[SP 0-6-0]

Evening, I have been out running the NALW UP gas turbine locomotives on the FBL V3.2. At the destination I was busy cutting off the turbine unit and using the MSTSBin feature to select the trailing unit to do the switching moves when I got to thinking about some features that might be worth while in ORTS.

I would like to see more control options for starting and stopping locomotives. For example, When the UP turbines are in the yard the main turbine engine was shut down and the 6 cylinder diesel engine was used to moved the turbine locomotives around the yards.

At the very least it would be nice to have a unit shutdown when it is uncoupled from the player locomotive. Once recoupled to the player engine they could automatically restart.

Example would be the turbines again. In MSTS when they are decoupled they continue their turbine roar and billowing exhaust plumes while sitting on the loco service track.

Robert

[Hamza97]

Hiii...
You can do it in ORTS, select the locomotive to be uncouple in F9 Train Operations window and select "Toggle Power" option, which will power down the locomotive. Then you can uncouple it. Please note that the "Toggle Power" option will only cause the locomotive to shut down, but engine sounds will play, you have to configure the .SMS file so that it stops playing when power is OFF. Hope this helps.... :)

[SP 0-6-0]

So could the turbine unit be shut down and only have the diesel engine run? This might work for the two unit 8500 HP units since the diesel is in the cab unit. But the early model 4500HP units are single unit locomotives with two power plants. The secondary diesel and the primary turbine.

Robert

[Hamza97]

Yes, it will work with 8500HP units, but not with earlier 4500HP as both engine are essentially single .eng file.... :)

[SP 0-6-0]

Thanks.

Robert

[istvanek]

Hamza97, on 21 January 2016 - 10:05 PM, said:

Yes, it will work with 8500HP units, but not with earlier 4500HP as both engine are essentially single .eng file.... :)

Well, as far as I know it is not 100% true. You are able to turn off second engine in one .eng file. They just have to be defined separately as two different engines (in ORTS specific diesel engine configuration section). You just can not turn off fumes exhaust.

SP 0-6-0 said:

Now to just figure out the proper physics updates for Gas Turbine engines in ORTS.

If I understand these locomotives correctly? The turbine runs pretty much at a fixed speed since turbines do not like verying their RPM.

So the locomotives controlled the field current and very the field voltage and current for control of the main generators and traction motors. They also have a switch that could be used to tie the generators in two different configurations. This being series-parallel type control.

These turbines also have a 10 notch throttle position instead of the normal 8 notch setup of the diesel electrics.

Some options are possible in ORTS specific diesel engine configuration section. Read the manual.

[RTP]

The 4500HP turbine has an Woodward regulator with 20 notches.
The max speed is 6,900 rpm. and the idle 5,200.
The regulator adjusts the speed of the turbine according to notch selected, as in an diesel.
The auxiliary Cooper-Bessemer diesel of 250Hp runs all the time, and supplies power to de compressors, fans, auxiliary generator and steam generator to heat up the main fuel.
The fuel consumption at full power is 600 gallons/hour, low to moderate, but at no load is 200 gallons/ hour, enormous.

Then, the turbine can be stopped in yards and very long downgrades.
Then the diesel excites the motors an drive the fans to dynamic braking.

But restart the turbine is a bit delicate process, needs almost five minutes to go to full power.

Regards.

[Hamza97]

Oh, yes Istanvek is right, you can define multiple engines in ORTSDieselEngine parameter, I forgot that.... :sweatingbullets: I myself have not tested more than one diesel engine in .eng file. Will do some test today.... :)

[SP 0-6-0]

Thanks for the explination on operation of the 4500 HP turbines. I must admit I do not have much in the way of information on the turbines.

Robert

[Z31SPL]

I picked up a magazine recently and it had a big article about the UP turbine engines. From what I was reading they hardly ever shut them down as it was more cost effective to keep them constantly on the move than to keep them idling or shut down.