Derail Valley - How Shunting Works

Thought I'd make a quick video demonstrating how shunting works. It's a valuable skill to learn and helps you master the yard.




MY GAME MODS (One tab per game)

[Aristoprat]

On the DE2, every time you start the engine it does 1% damage. The cost of repairing that is roughly equal to the cost of diesel consumed while the engine is idling for nine minutes. It's been a while since I did the test but I think the numbers are correct.

[Busje]

14:43
No squirrels are harmed, and thats important.... Paul: Throws papers on the floor outside

[MSzat]

All job numbers on paperwork are on side of the cars as well, so you don't actually have to visually check the cars, you can also see the job number on them and see if they are the right ones

[dapullia]

One trick i use is to pop the train pipe valve on the last car as this will apply the brakes. Another trick is to close the train pipe valves between cars and hump them. Get going at a good clip, shut the valve on the cars i want to roll into the sidings, pop the coupler and then ride the cars that split to dump the air when I want them to stop. Can be useful when sending cars in diverging directions on some yards. If done right you can jump down and close the valve while only partially slowing down the train to get a gap big enough to throw a switch, ride the split cars into the siding popping the valve to put on their brakes the jump back on the engine going down the other siding.

[nathanbrinkerhoff]

Did anyone else notice that the shunting job he did is the train he took to The Goods Factory and Town in the last video.

[jamieevans]

At first I thought it was a novelty game but wow this game is deep, really gives you insight on what it’s like working on the railways. I wish they do a UK version with class 08s and 66s plus signals and other trains to wait for etc add some dynamic weather and background noises this is the future of train simulation.

[ElShotte]

12:00 - The devs couldn't have predicted which side of the consist you will pull the train up to, so they couldn't effectively label the steps correctly. It's something you have to pay attention to.

[Shipwright]

Another time-saver is to "kick" cars when shunting, i.e. giving them a shove with the engine and letting them roll on their own into the siding.

The way you do it is by shutting the brake valves on the cut of cars you want to kick and the engine so the air doesn't rush out and apply the brakes. Then you undo the screw link on the coupling (you can uncouple it all the way, but in Derail Valley, the coupling will automatically slip off and the brake hoses will part on their own when the cars separate). You get in the loco, build up some speed then apply the independent brake and let the cars roll away.

It takes practice, shove them too hard/too fast, you risk slamming the cut into a row of parked wagons on the siding and damaging them, too soft/too slow, they won't go far enough and can block the points to other sidings.

One method I like to do is to ride the cut of cars I'm kicking and use the brake valves to let puffs of air out of the train line to apply the brakes so the cars stop where I want them to. It's an old railroader's trick.

[izaakvw]

I can't believe this only has 17K views 1 day after upload. Deserves way more!

[smatchimo]

I like it when I read a random comment on a video and see the poster do a whole video on the subject. that's content worth subbin for.

[billwells]

If you look at the job ID, in this case "GF-SU-62", you can match that up with the placard on the rail cars. That way, you can be certain of which cars you will need before validating your job.

[marksman]

Can't wait to see the longer train next episode. Eventually really long trains with having more licences.

[Pyrotrainthing]

To reach shunting time bonuses easier my advice is to not just move your locomotive to not just park it near them before starting the job but to also move the cars to the loading line at the station.
This will be harder for stations with 2 loading lines like one for liquids and another for everything else, my advice is to just use context clues (what are you moving, basically).
Another few bits of SUPER helpful advice:
-Turning off the Shunter (and also the DE6) before you exit is a waste of engine durability (~1% each startup) and may cost you money in the long-term.
So basically: Don’t always turn off the shunter when you leave it.
-Independent Brakes exist now, I’ve found the Independent Brake useful for shunting jobs especially, stopping over a long distance, stopping in a short distance, needing to reduce downhill speed without losing air pressure in your brakes, my point is: Independent is a very useful part of all the locomotives, using it over train brakes can be more beneficial.
Summarized: I’ve found the Independent Brake more useful than Train Brakes more times than not.
-Don’t throw the throttle full-on. In the early game you can get away with doing things like this and damaging both cargo and wagon, which will make you have to pay off the fine for the damage. Basically: it’s better to be slow and steady, especially with the later game stuff.
With a shunter a throttle set at the first increment will give you ~10km, 2nd increment 20km, 3rd 30km, increasing throttle past that will heat up the engine and waste way more fuel than if you took it slow.
Summarized: Take it slower, rushing can and will make things worse.

[fendtfarmer]

Come on squirrel you will get to 1 mill subs

[exoticspeedefy]

I have to say that this is the only sim that is just as frustrating as shunting in real life. You forget your radio somewhere, lose your maps and documents, end up shunting to the wrong track.

[aakashchrispin]

Looking forward to the big harbor haul video.

[ZukoMindset]

I think the two empty car logistical hauls might've been the jobs that were created off of the shunting job.

[larryhaines]

You don't have to "guess" which cars will be in your job. The JOB NO. is written on each car.

[pigeonpallz]

I would like to see you hook up as many shunters to the biggest combo load you can ! I've seen a guy use the remote and two shunters to haul 833ton hazard and it was kinda cool . thank you for your videos !

[CakePrincessCelestia]

6:06 All the mass wanting to go further :)

7:53 Nice!

8:54 You're right...

9:40 LOL that was close!

10:17 Playing in VR makes it a little easier actually, which is great :)

19:08 Nice pun! :D

Quickly hopping in here because I now got my first shunting jobs after just doing freight hauls for a while and the origin trainyard on the job sheet had me confused - I picked up one that has the one listed where I'm currently at and another in the second line and I was unalbe to find the cars. Now I know why, they most probably are at the other station then. But I'll keep that job and start it over there then.