Model : Ex-GCR/ROD Robinson 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive as used by J & A Brown, Richmond Vale Colliery, New South Wales. Version: 1.0 Released : July 2005 Model : Brian Walker Re-Skin and Mods : Dave Bran This loco is modelled working from a single picture of "15", ex-ROD 1889, to represent its condition as at January 1971. It was last steamed in November 1971 and scrapped in September 1973. Email : bravedan@tinyonline.co.uk Thank you for downloading this model. This model is for your personal use only, and may not be sold or distributed in any way. Dave Bran _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Modified physics and sound, and additional notes, by Don Martin: November, 2005 FEATURES Vacuum Brake - All the RODs were supplied with vacuum brakes, this being the standard British system at the time. Some of the locos were converted to Westinghouse air brakes, but they ran with those for only a relatively short time, returning to the original vacuum brakes. The modelled loco is as they were for most of their working lives, with vacuum brakes. Using the vacuum brake - Australians who are more familiar with the Westinghouse brake controller may find the vacuum brake controller a little tricky at first. The controller works incrementally in the Run and Apply positions. That is, rather than the discrete notches on the Westinghouse controller, this controller needs to be moved through the various steps. The HUD shows the % you have moved the controller. To make the operation easier, the Release position has been represented as one position. When the controller is returned to Release, the vacuum will be created gradually. The operating vacuum differential is 21 inches of mercury (21 Hg in the HUD). As the brake is applied the figure will drop until maximum brake force at 0. In the Apply segment, the greater your % application, the faster the vacuum will be released, and the more rapidly the brake force will increase. BUT do NOT make a 100% application. Due to a quirk in the simulation, that will tend to increase the vacuum again. That is, the loco will not keep the brakes applied if the controller is in the 100% Apply position. It will at any other Apply position. The easiest way to use the brakes is to Release to the full operating 21 inches (use the " ; " key), then move the controller up through the Running segment (use the " ' " key) until it is at around 90% while running. This means that when you need to apply the brakes (the " ' " key again) you only have to move the controller a small way before reaching the Apply segment, rather than traversing the whole Running segment first. Especially note that if you attach this locomotive to a conventional air-braked set of rolling stock, or to non-air coal hoppers, the only vacuum braking power you will have is that provided by the engine and tender. The vehicles themselves will be brake-less. Engine (or Independent) Brake - MSTS did not provide for an independent engine brake on vacuum braked locomotives. This was a shortcoming. This loco has an engine brake to help you position the engine finely. The engine brake uses the " [ " and " ] " keys. Filling Points - The tender is equipped to work with operating coal and water filling points. To work these you need to place your locomotive realistically alongside the supply point. It must enable the water column bag to be positioned near the water filling hole when it swings around, and the coal chute to be located above the tender's coal space. The water column and the coal chute are worked by hitting the " t " key but do note the column will swing around and the chute will drop down, but they will not supply the tender if the locomotive is not properly placed. When properly located you will hear the sound of the water or coal entering the tender, and will see a purple display in the HUD indicating successful operation. The water and coal figures in the HUD will also change accordingly, up to maximum capacity. AI Sound - This model is equipped with both player and AI sound. That is, if the locomotive is part of a "traffic" consist in an activity, you will hear the loco making the same sorts of sounds that your own player loco is making. This can be particularly impressive if the traffic train passes you at speed, or passes then stops and starts nearby. The player and AI sound has been accomplished using Stuart Williamson's outstanding 2-cylinder sound set. The sound file used in the model combines two versions of his files. The AI sound file has been appended to the normal player file to create the effect. Inertia - The model uses friction figures based on Joseph Realmuto's FCalc2. This means the locomotive, with its friction bearings and stationary motion, has a considerable inertia to overcome when starting. You need to open the regulator considerably to start the movement, but once rolling the regulator can be moved back, since the rolling resistance is not as great as the starting resistance. Don Martin ____________________________________________________________________________________________ INSTALLATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Note: This model is aliased to Stuart Williamson's 2-cylinder sound set, please ensure that this sound set is installed before installing the model. ***** Double click on the self installing EXE file and follow the instructions. The models will be automatically installed into a folder called << AU_nsw_RVR_ROD_15 >> You are now ready to create a consist containing this model by using the Activity Editor supplied with Microsoft Train Simulator - the model will not be available in the simulator unless you do this. The models will be shown as :- 280 ROD Brown 15 in the loco section 280RODBrown15T (the tender) in the wagon section Please be aware that this model may or may not be compatible with all the rolling stock that you have available.