Need help with Signaling and Emergency Brakes

[roughnecks]

Hi there.

I cannot complete the Career Scenario "Critical run to Koln" because the Emergency Brake always kicks in, even with yellow signals and I have to quit it.

Is there some tutorial on how signaling works for that scenario/train, because I just repeated the ones in the Academy but they're not helpful. More specifically I can't understand when I have to stop and when I can carry on if the signal is yellow/double yellow.

Roughly before third station there's a double yellow and I stop to let another train, coming from the opposite direction, pass through and that's fine... After that there's another double yellow but no train is coming in and I have to request permission to pass, otherwise the brake kicks in: so how can I know when to stop, pass or ask for permission?
Later on there's another weird situation in which just a single yellow signals cannot be passed because of the usual brake, so I'm totally at a loss here and I'm really tired of trying several times this same scenario.

Moreover I cannot save/load because game breaks when resuming: again I get the Tap Changer Fault and Emergency Brakes soon after I start playing. I read you have to save when the train isn't moving and I did that too to no avail.

Thanks

[roughnecks]

There you go. Cannot pass this signal:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=895172654

No train incoming, asking for permission to go doesn't work, what should I do?
Waited a bit and and as soon as I drive past the signal I get this:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=895173820

[roughnecks]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=895185121

[roughnecks]

Here's how it went:

https://youtu.be/lZEyuil3BUM

[I'm Back]

My advice is stop behiind the signal. Immidiately open the 2D map and watch if any AI train movement.
Sometime AI trains are ghost (invisible)
Did you proceeded several savepoints ? also could cause unexplained things

[roughnecks]

Originally posted by I'm Back:

My advice is stop behiind the signal. Immidiately open the 2D map and watch if any AI train movement.

I always do that.

Originally posted by I'm Back:

Sometime AI trains are ghost (invisible)

Heh, noticed it: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=894722697

Originally posted by I'm Back:

Did you proceeded several savepoints ? also could cause unexplained things

Yes, but it's happening also in straight runs.

[GamesDan]

Are you acknowledging the advance signals that aren't clear with Page Down? I believe you are forced to use PZB on that particular scenario.

If you're not familiar with PZB: you can definitely pass that signal, but you have to acknowledge the 1000 Hz magnet within four seconds and then slow down to 85 km/h within 23 seconds. You can't ask permission to pass because it isn't at danger. The screenshot says you did not acknowledge the signal, so the emergency brake was applied because of PZB. If you're unfamiliar with PZB, watch some tutorials on YouTube, PTGRail does one, so does morbvsclz, both are good.

I think that braking with the tap changer on a setting other than 0 causes a tap changer fault, so PZB emergency braking on this loco is a double-whammy because you also have to reset the tap fault after the emergency braking is done and you've reset PZB. According to the screenshot, it seems all of these emergency brake and tap fault issues and sitting at the advance signal have caused you to be over 12 minutes late. The scenario designer might have messed up something that only reveals itself if the player is very late. Maybe they never tested what happens if the player is that late, and somehow being that far behind schedule is throwing off the designer's AI traffic plan?

[roughnecks]

I wasn't aknowledging anything because "Page Down" is not even mentioned in Keyboard Controls; I hit on Ctrl-TAB when there are double yellow lights (danger) and "Q" for SIFA when is needed. I waited to reply to you because I just had another run to see if PGDOWN would work and it didn't, sadly.

I always brake before yellow signals and my average speed is under 100 Km/h most of the time, when the speed limits are over 120. If you take a better look at those shots, you'll see that train is halted before the signal; once I move on, because there's nothing else to do, I get the Tap Changer Fault. First times I used to pass without even halting, because top light is green; only later I remembered where I had problems so I stopped, to no avail.

I am unfamiliar with the game and with PZB, yeah, because Academy is pretty much useless but I'll check those vids out, thanks.

Regarding me being late, that's just because I was trying to figure out what to do... I replayed this scenario at least 15 times now and I can assure you that I get bonus points 3 times before I'm forced to quit, so yeah, probably the game over error was because of me in that case, even if it shouldn't happen anyway - if a train is late, other trains don't derail, do they?

[GamesDan]

Your PZB keyboard setup might be different, for me sifa is num-0 so if it's Q for you, other controls might be different, too. Believe me, I wasn't saying the AI collision is your fault, I was just trying to help. I understand why you were late (I've sat for longer than I'm comfortable admitting at various UK semaphore signals I thought were indicating stop for me because nothing in the manuals or Academy prepared me for interpreting gantries with five or six signal arms for tracks diverging in every conceivable direction). The collision is ultimately the result of poor testing on the creator's part, which is unfortunate for an official DLC scenario.

I agree Academy could be a lot better. It is especially useless on PZB.

That signal definitely doesn't mean stop, though. The top green is the "home" signal, which should mean you can proceed. The two yellows is the advance signal and means the next signal is currently red, I believe, so you shouldn't have to stop here, you should just have to start preparing to stop. I still think PZB is the issue, though, you have to release the key your Koln Koblenz manual says is PZB Acknowledge after the signal but within four seconds. I don't think the keyboard control list in-game has any of the German alerted keys, they're onlynin the manual. If you release the key too early, you'll get an emergency brake. If you press and hold too long before you release, you'll get an emergency brake. The resulting emergency brake is what is creating the tap changer fault. It all gives me a new respect for passenger train drivers, that's for sure.

The mistake I make over and over again is pressing the PZB release key instead of acknowledge. I'm quite new at this, too, but YouTube has been very helpful, at least to help me know what I'm supposed to be doing. Actually doing it correctly is still a work in progress. I haven't even attempted the scenario you're doing, I've started with all the easy ones (although I manually enable PZB and SIFA for the challenge).

[roughnecks]

So, wait a minute, do I have to hold the Ack key slighlty before the signal and keep it held for less than 4 seconds after the same signal?

Please explain this point again to me because it might be the real issue and I'll keep you posted tomorrow.

And thanks for your help : )

[GamesDan]

No problem! It doesn't matter so much when you start to press, as long as you release after the signal but within four seconds. The release is all the system pays attention to. I think people get in the habit of pressing it down just before the signal because it helps them time the release for just afterwards. Definitely watch those tutorials, though, even after reading the manual but before I watched those videos I was doing everything wrong.

[GamesDan]

Also, there's no penalty for pressing it more than once, so when in doubt, press and release Acknowledge twice!

[roughnecks]

Nope. Maybe it's just me but it didn't work: distant signal not aknowledged, no matter what/how I do (it). At this point I'm giving up with this route.

[kadsenpfoetchen]

You have to press PZB acknowledge (Wachsam) after passing the 1000Hz magnet at a signal which is at Vr0 (expect stop; double yellow) or Vr2 (expect proceed at reduced speed; yellow and green). After the PZB system picked up the 1000Hz interference you have a 4 or 2.5 second span to press and release the button (in reality it depends on the built in PZB computer and its software version). At least this is how it should work.. Don't know if Dovetail got it right.

[GamesDan]

I'm now realizing some locos don't allow you to press and hold before and release after, even otherwise advanced/detailed locos, while others do. It's too bad they don't all allow that, because from videos I've seen of real German train drivers, they pull and hold the Wachsam lever well before the signal and then release it just after.

One video I saw was kind of amusing because the freight train driver making the video (he mounts it behind him, he's not actually holding the camera) forgot to acknowledge an advance signal and four seconds later it went into emergency stop. Amusing because there were no repercussions, he was going slow and there was no risk of passing the next signal at danger. Made me feel better about my various in-game PZB mistakes, at least.

[kadsenpfoetchen]

Yeah, it happens even to the best. Especially when you're not alone in the cab and talking to the other person. ;P
If I remember the regulations correctly he actually has to call the dispatcher and ask if he can continue his ride but not everyone does it.