OMG - You can't put signals in a tunnel?

[Jenska]

Really? After spending $1.2M to remove 4 lines with a 12% grade with two (cuz ya cant have 4 parallel tracks) nice, smooth, two track tunnels, I find out I that mulit-signal doesn't fill the tunnel with signals, just the open tracks outside the tunnel. Really? Is that intended, or a 1.9 issue?

I guess I'll go back and just re-lay the original track a bit better this time instead.

[rff1]

It has never been possible to put signals in tunnels, but why does that matter ? The worst that can happen is that there will be two or three less trains allowed on a route.

And why on earth did you lay a track with so steep a grade ?

[Hiro Protagonist]

In reality you wouldn't want a steam engine stopped in a tunnel for any period of time, especially not one held up by wooden chocks

[Jenska]

because I couldn't afford a tunnel at the time. And 2 or 3 fewer trains means my station near the mountains gets jammed. Look at Albany NY and Pittsburg PA. for cities with no run up room before the mountains. Its only one train all the way to the other side.

[chaney]

Before we conclude this is a ridiculous restriction ... remember these are steam trains generating lots of smoke.

[Olden Sloe]

Steam made it possible to bend oak covered bridge timbers (beams) by the mid-1800's. Steam on that vision for a bit while you sit in the tunnel..... Woooo, Wooooo, time to lumber along?

[Hiro Protagonist]

Originally posted by Bagz Dragon:

Steam made it possible to bend oak covered bridge timbers (beams) by the mid-1800's. Steam on that vision for a bit while you sit in the tunnel..... Woooo, Wooooo, time to lumber along?

Smoke would be a bigger problem. Without forced ventilation, a stationary steam engine inside a long tunnel would be enveloped in smoke in a matter of minutes, and it would be impossible to breathe not long afterwards.

[Jenska]

Soooo, does that mean the rules change later in the game history? And that is why the Southern Pacific invented the cab-forward engine.

Originally posted by Hiro Protagonist:

Smoke would be a bigger problem. Without forced ventilation, a stationary steam engine inside a long tunnel would be enveloped in smoke in a matter of minutes, and it would be impossible to breathe not long afterwards.

Well yeah, that's part of why New York City banned steam from the city in 1923.

[chaney]

Diesel exhaust (barely in the game, so no the rules don't change AFAIK) is also pretty nasty. Hiro mentions forced ventilation, the real life game changer.

[Hiro Protagonist]

Originally posted by Jenska:

Soooo, does that mean the rules change later in the game history? And that is why the Southern Pacific invented the cab-forward engine.

You'll still get diesel exhaust instead of smoke, and cab position doesn't really matter when the train is stationary (visibility might be better but after too long waiting you'll still be displacing most of the breathable air)

[Jenska]

Modern engines have filtered, air conditioned cabs, and many lines are now electrified.

Point of fact, NYC didn't just ban Steam, they required electrification of all the city rail lines. There was actually a large transfer terminal north of the city where steam engines were swapped for electric ones into the city and back for outbound runs by steam.

[bba525]

Originally posted by Hiro Protagonist:

Originally posted by Bagz Dragon:

Steam made it possible to bend oak covered bridge timbers (beams) by the mid-1800's. Steam on that vision for a bit while you sit in the tunnel..... Woooo, Wooooo, time to lumber along?

Smoke would be a bigger problem. Without forced ventilation, a stationary steam engine inside a long tunnel would be enveloped in smoke in a matter of minutes, and it would be impossible to breathe not long afterwards.

When the D&RGW constructed the Moffat Tunnel it was build with massive fans to move the smoke out of the 2.5 mile long tunnel. That system is still in use today.

[rff1]

Has anybody had a "random breakdown" of a train in a tunnel ? I haven't, but then I avoid tunnels like the plague.
Reminds me of an old joke about breakdowns. "First class passengers, please keep your seats. Sceond class passengers, please get out and walk. Third class passengers - you lot, get out and push."

[Dray Prescot]

I try to avoid tunnels because of the 2 track limit. If you want 4 parallel tracks then the 2 tunnels can NOT be directly adjacent, they have to be separated by a little bit.