LNER K4 Advanced

ActivHint - provides useful hints and tips for operating the loco and also informs you of how you could improve your practice, or of urgent matters such as low water in the boiler.

ActivFireman - an intelligent fireman who will take over the firing responsibilities so that you can just enjoy the drive.

Authentic audio - the sound set has been created from a number of sources, including a recording of a real-world high speed main line run along the Kyle Line right next to the smokebox, and includes a superb collection of whistle sounds, detailed cab instrument and equipment sounds, noisy run sounds and track joints.

Double-beat regulator valve

Operating snifter/anti-vacuum

Realistic reverser behaviour - the reverser lock is required to lock the reverser in place when the driver is not moving it, to prevent it from oscillating with the Walschaerts valve gear and creeping into forward gear. The reverser must be unlocked, by pulling the locking latch forward, before it can be moved.

Realistic brake simulation - features include vacuum brakes that take longer to apply or release depending on the length of the train, the simulated diffusion of air into and out of the train pipe, and brake behaviour being dependent on the type of train being hauled.

Scripted Automatic Warning System (AWS) and Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) (61994 preserved only)

ActivScript scripted wheel animation, wheelslip and wheelskid - the driving wheels will accelerate with wheelslip, decelerate to a halt during wheelskid and turn in the opposite direction of travel if the reverser is wound back into the opposite gear.

Chuff sounds and exhaust effects - always accurately synchronised with the wheel position, even during wheelslip and wheelskid.

Quillable whistle - produce different notes and play tunes on the whistle by dragging the whistle levers up and down.

Weather and seasons have a direct effect on adhesion - you can find yourself in a whole heap of trouble as precipitation begins to build up on the rails.

Realistic water levels and gauges - see the photorealistic water level rise and fall with gradients, while also sloshing back and forth during acceleration and deceleration, and oscillating as the water in the boiler boils over.

Permanent damage and solvable performance suppressions - includes cylinder explosion due to an excess of water in the cylinders.

Fully modelled 3D firebox interior - includes fire, fire bed and coal animations..

Realistic damper and fire temperature control - use both the main damper wheel to control the main air stream through the fire bed and the fire flap to control the secondary air through the fire hole in the cab.

Intelligent and advanced firing - ‘lumps’ of coal are thrown into the fire instead of a steady stream. Closing the fire doors automatically turns off the firing control.

Davies & Metcalfe exhaust injector - use exhaust steam from the cylinders, or automatically switch over to live steam from the boiler when the steam chest pressure is very low.

Tender controls - drag the tender water feeds down to provide water to the injectors, click on the LNER hand oil lamp for some light in the cab, and use the handbrake.

Steam heat control - keep your passengers on board the Just Trains Mk.1 coaches nice and toasty during the winter season, and see the steam leaks from the carriage steam heat pressure relief valves and sometimes shoddy piping! The gauge will rise to maximum pressure at a varying speed depending on how wide you open the valve. There is a random leak rate which will be slightly different each time you drive.

Intelligent communication between Advanced locomotives - couple one or more K4s together, or double-head with a Just Trains 4MT, Clan, 5MT, K4 or Manor for synchronised control of cylinder drain cocks and regulator, and for communicating with a little toot of your whistle!

Advanced and photorealistic smoke and steam effects - zsee the main smoke stack change density and velocity with the change in blast pipe pressure and change colour with stoking and the change in fire mass.

Realistic and detailed external animation - these include loco brake linkage, cab side windows, sliding cab roof hatches and realistically moving mechanical lubricators..

Visible raindrops - will appear on the windows of the exterior model.

Advanced AI - AI trains whistle when starting to move and open and close the cylinder drain cocks automatically. In bad weather AI trains may even wheelslip and apply the sanders intelligently. For other loco’s in the player consist, such as in double-headers, other K4s, 7MTs or 5MTs have a more ‘human’ personality in their response to the player driver and loco.

Headcode - change the headcode to whatever you like, whenever you like, or via the number string in the Scenario Editor.

LNER handlamp - useful for when it gets a bit dark in the cab.

Driving in a double-header - before you start to move off, you should inform the other driver that you’re ready to go by pressing to give a short toot on the whistle. The other driver will put his loco into gear and, once he is ready, will toot back to you. Once he has tooted back, you can set off.

Fill sandboxes- remove their lids and watch the sand level rise as you fill them.

Steam chest - there is a delay between opening/closing the regulator and the subsequent change in steam chest pressure and the supply to the cylinders. The delay varies depending on how saturated the internal steam pipe system is and how much the main valves are open. There is also a simple implementation of the piston valve action controlled by the reverser, which brings the simulation a step closer to replicating the real thing.

Operating independent loco and tender brakethe locomotive and tender are braked by vacuum via the main train pipe, and do not have an independent brake control. However, the loco and tender brakes can be released even when the train brakes apply.

Authentic vacuum brake

Cylinder drain cocks

Priming - priming is simulated and must be avoided to stop the cylinders getting damaged! If the cylinder blows up, it’s game over. .

Realistic injector performance and steam usage - unlike the BR Standards, the water valves under the driver’s and fireman’s seats are only trimming valves to adjust the flow rate – they do NOT turn off the water! You must use the tender feed valves to start and stop water flow from the tender. You will need to balance the opening of the steam valves against how far open the water valves are. The K4 Advanced is quite a thirsty model, so you will be using the injectors frequently!

LNER gravity and steam sanders

Directional steam sanders (61994 2010s version only) - the sander lever must be pulled to the left to operate the front sanders for when the locomotive operates in forward, and pulled to the far right to operate the rear sanders used when travelling tender first. Using sand depletes the sand level in the sandbox, and when the sandbox is empty the sanders can no longer.

Refilling the sandboxes - When driving in Advanced mode a finite quantity of sand is available for the sanders, but you can stop the train at any time, apply the handbrake and refill the sandboxes.

Cabview camera positions - this locomotive uses the Train Simulator multi-position cabview camera to provide various driving positions, including a head-out view out of the side windows that allows you to continue to grab the controls with the mouse and have full freedom of head movement, and a view of the internal firebox to monitor the fire. You can see all of the same highly realistic animations on the exterior model from your cabview positions, including the valve gear and lubricators, as well as seeing the correct details such as the nameplates and the lamps set for the headcode.

Animated exterior model cab controls- look into the cab from an exterior camera and you will notice the regulator, reverser and brake moving as well as the fire roaring away behind the animated firebox flap and door.