How to start and ride Trenitalia E.62/E.64/E.65 series electric DC locomotives

Simple walkthrough how to start and operate Italian rheostatic locomotives. If you want to get more information, refer to Italian manual in your Railworks manuals directory.

Introduction

It's mine first walkthrough, related to Train Simulator or its mods. In this walkthrough I'll try to tell you as shortly and in the same moment as widely as possible, what do we know about these locomotives and how do we start.

The authors

All these locomotives – E.444 “Tartaruga”, E.636 “Isabella” and E.645, except E.656 “Caimano” were made by one Italian developer Tiziano Baldo. The last one was made by group of developers: Giovanni Grasso, Pasquale Nicolardi, Matteo Lizzi, Gianfranco Sacco and Alberto Vaghi.

Historical background

The locomotives from E.626 till E.656 (the early version) represent a good part of worldwide story of DC rheostatic electric locomotives, known also in Train Sim Community by such examples as British Class 76/77 and USSR-made VL8/VL10 locomotives. They all utilize similar idea to control the traction engines voltage and current using the electric resistors, that dissipate electric energy, that lays in early 1920-1930’s (or even earlier, the beginning of 20th century), when, probably, were made the first predecessors of these locomotives. All they have distinctive and noticeable feature in cab - the throttle half-moon gear position fixer with position numbers engraved in, looking very similar to steam cutoff position fixer. Here you can see the similarities between E.645 class and Class 76 throttle stands (the Class 76 has additional control to switch the connection, so it has smaller size of half-moon).

Now this feature is quite uncommon, because of usage of VFD-driven three phase motors and power rectifiers that allow usage of different types of control either from keyboard or small joystick: by traction effort, by speed, by current, by voltage - all-in-one.

The design

The initial E.62 series “Crocodile” had a monolithic design with three two-axle bogies (Bo-Bo-Bo, but actually the miggle bogie is a part of frame) and so-called nose, that stored comressors, sand boxes and some other electric machines. After wide introduction of electric traction, the E.62 series due to age and not that good running on sharp curves was split in two sections (Bo-Bo-Bo),which shared the same bogey in the center, like in the TGV trains. The resulting locomotive "Isabella" (E.63x) and next (newer) E.64x and E.65x (early version) shared same design of body, cabin controls, similar electric parts and bogeys.

My experience and little preface

I tried to test two versions – E.645 with E.636-style cabin and E.646 on single test route – Roma Nord and other one. Also you may note, that the screenshots have the descriptions and comments if you click them, just because the walkthrough actually was made from my earlier screenshots. As for me, as not that experienced driver, at first glance they (the E's) were too complicated to start in means how to feed the the current to the engines (the startup procedure is quite simple). I figured out the solution from some guy in YouTube, he suggested to use the IT keyboard layout so it seem working for me.
There were also some manuals for these locomotive (only in Italian), but I can say that even having knowledge of Italian (spoken or written) language, if you are not an Italian native speaker, you can't easily understand the manuals, so the better way in most cases was to refer to the pictures in the manual (they are often self-explanatory) and to write down somewhere the substitutions of each button.
I liked how it is starting, but the scenario (where I have tested it) does not provide too heavy consist, so to feel better, how to drive, I strongly recommend to pick up consist of few dozens of freight cars (refer to some YouTube videos available to get right consist length).

Cab interior and controls

The placement of the controls and indicators in E.63x, E.64x and E.65x (early version) are identical except the placement of the pressure indicators. Below is the control panel ot early E.645/E.636


Let's show on example on E.646 (later model)
Left top panel indicates pressure, little box on the front left window - the cab track pulse signalling repeater. The panel on the front right window - the control panel that contains the low-voltage circuit breakers, the pants switches, the fan coolers and the compressors.


Left most handle is the locomotive brake, the low one is the train brake. The throttle handle (handle bound with a half moon with teeth) allows the driver to connect the traction engines in different combinations (serial, serial-parallel and 2 stages of parallel), each of them begin from the large teeth on the inner side of the half moon (Image of E.636/E.645 early version).


The reverser and the field reducer (controls the voltage of the independant engine winding in the DC traction engines) are also located on the throttle stand. The left two indicators represent the line voltage and traction engines current, the three right ones show the voltage of the battery (middle) and the current of the cooling fans and the compressors (they are fed from the separate power source, a rotary three phase converter or static converter (in latter models), that converts line voltage to the three phase 400 V AC).


The two buttons under the traction engines are ON/OFF buttons for main circuit braker (a contactor). The box above the indicators and button panel, above the throttle (it has red and white button inside) handle is the safety system, the rail pulse coding repeater.

Starting procedure

In order to check all is going right we must be sure that the keyboad layout now is IT - italian. It's important.

So entering the cold cab we need to look back and manually switch a bunch of switches.


The leftmost in the bottom is the traction resistors cooling fans, the turned of (in the middle) is the battery switch. Also you can notice the dynamo (motor generator) switches (usally they are always on). In order to start, you push the battery switch up (Shift+B on the keyboard) and then turn the topmost right switch in the angle, that controls the pants compressor (Ctrl+P in the keyboard). Keep in mind that this switch must be turn on only at the startup, because it can discarge the batteries.


So if we have done all correctly, the back panel should look like as in this picture.


In order to raise the pants, we must turn on (down so it is oriented along the air pipe) the pants valve and wait when the pressure indicator will show the pressure 5 or above. Now we can rise all the pants (both required to be raised to run on low speeds).


In order to turn all the systems properly, you have to switch the right panel switches in correct order, or you can discharge the batteries. All the round buttons need to be switched on (they look pushed in, when ON) from the far right to the near left, next to the last one (the last can't be switched on).
So, in theory it looks like this. The right one (the low voltage systems is turned on). The 2nd and 3rd is control of the pants. When you rise them, you'll notice some sound.


Turn on the main circuit breaker. It has a Start(black)/Stop(red) buttons on it, like the old-style engine control. The ON button is located under the traction motors Ammeter's left corner (2nd indicator from the left in the left part of the cabin) or the right corner of line voltage Voltmeter (1st indicator from the left). If all switched correctly, the light bulb is ignited and line voltage Voltmeter looks like as in this screenshot.


Now we can move to the right panel again.


We turn on all switched on from the 4th from the left to the last right one: Compressor1,2, compressor mode and cooling fans. If you're bored of the sound, you can easily turn nearly all off: compressors when not braking and fans when the throttle is on zero (but it's better to keep them always on just in case).


In order to start the locomotive moving we also have to turn on the resistors fans (or the traction current will stay zero). Also you have to turn off the hand brake (the M button is to turn off, the N button is turn on).

Now we can move to the safety system. It's a repeater of the line signals. All you need to know that white lamp is "NO CARRIER" or "PASSED ON DANGER", blinking yellow "GET READY TO STOP", blinking white "ANNOUNCEMENT OF SPEED RESTRICTION", green "PROCEED". Actually on my system the signalling was broken, so I had to push Tab button when approaching red signal. So the system may show useless positions of main signals, but don't worry about that.


The turned on safety system may look like this.


When you started the compressors, the pressure indicators look like this. Also the HUD control of the brakes is locked.


The pressure begin to fall as far as the needle of main reservoir pressure passes the middle point of the indicator.

Moving the consist

When you start, try to keep some desired current, not stopping on the "resistor" positions, like in the picture. I figured out the 100-130 A current good for me.


When you reach non-resistor positions, you can ride as long, as you want. These positions are signalled by green lamps in the drivers panel and also can be noticed by except 4 big teeth of the inner side of the circle.
When you select the type of connection, 4 different connections of engines can be given:
- Serial: 12 engines (2 per axle) serial
- Serial-parallel: group of 6 engines serial, 2 groups in parallel
- Parallel: group of 4 engines, 3 groups in parallel
- Super-Parallel: group of 3 engines, 4 groups in parallel
In order to have smooth transition between the engine connections, use the field reducer switch with spherical handle, located near the far right corner of the controller stand. When turned on, you can notice that the traction motors current is slightly increased. Also keep in mind, that connection transition depends on the speed.
The authors suggest such speeds for safely changing the engines connection:
- Serial: 35 Km/h (22 mph)
- Serial-parallel: 65 Km/h (40 mph)
- Parallel: 105 Km/h (65 mph)
- Super-Parallel: 135 Km/h (85 mph),


On the speed nearly 20 mph (32 km/h) or 30 mph (45 kmh), depending on the weight of consist, you can lower the front pantograph.


Also you must note, that when the engines switch connection, you observe short jump of the current. When doing it too early, you can exceed 300-350 Amps current on transition (like to that you observe in Class 37 diesel locomotives) positions and end up with burned resistors (or the fuse, if you're lucky) and locomotive broken down. So, literally starting with this:


You can easily end with this:


So if the current is too big, switch to previous connection (e.g Parallel back to Serial-Parallel) and try to accelerate a bit more with field reduction on.

Hotkeys

The key bindings (translated from the original manual).
1 Primary function buttons needed to be switched on in order to start
- Battery switch [Shift+B]
- Pants valve [R]
- Start/Stop pants raising compressor [Ctrl+P]
- Raise/Lower the forward pantograph

- Raise/Lower the backward pantograph [Shift+P]
- MCB Off [Shift+I]
- MCB On [ I ]
- Cooling fans Start/Stop [Shift+V]
- Compressor 1 Start/Stop [Shift+C]
- Compressor 2 Start/Stop [Ctrl+C]
- Reverser Forwards [W]
- Reverser Backwards [S]
- Release automatic brake [è]
- Apply automatic brake [ò]
- Release locomotive brake [']
- Apply locomotive brake [ì]
- Emergency brake [BackSpace]
- Throttle UP [A]
- don't suggest doing this [Ctrl+A]
- Closing the throttle partly or fully [D]
- Increase field reduction value [Shift+A]
- Decrease field reduction value [Shift+D]

2 Secondary actions
- Horn [Space]
- Whistle [ B ]
- Close the hand brake [N]
- Release the hand brake [M]
- Compressors mode selection [K]
- Wheelslip control ON/OFF (In E646 only) [Shift+X]
- Wheel slip probe [Ctrl+G]
- Change cabin [Ctrl +]

3 Additional actions
- Rotary phase converter 1 ON/OFF [Ctrl+D]
- Rotary phase converter 2 ON/OFF [Ctrl+Shift+D]
- Headlights [H]/[Shift+H]
- Cabin lights [Ctrl+L]
- Instrumental lights [Shift+L]
- Central headlight (In E646 only) [Shift+Ctrl+L]
- REC (train electric heating) On/Off [Ctrl+R]
- Doors blocking (In E646 only) [Y]
- Doors probe [ U ]
- Doors open/close [ T ]
- Low-voltage circuits breaker [Ctrl+Shift+C]
- High speed brake activator (In E646 only) [F]
- Rheostats cooling fans ON/OFF [Ctrl+V]
- Acknowledge signals repeater safety system master switch [Mouse only]
- Acknowledge the restriction signal [Q]
- Acknowledge after restrictive signal [E]
- Overpassing the restrictive signal [Enter]
- Windows [Mouse only]
- Simple driving mode (bypass signal blocks with simple procedure) [Ctrl+Shift+Enter]

[Adam Beckett]

Exceptionally well done guide. Thanks for sharing!