[Weter]

Happy New Year, Rod.
In real life, it's very likely so: despite control lever/wheel may(and often it does) have notches, includind zero(neutral), the slider, they control moves smoothly - so I don't expect some "hard" neutral point with it.
just thoughts, though...

[Hobo]

Would it be possible to put a " 0 " notch between the Forward and Reverse settings in the ENG file in the Cutoff entry ? Or park the loco like you park your car - - - get off the throttle and apply brake, return cutoff to neutral and when she's stopped then apply park brake .Not exactly like a car but close . Why would you have to open throttle over 50% when you are stopped and parked ?

Just Askin' !

[Weter]

IDK, sorry.
Perhaps, steam engine drivers could answer...
:offtopic:
old tram drivers told, some control systems did have a good neutral(balance) point, some - didn't
good balance is essential on stops, and more - while struggling through traffic jams, especially - on slopes.

[Traindude]

Hobo, on 04 January 2024 - 06:56 AM, said:

Would it be possible to put a " 0 " notch between the Forward and Reverse settings in the ENG file in the Cutoff entry ? Or park the loco like you park your car - - - get off the throttle and apply brake, return cutoff to neutral and when she's stopped then apply park brake .Not exactly like a car but close . Why would you have to open throttle over 50% when you are stopped and parked ?

Just Askin' !

I ALWAYS "set and center" my train after coming to a complete stop. And if I intend to shut off the prime mover (on Open Rails diesels so equipped), I will also apply the locomotive handbrake (because the air pressure in the air brake system will eventually "leak away"). I agree that having a "0 Forward" and "0 Reverse" setting on the cutoff does seem a bit ambiguous. The only logical explanation for this is to determine which way the arrow in the track monitor (which shows direction of movement) should be pointing.

In the case of steam engines, keep in mind that sometimes the flow of steam to the cylinders doesn't fully shut off. For example, if the cylinders are lubricated by a hydrostatic lubricator, the lubricator will use steam to inject the oil into the cylinders, and even if the throttle is fully closed, there's a risk of the engine starting to creep unless the brakes are sufficiently applied and the cylinder cocks are open. (It is also why you sometimes see steam coming out of the snifting valves even when the locomotive sits idle.) It also wasn't unheard of for a locomotive to creep out of the yards and down the track due to throttle leakages (caused by the thermal expansion and contraction of the throttle rigging), especially on a cold night!