. It seems to take forever to reach 70mph even on notch 7, and compared to the 323, 170, 158 and basically any other train i've tried, you have to brake significantly sooner on B2 or B3 to avoid overrunning the platform marker. It just generally seems a crap train to drive, which is disappointing as they seem much more lively in real life - unless it's just my warped perception?

 

[MCR247]

1st Question: Its not because your at high speed, it can happen at stns too. Its where you havent touched the controls for a minute, and to check you've not had a heart attack or something, you have to cancel the alarm or the emergency brakes will apply

2nd: I cant really answer that, I would ask 'wumpty', on bveforums.tk about, as he is one of the creators

3rd: Well it may just be what the trains like driving it. Which one are you using?

 

[JustinStacey.x]

Yeah I've noticed no.1 can happen at stations too as it has to me a few times and I've been like wtf?! It just seems to happen a lot at high speed but then again that's probably because I haven't touched anything so yeah, thanks for that.

On that note though, is it safe just to shove it into notch 7 and let the train go as fast as it can possibly go or should I constrain to only the 'rated' speeds - I've had a 323 doing 115 before (past the end of the speedo!)

I am honestly not sure what 156 I am using, how can I check?

 

[MCR247]

On that note though, is it safe just to shove it into notch 7 and let the train go as fast as it can possibly go or should I constrain to only the 'rated' speeds - I've had a 323 doing 115 before (past the end of the speedo!)

Your choice, although I recommed a pacer at 100! 8)

I am honestly not sure what 156 I am using, how can I check?

Actually, I think the 156s are the same anyway

 

[dan_atki]

1. This is the vigilance device, an alarm used to check the driver is still able to control the train if the controls haven't been touched for 45/60 seconds - it varies between trains.

2. I wouldn't be so worried about passing ambers/double ambers too much, as long as after passing an amber you are preparing for the next signal to be red. Passing one of those is much worse . The signalling system (generally speaking) is designed for drivers to know roughly how far ahead the next train is and to control separation of trains.

You should try to keep to time as much as possible, keeping to speed and signalling restictions. Waiting at an amber signal for a while until it goes green is rather bad practice, in my opinion. Unless, of course, you are driving a car!

3. Each type of train has its own characteristics for the driver to become familiar with. Whether it matches its real life counterpart is another matter but you can always change the figures in the cfg file for your own purposes .

 

[JustinStacey.x]

Thanks for the clarification Dan, I don't wait for signals to go green I just thought it was a bit odd that keeping to the timetable results in passing an amber as often as it does. Unless this is to simulate a frequent service where there are a lot of trains on the line. Near where I live on the Inverclyde line the signal post can go green for easily 10 or more minutes before a train comes.

Just out of interest, if a driver in real life SPADs, is that game over for them? P45?!

3. Each type of train has its own characteristics for the driver to become familiar with. Whether it matches its real life counterpart is another matter but you can always change the figures in the cfg file for your own purposes

I was thinking that, but if 156s really are that rubbish to drive for real, require half the earth to stop and all (scuse me 156 fans) then I'd rather not change that

On another note, the stopping power and acceleration of 323s (I drive the unrefurb as you can see more out the windscreen) is utterly amazing, one would think the wheels are velcro'd to the tracks or something.

 

[dan_atki]

Thanks for the clarification Dan, I don't wait for signals to go green I just thought it was a bit odd that keeping to the timetable results in passing an amber as often as it does. Unless this is to simulate a frequent service where there are a lot of trains on the line. Near where I live on the Inverclyde line the signal post can go green for easily 10 or more minutes before a train comes.

Just out of interest, if a driver in real life SPADs, is that game over for them? P45?!

It could be a frequent service, or a severely delayed stopper in front of you adds to the 'realism' of a train sim, some might say!!

As for real life SPADs, I'm not sure what happens - although I'm fairly certain they're not sacked as a result. After all, not all SPADs are their fault!

I believe a briefing, an investigation, and maybe some retraining will follow for those concerned.