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Station Markers?

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The Snap

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Hi guys,
I just wondered if there was a lineside sign to indicate to a driver that they were, say, 1 mile/km from a station?? If there is, can someone please let me know what one looks like, as I think I could use some in my BVE route! :D
Thanks,
 
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Not normally, although on the Portsmouth direct there are some, but give 1/2 mile warning and this is only at Liss IIRC.
 

The Snap

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tubechallenger said:
Not normally, although on the Portsmouth direct there are some, but give 1/2 mile warning and this is only at Liss IIRC.

OK, it was just that I have I high speed route, so the driver willneed to know when to start to slow down, otherwise he will go straight past the station! :? :)
 

devon_metro

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RichardH said:
tubechallenger said:
Not normally, although on the Portsmouth direct there are some, but give 1/2 mile warning and this is only at Liss IIRC.

OK, it was just that I have I high speed route, so the driver willneed to know when to start to slow down, otherwise he will go straight past the station! :? :)

That's where it's good to learn the route ;)

I had this problem on maybank althougth once driven enough times its like clockwork; i knoe every corner on X-city
 

The Snap

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I shall advise my downloaders to practise running the route through a few time, so you learn where stations are, otherwise I'll get loads of complaints from people saying, "I didn't see the station, I think the route is rubbish because I can't stop!" :D
 
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Where 58's still operate in commercial service...
Thats not something to worry about, a good driver does know where is is during his shift. But you can always sesign a new signal.
In Holland we have the "S" sign. Not always to announce a station. It can be seen infront of a junction (I know only 1 level junction outsita a station area in Holland, all junctions on mainlines have Fly-overs here).
 

Coxster

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tubechallenger said:
Not normally, although on the Portsmouth direct there are some, but give 1/2 mile warning and this is only at Liss IIRC.
Liphook too. It's a fast route with a steep downward gradient - as TheSlash knows very well ;)

As for your route Richard, you could do what Sasha did in Bay Park and have a 'training' scenario where the DI says "One mile to the next station driver".
 

Dennis

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Coxster said:
tubechallenger said:
Not normally, although on the Portsmouth direct there are some, but give 1/2 mile warning and this is only at Liss IIRC.
Liphook too. It's a fast route with a steep downward gradient - as TheSlash knows very well ;)

As for your route Richard, you could do what Sasha did in Bay Park and have a 'training' scenario where the DI says "One mile to the next station driver".

or create a passenger announcement to play when a station is being approached.

An alternative is to put a landmark near the line which is easily recognised (I have used piles of rubbish in the past) and which can be used as a braking point. After all, I'm sure real drivers pick out landmarks to use as guides.
 

Coxster

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AlexS said:
Well, Euston has a great big red board 1 mile away with a huge arrow saying 1 mile to Euston Station
Just incase you don't spot the station when travelling at 40mph ;) :D
 

Jim

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Coxster said:
AlexS said:
Well, Euston has a great big red board 1 mile away with a huge arrow saying 1 mile to Euston Station
Just incase you don't spot the station when travelling at 40mph ;) :D

I remember when pendo brakes were rubbish & they kept running in to the buffers ;)
 

91119

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There are no official signs, but drivers use landmarks as a reminder of where they are. For example on the approach to York from the south there's Colton Junction followed by the Tesco on the right, then Holgate then you're at York.
 

Techniquest

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Stafford is the best for knowing where you are on the Caledonian Insomniac. On the approach to Stafford, Tesco is on the right hand side, with huge lettering spelling out 'Welcome to Stafford' on it. As well as indicating it's a 24-hour store too of course.

I agree with whoever said to learn the route is the best way to find the braking points and so forth. I know Maybank to Riverside like the back of my hand on the HST service. Continuing onto Hammerwich I'm not so hot on, but I know the majority of it. The final few miles of it always knock me off timing though, and half the time I hit Hammerwich 2 down after the most intense accleration/braking combo possible. Managed 75 seconds down last time, was well chuffed.

Hammerwich to Wood Green, that I'm always early for on arrival at Wood Green! But then I've driven it hundreds of times.

Bring on your route Richard, I'll be looking forward to another high-speed route!
 

The Snap

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I think I'll use the a landmark - ie: I'll find an object to place 1 km from a station! Any ideas? :?: :idea: :D
 

Julian G

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when the drivers approach Clapham from London they sometimes use the signal box they can know where to stop
 

Coxster

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Chaz said:
A knowledgeable driver doesn't need markers. ;)
Once you have driven a route a few times, you automatically know where to start to slow down.
 

91119

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It's not just as case of "knowing the route", there are also a number of other factors to consider; for example the current speed, train length/weight, brake type and the weather all affect a drivers ability to stop their train accurately.

Landmarks are still useful as a reference point for distances though.
 

Techniquest

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Well said, but still, once you've done it a few times, it's easier then. Say you're driving for the first time on the route, you're in a 125mph limit, but you know there's a 40mph turnout into a loop for a station stop (Longbridge's layout I'm thinking of here, minus the high through speed of course). You're doing 123, and the TT suggests the station is still 2.5 minutes away. When do you start braking, without markers?

Naturally, after a couple of drives, you know to brake, say, just after the corner going through the land cutting (I'm using a ripped-up line for the example here), on notch 2. Or whatever.

I saw put a marker in, doesn't have to be anything huge. I know the AWB would still be there for advising of the limit (and possibly for the braking point) change, but a small triangular sign by the lineside would be useful.
 

91119

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I'm not familiar with the layout at Longbridge. But in the situation you've described the signal protecting the crossover would be approach controlled, i.e. it would stay at danger until the approaching train had slowed sufficiently.
The driver should know the location of the signals and would brake accordingly.

There are no set rules, you can't say for junction X you need to start breaking at Y. It all depends on the circumstances of each individual journey.
 
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