Driving without HUD

[HammerJoe]

I attempted at driving with HUD and quickly come across some barriers regarding signs and station approaching.
So speed limits, how does a driver know what the speed limit is?
And how does the driver know that he's approaching a station?

[coenvijge]

He/she knows the route.

(That is he/she learned the route; don't know the situation exactly for this routes, but probably he also docomentation, a sort or route-map/-chart).

[AoFA | FightDrug *-* [GER]]

There are sign on the side of the track that let the deiver know about stations and speedlimits

[RedLizard]

In my country, drivers are not allowed to drive a route until they are well familiarised with it, and I am pretty sure it's the same in Poland (and elsewhere), just as coenvijge says.

Then you have your timetable (At least in MP and the new scenarios. In the old ones, the devs didn't bother to add them yet ) - there, you can see at which km the speed limit changes, also your stops and other info like radio channels and so on.

Every 200 m, there is a distance board alongside the track, telling you at which km you are. In conjunction with the timetable, you can tell what's coming up. If you need help with reading the timetable, there is an explanation on the official SimRail forum and I think also here in Steam guides.

Then of course you have the trackside signs. There are signs informing you about upcoming speed limits (reverse triangle with a number), or upcoming stops (horizontal board with black/white stripes), placed at sufficient distance for you to slow down or stop. Again, refer to the forum or Steam guides for sign handbook.

Please note that temporary speed limits (v and ^ signs) are not mentioned in your timetable. In real life, a driver has yet another document informing them of such limits. We don't have that in game, but you can find that on the internet, too.

The temporary limits, however, still have those reverse triangle signs before them, so eyes on the track! O.O

[d.gabi]

There are also white rectangles with a number for a route speed change. If you can see 5, it means 50, 12 means 120,

[Vee]

There are plenty of signs. Its really not easy job to do in real life. Hard exams etc. Driving with no HUD means You have to know the route and all the rules, signs everything

[AoFA | FightDrug *-* [GER]]

Originally posted by Vee:

There are plenty of signs. Its really not easy job to do in real life. Hard exams etc. Driving with no HUD means You have to know the route and all the rules, signs everything

https://forum.simrail.eu/topic/2090-guide-signs-and-signals-found-in-simrail-printable-cheat-sheets-explanations/
you can print that and lay it on your side while driving

[Stele]

In Poland you have to drive three times, one at night as observer to gain qualification. You also have access to route plan with all speed restrictions listed, but it's not something you'd read on route. Here's such for Sosnowiec from 2016 as example. http://www.zzm-czechowice.pl/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/IDDE4-Dodatek-2-IZ-Sosnowiec-z-popr-10-od-31-III-17-1.pdf

[PlagueDoc]

First and foremost learn the signalling. It is different to know the signals when you look at them on Wikipedia from recognising them at speeds up to 160 km/h. You really need to know all signal aspects.

You also need to learn all track-side signs and markers, especially those related to speed permanent and temporary restrictions and horn markets - but it's best if you familiarise yourself with the whole.

Then, route learning is the jewel on the crown. You gotta know the route in and out. If you wanna take it seriously, I suggest that you take it slowly. Once you are familiar with the Polish railroad signalling system, pick a 60-100 km section of route and drive on it without the HUD. Stick with this section and do not focus on other parts of the network for now. For example, Katowice to Kozlów. In a multiplayer server, wait for and hop onboard a train that is about to depart from Katowice and is headed in the direction of Kozlów. You may need to wait for a suitable train to come but normally, within 5-15 minutes, there will be a service appearing at your chosen station and you can just "book" it and drive it. Do not use the HUD (G key turns it on and off). Take the service to Kozlów and finish the session. Then do the same in the opposite direction. Repeat until you know the route like the back of your hand. Day and night. It is easy to "lose track" of what is going on initially - just turn on the HUD for a moment to cross-check if you are doing it right.

I always drive without any aids such as the HUD. It needs some dedication but it is the ultimate train sim experience. :-)