Sutton's Locomotive Workshop British Railways Sulzer Type 2 Operating Manual - page 22
Scenario 2: Light engine movements and a heavy loose-coupled freight train
Imagine a locomotive having been checked over and started-up ‘on shed’ ready to leave
for the day’s duties. The first action is to manoeuvre quietly ‘light engine’ from the depot
over to the sidings to pick up its train (you decide the constituents, but make it heavy).
It then struggles away with its heavy train, engine roaring. It traverses your layout,
the engine note rising and falling as it adapts to the environment until it reaches its
destination, uncouples and returns to shed alone.
This is how you can achieve realistic movement and sounds, assuming sound is on and
the loco is ready to move: Engage F5 (light engine mode), drive away slowly, adding
one speed step at a time to move up to the train without the engine ramping-up.
Perhaps using F9 (flange squeal) as you drift over the depot throat pointwork. Perform
your normal functions to couple up, using F8 (buffering-up and coupling) to provide
the sounds if you wish. Disengage F5. When you drive away now, inertia will increase
and the engine will ramp up more quickly, then on to full power. Just as you pull away,
initiate F18 (coupling snatching). Use a combination of throttle movements, and F6
(coast) to adjust track speed and power sounds. You could try F27 (reduce volume) as
the train enters a tunnel, pressing F28 (increase volume) just as it emerges. Once the
destination is reached, uncouple and engage F5 again for the solo trip back home. On
the return, open the throttle more quickly and the engine will ramp-up to accelerate
the loco to main line speeds then automatically reduce to an appropriate level. Back at
base, small throttle openings will allow you to negotiate the crossover from the main
line into the depot at typically low speed with the engine just ticking over.
Scenario 3: Coming to a halt at a terminus station
Your train is coming to the end of its journey - a terminus station. The challenge is make
the arrival and braking as comfortable as possible for the passengers. The requirement is
to slow down for the speed limit on the approach pointwork and then come to a smooth,
but controlled stop in front of the buffer stops without touching them (leaving enough
room for uncoupling).
We have all heard (and seen) models brought to a halt hard up against the stops with
their engines still running at full thrash. To avoid this unrealistic behaviour, do as a
real driver would, and anticipating coming to a halt. On the approach, depress the F6
(coast) button to reduce engine sounds to idle to simulate the driver shutting off
power under caution signals. At the same time, reduce the speed step setting, and
(manually) dab the brakes (F2) to the match the speed limit on the run-in. If crossing
over complex pointwork, a little flange squeal (F9) would not go amiss, perhaps with
a warning ‘pip’ on the horn (F3) to notify any permanent-way staff of your presence.
With the platform and buffer-stops coming into view, take the speed control quickly
down to zero and mix normal deceleration with further brake applications (F2),
judging carefully how long the brake needs to be applied without spilling the coffee!
Come to a stand with the engine ticking over. Once the passengers have departed,
used when the main engine sounds (F1) are running. F27 & F28 are the Down and
Up buttons. Hold the relevant button until you are satisfied with the sound output.
They can also be used to reduced levels in fiddle yards, or if your telephone rings!
It’s best not to have the sound cranked up at maximum, and always remember when
you have reduced the sound to zero and cannot think why your model is silent.
Practical applications
We’ve given you a lot to think about, so here’s some scenarios and guidance for you to
practice using these features...
Scenario 1: Driver’s checks and start-up
Imagine your driver has ‘signed on’ for work, read his notices and has been allocated
his locomotive for the day. At the shed or stabling point, after finding his loco, he must
first conduct ‘preparation duties’ before it can be started-up. These include making a
visual inspection, connecting the starting batteries and then undertaking a series of
specified checks. Sounds for these are included so you can enjoy the ‘full experience’ but
are manually controlled and therefore optional. The sequences are accurate, but time
has been compressed to reduce their duration.
Operating F10 will provide the sound of the exterior BIS (battery isolating switch)
panel being accessed, a distant bell ding as the batteries and a click as the lighting
circuits are switched in. The clatter of the cabinet door being swung closed and
locked completes the effect. After opening the cab door (F11 on), then slamming
it shut (F11 off), begin the start-up sequence with F12 on. The driver can be heard
inserting his key into and unlocking the master controller and opening the cabside
window. After the ‘clunk’ indicating the movement of master handle to the ‘engine
only’ position, the combined pump set would start and run (F13 on) until the
lubricating oil pressure was sufficient, usually about one minute. The AWS system
is also activated before cancellation of its warning horn. Switch F13 off and activate
F5 before starting the engine with F1.
(In reality, the pump set would continue
to run but this sound would not be heard over the exhaust, and it uses up a valuable
sound channel).
Using
F5 before F1 will initiate a cold, prolonged, start and put the
loco into ‘light engine’ mode.
When the engine has fired and reached a steady idle, further procedures would be
undertaken. F12 off will play a fire alarm bell test and F14 gives the hand brake wheel
being released. Because these sounds can be difficult to hear over the engine, you may
wish (for play value) to press F12 on and off and wait for the sequence to complete,
and release the hand brake (F14)before running the pump (F13) and starting (F1).
As you will notice, some function buttons will produce one sound when switched
on, and a different, but complementary, sound when switched off. For example F11
‘on’ will play the sound of the cab door being opened. Switch it ‘off’ and you will hear
the door being shut. You can, therefore, vary the time during which the door is ‘open’.
SLW Class 24 Operating Manual
Page 43
Page 42
SLW Class 24 Operating Manual