_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha wrote:MattW wrote:The new Acela is nice. The model looks better and the horn is a massive improvement. But I wish they would have updated the manual too. Now the left stick is the cruise control instead of dynamic brakes. It's quite twitchy though, unless there's a key for it I just haven't found yet, the only way to change the cruise speed is by clicking with the mouse which can be dicey with the cab shake. I'm not sure whether each "notch" is 5mph or 10mph, sometimes I move it one notch and it's a 5mph difference, other times it seems to be 10mph. But it's far better than the previous method of accelerate until you hit the speed, then double-tap the K key! Cab signaling on the old NEC also seems to be wonky, leaving Philadelphia, it kept dropping to stop.
Not an improvement at all IMO. How to use the dynamic brake independently? There is no combined power/brake handle? Dynamics come on with the automatic train brake handle but only reach 30% effort in full emergeny position.
Also the train brake handle is notched, and has no application range between minimum reduction and full service reduction positions. This is a EMU, not a locomotive, but surely the passengers will like a smooth braking action as much as the engineer likes precise control over his train?
I'm sorry, I should have been more clear in my post. From what I understand, this is closer to how it actually works in real life, there is no independent dynamic brake handle, and the power handle is just that, the power handle, while the "cruise control handle" is probably better referred to as the speed control handle. As to the brakes, I can't answer that, but at least they didn't become worse than the previous version. Actually, the Acela is not an EMU, it's two power cars (locomotives) on either end of the trainset.
[EDIT] (The following is not in direct response to _o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha): I'm driving the Acela right now north out of Trenton, and the cruise control seems to be calibrated in kilometers and not miles! For instance, in a 110 zone, it will hold either 111 (speeding) or 108, but not 110, which just happens to correspond to 180km/h or 175km/h.