Raichases Realism Guide

By Raichase

Contents

1. Introduction

Foreword

Welcome to this, the latest version of Raichases Realism Guide, a basic, simple guide to using Transport Tycoon Deluxe and The Transport Tycoon Patch to play a realistic transport game. Most of the graphics used by the Realism Guide have been made by Michael Blunck, and they are some seriously good graphics.

However, it was not only Michael’s work that went into making this aspect of the patch so good, I really think we owe Josef a big thank you, for creating the patch. We should also thank his team of patchers who work alongside him to create some of the most mind-blowing changes to Transport Tycoon, that easily leave the original game in the dust.

The main thing to remember is keep it fun. If it is too hard to go all-the-way realistic, then don’t, start gradually. If you are using the best loco for everything, then start out slow (for example just using passenger locos for passengers and freight locos for freight etc.).

Realism doesn’t come easily; it does take a bit more work than normal Transport Tycoon play, so it’s usually good to have a look at the switches you are using before you start. Below, I have picked out some of the switches I have found have an impact on realism, before the first track is placed.

• An important pair of switches that will really affect how your vehicles run are the “curves” and “mountains” switches. I usually set all the values for these to “3”, which is the realistic setting. It lets the patch take into account the speed changes on curves and hills, which is very important.

• Secondly, “largestations” and “mammothtrains” are not so much important switches to realism, but they will allow you to create large termini, and equally large trains – something very common on most real-life railway networks.

• The switch “keepsmallairport” allows for a good depth of realism when using a lot of air-traffic, as it allows you to keep small airports for smaller townships and small industries. Consequently, you should really be using “enginespersist” to make sure you have planes that can land at these airports!

• An important switch for multi-headed trains is the “multihead” switch. Whilst this will need to be on for such sets as the DB Set, it is important that the value of this switch is set to “0”, to stop trains going faster than they should.

• Whilst “feederservice” does not directly affect how a realistic network can be constructed, it will help with the financial side of things, as you will not have trains/ships/planes/trucks losing money for the company, as they will be making their share of the profits.

• It is suggested that you use “electrifiedrailways” and “unifiedmaglev”, as it is very unrealistic to have electric trains running without the appropriate power source! Setting the switch “trackcostdiff” to on, will mean that electric railway will cost a little more then normal railway. This is important, as otherwise you will not be paying for the electric cantenary, and in real life, that’s not free at all!

• I like to set the “startyear” switch to 1921, as I usually use the DB Set for my games, and it has a lot of nice early steam locomotives. However, some sets don’t start until later (such as the original TT vehicles), and “startyear” should be set accordingly – check the sets manual for info. For original TT vehicles, I suggest a setting of “1950” for this switch.

• The “semaphores” switch is an important switch if you plan to use early steam locomotives on your maps. They really dress up your lines too, and there are both British and German semaphores available at the moment.

• A newer switch is the “higherbridges” switch, which will allow you to build realistic networks, even when high in a mountain setting – important, as it will cut down on useless gradients, something that is quite important when you consider the…

• “freighttrains” switch, which will adjust the weights of all the freight in the game to make them more correct. It will make freight trains a lot heavier, and will place more emphasis on using the correct freight locomotives for the task.

• A new switch introduced in the alpha versions is the “wagonspeedlimits” switch, which is essential for realistic freight transport.

Links

Some helpful links, that will ensure that you understand this guide properly:

Transport Tycoon Forums: www.tt-forums.net . This is probably the best place I have found to talk about Transport Tycoon, as well as a lot of other things relating to it. It is a great place to find help for problems (provided you have read the manual first), as a simple search will find similar problems, and should help you all the quicker. It is also a great place to catch up on the latest changes to the Patch, and the new graphics coming out.

TTD Patch: www.ttdpatch.net . If the forums are the best place to talk about Transport Tycoon, then this is the best place to make sure everything is in working order. You can download new graphics here, check out the manual, find the latest alpha version with a simple click, and so forth. Very good place to have in your favorites list…

Michael Bluncks Graphics: http://www.ewetel.net/~michael.blunck/ttd/ . This is the place to go when you want to see what creation Michael is working on at the moment. However, some things there are only for seeing, as there is a lot of background work going on to make the graphics work properly. You can download his latest sets from the “Downloads” page, and get some detailed information on a lot of the vehicles in his sets.

The American Transition Set: http://www.as-st.com/ttd/newusa/ . This is the home site for the amazing American Transition Set – it has some nice screenies of the trains in action, as well as data, FAQ’s and instructions for downloading and using it. It also has a nice links section that is good if you have problems not dealt with on the site itself…

If anyone knows of more great links for me to add to the guide, I would be very appreciative if they would send them to me – you can drop me a note on the forums if you so choose.

2. The DB Set XL

Introduction

This is a basic guide to realism using the DB Set, as made by Michael Blunck. You can download it from either his site, or from the patch site (see introduction), and should have no troubles getting it working. Before doing anything with this set, I strongly suggest at least browsing through the manual, and keeping it on hand if you encounter any problems. I personally keep the vehicle table next to my computer, covered in my notes and scribbles about the locos and their trains.

Remember, this guide is not meant to replace the readme file; it is simply designed to expand on it, and provide a sounder basis for playing TTD.

Before I go on, may I send a shoutout to Michael Blunck, for his invaluable help creating this guide. He has been very patient with this Australian, who (in the beginning) used to know nothing of the DB. I would also like to thank Georg, 103er Fan and Uwe (all from TT-forums) for their help with the guide also. Uwe was the one that motivated me to actually update the guide for version 0.81 of the DB Set XL 

The DB Set introduces some interesting ways of doing things in TT, as it uses a myriad of different passenger coaches and freight wagons, making it the first fully contained set to be made for TT (it also includes signals and railway crossing gates… It’s that good!). Let’s examine some of those below:

• One of the most realistic parts of the DB Set is the inclusion of German Semaphores. These are pre-signal and PBS-signal (only available in the alpha versions of the patch, see the patch website in the links section) compatible, and are a must for anyone playing with the DB Set. For information on how to activate these signals, please look to the readme for more details.

• Having different coaches for each period of time to pass allows a realistic coaching stock to be used across a well-linked network. If, like myself, you have a single network that spans most of the map, connecting everything possible, then you can get a pool of rolling stock happening, just like in real life. This allows you to re-use old coaches on newer trains – I personally use a ratio of 50/50, but you can set this however you prefer. Also, when updating locomotives, I usually update anywhere between 1 and 3 coaches on the train, to get a really random look over the network. This is how the trains of the DB look, they have some very mixed up sets of coaches!

• Having the liveries of locomotives change too, also allows more interesting features. Again, I only replace a locomotive when it is getting too old – If I want to abandon its route, I will usually keep the locomotive in a depot until I need it again. This way, you keep some of the older locomotives in service until they are practically falling apart – just like the DB…

• The freight wagons also allow a great deal of realism, as you can (again), keep the older ones in service until you really can’t afford to keep them in the game anymore (because you have *that* much coal…)

• The addition of the detail of the max. tractive effort of a locomotive, makes the transport of freight even more realistic, as it forces the player to use the right locomotives for the right trains – trying to attach a BR03 to a 10-wagon coal train won’t get you very far when there is any incline involved.

• From DBXL Set V0.81 onwards, more changes have been made to how the DB Set works. For example, certain locomotives can not be used with freight wagons anymore – for more detail of this, see the readme file that was included with the DBXL Set.

Definition of Services

Over history, there were many types of services used on the DB, usually differentiated by livery types, but as years go on, it is mainly due to the name of the train. I like to add a letter (shown here in brackets) to the end of a train’s name, so I know what the type of service it runs is. The colors shown for each coach type is the livery of the coaches when the service was first introduced. As the D-Zug service becomes the IR Service, D-Zug coaches can be used on IR trains and so forth.

*The timeframe is that in TT time, not in real life time. Some services may have existed before or after the dates here, but the dates shown are convenient cutoff dates for the sake of simple realism in TT.

1. TEE – Trans European Express

2. TEE Coaches are obtained when a V200, V160, VT-11 or BR103 are used with Long Distance Coaches.

3. Intercity Coaches are Cream/Red until 1987, and are then Grey/Red until 1997, and are then White/Red.

4. Inter-Regio coaches are any of the older Cream/Blue coaches, and the newer Grey/Blue coaches. Any older long-distance coaches should now be relegated into local transport.

5. S-Bahn Coaches are Grey/Orange, and can only be found attached to BR111’s and BR420’s.

6. Ex-IR Trains may be a mix of local coaches and the coaches used on your IR trains.

The Passenger Locomotives

The following details each passenger locomotive, and how they are used. Note that it does *not* deal with passenger train sets; they have their own, special section below this one.

Some locomotives have the option of upgrading their coaches to special express services coach’s sets – for example, the TEE coaches, or the IC coaches. For details on how to do this, refer to the DBXL readme. For details on how to apply such coaches, see the section below this one.

T13 – A small tank engine, usually used only for the shortest passenger services. They can not haul many coaches at a great speed, but their cheap cost and good maximum tractive effort (see the DB Set manual) means they can take small passenger trains in hilly areas better than some of the earlier tender engines.

BR75 – Another small tank engine, which can be used for local passenger services again. It is a slight improvement over the T13, one that applies more to freight services than passenger services. The BR75 is still, a great locomotive for smaller branch lines, where one might not have the station space for a tender engine and coaches.

BR38 – This is the first tender engine to be introduced (in about 1922), and it is a little faster and stronger then the T13/BR92, but it is not as good at climbing hills. It is best suited to smaller length passenger over mostly flat landscape.

BR18 – This is a faster, express engine, which has progressed over the BR38 in everyway, however it’s max. tractive effort is still not as high as that of the T13. This train is again, best suited for high speed passenger trains over a mostly flat landscape. It will struggle a little going over hills, and will have problems with taller mountains. The BR18 can also haul the Rheingold (1928-1939) coaches, making it a very impressive express locomotive indeed.

BR01 – The BR01 is probably the most mutli-purpose steam loco in the DB Set. It is good at pulling express trains, faster than the BR18. It has a higher HP and kN as the T13, and it is not limited to hauling passenger trains. However, its flexibility is its downfall – there are better, more specialized steam locomotives available over the next few years. It is best suited to all kinds of passenger trains, mostly express running. It may haul the Rheingold (1928-1939) coaches, and/or the F-Trains coaches.

BR05 – This is a pure and simple express passenger locomotive. It has a very high speed for the time (1935), but it is also a very weak locomotive. It will be very hard to beat on a flat line, but when there are steep gradients, this locomotive will really suffer – better to use the BR01 in such situations. It has a couple of interesting perks for the die-hard realists, only 3 were ever built. Also, if you build a train of 7 or more coaches (including mail vans, but not including the tender or the locomotive), you will gain a dining car as the 5^th car on the train (only the appearance will be changing).

BR85 – This, historically, is a freight locomotive, born and bred for the mountains work, however, it can also fill in if needed for a local passenger service through hilly terrain. Especially, where the trains are short and the added tender of the larger locomotives would just be a liability. Not recommended for express trains however!

V-140 – Realistically, this is a very weak diesel, as it is a prototypical diesel model. It fulfills the same role as the T13, best used (if at all) for shorter passenger services that do not warrant using a BR38 or BR18. It is also a very unreliable locomotive, so not best used for express services!

V200/BR221 – The V200, is (for it’s time), and unsurpassable passenger locomotive. It has excellent HP, a decent top speed, and a good kN. Until 1986, it can be used with TEE coaches fast express services. After 1986, it is relegated to hauling local trains or Inter-Regio trains.

V100/BR212 – This is one of the most versatile locomotives in the DB Set. It may appear to be slow and useless when compared to other locomotives of it’s time, but has proven very useful for local passenger services, when there is no need for a faster and more expensive locomotive (such as the V200). It is also very useful for moving around coaching stock (See the introduction). The V100 would have to be worth its weight in gold, especially for local trains. Low running costs, good speed and power… No beating it at what it’s good for.

V160/BR218 – The V160 is the better version of the V200, easily capable of outpacing it on non-electrified lines. From its introduction date in 1968, it is designed to haul the express trains (TEE services were mostly hauled by electric locomotives by now). After 1987, it can haul Inter-City trains on non-electrified lines (usually few and far between). After 1996, it may continue to haul Inter-City trains if needed, but by 1996 are better suited to more local services (other passenger locomotives easily outpace it).

E62 – The first electrical locomotive in the DBXL Set, the E62 is the counterpart of the T13 for the mountains. All things considered, this is the best locomotive for early passenger services in the mountains, however, it comes at a price – as well as paying for the overhead wiring, and users will also have to fork over for the locomotive itself, which will be a big downside initially. However, in the mountains, passengers will find a much faster ride than with a T13 or BR75. Whilst the locomotive is in its Bavarian livery (brown), it will have matching 4-wheel coaches.

E52/BR152 – This passenger locomotive is the first mainline electric engine in the set, however, it comes with a large price tag. This is easily justified, as this locomotive is best used for local passenger services in hillier regions, when a steam locomotive can’t tackle the grades. It is best used alongside the E16, for early electrical networks. Whilst the locomotive is in its Bavarian livery (brown), it will have matching 4-wheel coaches.

E16/BR116 – The E16 is the first express electrical locomotive in the set, and although it costs a fair bit more then the E52, it is easily worth it. It is used for express trains up until about 1962, when the BR110 is introduced to take over. After this, it can be used for local trains up until the late 70’s.

E75 – This engine, when used in passenger service (which is quite infrequently), will prove good at hauling local trains up steep grades; however the E52 does a better job of it. That is why this locomotive is mainly reserved for freight use.

E44 – This locomotive will perform very similar to the E52, although it is both cheaper and more reliable than the E52, so is better for newer local services. Whilst it will not be able to replace the E52, it is a better locomotive for newer trains, and can be used in local service for upwards of 50 years.

BR140 – This is the first modern electrical locomotive to be used in Germany, and is best suited to local trains both in and out of the mountains. As it is still in use today, you can keep using it for as long as the locomotive will work! The only drawback is that it is not suitable for express trains.

BR110 – This is the next generation of express passenger locomotive, designed to replace the E16 in both the mountainous regions of a map, and in the flatter areas, where it will outperform the BR01 and BR03 in passenger services. Originally used for Rheingold (1960-1967) services, it is later used in TEE service (1968-1986), Inter-Regio service (1987 – 1996), and finally, for local services, if it is still in use at that time.

BR103 – The BR103 is a revolution amongst the electrical locomotives in the DB Set. It easily outpaces all of the other trains in the set with regards to passenger hauling – regardless of the terrain involved (although it’s high speed still makes it best suited to flatter areas). Up until 1986, this locomotive is used for TEE services, and between 1987 and 1996 can be used for IR services. After 1996, it is best suited to faster local services.

BR181 – Introduced in 1974, this locomotive is ideally used for D-Zug trains. However, the engine is nothing remarkable; it is simply an express locomotive that is not strong or fast enough for IC services. After 1987, the loco is best used in IR services, and after 1997, it is delegated into local passenger service.

BR111 – After its introduction in 1975, this locomotive is used for D-Zug Services (intended as a replacement for the BR110, but it didn’t quite make it), however in 1980, its role changes to that of the S-Bahn service, a special type of service for local commuter trains in grey/orange livery. An interesting train to have on the network for sure, but after 1997, it is delegated into normal local service.

BR120 – Designed originally as a replacement for the BR103, this locomotive excels at hauling fast passenger trains – from its introduction date in 1979, it is built to haul TEE trains, then, after 1987, IC trains. After 1997, it is again used for Inter-City/Euro-City (EC) services.

BR112 – This locomotive is a modern passenger locomotive, built as a successor to the BR111 and BR110 locomotives. It is used for IC trains between 1987 and 1996, and again as IC/EC trains from 1997 onwards.

BR101 – A very modern electrical locomotive, specifically designed for IC trains, to take over from the older BR120’s. Kept in IC/EC service from introduction.

BR182 – The most modern locomotive running on conventional rails in the DB Set, this locomotive is released in 2001, and is easily designed for IC/EC services.

Passenger Locomotives Summary Table

Express Services

The table shown below is a summary of the express services that can be used by the various locomotives, as listed above. “This is done by choosing an appropriate locomotive during the desired time-frame and adding long-distance coach’s resp. mail/luggage vans to it. Depending on the locomotive, different configurations regarding dining-cars and dome-cars are possible”. (Michael Blunck, DB Set XL Manual).

For more information on dining cars and dome cars, again, refer to the manual.

Passenger Train Sets

As the above were all *normal* locomotives, below I discuss the passenger train sets – the DMU’s, the EMU’s and their uses. These differ from the passenger locomotives above, in that historically they were all used with a set amount of coaches, for set services, so are much less flexible then the passenger locomotives – at least when playing realistically. Regardless, they do look good, and can provide a service niche that other locomotives will struggle with.

Note that the following train sets are not automatic, any that are, are marked with an “*” after their name – this means that the train set will assemble itself, all you have to do is add coaches to the set. For the others, you have to build the set by hand, using a second locomotive for the back part of the train and so forth.

VT-137 – Designed as high speed diesel train sets, these sets will function best over flat terrain, as it will give them a chance to reach their top speed. Historically, they were used in pairs (i.e. a set of two “heads” and no coaches)

VT-08 – Designed initially for high-capacity express services, till the VT-11 is introduced, after which it is used for more local and regional trains. The main benefit of its design is that the train sets can be any length needed (although sometimes it may benefit you to have 2 smaller sets coupled together). Best used with Long-Distance or Local Coaches.

VT-95 – This rail bus, whilst not a train set of the normal type, differs enough from conventional trains to be included here. Historically, it has been used in pairs, but could just as easily be used in larger groups (although in that case, a different set may be more appropriate). This train really excels at short passenger services, as it’s low cost and good capacity makes it easily viable (i.e. in the space it takes for 2 VT-95’s, it would take a T13 and a passenger coach – the VT-95 having the better capacity).

VT-11 – Primarily designed as a TEE train set, the VT-11 was a fast diesel train set, working well on mainlines. A VT-11 set would consist of a pair of motor units, and between 5 and 8 coaches in between these two heads. However, after 1974, the loco has limited uses as there are many better trains to use for IC Services. The best coaches for use here would be the long-distance coaches.

BR614* – Not to be confused with the more modern BR612, the BR614 first appears in “pop” livery, a vibrantly colored DMU that is very good for mid-range services. Good for mainline/local trains (but not IC trains), the BR614 again fills the role of single-engine hauled services at smaller stations, where the no-capacity locomotive would be a waste of space.

ICE-TD – The ICE-TD uses technology similar to that of the ICE-3, and as such should be fielded in sets of 4 (2 units and 2 coaches). They are going to excel at high speed ICE services along non-electrified routes. These train sets would function best with long-distance coaches. It was retired in 2003 due to quite a few problems (Cheers to 103-er fan from TT-Forums for that little tidbit!)

BR612 – The “Regioswinger” (so named because of tilting technology) is a fast, diesel commuter train, best used for S-Bahn trains. It was used in sets of 2, but by doubling the sets up, you could easily get a 4 or 6 car train.

ET-87* – This train was originally used in longer-distance passenger service; however they are not very good at express services when compared to the E16. They are used in sets of 3, but if needed, sets can double up, allowing 3, 6 or even 9 car trains to be used. Best used with local coaches.

ET-11* – These high speed electric train sets are designed for faster IC Services, and are best used alongside E16’s. However, the ET-11 does not have as much power as the E16, and is better suited to flatter terrain. They are used in pairs, but a third coach can be added (use long distance coaches for this train set)

BR515 – Although not technically a multiple unit (being battery powered), the BR515 is a small railcar that is very handy for use on regional services, where larger trains would be a liability. It will struggle with grades, due to its low power and kN. Still, this train fills an important niche in small town transport, where a bus route would not be viable.

ET-30 – Most commonly used in sets of 3, these trains were intended for local and shorter regional services in the 50’s. However, they can be used for local services right up until the early 1980’s. This set would be most commonly outfitted with local coaches.

BR420* – This train was designed for the S-Bahn services, and, until 1997 is best used alongside BR111’s for this service. However, after 1997, it was repainted into Traffic Red, and can be used for either the S-Bahn service, or for local services. A BR420 set consisted of 2 motor units and a coach in the middle, however up to 3 of these sets can be linked together for higher-capacity routes. Best used with Local Coaches.

ICE-1 – The ICE-1 is the first of the high-speed ICE trains, used only for ICE services. It is typically used in sets of 14 (2 motor units to 12 coaches), but can be used in sets of 17 or 18 should the need arise. Obviously Long Distance coaches are used with the ICE-1, and in the proper length train sets, a special Dining Car will be added to the train.

ICE-3* – A full trainset of an ICE-3 will consist of 16 units; however half-sets can be used consisting of 8 units (2 end units, and 6 coaches). Although TT allows construction of 4-unit sets, this is not advised, as real ICE-3’s did not run in this fashion. Again, Long Distance coaches should be used for these train sets.

Passenger Train Sets Summary Table

Freight Locomotives

The DB Set XL also contains a great mixture of freight wagons for people to include in their games. What better to haul these wagons, then with freight locomotives?

Following this section is a freight table indicating what dates the various locomotives were in use for, and, whilst it is good to stick to these numbers, sometimes it is not possible, and that doesn’t really matter. It is feasible that there would be a couple of older locomotives of a certain class on a network somewhere. Treat the “expiry date” as more of a withdrawal from major service.

T13 – As the T13 is the basic passenger locomotive, then it is also the basic freight locomotive. It is best suited to hauling short trains of any type. However, it has a higher kN than some of the later locos, so is also good in hilly terrain until electric locomotives come out.

BR75 – If the T13 is the basic freight locomotive, than the BR75 is one level better than the T13. A higher speed and power level over the T13, the only thing that lets the BR75 down is its kN, which is not as good as the T13. Thus, leave the T13’s on the hills, and take the BR75 to the flat, unless you want to double-head it.

BR85 – The BR85 is the best steam locomotive in the set when mountains are involved. It has the highest kN of all the steam locomotives, and when coupled with its shorter length, it will be the only candidate for non-electrified mountain services.

BR38 – The BR38 also works similar to when it hauls passengers – it can transport any kind of freight in short trains over flat land, or shorter trains through hilly landscape. For the most part though, tank engines will be better suited for the hills, so you are best keeping the ’38 on the flat.

BR01 – The BR01 is a good, mutli-purpose steamer, best suited for medium length trains in mostly flat terrain. It can handle short periods of incline, but is not going to excel in this type of terrain. The BR01 can haul any type of cargo well.

BR45 – The BR45 is the heavy-freight steamer in the DB Set, and can tackle hills much better than the BR01 can. It is a slower locomotive, but has a lot of power to compensate. It is still bested by the BR85 in mountainous terrain, but on the flat, this locomotive is unparalleled among the steamers, with the highest HP and the second highest kN among the steamers of the DB Set.

V-140 – Again, being a very weak and unreliable locomotive, this locomotive is best suited to shorter routes, much like the T13, however it will lie down and die when there is a hill involved. Keep it on the flat.

V200/BR221 – Being a very powerful and fast locomotive, the V200 is a prime candidate for faster freight services. Its good kN also makes it a good candidate for services in the mountains, when electric trains are not available.

V100/BR212 – The V100 may seem like a poor candidate for freight trains, but it really excels at filler services (for example, taking containers from a dock into a city, or from a factory out to an airport), and shorter length services. Low running costs and high reliability – a great performer. It’s best used for any freight.

V160 – This locomotive is also quite fast, and as such will not immediately be used for freight transport. It can be used from around 1974 or so, when the faster IC trains begin to replace it. The main difference between the V160 and the V200 is its reduced horsepower, but the kN of the locomotives is the same, so it can still haul freight trains over hilly terrain until stronger locomotives are available.

BR232 – The BR232 is a very heavy freight locomotive, and will excel at long, slow freight services along the mainline. It’s high HP, decent speed and good kN means that it can be used for any heavy service, over any type of terrain.

DE-AC33C (Blue Tiger) – Whilst the Blue Tigers HP may not be as high as the BR232, it does have a higher speed and kN, making it the most powerful diesel in the set for hauling freight trains over hills and mountains. However, the DE-AC33C was not introduced as part of the DB’s mainline freight service, which accounts for its different livery. It appears in the DB Set in private livery, and is suited for private lines, rather than mainlines.

E62 – The first electric locomotive in the DB Set, this locomotive gives a great start in mountainous terrain. However, the high price tag does little to help a new company, and so this locomotive should not be relied on to start a network. It does do well at shorter services through mountains, such as coal or iron ore. Just not long-range.

E75 – The first of the electric locomotives designed for freight, this locomotive will excel at any type of freight transport.

E95 – This is the first really heavy freight locomotive in the set, it has a higher kN and a better HP than the E75, this locomotive will really excel at long freight trains over mountainous terrain, thus making it a prime candidate

E44 – Another heavy freight locomotive

E94 – This locomotive is also known as the Krokodil, and is one of the most powerful freight locomotives in the DB Set. It is especially designed for working in mountainous terrain, and is suitable for any type of freight. However, its slow speed means it does not suffer at the head of slower freight trains, such as Iron Ore or Coal.

BR140 – This is a good, well rounded freight locomotive that also works well in hills and mountainous regions.

BR150 – This locomotive is the next generation of the BR140, and can take the heaviest of freight trains up a mountain. It is designed specifically for transporting heavy freight; however its lower speed makes it especially suited to slower freight trains.

BR155/250 – The first fast electrical freight locomotive is the BR155/250, and can be used easily on mainlines, sharing their track with passenger trains. It excels at transporting any kind of freight.

BR120 – The BR120 is designed for hauling fast passenger trains, but it was also designed to haul freight trains. As such, it is ideally suited to hauling faster freight trains.

BR101 – The BR101, being even faster than the BR120, is best suited to shorter freight trains that need to slot in with fast passenger trains, and is such best suited for faster freight trains.

BR181 – Although the BR181 has been designed for heavy freight services as well as fast passenger trains, the newer patch switch of “wagon speed limits” means that it can be employed to haul even the heaviest train without being unrealistic.

Freight Locomotives Summary Table

Types of Freight

The different types of freight in TT (including those that come from “goods” being broken down into different types), are all transported in their own wagons. Due to the new “wagon speed limits” rules enforced by TTDPatch and The DB Set, the different wagons and freight types can be divided up as follows.

Note the following abbreviations:

• (I), (II), (III) indicates that the wagon is first, second, or third generation. The later generations will not always hold more cargo, but they will have a higher speed limit. They will look the same as their predecessor(s).

• RM – Raw Materials. Usually hauled in longer, heavy trains or shorter, heavy trains when the hopper is introduced. Trains must be kept at a slower speed to avoid snapping couplings (due to heavy load), or losing load to wind resistance.

• SG – Stable Goods. Somewhat more secure than raw materials, these trains are usually shorter and/or faster.

• LG – Liquid Goods. Can only be transported in tankers, usually at a higher speed to other freight types (depending on the total weight of the train).

• BG – Boxed Goods. Usually shorter trains, but a very high speed is attainable. This class of cargo can do little/no movement during transport, and thus high speeds are possible.

1 – “Goods” produced at an Oil Refinery

2 – “Goods” produced at a Printing Works

3 – “Goods” produced at a Sawmill

4 – “Goods” produced at a Factory (obviously, this depends on the primary materials used – you can’t make cars out of grain!)

* - Refit the wagon to carry “Beer” to get an early reefer.

3. The American Transition Set

Introduction

This is a basic guide to realism using the American Transition Set (hereafter, named US Set), as made by a group of hardworking members of the TT-Forums. You can find all their names in the US Set Readme, as there are far too many to list here. However, they all should be pleased with the work they have done, as this set is a great set for both playability and graphics! You can download it from the American Transition Set’s own website (listed in the links section). Before doing anything with this set, I strongly suggest at least browsing through the manual, and keeping it on hand if you encounter any problems. I personally keep the vehicle table next to my computer, covered in my notes and scribbles about the locos and their trains.

The US Set is designed for long-haul freight trains, as well as shorter, faster passenger trains. There are many different liveries from different companies in the set, as well as a complete “Amtrak” period, when Amtrak entered the passenger transport scene. As such, the mechanics of how this set works is very different from that of the DB Set…

Some notes before you start:

• The set includes provisions for both the single level and the bi-level coaches, as these have been used widely in American Railroading. Some engines/trainsets in this set have been designed specifically to work with only the single levels, or only the bi-levels, whilst others still work with both of them. This should be noted when assembling a new passenger consist

• The freight locomotives may seem slow, but they are also very powerful – the set is designed to encourage the use of long haul freight trains. So, where you may have previously decided to have 5 coal trains, each with 5 cars and a locomotive attached (not to mention the tender and the caboose if needed by the period), you may go for 2-3 trains, each with 10 or more coal wagons, and a pair of locomotives – this will work a lot better in the long run.

• Cabooses and ETD’s (End of Train Device). Whilst I suggest reading the manual to gain more information on these, I have added some notes here for quick reference. Up until 1960, all freight trains had a caboose attached to the end of them, as the very length of the train made it impossible for the engineers in the cab of the locomotive(s) to monitor the train – as such, a caboose was always attached to the rear of the train, not only to make sure the consist stayed in one piece, but also to assist with breaking (similar to the brake vans in other countries). After 1960, due to improvements in braking etc, the caboose was replaced by an ETD, which was a bright red light (just incase another train was in danger of collision with the current train). One of these should be attached to a freight train at all times (at the end…), although after 1960’s, locomotives with cabooses should have their cabooses replaced when their locomotive next gets replaced. (This point was paraphrased from the US Set Readme, which you should refer to for more info on Cabooses and ETD’s)

Passenger Locomotives

The following section deals with the passenger locomotives, up until the start of the Amtrak Period (see below this section for that). Note that it only details the passenger locomotives, passenger train sets (such as DMU’s, EMU’s) are detailed later…