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Knowing the route or train too well.
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I dont think it would be a good idea at all.
A little knowledge is dangerous, and those person who watch trains on a play station would be a liability to the train crew and not worth the effort.
All you can do is dream of something you cannot do.
Stick to your simulation games and pretend.
A little knowledge is dangerous, and those person who watch trains on a play station would be a liability to the train crew and not worth the effort.
All you can do is dream of something you cannot do.
Stick to your simulation games and pretend.
I know that if I was ever forced to try driving anything on the main line (and this isn't the movies, so that's very unlikely) I would stick to a steady 10 mph until such time as we got to a station or somebody with more experience took over. More likely, I would find the nearest signal post telephone and scream for help. If it ever came to another General Strike situation and they asked for volunteers, presumably they would get at least rudimentary training and not have to do anything especially safety-critical. Back in the 1920s, it was a matter of making sure that the entire country didn't starve or run out of coal rather than moving passengers, although it must have cost the companies a small fortune in keeping things going and been a very sketchy timetable.
Many years ago when I used to travel from Esher to Waterloo, usually in a 4 VEP unit, I felt I knew the route quite well, but in those days it was possible to stick your head out of the window from the front of the front carriage to see the line ahead, which I invariably did as a young lad, or,if I was lucky, get a ride in the cab. Also, at the time I knew somebody who was a driver and so gained info about the local routes from him. In fact I could go so far as to argue that my presence in the cab on those occasions was not too much of a hinderance as I could provide a second pair of eyes on the route ahead. So I suppose that then, I might have been able to get a train from London - Woking/Hampton Court/Claygate with clean trousers, as long as I wasn't expected to keep to time.
As for nowadays, with no forward view available, I don't think that I'd have a clue despite travelling from Harpenden to London countless times over the last 20 years and being the proud(?) owner of a "cab view" DVD of the Thameslink route. If somebody told me I could take a train from Luton to London Bridge on my own, I would jump at the chance, provided that it was empty, and on a day when there was no other traffic anywhere on the line, that I had full printed details of the route in the cab with me, that I was allowed to take as long as I liked so I could go at whatever I considered to be a safe speed (although being braver than L E Grays I might manage 20mph in some places), and that I was in constant contact with somebody that I could refer to if I wasn't sure about something..
As for nowadays, with no forward view available, I don't think that I'd have a clue despite travelling from Harpenden to London countless times over the last 20 years and being the proud(?) owner of a "cab view" DVD of the Thameslink route. If somebody told me I could take a train from Luton to London Bridge on my own, I would jump at the chance, provided that it was empty, and on a day when there was no other traffic anywhere on the line, that I had full printed details of the route in the cab with me, that I was allowed to take as long as I liked so I could go at whatever I considered to be a safe speed (although being braver than L E Grays I might manage 20mph in some places), and that I was in constant contact with somebody that I could refer to if I wasn't sure about something..
I've done 25 on the Great Central, but under One Engine In Steam and with an experienced footplate crew on-board. 10 is probably safe under Move-On-Sight, with passengers behind and nobody to help. On a nice open bit of line, say Thirsk-York, I'd think about opening up to a faster speed, but I'm assuming the odd curve, and perhaps not knowing whether the line in front is intact, because whatever it is took out the driver and is dangerous if we stayed where we were (the only reason for moving at all) might just have pulled up some rails or toppled over a tree.
notadriver
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I've driven a train at 60 mph 
!!!
!!!strange6
Established Member
Well, if I was stuck on a steam train then I would follow your lead and abandon it ASAP. But making a modern DMU move and stop isn't exactly rocket science
As do I, trouble is the only cab view I've ever had was the Deltic ride in Get Carter, so hardly anything to go on. Still, you do notice the gradient through the Welwyn tunnels on that, which is something you hardly see in an EMU.
I swear you've said that before
I swear you've said that before
Not in this thread.
An Uncle of mine was involved in this, he did not know the route very well but was handy with a shovel and had sufficient knowledge to be able to keep up an reasonable head of steam, and if you are thinking he must be getting on a bit, he is 103 and still capable of living on his own.
You do. And I bet if I kept my eyes closed I'd still be able to work out when we were at the Hitchin Junction for Cambridge/Peterborough. All the rattling would give it away!
I've driven a train at 60 mph
So have I, a 25NC steam loco in Zimbabwe.
That must've been quite an experience! My neighbor is from Zimbabwe, he used to do deliveries for the local railway.
There are bits of routes I know well, from a passenger point of view.
Main one of such would be between Huddersfield and Dewsbury (in that direction) where the line meets the one from Brighouse - the curve is taken at quite a speed and so are the points. Very very useful to be aware of if standing so you can be prepared whilst watching everyone else fall about the carriage
I do play on a couple of the sims so may know of a couple of speed restrictions but wouldn't have a clue about braking distances or where they were etc. The biggest thing I see as a problem on the sims is the lack of feedback - ie how fast speed is actually decreasing etc...I can drive a car and have had a licence for a few years now but in a simulator I would probably be utterly useless!
As has been mentioned by others, I know stations as well , mainly on the WCML Manchester to Euston and of that mainly from Stoke/Stafford to MK, but in that direction only - the other way is like trying to say your A-Z backwards!
Main one of such would be between Huddersfield and Dewsbury (in that direction) where the line meets the one from Brighouse - the curve is taken at quite a speed and so are the points. Very very useful to be aware of if standing so you can be prepared whilst watching everyone else fall about the carriage
I do play on a couple of the sims so may know of a couple of speed restrictions but wouldn't have a clue about braking distances or where they were etc. The biggest thing I see as a problem on the sims is the lack of feedback - ie how fast speed is actually decreasing etc...I can drive a car and have had a licence for a few years now but in a simulator I would probably be utterly useless!
As has been mentioned by others, I know stations as well , mainly on the WCML Manchester to Euston and of that mainly from Stoke/Stafford to MK, but in that direction only - the other way is like trying to say your A-Z backwards!
So even if not a driver, you'd be good as an emergency announcer in a power cut
Or if you're good on Railworks.
There are bits of routes I know well, from a passenger point of view.
Main one of such would be between Huddersfield and Dewsbury (in that direction) where the line meets the one from Brighouse - the curve is taken at quite a speed and so are the points. Very very useful to be aware of if standing so you can be prepared whilst watching everyone else fall about the carriage
I do play on a couple of the sims so may know of a couple of speed restrictions but wouldn't have a clue about braking distances or where they were etc. The biggest thing I see as a problem on the sims is the lack of feedback - ie how fast speed is actually decreasing etc...I can drive a car and have had a licence for a few years now but in a simulator I would probably be utterly useless!
As has been mentioned by others, I know stations as well , mainly on the WCML Manchester to Euston and of that mainly from Stoke/Stafford to MK, but in that direction only - the other way is like trying to say your A-Z backwards!
Me and the wife fly to Majorca on a regular basis, but I could not fly and aeroplane even if my life depended on it.
You learn the road like I did, by going over it hundreds of times, dropping stone and on many hundred engineering trains throughout many years.
I was actually working on the train which reinstated the through road at Dewsbury, relaying Thornhill LNW Junction and relaying Morley Tunnel to mention just a few.
If I were you I would stick to playing sims and writing numbers in your book.
Why not give Microsoft Flight Simulator X a go? It's a cracking game with awesome graphics and you'll need a fairly high-spec PC, but if you're into flying it's a great title to have.
DavidBusDriver
Member
Well, I prefer FS2004 since it runs far more smoothly and stably on my computer, and I dare say I am a pretty good hand at it - but I would no way imply that I would be capable of flying an actual B737NG for example despite the realism of procedures in the iFly simulation of it. I dare say I wouldn't even be able to fly a Cessna 152 in real life without the extensive training that is required - remember, a simulation is great on a home PC as entertainment, but in no way matches the professional reality of a pilot, or indeed a train driver.
As I remember it was for the peak hour 312s. As I'm sure most here know, they were slam door.
Tbh, I think flying is probably more difficult - you just have miles and miles of nothing.
Either way, I will be sticking to playing sims (unless I happen to get a job in the industry at some stage obviously) and will continue to take interest is what I see as a pax. Not a spotter as such so don't have a number book :P
Nor do I. I just use a leather notepad with the pages dived into columns, and it's perfect.
I think its simple.
Using a simulator on your most used route, You would probably be able to get along it Relatively safely. IF the signaller kept the route ahead clear, and made sure that everything was perfect. The rails steer you, the speed limits tell you how fast you should be going. However in the real world It probably wont be like that. What happens if there is bad visibility and you dont know where the signals are, then run a red light and over some points/a crossing? Or if there is a slight defect in the track?
If you think with a car, pulling off, accelerating, turning. Easy on a empty road, but once in traffic? Would you see that other car run a red light into your path? You might miss that the signal says its only green for left turns, and run out into oncoming traffic?
Im not a driver, Do I feel that I could run along a stretch of track with no major hazards on it, stop reasonably on a station, on a straight line with no trees obscuring long distance view of signals? with no other trains on the line? Yes. Probably
Could I do this on a tight path, on tracks with points, lots of other trains around me. Signals for various directions. Individual unit charachteristics? Could I account for weather conditions, ice, rain, snow? Would I want to take responsibility for the Lives of passangers? Definately Not
So overall anyone could drive an empty train along an abandoned line/closed line on a sunday , If control told them which buttons to press to go faster, slower. In fact its not far off how drivers are trained. (for example emt use shirebrook junction, with no regular services)
Could they operate a packed passnager service on a busy line? No chance, at best they could limp a train to a siding/better position for control to route around you.
The main use I could see for passenger route/traction knowlage would be if a passenger applied to be a driver, it could help them out in their early lessons.
Using a simulator on your most used route, You would probably be able to get along it Relatively safely. IF the signaller kept the route ahead clear, and made sure that everything was perfect. The rails steer you, the speed limits tell you how fast you should be going. However in the real world It probably wont be like that. What happens if there is bad visibility and you dont know where the signals are, then run a red light and over some points/a crossing? Or if there is a slight defect in the track?
If you think with a car, pulling off, accelerating, turning. Easy on a empty road, but once in traffic? Would you see that other car run a red light into your path? You might miss that the signal says its only green for left turns, and run out into oncoming traffic?
Im not a driver, Do I feel that I could run along a stretch of track with no major hazards on it, stop reasonably on a station, on a straight line with no trees obscuring long distance view of signals? with no other trains on the line? Yes. Probably
Could I do this on a tight path, on tracks with points, lots of other trains around me. Signals for various directions. Individual unit charachteristics? Could I account for weather conditions, ice, rain, snow? Would I want to take responsibility for the Lives of passangers? Definately Not
So overall anyone could drive an empty train along an abandoned line/closed line on a sunday , If control told them which buttons to press to go faster, slower. In fact its not far off how drivers are trained. (for example emt use shirebrook junction, with no regular services)
Could they operate a packed passnager service on a busy line? No chance, at best they could limp a train to a siding/better position for control to route around you.
The main use I could see for passenger route/traction knowlage would be if a passenger applied to be a driver, it could help them out in their early lessons.
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