Regenerative braking for ET423

web•TrainSim has put regenerative braking into the ET423, but has applied the fudge factor (users from the days of slide rules will know about this special mathematical process).

web•TrainSim didn't get to try to the engine and brake controllers as the author has set them up but basically the idea is similar: because there are short distances between stops, we want to make it easier to start and stop (and save our fingers!). Unfortunately, there's no method by which the RailDriver control can be utilised in this fashion.

You'll need to insert the following dynamic braking code into the ENGine file, make a change to the BrakesEngineControllers line, and replace the EngineControllers section with the code below.

The following is the same as the Graphics15 team used in their U79 trams but a couple of values have been changed in the dynamic braking section because of the ET423's greater mass:

   Comment ( ** 24-Mar-04 : BMH : Implement regen braking. ** )
    ..............
    ..............
   BrakesEngineControllers( "Train, Dynamic" )

   DynamicBrakesMinUsableSpeed( 0 )
   DynamicBrakesMaximumEffectiveSpeed( 80 )
   DynamicBrakesMaximumForce( 160kN )
   DynamicBrakesResistorCurrentLimit ( 3000 )    
   DynamicBrakesCutInSpeed( 2 )
   DynamicBrakesMaxAirBrakePressure ( 100 )
   DynamicBrakesFadingSpeed( 10 )
   DynamicBrakesDelayTimeBeforeEngaging ( 0 )
   DynamicBrakesMaximumSpeedForFadeOut ( 1200 )
   DynamicBrakesEffectAtMaximumFadeOut( 0 )
   DynamicBrakesHigherSpeedCurveExponent( 13.5 )
   DynamicBrakesLowerSpeedCurveExponent( 1 )
   DynamicBrakesNumberOfControllerNotches( 6 )

   EngineControllers (
      Throttle ( 0 1 0.2 0
	   NumNotches ( 6
            Notch ( 0.0   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.2   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.4   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.6   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.8   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 1.0   0 Dummy )
         )
      )
      Brake_Dynamic ( 0 1 0.2 0 
         NumNotches ( 6
            Notch ( 0       0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.20    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.40    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.60    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.80    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 1       0 Dummy )
         )
      )
      Brake_Train ( 0 1 0.1 0.6 
         NumNotches ( 4
            Notch( 0    0 TrainBrakesControllerReleaseStart )
            Notch( 0.2  1 TrainBrakesControllerEPApplyStart )
            Notch( 0.85 0 TrainBrakesControllerEPHoldStart )
            Notch( 0.95 0 TrainBrakesControllerEmergencyStart )
         )
      )
   Combined_Control ( 0 1 0.4 0.82 throttle dynamic )
    ..............
    ..............
    ..............

While you've got ET423_SHH.eng open, there are a couple of other parameters that need changing (mass of trainset is about 120 tonnes and power for the trainset is 2350kW):

   Comment ( ** 24-Mar-04 : BMH : Reduce mass, wheelradius, kW, TE.  ** )
    ..............
   Mass ( 40t )
   WheelRadius ( 0.4m )
    ..............
   DerailRailForce ( 2.5*40t )
    ..............
    ..............
   MaxPower ( 1175kW )
   MaxForce ( 140kN )
   MaxContinuousForce ( 165kN )
    ..............
   WheelRadius ( 0.4m )
   Sanding ( 30mph )
   NumWheels ( 4 )
    ..............
    ..............

For better passenger sounds, change the Sound line in ET433_SHH.wag to use the Modern Carriage sounds: Sound ( "genpasswagmodern.sms" ).

ET423 Version 2.1

David Herb's ET423 trainset, ET 423 - Version 2.1 tss-et423.zip (2.92Mb, 11-Jan-06), is available from The-Train.de downloads section or Dollbrother's Train Simulator S-Bahn site. Apart from downloading the trainset, there's a patch for the lights and that archive has new ENGine files so download it, licht.zip (8kb, 12-Jan-06), from David's site. If you've been using the ET423 HH trainset, you don't need to remove it from your Trainset folder (the readme hints you should). The "password" is in 1_e.html / 1_d.html and just scroll down to the line They read all correctly? Copyright also? Then only their password for unpacking (here mark) : and highlight the "hidden" text after the colon to get it (or right-click on the HTML page, select View source and scroll down in Notepad and you'll see it towards the bottom).

David's trainset comes without a cab or sounds, and to make things a bit more difficult, the parameter lines for sounds and the cab are not in either ENG file, so that's all got to be fixed.

web•TrainSim is going to try Sound BR 423 Version 1.1 by DB2005, Sound_BR423_V11.zip (2.16Mb, 05-Jan-06), from The-Train.de download section - he already knows there are some sounds missing but a short run doesn't sound too bad. For a cab, web•TrainSim is using Blackman's BR481 cab, BR481Cab.zip (4.25Mb, 04-Oct-02), from BR481 cab download from Alpha-Manfred.de.

A short project web•TrainSim will undertake later is to convert the WAGons to ENGines since the real ET423 has traction in each car. In the specs below, power is spread between the two ENGine files, 423_1.eng and 423_4.eng.

   Comment ( ** 16-Jan-2006 : BMH : Do required fixes. ** )
   Comment ( **                     Cabview, Sounds.   ** )
   Comment ( **                     Use regen braking. ** )
   Comment ( **                     Use quick controls.** )
   Mass ( 28t )
   WheelRadius ( 0.42m )
    ..............
   DerailRailForce ( 2.5*28t )
    ..............
   Friction (
      694.5N/m/s   -0.10   1.2mph   9.607N/m/s   1.926
      5.1N/rad/s		1		-1rad/s		0		1
   )
    ..............
   MaxBrakeForce( 28kN )
    ..............
   BrakeCylinderPressureForMaxBrakeBrakeForce( 70 )

   PassengerCapacity ( 60 )

   Sound ( "DB_423_eng.sms" )

   Lights ( 12
    ..............
    ..............
   MaxPower ( 1175kW )
   MaxForce ( 90kN )
   MaxContinuousForce ( 65kN )
    ..............
   WheelRadius ( 0.42m )
   Sanding ( 30mph )
   NumWheels ( 4 )
    ..............
   CabView ( "br481.cvf" )

   Comment ( ** Dynamic brake section ** )
   DynamicBrakesMinUsableSpeed( 0 )
   DynamicBrakesMaximumEffectiveSpeed( 80 )
   DynamicBrakesMaximumForce( 160kN )
   DynamicBrakesResistorCurrentLimit ( 3000 )    
   DynamicBrakesCutInSpeed( 2 )
   DynamicBrakesMaxAirBrakePressure ( 100 )
   DynamicBrakesFadingSpeed( 10 )
   DynamicBrakesDelayTimeBeforeEngaging ( 0 )
   DynamicBrakesMaximumSpeedForFadeOut ( 1200 )
   DynamicBrakesEffectAtMaximumFadeOut( 0 )
   DynamicBrakesHigherSpeedCurveExponent( 13.5 )
   DynamicBrakesLowerSpeedCurveExponent( 1 )
   DynamicBrakesNumberOfControllerNotches( 6 )
    ..............
   Name ( "TSS: ET 423_1" )
   Sound ( "DB_423_cab.sms" )
    ..............
    ..............
   Comment ( ** Replacement EngineControllers section ** )
   EngineControllers (
      Throttle ( 0 1 0.2 0
	   NumNotches ( 6
            Notch ( 0.0   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.2   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.4   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.6   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.8   0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 1.0   0 Dummy )
         )
      )
      Brake_Dynamic ( 0 1 0.2 0 
         NumNotches ( 6
            Notch ( 0       0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.20    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.40    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.60    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 0.80    0 Dummy )
            Notch ( 1       0 Dummy )
         )
      )
      Brake_Train ( 0 1 0.1 0.6 
         NumNotches ( 4
            Notch( 0    0 TrainBrakesControllerReleaseStart )
            Notch( 0.2  1 TrainBrakesControllerEPApplyStart )
            Notch( 0.85 0 TrainBrakesControllerEPHoldStart )
            Notch( 0.95 0 TrainBrakesControllerEmergencyStart )
         )
      )
   Combined_Control ( 0 1 0.4 0.82 throttle dynamic )
    ..............

Graphics15 BXF796 carriages and steering car

Move \Silber\Cabview\ to Common.Cab and rename to Silber_Steuerwagen; rename E181.cvf to Silber_STW.cvf

In Silber_STW.cvf, alias each graphics ACE file by prefixing it with

• "..\\..\\Common.Cab\\Silber_Steuerwagen\\

making sure you insert a double-quote after each .ace. For example, the first one will look like:

• CabViewFile ( "..\\..\\Common.Cab\\Silber_Steuerwagen\\181front.ace" )

Alias cab and sounds in Graphics15 steering cars, but may as well fix the Silber one at the same time.

In g15_bxf796.eng, g15_bxf796rot.eng and strieb2.eng (the latter in the silber folder):

• Replace Cabview( acela.cvf ) or Cabview ( E181.cvf ) with
  • Cabview ( "..\\..\\Common.Cab\\Silber_Steuerwagen\\Silber_STW.cvf" )
• Replace acelaeng.sms with
• Sound ( "..\\..\\Common.Snd\\Steuerwagen\\STWeng.sms" )
• and acelacab.sms with
• Sound ( "..\\..\\Common.Snd\\Steuerwagen\\STWcab.sms" )

Bathe yourself in glory by testing the above ENGine files with ConBuilder (apart from ConBuilder not finding x_silence.wav, you shouldn't get any errors).

Graphics15 S-Bahn and Regionalbahn steering cars

These steuerwagen are part of the Stock Pack for Wupper 8 and the cab can be set up as above for those used in Wupper 7.

The ENGine files will be found in folders g15_s-bahnwagen and g15_rbwagen.

Note you should change the MaxPower value to an arbitrary small value, e.g. MaxPower ( 8kW ) otherwise the power of the complete push-pull consist, supplied by the loco, will be unrealistic.

Graphics15 S-Bahn and Regionalbahn steering cars

These steuerwagen are part of the Stock Pack for Wupper 8 and the cab and sounds can be set up as above for those used in the Wupper 7 Graphics15 BXF796 steering cars.

The ENGine files will be found in folders g15_doppelwagen.

Note you should change the MaxPower value to an arbitrary small value, e.g. MaxPower ( 8kW ) otherwise the power of the complete push-pull consist, supplied by the loco, will be unrealistic.

A last job is to remove quote marks from Wagon and WagonShape lines.

Note you should change the MaxPower value to an arbitrary small value, e.g. MaxPower ( 8kW ) otherwise the power of the complete push-pull consist, supplied by the loco, will be unrealistic.

TS-ER E143 257 & E143 582 locos

These two electric locos, used with the Wupper Express S-Bahn red and orange carriages, can be downloaded from TS-Eastrail.de: the red 143, tser_db_br_143_257.zip (24-Mar-03, 0.809Mb) and orange 143, tser_db_br_143_582.zip (24-Mar-03, 0.793Mb).

For cab and sounds, you'll need cabview_br143.zip (01-Feb-03, 2.141Mb) and E143.zip (05-Nov-03, 0.912Mb), both from TheTrain.de.

Installing these locos is a little messy and is best done manually:

• open Explorer at your ...\Trainset\ folder and make two new folders named ts_db_br_143_257 and ts_db_br_143_582
• let's do E143 257 first so move to the ts_db_br_143_257 folder in Explorer
• come back to the zip file and select the five files that have the path name of tser_db_br_143_257\tser143257\
• drag these into ts_db_br_143_257 in Explorer
• come back to the zip, select the ENGine file PT2-tser143257.eng and drag it into the ts_db_br_143_257 folder in Explorer
• in the Explorer window showing the ts_db_br_143_257 folder, rename the ENGine file to tser143257.eng (for whatever reason, web•TrainSim's ConBuilder got upset with the original ENG filename)
• follow the same steps for 143 582
• before closing Explorer, you need to create a Cabview sub-folder in each of the ENGine folders, ts_db_br_143_257 and ts_db_br_143_582, to use when installing the E143 cab below.

Cab for TS-ER E143 257 & E143 582 locos is in download cabview_br143.zip. You can either do this the simple way, i.e., copy the necessary files into loco's Cabview folder, or, you can place the cabview files into their own sub-folder under Common.Cab - we'll take the simple method:

• use Explorer to open the Cabview sub-folder under ts_db_br_143_257
• open cabview_br143.zip and select all files except the text doc
• drag these files into the empty Cabview sub-folder
• repeat the drag operation for the Cabview sub-folder under ts_db_br_143_582
• we now have to open each ENGine file to enter the correct name for the CVF file - see below where we'll do the sounds at the same time.

The E143 sound set in E143.zip has all the squeaks, hisses and rumbles you could wish for:

• when you open E143.zip you'll notice the author has two sets of SMS files, one set with a pathname of common\; we'll use these since we have two locos - and once you experience these sounds, you may want to use them in other electric locos - so placing the files in a sub-folder in Common.Snd will be handy
• open Explorer and navigate your way to your Common.Snd folder
• create a new sub-folder, named E143
• open this folder
• back in E143.zip select all the WAV files and the two SMS files with pathname common\
• drag these files into E143 under Common.Snd
• that's nearly it except, when checking with ConBuilder, you'll get told it can't find x_E143_Schalter.wav - neither can web•TrainSim at this stage but MSTS doesn't mind
• ConBuilder will also inform you that it can't find:
• ..\\..\\common.snd\\acela\\x_acela_power_cruise0.wav because it's incorrectly aliased in ..\\..\\Common.Snd\\E143\\E143eng.sms, so...
• open that E143eng.sms in WordPad and scroll down (or use Find) to get to the offending line, and change it to read:
• ..\\..\\acela\\Sound\\x_acela_power_cruise0.wav

The last step is to edit the ENGine files, tser143257.eng and tser143582.eng, to enter the filenames for the cabview CVF file and paths and filenames for the sounds (i.e., alias the sounds):

• open each ENGine file in WordPad, or your favourite Unicode text editor, so you can do both edits at the same time (sort of...):
• do a Find to get the first Sound line - it'll look like:
• Sound ( "br143.sms" )
• edit this line so it reads:
• Sound ( "..\\..\\Common.Snd\\E143\\E143eng.sms" )
• scroll down a few lines where you'll see the CabView line:
• CabView ( br143.cvf )
• edit this line so it reads:
• CabView ( db143rfis.cvf )
• now scroll to the very end of the file to edit the cab sound line:
• Sound ( "br143cab.sms" )
• edit this line so it reads:
• Sound ( "..\\..\\Common.Snd\\E143\\E143cab.sms" )

Save everything, do a check with ConBuilder, and you're all set to go. Presently the activity on Wupper Express when you're driving an E143 is the Rhein-Munsterland Express from SG-Ohligs to Dortmund.

Install folder for doubledecker carriages

You'll see when you open the zip archive for the DB-AG Doppelstockwagen double-deck carriages in Doppelstockwagen.zip (17-Feb-03, 2.528Mb) that the folder name has spaces so some manual work is needed:

• go to your ...\Trainset\ folder and make a new folder named DB_Dosto_rot
• go to this folder in Explorer so it's open on your desktop
• now come back to the zip archive Doppelstockwagen.zip, select all files except for those in the Sound sub-folder, images and readmes, and drag them into the DB_Dosto_rot folder you've got open in Explorer
• there's no need for the sound files because we'll be using the Modern Carriage Sounds, UKMT_MCS_v1-0.zip (14-Nov-02, 1.7Mb), available from UKTrainsim.com or web•TrainSim downloads (opens in a new browser window)
• to check how to edit the WAGon file to insert the SMS file for Modern Carriage Sounds, see this explanation.

Note that web•TrainSim has found the above double-deckers to have problems on some points - they get stuck! So he's also installed another set, Doppelstock - V. 2.1 Red 2nd class & green 1st class carriages with hi-shine textures - revised by OldieDaddy 23-Jan-04, MSTS DB Doppelstock1_2Kl.zip (1.021Mb, 22-Aug-02). You need to make a change, though, to the folder name so it doesn't have spaces - web•TrainSim used DB_Doppelstcok_1_2Kl (that's an "L"). Then use drag'n'drop as above to copy the files from the zip to their folder. Don't worry about the sounds as we'll also use the Modern Carriage Sounds - see below.

Modern carriage sounds

The Modern Carriage Sounds, UKMT_MCS_v1-0.zip (14-Nov-02, 1.7Mb), cab downloaded from UKTrainsim.com or web•TrainSim downloads (opens in a new browser window).

Run the self-installer, noting that these sounds are placed in your MSTS global sounds folder so they're readily available to all carriages in your roundhouse. The readme gives details of various options, but we only need to use the genpasswagmodern.sms sound set.

Using WordPad, or your favourite Unicode text editor, open any WAG file (e.g., db_dstockrot.wag in the DB_Dosto_rot folder), and scroll down to the bottom where you'll find:

• Sound ( "AcelaWag.sms" )

Edit this line so it reads:

• Sound ( "genpasswagmodern.sms" )

Repeat for other carriages, that is WAGon files, and you'll have a true sound experience in stereo as passenger train pass you, as well as an audio cue for your speed when driving a passenger train.