When to brake?

[CaptainGeoluread]

Hi everyone,

Finally bought the game after lots of playing the prologue.

One thing I'm not understanding is what I should be looking or listening for to give me a clue to apply the brakes approaching a station. This means I keep overshooting stations.

Any tips gratefully received!

[🚂🚃Taschi🚃🚃]

You should keep track of the distance to the next station (shown in the HUD). When exactly you need to start braking is dependent on your speed, the type of train, the gradient, and other factors so there is no single visual or audio cue to tell you the right point in time. On this route, I think you can make most stops if you start braking at 600 to 700 meters remaining distance.

The guard will usually buzz you when approaching a station *), but it's not like you can just pull the brake to 100% at that point and expect to precisely hit the stop marker. You need to develop a feel for it.

*) in real life, this is highly dependent on country and operator. Some Japanese operators have a buzzer signal operated by the train guard, but of course not every train even has a guard. Some operators have automated systems to notify the driver of an upcoming stop. Others simply have a sign a few hundred meters before a stop, if the stop is hard to see due to curves. One thing that's pretty consistent around the world is that drivers know the route they're on because they were specifically trained for that route, and thus know where the stops are and roughly where they need to start braking.

[Pan Bang Bang]

rule of thumb:
if the approaching speed to the tail wall of the platform is around 60 km/h, using B4-5 is most likely to bring the train to stop easily. But remember to bring down the brake rate gradually.

[Dinosbacsi]

The conductor will buzz at you twice when you need to stop at the next station. When you hear the double buzz, you can start slowing down.

[Mino-Zen_17]

Originally posted by 🚂🚃Taschi🚃🚃:

You should keep track of the distance to the next station (shown in the HUD). When exactly you need to start braking is dependent on your speed, the type of train, the gradient, and other factors so there is no single visual or audio cue to tell you the right point in time. On this route, I think you can make most stops if you start braking at 600 to 700 meters remaining distance.

The guard will usually buzz you when approaching a station *), but it's not like you can just pull the brake to 100% at that point and expect to precisely hit the stop marker. You need to develop a feel for it.

*) in real life, this is highly dependent on country and operator. Some Japanese operators have a buzzer signal operated by the train guard, but of course not every train even has a guard. Some operators have automated systems to notify the driver of an upcoming stop. Others simply have a sign a few hundred meters before a stop, if the stop is hard to see due to curves. One thing that's pretty consistent around the world is that drivers know the route they're on because they were specifically trained for that route, and thus know where the stops are and roughly where they need to start braking.

Note: The game uses ATS system here. Most Trains in Japan has ATC (Automatic Train Contol) that is also equipped with ATO (Automatic Train Operation), ATP (Automatic Train Protection), and TASC (Train Automatic Stopping Controller). But we also have ATACS (Advanced Train Administration and Communication Systems) which is implimented on JR East. (Example: Yamanote Line).

[🚂🚃Taschi🚃🚃]

Driving with HUD is not real.

Driving without extensive training on the route isn't real, either. As none of us have received training on this line, I think using the HUD while learning the route, speed limits and stop patterns is completely okay.

[telautime]

This is largely from my own experience.

Starting ~1000m from the starting point I reduce the train's speed to around 80km/h.
Then, when one of the following happens I begin to brake to around 55km/h (B3 or B4) then to 40km/h (B2 or B1) to enter the station:
* As soon as I hear the buzzer
* As soon as I hear the driver say "減速/Gensoku", indicating a Yellow signal (on approach to larger stations like Komano)
* As soon as I see the "check signal board" (yellow board with 2 stripes going up)

By the time I enter the station I would be using B3, then try to reduce the brakes at the right time. Note that there are 3 speed coils on the station's track for 40-25-0km/h, so you should make sure that you are below the speed limit for each coil. Otherwise the emergency brakes will likely kick in, bringing your train to an early stop.

[neweracsy2013]

The timing to start braking depends on your way of driving. You can have a general pattern like telautime shared above, or react to the level of alarms from on-board signalling system which alerts you to bring down the train speed or else the train will pass the signal at danger, which you may have a bit more time to adjust the stopping point but higher risk to overshoot if you do not react fast enough.

Also as Taschi said above, train companies will train drivers on a general way to stop a train and equip them with route knowledge and techniques to use the visual cues along the line to help them to react to situations. They may also have better simulators which will let the trainee have the sense of speed.

As we do not have these, all we can do is prepare our own approach, and then practice makes perfect.

[neweracsy2013]

Originally posted by Mino-Zen_17:

Note: The game uses ATS system here. Most Trains in Japan has ATC (Automatic Train Contol) that is also equipped with ATO (Automatic Train Operation), ATP (Automatic Train Protection), and TASC (Train Automatic Stopping Controller). But we also have ATACS (Advanced Train Administration and Communication Systems) which is implimented on JR East. (Example: Yamanote Line).

Sorry, I found the need to clarify because you mixed up the terms, and part of your comment is not true.

First of all, the game is based on D-ATC (Digital Automatic Train Control), which features cab signalling showing the permitted speed (i.e. the train speed shown on driver's panel) and the on-board signalling will generate a speed protection curve based on the embedded train performance parameters when the train is approaching a more restrictive signal (i.e. the alarm to driver when the train approaches a more restrictive signal). Examples of such implementation in Japan include Shinkansen and JR East Keihin-Touhoku Line in Tokyo.

By the way, D-ATC or ATC as an on-board signalling system is a Japan-only term. The more common term is ATP (Automatic Train Protection) or PTC (Positive Train Control) in the US.

Game aside, most of the railway lines in Japan are only equipped with ATS (Automatic Train Stopping), which is similar to AWS (Automatic Warning System) in other parts of the world and requires driver to properly react to the warnings. Only a few newer subway/metro lines are equipped with ATO (Automatic Train Operation), which only driver is required on the train. Some "new transport systems" (again Japan-only term, known as Automatic People Mover in other parts of the world) are driverless.

TASC (Train Automatic Stopping Controller) is a driver assistance system which is an partial ATO with only the stopping function.

ATACS (Advanced Train Administration and Communication Systems) is Japan's first implementation of CBTC (Communications Based Train Control) in their mainline. Currently it is deployed in Senseki Line in Sendai Area, and Saikyo Line between Ikebukuro and Omiya, while the implementation of ATACS in Yamanote Line is deferred.