[SP 0-6-0]

Evening, With MSTS the steam locomotives could only make use of one tender. Does ORTS now feature the ability to code a wag file for a aux water tender and have the increase in water capacity register in the HUD display?

Robert

[steamer_ctn]

SP 0-6-0, on 08 October 2015 - 04:07 PM, said:

Evening, With MSTS the steam locomotives could only make use of one tender. Does ORTS now feature the ability to code a wag file for a aux water tender and have the increase in water capacity register in the HUD display?

Just out of interest can you point to some internet references to demonstrate where an auxiliary tender was used, and how coal and water were transferred between them?

In regard to your question about setting the physics for it, all the tender volume information (coal and water mass) is set in the ENG file and not in the tender WAG file. So in principle the auxiliary tender would be set as a standard WAG file, and the capacity values entered in the ENG file.

The only challenge with this approach may be in regard to the new freight animation functionality currently being developed for the tender coal load, as I suspect that it may not differentiate which tender is being used to fuel the locomotive at a particular point in time.

[SP 0-6-0]

Aux tenders are used for carrying water. They are very popular on USA steam excursion trains and also were used in the 1950's by the N&W railway behind their Y6B 2-8-8-2 locomotives hauling coal to eliminate stops enroute. They could run non stop from Williamson WV to Port Smith Ohio.

The coal bunkers are either plated over and store locomotive parts for over the road repairs or are cut down and removed making way for more water storage.

A very small number of aux tenders had the coal space converted for oil fuel storage for locomotives that burn oil. Although I can't think off hand of a good example right now as this practice is extremely rare.

The Union Pacific uses two water tenders from earlier class 4-8-4 locomotives. They also serviced as fuel tenders for the gas turbines before they were retired and scrapped.

The NKP 765 has a 15,000 gallon aux tender.

Milw 261 has a 25,000 gal aux tender.

N&W 611 has a 25,000 gal aux tender.

Some internet aux tender information.

http://locomotive.wi...ux_Water_Tender

http://www.sps700.or...auxtender.shtml

http://www.sps700.or...auxtender.shtml

http://www.rypn.org/...php?f=1&t=19363

https://www.nwhs.org...ndex=rs&id=1767

Robert

[captain_bazza]

The Flying Scotsman used an auxiliary tender from time to time for water. It had the obligatory corridor for crew swaps, too.

Cheers Bazza.

[Csantucci]

steamer_ctn, on 08 October 2015 - 07:22 PM, said:

The only challenge with this approach may be in regard to the new freight animation functionality currently being developed for the tender coal load, as I suspect that it may not differentiate which tender is being used to fuel the locomotive at a particular point in time.

If the car is defined as Type (Tender) and there is no ORTSfreightanim block within the .wag file of the tender, the new ORTS freight animation does not influence this second tender.

[copperpen]

With the total fuel/water being placed in the eng file, all that needs to be done is give the aux tender the correct weight same as is done for the normal tender. That weight is a fixed amount and will not reduce during a journey. That is no different than MSTS. Maybe in the future the weights and volumes can be placed in the wag files and actually reduce as water/fuel is used.

[SP 0-6-0]

I have uncoupled a tender in MSTS and had both the coal and water levels drop to 0 precent. If the eng file defines the steam locomotive water and fuel then why when the pin is pulled and the tender seperates does the values drop to 0?

I am interested in figuring out if extra water can be added by suddenly coupling a aux tender to the main locomotive tender. Looking to have atleast two states tender 1- main tender. tender 2- aux tender. Right now MSTS can only read tender 1 the main tender.

Also locomotives like the gas turbines had their fuel in seperate tenders. Yet, MSTS does not have the option for tender operation in say diesel mode.

Robert

[copperpen]

I just tried the tender uncouple and my fuel/water levels did not change.

[midneguy]

Just a little speculation here, but there is the parameter "IsTenderRequired ( 1 )" in the engine section for many steamers. When set to 1 the locomotive requires a tender, and when set to 0 it did not - for example a tank engine would not require a tender to be coupled behind the locomotive. I haven't tested it specifically, but is this parameter being read by OR to determine where the fuel and water is stored, either in the tender or on the engine itself?

Regarding the auxiliary tender question, I can add another example where these were used. On the CB&Q Sterling branch they used a water car with the steam locomotive because many of the water facilities were not maintained in later years. In this case the auxiliary tender was simply a tank car modified for auxiliary water car service.

Here's a picture of CB&Q ten wheeler 919 in Cheyenne being serviced with her tank car / water car coupled behind:

http://www.westernra...956/i-M9B8HP9/A

[SP 0-6-0]

The line "is tender required" is part of the equation. The uncoupled tender trick does not work on every locomotive.

I believe the Scotsman is one of the locomotives I have uncoupled the tender and had readings for fuel and water go to 0.

If we could get IsTenderRequired 1, 2 or 3 option then I could have the main locomotive tender and up to 2 aux tenders like C&O 614 used during her ACE 3000 testing in the winter of 1985.

Edit, I just confirmed the default Flying Scotsman fuel readings all go to 0 if the tender is uncoupled from the locomotive.

Robert