Rail3D*

 

Class87

We already have a model (albeit an old one) of the class 87. This project is to update the model with a full set of cab controls and a sound set.

The model

The current class 87 model was made by James Steward and was one of the earliest models made for Rail3D 2kd. Ideally the model needs to be rebuilt using the latest modelling standards such as strips and skin textures, as well as animated components such as pantographs.

I don’t have the time to remodel the loco at the moment - anyone interested in doing so, please let me know!

For the moment, I’m working on the control desk gauges and controls, and the scripts to model the tap-changing operation of the loco.

The controls

See picture at http://www.railwaymedia.fotopic.net/p28445871.htmlClass87

Controls

from left

  • Train brake (front of desk)
  • Loco brake (back of desk)
  • Horn
  • Forward/Reverse selector
  • Main notch control

Gauges

from left

  • Main reservoir pressure gauge
  • Equalizing reservoir pressure gauge
  • Brake cylinder pressure gauges (front/rear bogies)
  • Brake pipe pressure gauge
  • Speedometer
  • Ammeter (Two pointers, for motors on front bogie)
  • Ammeter (Two pointers, for motors on rear bogie)
  • Notch indicator (Driving loco)
  • Notch indicator (Other loco)?

See also Train Controls

Building the instrument panel

See also Controls And Gauges

The panel uses the new igauge keyword for the instruments, each instrument is composed of four parts:

  • A round hole in the front face
  • A layer of glass just behind the face
  • The back of the gauge with the scale and legend printed on
  • The gauge pointer (or pointers)

The last two items have their own lighting so that they can be seen in the dark.

For simplicity, elements are grouped, ie all the pointers are grouped into one sub-component, all the gauge backs are grouped in one component etc.

In order to achieve the separation of the various layers without the whole being too big, the components use millimetric coordinates to give the required precision.

From left to right

  1. Air reservoir pressure: two pointers, one (left) shows available air pressure, this is a fixed (dummy) pointer, right point shows reservoir pressure, in my model this is driven by parameter 2 - brake reservoir pressure
  2. Cylinder pressure gauges: two pointers for front and rear bogies. These are driven by parameter 1 - brake pipe pressure
  3. Air pipe pressure. This gauge has one pointer and is driven by parameter 1 - brake pipe pressure
  4. Speedometer: driven by parameter 0 - speed
  5. Two ammeters. Each of these instruments has two pointers and together they show the current in each of the four traction motors. I suppose ideally they should all be independant, but for simplicity I have linked them all to the same parameter (16). This parameter is set by the loco’s script which calculates the traction force and current.
  6. Two notch indicators, the first shows the notch position of the lead loco, and the second shows the notch position of the train loco (if present). These are driven by script parameters 17 and 18, the script calculates the notch position and stores it in these parameters.

import