Never enough articulateds (56k warning)

[streamline]

Hello,
I'm glad you like my idea. To save you some testing work, here are my parameters for Big Boy and Challenger which seem to be your favorites.

cvf Challenger:
CabViewFile ( ../../HR_UP4004_BIGBOY/CABVIEW/BigBoy-Front-NALW.ace )
CabViewWindow ( 292 17 348 442 )
CabViewWindowFile ( "" )
Position ( 1.7 3.7 -5.6 )
Direction ( 4.85 -12.4 0 )
CabViewFile ( ../../HR_UP4004_BIGBOY/CABVIEW/BigBoy-LHS-Fwd-2.ace )
CabViewWindow ( 0 0 640 480 )
CabViewWindowFile ( "" )
Position ( -1.5 3.7 -5.6 )
Direction ( 1.5 4.75 0 )
CabViewFile ( ../../HR_UP4004_BIGBOY/CABVIEW/BigBoy-RHS-NALW.ace )
CabViewWindow ( 0 0 640 480 )
CabViewWindowFile ( "" )
Position ( 1.6 3.5 -5.6 )
Direction ( 4 75 0 )

Headout:
HeadOut ( 1.75 3.6 -5.6 )

cvf Big Boy:
CabViewFile ( BigBoy-Front-NALW.ace )
CabViewWindow ( 292 17 348 442 )
CabViewWindowFile ( "" )
Position ( 1.7 3.7 -6.31 )
Direction ( 4.85 -12.4 0 )
CabViewFile ( BigBoy-LHS-Fwd-2.ace )
CabViewWindow ( 0 0 640 480 )
CabViewWindowFile ( "" )
Position ( -1.7 3.7 -6.31 )
Direction ( 1.5 4.75 0 )
CabViewFile ( BigBoy-RHS-NALW.ace )
CabViewWindow ( 0 0 640 480 )
CabViewWindowFile ( "" )
Position ( 1.6 3.7 -6.31 )
Direction ( 4 75 0 )

HeadOut ( 1.7 3.75 -6.313 )

Maybe you'd like to vary the positions a bit, but they're a good start anyway.

Keep on steamin'!
Dietmar

[wooohooo]

Old meets New.

[hiball 3985]

Hello,
I'm glad you like my idea. To save you some testing work, here are my parameters for Big Boy and Challenger which seem to be your favorites.

Thank you that will save some time.

Jim

[Conrail Tweety]

I let the animation rate of the two engine parts differ by 1 or 2. You won't notice the difference watching the engine, but the two driver groups aren't in the same position all the time.

I get a similar effect by using a wheel radius about 0.1 inch smaller on the forward .eng section than the rear .eng section.

This makes the forward drivers turn an unperceivable amount faster, and the phase relationship between the forward and rear drive sections will continuously change while moving.

You may wish to use a number different than 0.1 to achieve the desired effect for your particular wheel radius and/or operating speed. A smaller difference will increase the distance travelled before the drivers get back in phase.

Dennis

[wooohooo]

B&O EM-1


So far, this is the only 2-8-8-4 yellowstone made for MSTS. We need more!

[streamline]

Hello Chris,
I needed some time to have a look at some photos of articulated steamers in my railroad books and at some MSTS models in shape viewer. In MSTS the two driver groups have angles from 0° (GN engine from my screens) over 90° ( your B&O engine) to 180° (Big Boy). In reality the wheels of left and right engine side are quartered because it could be difficult if not impossible to get the loco moving if it was stopped with the wheels (and pistons) in an unfavorable position. But as to front and rear part of the engines I found all kinds of angles in the photos but not a defined angle between the the wheel position of the two engine parts. I think the reason is a slightly different adhesion or even the slipping of one driver group. So I think it's quite realistic to give the two driver groups a slightly different rotation either by different animation rates or wheel radius as Conrail Tweety suggested.
The slipping of one engine part takes me to your second question. I didn't change anything with the power allocation of the two engine parts. Driving the engine (don't remember which one it was) from the rear cab and opening the regulator a little bit too fast lead to an interesting - and as I think realistic - effect: The front drivers began to slip because sanding only works with the player (2nd) engine

Keep on steamin'!
Dietmar.

[wooohooo]

Train: N&W Y3 #2009
Route: Pocahontas district.

[Turbo Bill]

I have seen the UP 3985 slip the front drivers on a few videos at speed and starting from a standstill and while chasing her. I've also seen this problem occur on other videos of articuleds in heavy action. So having slippery front drivers is also prototypical. Remember those rear drivers have to carry a lot of the weight of that huge firebox and I think a greater portion of the boiler then the front drivers.

[wooohooo]

A random shot.

[longiron]

I have seen the UP 3985 slip the front drivers on a few videos at speed and starting from a standstill and while chasing her. I've also seen this problem occur on other videos of articuleds in heavy action. So having slippery front drivers is also prototypical. Remember those rear drivers have to carry a lot of the weight of that huge firebox and I think a greater portion of the boiler then the front drivers.

Bill,
Interesting observation. I do set my simple articulated engines to slip this way. When I do compound articulated engines, I set them up to slip in the opposite order. From reading emails on prototype forums, the high pressure set of drivers always slipped before the low pressure drivers.
chrisvw