I really wish that manufacturers would put a driver in the cab of trains as standard particularly EMUs/DMUs.
I can't imagine it would cost the earth to do it and it would just add a touch of realism without having to take the train apart to do it.
Trains can run without passengers but not a driver (apart from the DLR)
Couldn't agree more. Especially when the cabs are glued in so you can't get in there yourself to put a driver in..
Now if they did that they would charge more then we would moan the driver is in the wrong period uniform, maybe that is the reason.
Quote from: Greybeema on October 01, 2014, 01:31:34 PM
Couldn't agree more. Especially when the cabs are glued in so you can't get in there yourself to put a driver in..
You've tried to get in there yourself? :o :laugh:
Agree with Pengi, though. Even a legless generic type (don't drink and drive) would be better than nothing.
Just out of interest, which side does the driver sit ? I just stuck one in Class 24 and it got me wondering.
Which end do you put him though? If you only have one driver and an end-to-end layout, he will be in the wrong cab half the time. If you put drivers in both then you will always have a driver visible in the trailing cab.
Almost as wrong as no driver at all.
:veryangry: :censored: ok, I will just have it parked up and he can be the cleaner :D
In Britain the driver is on the left hand side looking out from the front. If you put one in either end, the trailing one can always be a crew member hitching a ride home, or where no brake van on a fully fitted freight train from the late 70's, he could easily be the guard. When the loco changes direction, the identities swap! ;D
I like to put drivers in the cabs of my locos, I just put them in one end, on the locos with the pipework detailing they have to run in one direction anyway when hauling a train.
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww334/raxmk1/my%20railway/DSC04950_zps23fd6118.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/user/raxmk1/media/my%20railway/DSC04950_zps23fd6118.jpg.html)
(http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww334/raxmk1/my%20railway/DSC05010_zps1de01191.jpg) (http://s733.photobucket.com/user/raxmk1/media/my%20railway/DSC05010_zps1de01191.jpg.html)
cheers, Stu.
On most modern units the conductor, when there is one, rides in the rear cab.
I would like to see Loco's supplied with drivers/crew or at least a easy way to install them.
I think that the biggest frustration with this is the 'glued in cab' issue as this not only causes an issue with adding a driver but also is problem for repainting models as well. I agree that at the very let, the cab areas should be accessable for the modeller, clip fit sort of thing. At least then a slap of paint and a driver can easily be added. Maybe with the race for additional details and accuracy, the addition of crews could be the next big thing, are you reading this Dapol/Grafar geezers?
best wishes
Simon
I had this dilemma when I designed my first locomotive kit, I felt the only answer was to supply enough crew and let the modeller put them in if they wanted. Here is one of the crew for my DT6-6-2000.....
(http://jamestrainparts.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/baldwin-dt6-6-2000-engineer.jpg)
(http://jamestrainparts.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/dt6-6-2000-test-print-2.jpg)
(http://jamestrainparts.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/dt6-6-2000-finished-2.jpg)
I think he looks good sat in his cab!
James
Quote from: newportnobby on October 01, 2014, 03:08:44 PM
Quote from: Greybeema on October 01, 2014, 01:31:34 PM
Couldn't agree more. Especially when the cabs are glued in so you can't get in there yourself to put a driver in..
You've tried to get in there yourself? :o :laugh:
Agree with Pengi, though. Even a legless generic type (don't drink and drive) would be better than nothing.
The drivers on the 'big railway' (that I have seen) wear suits. There are some differences in the colour of the shirts but then there are no SWT trains being produced by the manufacturers :( So a driver in a white shirt and a dark tie would probably cover a lot of the MI trains - particularly if the cab has darkened glass.
Very impressed with your drivers in the cab, James and Stu :claphappy: That is the sort of thing we need.
Why not have cab doors that actually open....
Quote from: sparky on October 02, 2014, 07:20:55 AM
Why not have cab doors that actually open....
I could just see folks crawling on the floor looking for the door that fell off..
Hornby had opening doors on some of their recent releases eg the 56. The big problems are that it adds cost and fragility - both of which we regularly see complaints about.
Cheers, Mike
Quote from: sparky on October 02, 2014, 07:20:55 AM
Why not have cab doors that actually open....
SNCF dropped theirs in the carpet, and ended up refitting them on the wrong sides.
[smg id=16810 type=av]
Quote from: Pengi on October 01, 2014, 01:28:32 PM
...Trains can run without passengers but not a driver (apart from the DLR)
And even on the DLR the train guard frequently takes over at the controls and 'pilots' the train.
No mention of adding crew to steamers yet, and I'm just about to do this as part of my first loco upgrade. It's a bit easier than adding them to sealed diesel units, of course, but they're a lot more visible so you have to get it right.
Now that must have been a deep pile ...
Crew on dapol tendered steamers also helps hide that horrible drive shaft!!
Best wishes
simon
Just as crew standing on a fitted fallplate can hide the wires on Farish and Union Mills locos. Just about to do that too!
Quote from: Cooper on October 01, 2014, 05:34:15 PM
In Britain the driver is on the left hand side looking out from the front.
Ah yes but what about the 73s, and possibly 33/1, where there are driving controls on both sides of the cab? They might only be used for shunting but how do we cope with that scenario i.e. 4 drivers?
Won't mention the fact that 1973 stock on the London Underground can also be driven from both sides.
Nigel
In the US when Diesels first came out the engine crew unions said the railroads had to employ a crew for each cab, even if the train had four engines etc!
That didn't last too long!
-James
Quote from: James320 on October 01, 2014, 11:58:33 PM
I had this dilemma when I designed my first locomotive kit, I felt the only answer was to supply enough crew and let the modeller put them in if they wanted. Here is one of the crew for my DT6-6-2000.....
(http://jamestrainparts.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/baldwin-dt6-6-2000-engineer.jpg)
(http://jamestrainparts.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/dt6-6-2000-test-print-2.jpg)
(http://jamestrainparts.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/dt6-6-2000-finished-2.jpg)
I think he looks good sat in his cab!
James
Love this but does anyone think that looks like a lego brick in front of him, surely too big.....
The 'lego brick' was a quick attempt at some sort of console, you cant see it once the driver is installed but I wanted somthing there. Here are some more I am working on.
(http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac133/jamesn320/DT6-6-2000/EngineCrew_zps53f26e24.jpg)
-James
For the 1970s you often had two crew anyway, because they still had 'secondman' to make the toast and coffee (and disappear into the innards of a 47 to hit the relays with a mallet when it wouldn't reverse and some other jobs)
And for heritage you need at least five in the cab 8)
Just took a look at this thread. Good on ya, Pengi for kicking it off.
It's a crackup! Love the idea of the guy at the back getting a lift home 'cos he's legless ;D
Back in the early 1970's the Railway unions had a work to rule, over flexible rostering I believe. The rule book required 2 persons in the cab and a means of the guard have a lookout in both directions. As the 4CIGS recently introduced on the Waterloo-Reading service didn't have roof mounted periscopes they had a crew of five. Two drivers in the front cab, a guard and two drivers in the rear cab to keep a look out in that direction!
Dodger
James - absolutely fantastic work! Do keep us up to date with your progress, and let us know if you make anything for Farish diesels (I have Poole diesels in mind, but anything will be interesting to hear about). You could even consider selling them on the N'porium site here!
As an aside, forgive my ignorance (being a Poole nut and not up to speed with Bachmann) but what's all this about sealed cabs that you cannot access? The old Poole ones are fine, nothing impeding the windows so you could stick something right where a driver would be. You could get a head & shoulders in (... no, not the shampoo!)
Interesting project.
Dan