[VAPOR3D]

I wonder if it would be possible to make an electric train whose operation does not depend on the position of its pantograph. We have electric trains that run only when their pantographs are raised, but today there are also hybrid trains, for example those that run on hydrogen, and on non-electrified tracks, they use hydrogen energy to power their engines. Logically, they run on those tracks with the pantographs not deployed.

Is it possible to do something like that in Open Rails? maybe, changing their engines to diesel and making their pantographs to be animations of another type, but I'm not too convinced. The question is whether it is possible to do it while keeping their electric motors. Any idea is very welcome!

[hehl]

Up to four animated pantographs are possible. Use the first one only for power supply, without animation. Then there are three more available as real pantographs. The machine can keep the Type( electric ).

[Csantucci]

Wow hehl, that was a trick I hadn't thought about!

[Stephen]

Hi,

Don't forget that some electric trains have a battery powered option for use sidings and maintenance areas etc. There are also battery powered trains with or without a diesel engine. 3rd rail electric trains need an invisible pantograph operation to energise the train so presumably the same would apply for battery trains or when switching from electric/diesel power to battery.

Regards,

Stephen

[Weter]

Yes, in 1960-th Accumulator-powered EMUs were tested.
Accumulator shunters are in use in special places.

[Laci1959]

Hello.

I think @VAPOR3D was referring to the Bombardier TRAXX AC3 Last Mile locomotive. It is an electric locomotive, but it also has a diesel engine for entering railway stations without overhead wires.
OR cannot do that.
Perhaps an invisible diesel locomotive could be used to fool the simulator and the spectators.

Sincerely, Laci1959

[darwins]

Laci1959, on 24 March 2024 - 03:52 AM, said:

Hello.

I think @VAPOR3D was referring to the Bombardier TRAXX AC3 Last Mile locomotive. It is an electric locomotive, but it also has a diesel engine for entering railway stations without overhead wires.
OR cannot do that.
Perhaps an invisible diesel locomotive could be used to fool the simulator and the spectators.

Sincerely, Laci1959

We can not currently have different performance in electric mode and diesel mode, just as we cannot have different performance for 1.5kV dc, standard 25kV ac and LGV 25kV ac. There is no switching function available so we must use multiple eng files for one loco. (Same for R P G brakes or air / vacuum brakes!)

[VAPOR3D]

hehl, on 24 March 2024 - 01:24 AM, said:

Up to four animated pantographs are possible. Use the first one only for power supply, without animation. Then there are three more available as real pantographs. The machine can keep the Type( electric ).

Thanks for the answers. My case is a railcar with a towed vehicle where there are two pantographs, one for each direction of travel of the train.

What you say, hehl, is interesting. But if there is a pantograph without animation, when the one with animation is lifted, two pantographs would be superimposed, the one lifted and the one without. And there is no place to hide the other one.

What would be needed is for the vehicles to operate without raising the pantograph on lines without catenary, without power supply. Then, on electrified lines, the pantograph would logically be raised to recharge the batteries or stop consuming hydrogen.

Perhaps with the option of having two types of engines in the same vehicle. But as far as I can see, that is impossible in OR for the moment. I also asked some time ago if there would be a possibility to raise the pantograph of a towed vehicle by uncoupling it from its locomotive, to provide power to the train while its locomotive was reversing on a turntable, for example. But it doesn't seem possible to do that either (for the moment). Thanks anyway, we'll look for some ideas, otherwise it's OK.

[Laci1959]

darwins, on 24 March 2024 - 12:54 PM, said:

We can not currently have different performance in electric mode and diesel mode, just as we cannot have different performance for 1.5kV dc, standard 25kV ac and LGV 25kV ac. There is no switching function available so we must use multiple eng files for one loco. (Same for R P G brakes or air / vacuum brakes!)

Shouldn't this be changed? It's still a rigid adherence to things from 20 years ago.
Or is there no programmer to do it, or is it too much work?

[VAPOR3D]

As hehl was saying, I have an idea to make this possible. If PANTOGRAPH1 and PANTOGRAPH2 are normally visible, I can create an invisible piece PANTOGRAPH3 that, although I don't know yet how to handle it from the cabs, allows that, although the visible pantographs are down, it can be connected to the catenary even if it is invisible. The train will not work on non-electrified routes, but the ones that have some parts with catenary and some parts without, are all electrified. I will try to modify my model to test that to see if it works. Stay tuned!