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Train Sim World 2 - Class 31 + 101

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Robnw67

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Hi - I have just run a couple of delightful services on the Tees Valley Line where I drive a class 31 coupled to a 2 car 101 DMU. Was this an actual practice in real life? It seems an odd and inefficient way to run a passenger service, but was quite enjoyable. The 31 isn't so sluggish in either acceleration or braking when couple to a light train. I was just curious if this ever happened in the real.
 

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SteveP29

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About your question, I don't know at all sorry.

As an aside, I just can't drive those 101's, I just can't get the hang of the close throttle, change up, open throttle, repeat, then doing the same to slow down and stop
 

Iskra

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Hi - I have just run a couple of delightful services on the Tees Valley Line where I drive a class 31 coupled to a 2 car 101 DMU. Was this an actual practice in real life? It seems an odd and inefficient way to run a passenger service, but was quite enjoyable. The 31 isn't so sluggish in either acceleration or braking when couple to a light train. I was just curious if this ever happened in the real.
They are based on real life, but I can’t remember if it was driver training issues or some mechanical issue with the 101’s.

I quite enjoy those scenarios :)
 

JohnMcL7

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As an aside, I just can't drive those 101's, I just can't get the hang of the close throttle, change up, open throttle, repeat, then doing the same to slow down and stop

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one as I found them hard going as well.
 

Robnw67

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About your question, I don't know at all sorry.

As an aside, I just can't drive those 101's, I just can't get the hang of the close throttle, change up, open throttle, repeat, then doing the same to slow down and stop

I seem to be ok with the gear changes. Although when slowing, it's rare that I change down. I watched a rather marvellous set of videos on YouTube from the early days of operating these units entitled "DMU Diesel Train Driver Part 2" (sadly I can't provide the link as YouTube is inhibited on this PC, but that search term will bring it up right away).

Now as for braking, I can rarely get that right in the 101. The 'Lap' setting messes it all up for me...! :s
 

SteveP29

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I seem to be ok with the gear changes. Although when slowing, it's rare that I change down. I watched a rather marvellous set of videos on YouTube from the early days of operating these units entitled "DMU Diesel Train Driver Part 2" (sadly I can't provide the link as YouTube is inhibited on this PC, but that search term will bring it up right away).

Now as for braking, I can rarely get that right in the 101. The 'Lap' setting messes it all up for me...! :s

So what's your technique? Brake without changing down then change down to 1st once you've come to a stop and opened the doors?

Will check out the You Tube video when I get home, cheers.
 

ainsworth74

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The 'Lap' setting messes it all up for me...!

It might help to think of 'Lap' as being 'Hold' as the effect is to hold whatever braking force you've applied as is (not increasing or reducing). I don't know whether it's accurate to how it's driven for real or not but I tend to drive with the brake in 'Lap' (having first been fully released) and then when needing to brake I'll put it slightly into 'Apply' until I'm braking at a rate I'm happy with and return it to 'Lap' to maintain that braking performance. If I've over-egged it then I go a bit into 'Release' to ease the brakes off a bit and back into 'Lap'. I think the 101 brakes are one of the few times that you really do need to pay attention to the brake gauges to help you work out just how much brake you've put on (or not).

I actually really like the 101 because it's a bit tough to get the hang of but once you've got it, it is then good fun to drive because you have to actually drive it. There's no slapping it in full power and letting it get on with it until you need to stop again.

So what's your technique? Brake without changing down then change down to 1st once you've come to a stop and opened the doors?

I only down shift if I'm going to resume running at a lower speed (say going from a 60mph section to a 20mph) otherwise I just throttle back to idle and then knock it into neutral or first gear once we're at a stand.
 
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Robnw67

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It might help to think of 'Lap' as being 'Hold' as the effect is to hold whatever braking force you've applied as is (not increasing or reducing). I don't know whether it's accurate to how it's driven for real or not but I tend to drive with the brake in 'Lap' (having first been fully released) and then when needing to brake I'll put it slightly into 'Apply' until I'm braking at a rate I'm happy with and return it to 'Lap' to maintain that braking performance. If I've over-egged it then I go a bit into 'Release' to ease the brakes off a bit and back into 'Lap'. I think the 101 brakes are one of the few times that you really do need to pay attention to the brake gauges to help you work out just how much brake you've put on (or not).

I actually really like the 101 because it's a bit tough to get the hang of but once you've got it, it is then good fun to drive because you have to actually drive it. There's no slapping it in full power and letting it get on with it until you need to stop again.



I only down shift if I'm going to resume running at a lower speed (say going from a 60mph section to a 20mph) otherwise I just throttle back to idle and then knock it into neutral or first gear once we're at a stand.


Yes I generally tend to find that the brakes don't do much above 40mph and then are really effective below 30mph, so I over-brake initially, then release and coast at a lower speed (which makes me late) and then the brakes bite harder and I tend to come up short (compared to where the sim wants me to stop, although usually with all doors against the platform).

As for changing gear, i get up to speed and then only change down if a new speed limit dictates. Then get all the controls ready for setting off again while the passengers are boarding.

These are a very engaging train to drive and well worth the perseverance once you get the knack.

I'd love to have a go in a real one. Llangollen Preserved railway has one that you can book for driver experiences. I might give that a go once covid allows.
 

hexagon789

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Hi - I have just run a couple of delightful services on the Tees Valley Line where I drive a class 31 coupled to a 2 car 101 DMU. Was this an actual practice in real life? It seems an odd and inefficient way to run a passenger service, but was quite enjoyable. The 31 isn't so sluggish in either acceleration or braking when couple to a light train. I was just curious if this ever happened in the real.

It has happened a few times. I've even seen a 47/0 hauling a two-car 101 in passenger service somewhere.


I only down shift if I'm going to resume running at a lower speed (say going from a 60mph section to a 20mph) otherwise I just throttle back to idle and then knock it into neutral or first gear once we're at a stand.

IRL you cannot sit stationary in first gear, you'll rapidly overhead the gearbox doing that.

And of course you must coast only in fourth, otherwise you overspeed the lower gears in the gearbox and can end up with a box of loose metals bits!


It might help to think of 'Lap' as being 'Hold' as the effect is to hold whatever braking force you've applied as is (not increasing or reducing). I don't know whether it's accurate to how it's driven for real or not but I tend to drive with the brake in 'Lap' (having first been fully released) and then when needing to brake I'll put it slightly into 'Apply' until I'm braking at a rate I'm happy with and return it to 'Lap' to maintain that braking performance. If I've over-egged it then I go a bit into 'Release' to ease the brakes off a bit and back into 'Lap'. I think the 101 brakes are one of the few times that you really do need to pay attention to the brake gauges to help you work out

No, you shouldn't run with the brake handle in lap or you can deplete the vacuum reserves and end up with a very poor brake. Handle should be in release until you make a brake application.

The way a former driver told me it's best to do, is make an initial application of about 15" then what you do is slowly add a bit more to it as you get closer and closer to the stopping point.

Effectively you approach your stopping mark slightly too quick then increase the brake to fine tune your stop to the mark. You then completely release the brake as you come to a stand to eliminate the jerk from stopping and then apply the brake to about 15" to hold the train.

Ordinarily you don't really need to brake any harder than about 7-8" most of the time.
 

ainsworth74

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No, you shouldn't run with the brake handle in lap or you can deplete the vacuum reserves and end up with a very poor brake. Handle should be in release until you make a brake application.

The way a former driver told me it's best to do, is make an initial application of about 15" then what you do is slowly add a bit more to it as you get closer and closer to the stopping point.

Effectively you approach your stopping mark slightly too quick then increase the brake to fine tune your stop to the mark. You then completely release the brake as you come to a stand to eliminate the jerk from stopping and then apply the brake to about 15" to hold the train.

Ordinarily you don't really need to brake any harder than about 7-8" most of the time.

Well it works in the sim! :lol:

But I'd assumed I was probably "cheating" a bit by doing that compared to how it was supposed to be driven.
 

hexagon789

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Well it works in the sim! :lol:

But I'd assumed I was probably "cheating" a bit by doing that compared to how it was supposed to be driven.

You can also stick most trains in reverse at maximum speed and apply full power without ill effect, so... ;)

For a guide on how to drive first generation Diesel-Mechanical Multiple Units see here on the railcar site: https://railcar.co.uk/topic/driving/

(page contains links to videos and detailed notes on driving DMMUs).
 
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