Train Drivers - has train driving affected your car driving?

arabianights · 11 Jan 2015

Since I have been playing train simulators as a hobby, my car driving has been affected in that I am much more likely in certain situations to coast, but more importantly, plan to use gravity (in both ways).

I would have thought for someone actually doing driving trains in real life and presumably getting a feel that one doesn't get in a simulator for the effects of gravity on speed that there was a likelihood of car driving being affected even more than mine, but I would be interested to hear whether this is actually the case or not.

Following other trains on yellows has also affected my driving in that I tend to try to drive motorway traffic jams at a constant speed; I have always done this, but I think (although have no way of being sure) that I have got better at getting this speed right from the discipline that timing double yellow/single yellow signal transitioning in a simulator (and thus again, presumably also in real life although I appreciate defensive driving rules may preclude this) gives you.

Would also be very interested if there are other road driving techniques you have picked up from train driving. For personal reasons I will never be able to be a train driver (if this were not the case then frankly I would be one) but I do wish that I had a two tone horn on my car.

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TheEdge · 11 Jan 2015

No, but I am only a guard. :P

Although I did have a moment recently where I was stood at traffic light which briefly went off and my first thought was I need to report that blank signal!

fowler9 · 11 Jan 2015

The most common thing I see from motorists that may well have been picked up from driving trains is not using the steering wheel and forgetting that indicators exist.

scotsman · 11 Jan 2015

I know a bus driver who also drives steam locos on a heritage railway. He once posted on Facebook about how he blew up for an orange gang up ahead: they didn't respond, he blew again.

And then it hit him.

He was driving a public service vehicle full of bemused passengers.

91104 · 11 Jan 2015

I sometimes go to push in the DRA when I stop at a red traffic light after driving my car home after a day at work.

SqUaShIe P · 11 Jan 2015

It has affected the way I drive my car. As soon as I see red traffic lights, I 'shut off power' and coast towards them braking really gradually (it probably really annoys anyone who drives behind me.) Ive also noticed that sometimes I say the 'aspect' of traffic lights out loud. I keep referring to the cruise control as speed set and the speed limit as line speed. The railway has brain washed me

robby p · 11 Jan 2015

Only that after a very long shift the first car you pass on your way home you give the little wave, to which they obviously don't respond

Hyphen · 11 Jan 2015

TheEdge said:
Although I did have a moment recently where I was stood at traffic light which briefly went off and my first thought was I need to report that blank signal!

You sure you didn't want to ring the Highways Agency on your GSM handset and ask for confirmation of the aspect?

(that would rather confuse them!!)

21C101 · 11 Jan 2015

I'm not a driver but have been a daily long distance commuter for 14 years. Over that time I have gone from wanting to get there as fast as possible with an average speed that would make an HST blush to wanting to get there as smoothly as possible with no worries of whether I have set of a camera and increasingly with no near misses (feel I've erred if I have to do a sharp brake application or even arrive at traffic lights before they change green by not slowing down gradually enough....)

Might be just that I grew up but I think the train travel has influenced me.

SkinnyDave · 11 Jan 2015

I've beeped horn and waved at road workers with HV gear on!

My wife ribbed me mercilessly after it lol

driver_m · 11 Jan 2015

I've got to be honest and say no its made no difference to my car driving at all. Nothing obvious unlike when I got my motorbike licence, that massively improved my car driving ability.

TheEdge · 11 Jan 2015

I have stood before at my door at home trying to unlock the front door with a CDL key before...

DeparturesBeck · 11 Jan 2015

91104 said:
I sometimes go to push in the DRA when I stop at a red traffic light after driving my car home after a day at work.

This often occurs for me when I park the car, but not at lights.

90019 · 11 Jan 2015

want2lukatpics said:
my car driving has been affected in that I am much more likely in certain situations to coast, but more importantly, plan to use gravity (in both ways).

Though don't coast in neutral - it uses more fuel in a modern car than leaving it in gear.

Not train driving, but someone at work, not long after he'd started driving buses, saw a bus stop with people waiting, so automatically pulled in, stopped next to them and pushed the button next to him, at which point the passenger window opened.

455driver · 11 Jan 2015

90019 said:
Though don't coast in neutral - it uses more fuel in a modern car than leaving it in gear.

Not train driving, but someone at work, not long after he'd started driving buses, saw a bus stop with people waiting, so automatically pulled in, stopped next to them and pushed the button next to him, at which point the passenger window opened.

Many years ago when I was a bus driver, I did that with a bus behind me! :oops:

I always drive my car as economically as possible (coasting in neutral down hills etc, its an old car

), but thats because I am a tight git! :lol:

When I started on the buses I soon found that I was looking much further ahead than before, since moving onto the trains I dont think its changed much from that.

DarloRich · 11 Jan 2015

it is interesting the levels of conditioning/learned behaviour being displayed. I suppose that is a good thing as it shows the training and safety culture is ingrained and mature

TDK · 11 Jan 2015

It makes no difference to me as I drive my car as a car and a train as a train they are so different that any comparison to driving techniques is irrelevant for me!

DownSouth · 11 Jan 2015

90019 said:
Though don't coast in neutral - it uses more fuel in a modern car than leaving it in gear.

Use a hybrid and get the best of both worlds!

90019 · 11 Jan 2015

455driver said:
I always drive my car as economically as possible (coasting in neutral down hills etc, its an old car ), but thats because I am a tight git!

Coasting in neutral is only more efficient if it's got carbs - a fuel injected car uses no fuel while coasting in gear, as the momentum of the car turns the engine. If you're coasting in neutral, it has to use a little bit of fuel to keep it running.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

DownSouth said:
Use a hybrid and get the best of both worlds!

Nah, I prefer to have a proper gearbox in my car.

HarleyDavidson · 11 Jan 2015

Looked for a seat belt on the train a couple of times. :oops:

westcoaster · 11 Jan 2015

I find that I stick to speed limits, and Coast more.

amcluesent · 11 Jan 2015

Yep, told the wee wifey I was 'out of hours' when she wanted to visit her mother

RailAleFan · 11 Jan 2015

90019 said:
Though don't coast in neutral - it uses more fuel in a modern car than leaving it in gear.

How do you coast a car in gear? :oops:

As soon as you come off the accelerator you will be slowed by engine braking unless you depress the clutch, but then isn't that the same as coasting in neutral?

SPADTrap · 11 Jan 2015

Good Point said:
Yep, told the wee wifey I was 'out of hours' when she wanted to visit her mother

Definitely have to remember this one, made my day!

notadriver · 11 Jan 2015

I regularly drive my own car, bus or coach as well as trains. What's frustrating when driving on the road is the aggression from other road users who seem to want to 'get past you'. Driving on the road feels very slow compared to the train given the amount of traffic lights and congestion in my area. The 'modern' 10 plate B9TL bus I drove on rail replacement was spectacularly slow. The gears changed up far too early and whilst it could do 62 mph it took ages getting there. The coaches are also limited to 62 but at least get there in a reasonable time but there is no limiter on the train and that's the crucial difference.

Stompehh · 11 Jan 2015

RailAleFan said:
How do you coast a car in gear?

As soon as you come of the accelerator you will be slowed by engine braking unless you depress the clutch, but then isn't that the same as coasting in neutral?

With the assistance of a hill!

If you are on the flat it is more efficient to maintain your speed with a small amount of throttle in gear than to be in neutral. You also remain more in control of the vehicle.

Mintona · 11 Jan 2015

I think I drive my car quite differently as a result of being a train driver.

I have beeped the horn at a cyclist because I he was wearing an orange hi-vis.
I never go over the speed limit in my car, but I always try to drive to the exact speed limit on a clear road.
I call the speed limit the 'linespeed'.
I have also attempted to make an urgent call to the signaller after a traffic light reverted to danger in front of me.

455driver · 11 Jan 2015

90019 said:
Coasting in neutral is only more efficient if it's got carbs - a fuel injected car uses no fuel while coasting in gear, as the momentum of the car turns the engine. If you're coasting in neutral, it has to use a little bit of fuel to keep it running.

My car uses mechanical fuel injection so will be putting the tickover amount of fuel into the combustion chamber every time the piston gets to TDC, as your carb fed engine would, by minimising the times the piston gets to TDC I am saving fuel.

Electronic fuel injection will cut the fuel to the injector when the throttle is closed and the engine revs above a certain level, so your analogy about saving fuel is correct for these but not for mine.

t o m · 11 Jan 2015

I've referred to the hard shoulder as the cess before.

badassunicorn · 11 Jan 2015

Same as others, on seeing roadworkers in hi viz I have beeped my horn at them haha

Train Drivers - has train driving affected your car driving?

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