RLC PT2 Operator's Manual - MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 GitHub Wiki
RLC Platinum 2.0 Operator's Manual
(Web Edition)
For RLC PT 2.0.64
Copyright 2018-19 Magnum MacKivler
Welcome to Magnum's RLC Platinum 2.0, now released for public use! RLC Pt 2.0 is designed to replace RLC Pt 1 as the premier simulation chip for Diesel-Electric Locomotives, Cab Cars, Slugs, and "Snails." RLC Pt 2.0 is designed to bring simulator-quality realism and standardization to the world of Garry's Mod Train Build.
Table of Contents
----B- Basic Setup
----C- Multiple Unit (MU) Setup
----E- Dual Prime Mover (DPM) Setup
----F- Head-End Power (HEP) Setup
----H- Remote Control Compatibility
----J- Dual Control Stand Setup
----K- Extra Inputs
----A- Startup & Shutdown
----B- Reverser
----C- Throttle
----D- Dynamic Brakes
----E- The Air System
----F- Train Brakes
----G- Locomotive Brakes
----H- Transition & Selector
----I- Changing Operating Ends
What's New
RLC PT 2.0 has a lot of improvements over prior Locomotive Control chips, including the original RLC PT.
Configurations:
-
Include-based configs for Control, Locomotive, and Engine settings
-
Custom Notch Counts
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Notched & Continuous Throttle and Dynamic Brakes
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Configurable Air Compressors
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Clasp Brakes Option
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Integrated Cabcar/Slug/Snail Modes
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Top-Speed-Based Custom Gearing
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Variable Dynamic Brake Ratings
Physics:
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Scale Weight System for Cars and Locomotives
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Automatic Tractive Effort Calculation based on Weight and Factor of Adhesion
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Realistic Wheel Slip
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Realistic Dynamic Brake Curves
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Lockable wheels
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Electronic Traction Control
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Manual/Automatic Transition with Selector Lever Support and Generator Transition Option
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Abusable Traction Motors with Parameterized Ratings
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Abusable Dynamic Brakes
Air System:
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Complete air system overhaul featuring Auxilliary Reservoir pressure simulation
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Realistic Simulations of Westinghouse 24RL, 26L, and No. 6 Air Brakes
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Realistic Air Compressors
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Direct/Graduated Brake Release
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Bleedable Independent Brakes
Extras:
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Remote Control Support
-
MU Headlights
-
Hand Brake Input
Polish:
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Improved Sound System
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Primer/Starter/Isolation Engine Start System
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Separate Engine Run, Generator Field, and Brake Cut-In inputs
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Multiple HEP Behavior Modes
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Control Stand-Specific Special Control Rule Support
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Invalid Chat Command Embarrassment protection
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Jointed Vs. Welded Rail Sounds
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Clickety Clack when going over switches
Backend:
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Increased Control Stand Functionality
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Player-Scale Speed Calculations
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Per-Unit Chat Commands
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Automatic Config Version Validation for Locomotives, Engines, Controls, and Control Stands
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Automatic Update Checking
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General Optimization
Planned (Future) Features:
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Electric Locomotive Simulation
-
Diesel-Hydraulic Locomotive Simulation
-
Pitch/Volume-Blending Engine Sounds
Installation Instructions
A: Where to Get It (Probably Required):
1- Visit https://github.com/MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2 and install RLC PT 2 to your Expression 2 folder by following the instructions on the site. Updated versions of RLC PT2 can be found here! Visit the RLC PT2 Wiki at https://github.com/MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2/wiki (or click the Wiki link from the GitHub page) for helpful info on PT setup, locomotives, or general information about locomotives!
Of course, because you are in fact looking at a manual hosted on the wiki, you're already there!
B: Basic Setup (Required):
1- Select or Make an RLC PT2 Locomotive Config file. These can be found in "ptgamma/locos/". There's a lot to configure, so take your time and read through everything!
2- Configure RLC PT 2.0 (Henceforth referred to as "RLC"). A lot of the config has been outsourced to the Locomotive Config and Control Reader/Stand E2s. Need help making a locomotive config? Check out https://github.com/MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2/wiki/Configuring-Locomotives-in-RLC-PT2 !
3- Spawn RLC on the locomotive body like you'd attach a thruster. Don't worry about the error message just yet. The shiny side must point BACKWARDS. Do not attach to the trucks/bogies. If there are no suitable faces to attach the chip to, you can spawn RLC on the ground, Physgun it into place, and weld it manually.
DO NOT PARENT THE RLC CHIP!
4- Spawn six (6) Wire Buttons (3 for a B unit) in an accessible area (such as the back wall of the cab). Make two of them NON-TOGGLED, and the rest are TOGGLED.
- Wire RLC's "Start1" to the first NON-TOGGLED button (Henceforth referred to as the "Starter Switch").
- Wire RLC's "Prime1" to the other NON-TOGGLED button (Henceforth referred to as the "Primer Switch").
NOTE: For locomotives with the "Latched Primer" or "Automatic Start" modes, follow these substeps:
- Make the Primer Switch a TOGGLED button.
- Wire the Primer Switch's "Set" to RLC's "PrimerSet1" output.
Continue setup as follows:
- Wire RLC's "Isolation1" to the first TOGGLED button (Henceforth referred to as the "Isolation Switch").
- Wire RLC's "EngineRun1" to the second TOGGLED button (Henceforth referred to as the "Engine Run Switch") (For B units, you can skip this substep).
- Wire RLC's "BrakeCutIn" to the third TOGGLED button (Henceforth referred to as the "Brake Cut-In Switch") (For B units, you can skip this substep).
- Wire RLC's "GenField" to the fourth TOGGLED button (Henceforth referred to as the "Gen Field Switch") (For B units, you can skip this substep).
- You may find it convenient to label these buttons using the Wire Namer Tool.
5- Spawn a Wire Pod Controller and link it to the Engineer's Seat (For B units, you can skip this step). Wire RLC's "Pod[ENTITY]" to the Pod Controller's "Entity[ENTITY]" output. DO NOT WIRE IT TO "CREATE ENTITY"! You will probably also want to wire the Pod Controller's "Allow Buttons" and "Crosshair" inputs to a Constant Value of 1. All of Magnum's control stand/reader E2s have a "CONSTANT" output for this. In a pinc, you can wire "Allow Buttons" and "Crosshair" back to the Pod Controller "Active" too, but beware of visual bugs.
6- Spawn a Wire Advanced Entity Marker (Adv Ent Marker) and link it to the Locomotive's trucks/bogies (Right Click the Marker, then Shift+Right Click the two trucks). Wire RLC's "Trucks[ARRAY]" to the Adv Ent Marker's "Entities[ARRAY]" output.
6a- If your locomotive has span bolsters, spawn another Adv Ent Marker and link it to the Locomotive's span bolsters. Wire RLC's "SpanBolsters[ARRAY]" to this!
7- Spawn an RLC PT2 Control Reader (ptgamma/RLC PT2 Control Reader.txt) or a modernized control stand (ptgamma/cstands_bg/cstand_aar.txt for example) in an accessible area.
Which one do you use? Use the Modernized Control Stand if you're using one of the new Control Stand models. That chip contains the control reader within it. Use the Control Reader if you're using any other control stand, like the older (RLC PT1) control stands... or none at all! If you're using an older (RLC PT1) control stand, you should use "ptgamma/extras/Legacy_Control_Stand.txt" to make it work.
Wire the Control Reader/Stand's "Pod[ENTITY]" input to the Pod Controller's "Entity[ENTITY]" output (For B units, you can skip this substep). Wire the Control Reader/Stand's "MU_Master" input to RLC's "MU_Master" output (For B units, you can skip this substep). Wire RLC's "CtlTable[TABLE]" input to the Control Reader/Stand's "CtlTable[TABLE]" output.
8- Refresh the RLC Chip (you can do this easily by taking out the E2 tool and pressing Reload on it)!
C: Multiple Unit (MU) Setup:
1- Spawn two Wire Sockets (Wire Plug Tool) and attach them to each end of the locomotive. DO NOT PARENT THEM! The Sockets must be welded. Make sure that the "Use Array Inputs/Outputs Instead" tickbox is TICKED. As a standard convention, Locomotives should use the HL2 Lab Plug/Socket models to ensure compatibility.
2- Wire the Sockets. Wire RLC's "FrontPlugIn[ARRAY]" and "RearPlugIn[ARRAY] to the corresponding Sockets. Wire the Sockets' "In[ARRAY]" inputs to RLC's corresponding outputs ("FrontPlugOut[ARRAY]" and "RearPlugOut[ARRAY]"
3- Fabricate a Jumper Cable. Spawn two Wire Plugs on the ground about 192 units (about 3 PHX Blocks) apart. Rope the ends together with a NON-RIGID rope. Wire each Plug's "If[ARRAY]" to the other Plug's "Out[ARRAY]". Save this jumper cable as a separate dupe. Do not include it with the locomotive.
D: MU Headlights Setup (Requires MU Setup)
1- Simply allow RLC to insert itself between the lights and whatever controls them in the I/O chain as follows: Wire RLC's "Lights_Front" and "Lights_Rear" to whatever controls each individual headlight (For example, the headlight button). Wire the Front and Rear Headlights' "On" to RLC's "Lights_Forward" and "Lights_Backward," respectively. If using Wire Lights instead of Wire Lamps, wire their "RGB[VECTOR]" to RLC's "Lights_Fwd_RGB" and "Lights_Back_RGB", respectively.
E: Dual Prime Mover (DPM) Setup:
1- Simply repeat Basic Setup Step 4 using a separate set of 4 buttons (you do not need a second GenField or BrakeCutIn Button). RLC's Wire inputs for the 2nd Prime Mover are "Prime2", "Start2", "Isolation2", and "EngineRun2".
F: Head-End Power (HEP) Setup:
1- Spawn two NON-TOGGLED Wire Buttons somewhere accessible. Wire RLC's "HEP_Up" to one of the Wire Buttons. Wire RLC's "HEP_Dn" to the other Wire Button. Wire the Control Reader/Stand's "HEP_Notch" input to RLC's "HEP_Notch" output.
G: Slug Compatibility (Requires MU Setup):
1- Spawn two Wire Sockets and attach them to each end of the Locomotive. Again, weld them instead of parenting them, and be sure to have "Use Array Inputs/Outputs Instead" ticked.
2- Wire the Sockets. Wire RLC's "FrontCurrentIn[ARRAY]" and "FrontCurrentOut[ARRAY]" to the corresponding Sockets. Wire the Sockets' "In[ARRAY]" inputs to RLC's corresponding outputs ("FrontCurrentOut[ARRAY]" and "RearCurrentOut[ARRAY]"). The Current Sockets can be connected via a separate standard MU Jumper Cable.
H: Remote Control Compatability:
1- Spawn a TOGGLED Wire Button somewhere accessible. Wire the Control Reader/Stand's "RemoteControl" input to this Button (Henceforth referred to as the "Remote Control Switch"). Wire the Control Reader/Stand's "Active" input to the Pod Controller's "Active" Output. Wire RLC's "RemoteMode" input to the Control Reader/Stand's "RemoteMode" output. You can now control the locomotive using the Wire Remote Controller SWEP, provided the Remote Control Switch is on.
I: Buttonless Starting
You don't actually need to have a full set of buttons for starting and shutting down the locomotive, since the AutoStart and Shutdown commands exist. This is useful if you find you have problems with people (including you) accidentally pressing the starter buttons at inopportune times. You can make a locomotive without:
- The Starter Switch
- The Primer Switch
However you will still need all of the other buttons for Isolation, Engine Run, Gen Field, etc. If you have the "Latched Primer" or "automatic Start" on your locomotive, you MUST wire RLC's "Prime1" (And "Prime2" if applicable) back to RLC's "PrimerSet1" (and "PrimerSet2" if applicable) outputs.
J: Dual Control Stand Setup
The Dual Control Stand Mux (Multiplexer) E2 ("ptgamma/extras/Dual_Control_Stand_Mux.txt") is a convenient way of sourcing two separate control setups for dual-control stand or dual-cab locomotives. Simply set up two completely independent control stands with separate Engine Run, Gen Field, and Brake Cut-In Switches. The Mux E2 has two sets of inputs and one set of outputs. Wire all the RLC PT2 inputs you'd normally connect to the control stand, to the Mux instead. Wire the Control Reader/Stand's "UsingRearSeat" input to the Mux's "UsingRearSeat" output. Lastly, wire the Mux's inputs to the corresponding outputs on the Front and Rear Control Readers/Stands, and you're done.
Note: The variable "MainLogicType" in the Mux E2's Config changes how the Engine Run/Gen Field switches on the two Control Readers/Stands behave. For most locomotives (EMD/ALCO), they are AND'd together, and the engineer is supposed to turn on the OPPOSITE SWITCH FIRST. For some locomotives (FM), the switches are OR'd together, and the only switches that should be on are on the side the engineer is controlling.
K: Extra Inputs
There are a few optional inputs left over that weren't covered above. What do they do?
- "HandBrakeOverride" (RLC) Allows external control of the handbrake.
- "EmBrake" (Control Reader/Stand) allows external control of the Emergency Brake. Fender Bender Defender (FBD) has an output for this!
- "IsolateBrakes" (RLC) allows you to cut out the Trainline/Automatic brakes for switching. This will make your brakes release faster, but you'll only be able to brake the locomotive!
- "Number[STRING]" (RLC AND Control Reader/Stand) lets RLC know what the running number of the Locomotive is. This allows you to send Chat Commands to individual locomotives!
L: Updating RLC PT 2.0
Every now and then, RLC PT2 may be updated. This should be easy to notice as long as you have an internet connection, as RLC PT2 will check for updates when spawned in.
If an update is available:
1- Go to the RLC PT2 GitHub (https://github.com/MagnumMacKivler/RLCPT2) and download the most recent version, including all accompanying files.
2- Specify one of your config files in the RLC PT2 chip and upload it into the RLC chip of an existing RLC PT2 locomotive. RLC PT2 will automatically check to see if your Locomotive Config, Engine Config, Control Config, and Control Reader/Stand E2s are up to date. If any of them aren't RLC PT2 will notify you immediately via chat message.
3- If any configs are out of date, update them using the latest versions on the GitHub. Once you re-upload the RLC PT2 chip, and it doesn't throw any more errors, your RLC PT2 is completely up to date!