- Acela Express & HHP8 –Bill McQueen
What could be possibly be classed as the 'Flagship' locomotive in MSTS, the Acela Express Train set is indeed a high-speed unit which was built by Bombardier and GEC ALSTOM. At each end of the train are the 6000hp (4600Kw) power cars with approx 6 cars in between (1x 1st class, 4x Business class and a Café car) although you could make an Acela express any size you want through the consist builder within the Activity editor.
With all the computer controlled equipment on this train could it be fair to say that a driver is not necessary? Indeed not but all these items go toward making sure that optimum safety whilst excellent performance can be met at the same time. An Automatic Train Control (ATC) system is used where if the driver fails to stop or slow the train down at a speed limit the ATC automatically kicks in and slows the train down; after that if the change has not been acknowledged after 5 seconds the penalty brake applies and takes the train to a full stop!
The cab view is fairly straight forward with everything sitting neatly in front of you, put reverser forward, release brakes, apply power and you have the Acela Express in motion. Acceleration on this train is very rapid as you see yourself from stationary to approx 125mph in very little time at all; when you get to your max speed why not press key 5 and have a few minutes relaxation in the business class car watching the world go by your window!!
Acela Express Train set |
Relaxing in Business Class |
The Acela HHP8 (High Horsepower Locomotive) obviously comes from the same family as the Acela Express but the difference here is that this is a single electric engine with a cab at either side. Slightly more powerful too (the most powerful engine in MSTS!) this loco pumps out over 8000hp (6000Kw) and has a top speed of approx 135mph (217km/h). The HHP is also equipped with an independent brake for locomotive use only.
Consists for this loco are usually about 8-10 passenger cars but add another HHP to the consist and you could easily double this. The cab of the HHP8 is almost identical to that of the Acela Express with the exception of the HHP having the independent locomotive brake on the right hand side.
If you like the idea with Trainsim you probably like the rough strength of really heavy locos. The first train I tested was actually the Dash9 and I liked it from the first moment!
First thing with the Dash is the sheer strength it gives you a sensation of—from outside view it is surely impressive, heavy and sturdy. When panning around you get stricken with the nice details, my favourite is the diesel exhaust. When you drive, there is a correspondence with the amount of throttle you apply and the smoke stream, nice! As with the other TS trains the windshield wipers are animated from the outside, another nice detail. Besides the nice details, I'm a bit disappointed about the lights; they are simply not what I anticipated in regards of realism.
The Cab is very modern, 'glass-cockpit' so to speak. It is fairly simple to learn and all the instruments easy to scan. There are controls for all that you can expect, but again, I'm unable to compare with the real one. The thing that disappointed me was the roughness of the background image that all Trainsim trains have, not what you'd expect from a modern MS title. Also I'd like to see a 'Virtual-cab' view. All levers and dials come with a sound when you operate them, something I like!
Driving the train is fairly simple, (until you hook on some wagons behind it); there is a tutorial that teaches you what you must know to get running, and the manual helps you further. I do not feel that there was enough information however; my driving has a lot to improve! The dynamics feel as I expect them to do—you can not simply flip in the gear and get going when hauling 30 wagons. Derailing is highly possible; you have to watch your speed, especially when going down slopes with heavy cargo. The brakes take their time to stop the train and are not that simple to operate (from what I learned from other sources it is correct). There are a lot of sounds from the brakes' air pipes when you operate them that improves the feeling of 'being there.' I did notice some lack of 'squealing' when you are slowing down to stop. The larger lack is the Dynamic Brakes, a utility that transforms your movement energy to heat and helps slowing down your train. There must be something wrong with it since it has almost no effect when applied; also, there is no sound indication of it being used, right or wrong, but it feels wrong!
Overall the Dash9 is a nice model of a modern Diesel electric engine, one of my favourites in MS Trainsim! I really enjoy the sense of sitting in the actual cab when you apply thrust, release the brakes and the trains slowly starts moving.
Dash9 cab view |
2 Dash 9s hard at work! |
Exterior view of Dash 9 |
The GP38 is the smaller of the two diesel-electric locomotives that you will use primarily on the Marias Pass route; but when I say smaller, don't think for a minute that this isn't a big, powerful locomotive. Introduced in 1972 by the Electromotive Division of General Motors, the GPS38 is used for everything from hauling freight to performing switchyard duties. The GP38 weighs 125 U.S. tons, cranks out 2,000 horsepower, and can roll along at 65mph/115kph. While it only manages 1/3 of the pulling power of the larger Dash 9, this locomotive will serve you well on many of the activities along the Maria's Pass Route.
With a fairly straightforward engineer's cabin layout, you should be able to get the hang of driving the GP38 quickly after going through the tutorial, and taking some time to explore the route. This locomotive seems to start up and slow down fairly quickly, making it much more 'nimble' than the larger Dash 9. With a limited amount of experience, I had the big orange locomotive rumbling up and down the valleys, delivering lumber and other freight to towns throughout Montana.
- Series 2000 & 7000 – Bill McQueen
The series 2000 & 7000 locomotives are operated by the Odakyu Electric Railway Company and dominate the Tokyo-Hakone line.
Designated as a commuter train the 2000 series usually operates on a 4 car consist and with a 3750 Horsepower engine it can produce a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h) which maybe doesn't sound fast—but with the train stopping at every station along its route a top speed may not always be attainable. This version was actually a derivative of the 1000 series but with more refinements such as noise reduction and improved accessibility for wheelchair-bound persons.
The 7000 LSE series train set however tends to be slightly more luxurious! The Odakyu Luxury Super Express (or LSE for short) is also known as the 'Romance Cars' because they are more refined in terms of comfort and more seating than the 2000 series has to offer. The LSE started running in 1948 between Shinjuku and Hakone for tourists and commuters alike and the train sets were rebuilt in 1996. The top speed of the LSE is not that much faster than the 2000 at approx 68mph (110km/h). What is also unique about this train is that it has 2 levels, where the passengers are on the lower level and the upper level is reserved for the engineer so that the passengers at the front of the train have a nice all-round view. On a personal note I think that the engineer's cab looks quite claustrophobic from the exterior view but nevertheless is a very good train to operate.
7000 Series |
2000 series cab-view |
- Kiha 31 Railcar – Bill McQueen
Being the weakest diesel engine in MSTS the KIHA 31 is a self-propelled diesel-hydraulic passenger car. The KIHA is also unique because it operates on a 2-speed transmission similar to that of a car with a manual gearbox and can also be slowed down with the engine brake which eliminates the use of the gears and inevitably saves wear and tear on the brake shoes of the loco. The top speed of the KIHA 31 is 59mph. I really like the cab on this train—it is so well laid out and lifelike that you could almost just put your hand up to the computer screen and 'grab' the regulator and brake handles!
There are actually 2 KIHA locos modelled in MSTS. The only difference being a placard on the window stating that it's the Isaburo/Shinpei sightseeing train for the tourists and it only runs between Hitoyoshi & Yoshimatsu.
Inside of the KIHA 31 Railcar (Tourist model) |
Cab-View of KIHA 31 |
Double KIHA 31 stationary at Yoshimatsu |
- Flying Scotsman – Francois Dumas
The first steam locomotive is the Flying Scotsman. This one does not look as complicated in the cab as the Golsdorf, but operating it is much the same… difficult. The Scotsman apparently is even more demanding on the fireman. In the manual it tells you to plan 25 minutes ahead with your fire making activities. I left it to my invisible friend in the cab to do just that. As with the other locomotive I have a problem with the operating information. I can see the pressure of the steam and such, but I do not have a clue as to what it should be. I might be looking in all the wrong places, so if you know then let me know!
The Flying Scotsman is sort of somber looking. And the environment, i.e. the Settle to Carlisle route, is not much helping to improve that impression. One thing Carlisle has enough of, and that is coal. Water is another matter though. According to the manual you can scoop up water by activating a water scoop (key Y) at certain places. I have not found such a water scoop place, or a functioning water tower for that matter—and pressing the Y-key in the wrong place busts your scoop. Hmmm. I sure could do with some more documentation on where to find what along the route.
There is not much difference in running the Flying Scotsman compared to the Golsdorf, except probably if you want to run them fully manually. The specifications and power are different, but to a first time user such as me, the difference is mainly in the visuals.
Flying Scotsman cab view |
Interior of LNER Carriage |
Forgotten to close the cylinder cocks?? |
- Goldsdorf 380 – Francois Dumas
All right, enough of this passenger stuff. Let's climb down from the luxurious carriage and walk up to the steam engine. I have put the standard Golsdorf 380 at the head of the train, just as it comes out of the box. When you climb aboard one of these old steam engines, the array of levers and gauges is bewildering. You think today's world with computer chips, switches, lights, remote controls and GPS in cars is complicated? Think again! Without a manual you will not get this train moving. Well, all right, you might hit F11 and figure it out. Fortunately the manual is clear enough and there is also the availability of some driving aids and other 'tricks'. One thing I have used so far to make my life a lot easier is to let the computer handle the fire, i.e. the fireman. I tried to do it myself a few times, but either didn't get it to burn properly (black smoke from the stack), or was so busy shoveling coal that I forgot to stop at stations… I am still far from a good steam engine driver, I know.
My tip is to let the fireman do his job on his own and concentrate on the driving yourself, that's enough as it is for me. Just driving the route to St. Anton is a lot of fun, even without having to perform complicated things such as watching the color of the smoke coming from the stack and remembering to add coal to the fire!
Applying the controls is rather fussy, because there are so many (compared to the diesel electric trains) and they all take a while to be activated. I am not sure if that is very realistic actually. I have ridden a steam train a few times now, and I have seen that the engineer just moves a lever from one side to the other in one move. In MSTS you have to keep pressing a key and the function is then applied.. But slowly.. You can see the percentage of the action displayed at the bottom of the screen. I think it is too slow sometimes, also because you can press just one key at a time!
What I also miss is a visual layout of the cab with the functions shown of all levers and gauges. Yes, you get that on-screen, but only one at a time, when moving your mouse over a control. So try and find the Steam Pressure Gauge in a hurry! I guess I'll have to make that piece of documentation myself one day, using a screenshot of the cab.
So how difficult is it to drive? Depends on how realistic you want it to be. It is fairly easy to release the brakes, move the Reverser forward, open the Regulator (throttle) and away you go. You'll have to constantly monitor your speed and throttle back, even use the brakes sometimes, so as not to go too fast. Remember, these things derail when going through bends at too high a speed. Hit <F4> and watch the Track Monitor. It will tell you what the maximum speed is for any given part of the ride and warn you of upcoming signals and restrictions.
If you are a stickler for reality, you will want to operate all the levers and gauges in the right order. This is a lot harder to do, certainly if you are not familiar with operating steam locomotives. I find the documentation lacking in this area. Yes, each and every lever and gauge is explained, and there is some explanation on when to use them, but I could not find enough info in there to know exactly what lever to operate when, or why not. Funny enough the only information I could find on the internet (in the limited time I had) was from former Eastern bloc countries such as Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. It appears that the Golsdorf's have been used there long after they disappeared from the Austrian tracks.
Microsoft Train Simulator 2020
Goldsdorf cab view |
The Lounge carriage with playing piano included |
Goldsdorf 380 in all her glory! |
Microsoft Train Simulator Steam
| The Microsoft Train Simulator review continues with 'Routes'here. |
