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RailDriver

By James

This guide describes how to set up your RailDriver controller for use with Diesel Railcar Simulator

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Created by

James
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Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

14 Aug, 2022 @ 2:54am

1 Jun, 2023 @ 1:14pm

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Guide Index

Overview

Setup

Suggested Configuration

Comments

Setup

Setting up your RailDriver to work with Diesel Railcar Simulator is quick and easy:

1. Plug your RailDriver into your PC
2. Open Driver Railcar Simulator
3. On the main menu, select 'Controls'. You will see that the game has detected your RailDriver.
4. Select 'Calibrate'
5. Under 'Controller' click the box next to any action which you wish to control using your RailDriver.
6. Follow the instructions on the screen to nominate and calibrate a button or lever.
7. Select 'Done'.

Now select a train to drive using your RailDriver.

The game will remember your settings and calibration, so you only need to carry out this process once, but you can go back through the process to make changes at any time you want.

At the moment the built in speaker and LED display on your RailDriver are not supported by Driver Railcar Simulator. However, both sound and speed display remain available in-game in the usual way.

Suggested Configuration

You can configure DRS to use whichever levers and buttons you like on your RailDriver. However, the following worked well for me. In each case I have listed the control listed on the DRS configuration screen, followed by a description of the button/lever on RailDriver:

Power - the lever marked 'throttle'
Shifter - the lever marked 'Auto Brake'
Train Brake - the lever marked 'Ind Brake'
Reverser - the lever marked 'Forward N Reverse'
Reset AWS - the button marked 'Alert'
Sound Buzzer - the button marked 'Bell'
Sound Low Horn - pull the horn lever towards you
Sound High Horn - push the horn lever away from you

These are the only controls you need to use when actually driving, so the only ones I configured on RailDriver. The other controls are used only for cab set up, which I like to do using the mouse and on-screen hotspots within the game. If you prefer, you can allocate those to RailDriver buttons too.

The above control configuration is the same one used by Train Sim World (which is not configurable), so if you use your RailDriver with that game too, you won't find yourself reaching for the wrong lever at a crucial moment!

6 Comments

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bukkie661 1 Jun, 2023 @ 10:23pm

That actually makes sense.Thanks for the guide and tips!

James [author] 1 Jun, 2023 @ 1:20pm

Hi Bukkie. I've updated the guide with a suggested configuration. The 'Auto Brake' lever works well for the gear shift as it has a nice long movement so - although it is not notched - you quickly get used to the right position to move the lever to in order to select a given gear.

In terms of how you use the RailDriver in actual play, you basically do exactly the same as you do with the keys, but using the RailDriver buttons and levers instead. It feels very different, but is very intuitive. Once you're used to it, it's easier than using a keyboard - particularly the braking - and far more satisfying.

Give it a go, and if I can assist in any way, let me know.

bukkie661 1 Jun, 2023 @ 4:32am

RD was created for Train Sim (Classic). Currently it has x64 drivers that did away with the need to have the PI-engineering MACRO-driver installed as well. In WIN11 you just need the latest x64 driver. One time calibration and you're golden.

Question, how did you exactly set up your RD for DRS? Like how do you gear-shift? I'm looking at my RD and I can't really com,e up with a button or lever that might do the job. Imagination isn't my strongsuit it seems.

Could you expand a little in the guide on how you use the RD in actual play?
Thanks!

James [author] 27 Dec, 2022 @ 1:00am

Hi akmatov. This isn’t something I’m aware of, but can confirm that it now works well with Diesel Railcar Simulator, and reasonably well with Train Sim World (there’s the odd quirk, but you can work around it). I don’t use it with Train Simulator so can’t comment on that.

akmatov 26 Dec, 2022 @ 5:07pm

Purchased this two years ago and it didn't work. Some functions did and others not. After many messages and actual phone calls to support one of the techs told me that they all knew it wasn't fully functional. Apparently, the Train Sim code had changed in some way and the Rail Driver ppl are waiting for a patch to be written for Train Sim and Train World. Would have made sense to me for them the fix their code, but they apparently couldn't be bothered. I think RD is a tiny bit of a much larger revenue stream. I sent it back to Amazon and got my money back. Very very disappointed.

Lapioware [developer] 14 Aug, 2022 @ 7:48am

Excellent, thanks for taking the time to write this!

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