I'm learning new things all the time, which just goes to show, you can teach old dogs new tricks.

Like, for instance, the reason why Andre named his first 3 activities Student 1, Student 2, and Student 3. I finished Student 1 with no problems at all, but I was a bit confused as to why everyone was saying how responsive the Alcos were. I thought they were pretty sluggish, myself. I figured I'd just been playing with locos that didn't have realistic physics, and plowed ahead. But when it wasn't any challenge at all to bring the train down the hill into Junction, I started to wonder. It really made me think when I uncoupled the train at Seligman and moved to tie up on the engine track. Those big guys really didn't seem to be very smooth.

About an hour later, it finally occurred to me that I'd probably left the loco brakes set! Sure enough, as I started Student 2, I checked the starting loco brake position and there it was - 100% Doh!

So this student has learned something! I periodically need a smack upside the head to get me to pay attention to details, and thankfully, I'm often the one who gets to administer the smack!

But I also learned a bit more - those Alcos do indeed have some pulling power! I didn't have any trouble making Tunnel or Seligman Hills, even with the loco brake set at 100%.

Uhhh... Andy...

This is covered in detail in two places:

(00) Intro Ride

Manual.doc

You just told on yourself!!

Andre - no complaints about the lack of warning - I was indeed telling on myself! As an engineer by training and vocation, my default approach is "Instructions? - I don't need no stinking instructions!"

Probably should've made it more clear that I wasn't blaming anybody but me for the bad driving!

You mean there's a manual for this sucker, too?

Ah... just havin' some fun with you.

BTW, this would be a good time to remind all:

The activities are set up in a way that you will receive most enjoyment if you start with (01) and proceed sequentially to (24). If you'll note, you "hire out" in Spring, and the last supplied activity is in Winter. You will work right on through the Summer and Autumn seasons instead of jumping around season to season.

Working through sequentially also means that you'll be called upon to work a job that you may have been procrastinating because it's "easier" to run a mainline job... yet you've "run" that favorite mainline job so many times you're bored with it!

PLUS, and this is important, some of the activities are built upon the previous activity. To jump from activity to activity will make you lose contiguity and you'll miss some of the fun!

IMHO, you can derive maximum enjoyment from the route doing as above. BUT... it's your route now... enjoy it as you will!

Andre

I ran Student 2 last night (or started it at least - I need more train time and less work time ) and it was much harder than Student 1. Too many cars! I had to cut the power off'n my train to clear the crossings at Grandview to go get my Nehi and peanuts!

Andre

Thanks for a wonderful route. Am really enjoying it. Particularly with my left hand on the brake lever all the time. I had one question re the activity 'Haulin' West'. Am I doing something wrong or did you diabollically make the train too heavy to get all the way up Seligman Hill? Doubling the hill is always an option but is that what you had in mind?

Regards
Roger

You're already at Haulin' West, eh? Movin' right along, I see.

You will find that in my activities, there will be times that I simply leave it up to you as to how you want to handle the situation (as it is on the prototype quite often), for other situations that depend on a certain response from the player, I try to prompt with a pop up from your crew or dispatcher.

And yes indeedy, there are times the train is too heavy for Seligman Hill on the ol' A&O Sub. Lots of times. That's railroading on a busy shortline that's not got enough power to spread around! FWIW: I've been on board the protoytpe A&M on more than one ocassion when it had to double Boston Mountain! (That's about 7 miles of 2.35% grade.)

Stick with the A&M an' keep railroadin' on the A&O Sub, sonny boy, and you'll turn into a sure'nuf hogger.

Andre

Andre, those type of activities great to do. Philly Docks is like that. I managed to set up an activity where you move 30 or 40 cars and did it with only a few reverse points. I have yet to hear of two people who did it the same.

Remember, you are the engineer AND the conductor, you are the person in charge and in a free switching type activity you are the one to decide how to run YOUR train.

Andre,

I know that the A&O just came out, but do you know if Steve Davis will be doing a Switch List Generator template for it?

Paul

Paul,

If Steve doesn't hve time to come up with a template for the Sub, I reck'en one of us out here jest might. It'll take a bit longer since we's gotta fig'er out duh route, duh skedyule as well as 'duh it'se-bit'se lidd'e tings' dat make up what dah French call call 'new-on-sis' dat makes it worth a hoot ta do.

Sorry 'bout them accents, but I spent too much time in N Illinois (no 's' tank ya). S. llinois (still no 's', tank ys 'gain), Minnesoda and Ioway to 'member how ta talk 'merican. (That don't count mah Swedish.) Yep, I'm a 'turnip-head.)

Erik
PS Looks like 'nother 9 inches of "white rain tunight.".
North Mi-ippi Bluff Country
(NE Ia/SE Mn/SW Wi)

Wud He Say?

Um, I think he said it'd be a while.

Got Cha!

Yea, and if it's crew, that means "Clyde" or "Otto" backtalking, telling you what a great hogger Coonskin is compared to your feeble attempts. A ball of waste or a wrench flung across the cab usually shuts them up.

I vote fer da wrench . . .