GWR 14xx Driving Help (Autocoach Problems)

[owman1]

Recently Bought the GWR 14xx as a way to learn how to drive steam in advanced and am so far really enjoying it. Having some issues though in that the pressure gauge in the cab and on the F4 HUD seem to be different to the F5 HUD. Sometimes, especially near the end of a scenario, the pressure gauge in the loco is showing 100ish psi where the F5 Hud is showing around 160 and the loco still seems to have loads of power. Is this a HUD problem or am I doing something wrong?

A more general issue I have with steam locos is that the smoke seems to always be really black. Does anyone have any tips on how to stop this from happening as I know it's not a healthy sign. Still New to driving steam but am keeping the fire mass around 620 and topping up water regularly using exhaust steam where possible. I'm not too sure what to do with the blower and dampers but I keep the blower half on and use the dampers when running uphill.

[Broomwagon]

I've driven the 14xx an awful lot but I can't advise on HUD because I never use F4. Honestly get used to using keys and a bit of F5, but use the gauge.....better still trackIR and keys.....so immersive.

On some locos smoke colour is quite well simulated and too much black smoke means too much coal or too much coal in too quickly....I'd rarely have 620lbs in the 14xx. I usually listen for max of four shovel fulls at a time....I then stop shovelling and then another 4 and so on. Little and often is the key.

[owman1]

Originally posted by broomwagon:

I've driven the 14xx an awful lot but I can't advise on HUD because I never use F4. Honestly get used to using keys and a bit of F5, but use the gauge.....better still trackIR and keys.....so immersive.

On some locos smoke colour is quite well simulated and too much black smoke means too much coal or too much coal in too quickly....I'd rarely have 620lbs in the 14xx. I usually listen for max of four shovel fulls at a time....I then stop shovelling and then another 4 and so on. Little and often is the key.

I'll slow up with stoking in the future, but the gauge shows the loco losing pressure even while the F5 HUD shows that it's stable - would clearing the cache help with this or is it a problem with the game?

[Broomwagon]

I too keep the blower on half but only because according to Chickenbalti (who knows his stuff) locos would never run without the blower - but I find it makes steam rather too well and again I use dampers but only if there is a chance steam pressure may get a little low.

[owman1]

Originally posted by broomwagon:

I too keep the blower on half but only because according to Chickenbalti (who knows his stuff) locos would never run without the blower - but I find it makes steam rather too well and again U use dampers but only if there is a chance steam pressure may get a little low.

I heard about keeping the blower on from Chickenbalti as well and usually keep the dampers shut b/c with the blower on all the time it sometimes generates too much steam meaning the safety valves keep going off. Still not sure why the in-cab gauge and technical hud show different steam pressure readings though.

[Broomwagon]

Originally posted by owman1:

low up with stoking in the future, but the gauge shows the loco losing pressure even while the F5 HUD shows that it's stable - would clearing the cache help with this or is it a problem with the game?

I've never noticed there being a difference between F5 and the gauge - always seems to correlate. I'm sorry I can't give any useful advice as to why this is happening for you.....does it clear it if you save, close and then restart the scenario from the save? That seems to reset a lot of glitches.

[owman1]

Originally posted by broomwagon:

I've never noticed their being a difference between F5 and the gauge - always seems to correlate. I'm sorry I can't give any useful advice as to why this is happening for you.....does it clear it if you save, close and then restart the scenario from the save? That seems to reset a lot of glitches.

I'll have a look next time and see if that helps.

[Broomwagon]

Hope I've been a little help, keep it up with the lovely little 14xx but boy the safety valve going off on full gets a little jarring after a while.

[owman1]

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/940580190473274689/C363D14B7DCBFC4D02E232A7FA872137C62E7DF4/

Unless i'm really wrong (which i may well be, I'm still pretty clueless on steam locos generally) the boiler pressure gauge is the big one in the middle right? If so then the numbers on the HUD and in the cab don't seem to match so driving in standard with the F4 HUD is a massive pain. This is after I did a save and restart. Shame as I really do love the 14xx but this is kind of a disappointing. Do you have a good number for the fire mass as i've been working off about 600lbs and that seems to work.

[Broomwagon]

Yes it is the large one in the middle . I haven't noticed there being this sort of discrepancy, I'll check it, but I think I tend to use the gauge. I'll give it a run up the Temsby Port and have a good look at it. Was the safety valve blowing off which would tell you which was correct.

I don't really work to a fixed number for firebox fill, but a good rule of thumb - how much is in the firebox at the start of scenario - that usually tells you what is the optimum for steam generation and yes I bet that's 600ibs. I probably don't run at the best poundage because I try to keep the safety valve from blowing off all the time - I've probably used it so much I tend to drive off 'feel.'

When I'm just shunting about I tend to let the coal burn down because there is plenty of steam, but I tend to build it up if getting ready for the off.

[owman1]

Originally posted by broomwagon:

Yes it is the large one in the middle . I haven't noticed there being this sort of discrepancy, I'll check it, but I think I tend to use the gauge. I'll give it a run up the Temsby Port and have a good look at it. Was the safety valve blowing off which would tell you which was correct.

I don't really work to a fixed number for firebox fill, but a good rule of thumb - how much is in the firebox at the start of scenario - that usually tells you what is the optimum for steam generation and yes I bet that's 600ibs. I probably don't run at the best poundage because I try to keep the safety valve from blowing off all the time - I've probably used it so much I tend to drive off 'feel.'

It does seem that the only reliable way to check the levels in this loco is by using the F5 HUD. The Water Glass always looks full and the boiler pressure on the HUD looks like it has the same issue as the Cab Gauge.

EDIT: The safety valves were definitely blowing off at the time I took that screenshot.

[Broomwagon]

Originally posted by owman1:

Originally posted by broomwagon:

It does seem that the only reliable way to check the levels in this loco is by using the F5 HUD. The Water Glass always looks full and the boiler pressure on the HUD looks like it has the same issue as the Cab Gauge.

In which case something doesn't seem right as the water gauge works well, though without trackIR you have to move to the firemans position and lift up the blowdown handle to get a look at it.

[owman1]

Ah fair enough on that one, seems i missed that in your earlier post.

[owman1]

I think i've found the problem in the autocoach. I tried a drive using a Mk1 instead and the pressure and water displayed in cab and on the HUD perfectly but when I coupled to an autocoach the issue reappeared.

[Broomwagon]

Ah....if you start driving from the auto-coach and then move to the loco it can cause the sorts of issues you're finding. A save after you've moved and then restart from the save point seems to sort it for me.

[vlads]

Hello, owman1. Nice to see another person in "CattleHeads" company. I saw different opinions about using the information on the HUD, but I rather prefer to use it even if it is unrealistic, but there are some very useful points that make the driving more efficient. It is rather another topic to discuss, but not here exactly.
Speaking about the water, steam pressures or so ingame - I can say they are completely useless when the locomotive is underloaded (i.e not going too long uphill or pulling too heavy consist) nevertheless they are showing any meaningful value. I just keep the fire at 75-80%, water near to 100% (if the track grades allow me to do so), and blowers, depending on pressure decrement on or off, so the pressure does not say me anything when the water levels and the pressure decrement values doesn't tend my locomotive to blow in the air as the firework or get stuck on uphill.
What about the smoke... Well, if you ever seen the night videos from the Sandaoling railway, the steams worked there before produced a lot of smoke and... they had to live with it. As for me the level of smoke in general speaks about of the health of the blowers, the volume of dirt on the heater tubes and chimney and somehow the quality of the fuel (the smaller the volume of ashes - the higher the the percentage of the carbon in fuel). It signals nearly the same as when the turbocharged diesel engine lost the turbochargers. Yep, it's very bad, but it can still move.