Castle Rock Fuel for Life

[mapitts]

Has any one ran this and all of a sudden you cannot even get to the hold out signal to pick up your helper? It WAS running fine. My frame rates have taken a big hit since updating to RW2012 on this as well. Everything used to run fine. I can free roam like anything but as soon as I do any thing else, boom. I cannot even do the Ohio Steel anymore. Frame rates crashed there as well. I have tweaked the settings and backed off of a lot, but still getting the same frame rate performance. I have not had that much time to set down and run for a little while.

[arizonachris]

Been a while since I ran Castle Rock, but I do have the new Ohio Steel 2 route. It is a frame killer. Seems like all of RW is a frame killer since the upgrade. Some routes I still get up to 60 frames tho, but that's an exception, not the rule.

[mapitts]

Uninstalled RW 2012, reinstalled it, cleared the blue print cache, etc. Same thing. We are going backwards folks. I am done.

[Chacal]

I just ran the "Fuel for life" scenario and had no particular problem. Frame rate was 24-30 all along (I cap it at 30), with no noticeable jerkiness. Medium shadows, MLAA, everything else at high.

I liked how they managed to get the AI helper to reach the rear of the train, using signals!

[rninrvr]

Where did you get that scenario?

[mapitts]

The Dash 9 pack from Steam. I will say that when they updated to RW 2012 the physics of moving the train improved a lot. It is a very heavy train. You have to struggle with wheel slip to the 2nd signal. Very prototypical. You used to pull up to the hold out signal, stop and call for the helper. The pusher would wait at the switch once he got onto the main and wait for you to call him. When he coupled up I would do a standing brake test and head up the hill. Now I run into "something" as soon as I clear the passenger platform before I get to the hold out. I will check to see if the pusher is heading out on his own and ramming me before I get to a stop at the hold out. I can free roam like nobodies business. That is very boring to me. Like I said above. I am moving backwards and it seems to be getting worse.

[rninrvr]

OK, I just purchased it and will run it later today and get back with what I have found.

[Chacal]

I too experienced a derail due to "player collision" near the platform, while stopping at the dwarf signal.
Turns out I had not noticed that the Dash 9 has different controls than the other engines.

When I want to stop, I usually mash the "D" key for a few seconds, to make sure the throttle is at 0.
With the Dash 9, the throttle goes through 0 and then down to -100 into dynamic braking.
That explained the derail! I was trying to stop a heavy train with 100% dynamic brakes.

I don't know if this is normal behavior for the Dash 9, it is the first time I notice it.

[rninrvr]

Yes it is, they have multifunction power controls that are throttle toward from you and dynamics away you. Most US engines with consols have this type of throttle arrangement. A number of railroads are going back to the ARA control stands with the displays mounted on the wall ahead of the engineer. With this setup I believe that we are back to separate throttle and dynamic control handles.

[rninrvr]

Well, I have started this scenario and had to do it twice to get it right. What I am seeing is you cannot tarry once you are in and you have to get some speed on your train in order to get to the dwarf signal before the helper gets to you. I actually went past the dwarf, good thing it was green, and then went to the rear to see what was happening. I could see the helper approaching and it stopped just under the signal bridge short of that xover there. I actually had to back my train back to it, but the game was happy with that so hey. The weird thing that happened was about 10 minutes in the sim stopped responding to the keyboard for engine control and if I blew the horn or rang the bell I got no sound. I did have the engine sounds and they appropriately responded to throttle changes I was making using the mouse. Also the keyboard worked for other things like fps, work order, views. With the horn/bell even with the mouse they would not make any noise. I have saved and exited out and will go back in to see if this restores keyboard control and horn sounds.

[mapitts]

Well they seem to have changed a few things with RW2012. You used to do as I posted above. What was happening was the pusher is heading off on his on and running into the side of my train, and hitting me in the rear before I was getting to the hold out. I will talk to him about that !! They have changed the physics of the game and it is now one heavy train. You used to could make it up the hill, just barely, but you could make it without the helper. No more. You have to fly down to the hold out and throw out the anchor. Try to stop with just about 4 foot of the last car under the signal bridge. The helper hit me with about 1/3 of the car under the bridge at about 5 MPH. It let me couple and then you start the struggle up the hill. Again I will talk to my helper crews about this. I guess I ungive up. Thanks for letting me vent and for all of your help. You cannot play it like you used to. A lot different.

[rninrvr]

Well, when I went back it everything was working again so I have no idea why it stopped responding. I did get amazed again with what can be done within RW. They actually had a wrecked train that I passed. It was complete with derailed cars, overturned containers and ballast kicked up over the row.

[mapitts]

For what ever reason this scenario has always been one of my favorite. Typical of railroad operations here in Alabama. You think this state is flat, or at least the northern part I live in. There is a pusher station not 15 miles from my house. I like to simulate what I see. Like I said though. They must have changed the physics in RW2012. This is a very heavy train to move even on flat ground.

[Chacal]

I liked the scenario because it was challenging. The first time I did not manage it over the hill, because I didn't gain enough momentum after getting the helper. I had to start all over again, this time notching up the throttle as quickly as possible without the wheels slipping. After that the challenge is to rein in the train downhill using train brakes and dynamic brakes.

[emdsd90mac]

Ya mapitts, you talk to them helper crews. After reading most of this thread, I tried this job out. 1st go around I had a collision about mid platform; I am assuming my helper crashed into me. Then I tried again, this time getting right to it to make it to the hold out point at the dwarf. Got there expeditiously and then the wait time began. I head to the rear and I see the helper just chillin' back there; I was calling and calling, I am guessing union break or something. I always thought the show must go on, but apparently the RairWorks local 2012 thinks their breaks are more important than customer service.