Train Mode

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# 2.9.8 Train Mode

The Train command lets you place and run Trains on the layout.

During this command, the Tool Bar and Hot Bar are changed. Most of the Tool Bar buttons are replaced by the Go/Stop and Exit buttons. The Go/Stop button toggles between Pausing all Trains and allowing Trains to Run. The Exit button terminates the Train Simulation and returns to Layout Design mode. The Hot Bar becomes the Shelf.

Selecting New Cars
  The Shelf contains the Cars and Locomotives which have not been placed on the Layout. Cars are created and managed using the Car Inventory (Section 2.9.1) dialog.

  Each item on the Shelf can represent a group of Cars. Cars can be grouped by Prototype, Manufacturer and/or Part Number. They can also be listed as individual Car Items. This grouping is controlled by Car Labels Drop Down List on the Display (Section 2.10.3) dialog.

  To place a Car, select it from the Shelf. If the Shelf is displaying Cars in groups (and not as individual Car Items) then a Drop Down List is displayed on the Status Bar (Section 3.1) containing the individual Car Items in that group.

  If you are not displaying the Shelf, then the New Car button () will be shown on the Tool Bar. Pressing this button will display the Drop Down List on the Status Bar (Section 3.1) containing all of your Car Items that have not yet been placed on the layout.

Placing Cars
  Once you have selected a new Car, or have selected an existing Car on the Layout, you can position it by using the mouse to drag it around the Layout. If the Car is coupled to other Cars then the whole set of Cars is moved. If you place the Car on a Track, that Car (and the other coupled Cars) will be aligned along the track.

  Note: If you move the tracks but not the cars (or vice-versa) using the Move (Section 2.2.9) or Rotate (Section 2.2.15) commands the cars will not remain attached to the tracks. If the cars are moved close to a track, then they will be aligned when the Train Simulation command is next invoked.

Coupling Cars
  If a Car is moved along a track to another Car then the Cars will be coupled together.

Uncoupling Cars
  To uncouple Cars, Right-Click between the Cars then select Uncouple from the pop-up menu.

Change Train or Car Orientation
  The orientation of a Train or Car can be reversed by Right-Click over the appropriate object then selecting either Flip Train or Flip Car from the pop-up menu.

Remove Train or Car From Layout
  To remove a Train or Car from the layout, Right-Click over the appropriate object then select either Remove Train or Remove Car from the pop-up menu.

Change Reporting number of Car on Layout
  To change the reporting number, Right-Click over the Car and then select Properties and update the field. This value will be shown in the car if Labels are shown and in the Train Control Window.

Trains
  A Train consists of one or more Locomotives coupled to other Cars. One Locomotive will be the MU Master for the Train. The MU Master can be changed by Right-Clicking on a Locomotive and selecting MU Master from the pop-up menu. The MU Master is drawn with a solid Yellow head light indicating the direction is moving. If a Train is split by uncoupling between Locomotives, then two Trains will be created, each with their own MU Master.

Train Control

  The Train Control dialog is used to set the speed and direction of Trains. The dialog contains a list of Trains (listed by their MU Master Locomotive reporting number). Before each Train on the list is either a Red circle (indicating the Train is stopped) or a Green circle (indicating the Train is moving).

  Any number of Trains can be running, although it might be difficult to keep track of more than a few.

  For the selected Train, the Train Control dialog lists
    Train status: indicating that the Train is moving, is paused or the reason if the Train is stopped.

    The position of the Train

    A slider which controls the speed of the Train in Scale Miles-Per-Hour or Kilometers-Per-Hour.

    The Odometer which measures the total distance travelled by the train, which can be reset by pressing the 0 button.

    The Find button which positions the Main Window (Section 3.1) to show the Train. If the Trains on a track that's hidden and Hide Trains on Hidden Track (Section 2.10.3) is Enabled then the Train will be made visible until the next time it moves.

    The Follow toggle button which causes the Main Window (Section 3.1) to follow the Train as it moves. The Follow toggle can only be set on one Train at a time, and it is cleared if you press the Find button or otherwise manually move the main canvas.

    The Auto Reverse toggle button which causes the Train to change direction when it hits the end of a track.

    The Direction radio button group which controls the direction (Forward or Reverse) of the Train.

    The Stop button which sets the Trains speed to 0.

Train Operation
  Once a Train is moving, it will continue to move until it is Stopped manually, hits the end of track or an open Turnout. If the Train 'runs into' other Cars, those Cars will be coupled to the Train. If Trains speed is faster than the Max Coupling Speed (Section 2.10.7) then the Train will crash and must be manually moved back onto the track.

  If two Trains are coupled, one of the two MU Masters will be chosen as the MU Master for the combined Train.

  The motion of all Trains can be Paused by clicking the Go/Stop button on the Main Window Tool Bar. Pressing the Escape key has the same effect as clicking on the Stop button. This allows you set Turnout positions or make other changes. When Train command starts, the Go/Stop button is in the Stop position and must be clicked before Trains move.

Turnouts and Turntables
  Turnout positions are indicated by Red lines connecting the endpoints on the route through the Turnout. Trains will follow this route through the Turnout. If you Shift+Left-Click on the Turnout, the next position will used and Red line changed to indicate the new position.

  Turntables can be turned by using Shift+Left-Click on the endpoint you want the Turntable bridge to move to. If you click on the Turntable where there is no endpoint, the Turntable will turn to the next endpoint beyond that point in the direction of the click relative to the nearest end of the turntable bridge. To turn the Turntable 180°, Shift+Left-Click on the current endpoint again.