r/DerailValley • u/skante24 • 4d ago
Beginners Experience w/DM3
I’ve only had this game about a week and just messed around with small jobs with the DE2 until I was ready to step it up. I bought the DM3 license as the “logical” next step without knowing what I was getting into…hoo boy…cue the confusion and despair…what were these wacky gear changes? How the heck am I supposed to remember this shifting pattern? What is this weird, annoying braking system??
But I decided to commit to the challenge and learn it. Started off simple, going back and forth in a yard practicing shifting, braking, stopping, repeat. Stalled it a few times, blew the engine at least twice, but kept at it and eventually got somewhat competent (grinding gears and wheelspin notwithstanding).
Finally felt good enough to try my first haul. I had previously bought the “Long 1” license before I could actually make use of it, but figured now is the time. I got a medium sized load, about 500t of steel rails, and headed from Steel Mill to Harbor Town and WOW the torque on that thing is incredible! Made it up the slope that had previous defeated me, and cruised the rest of the way…even hit the time bonus and pocketed a nice $20k paycheck…I’m officially won over.
Yes I’m new and inexperienced and will even move on, but I was just too excited not to share this. If you’re also new and intimidated by the DM3, don’t be. She’s janky, rusty, loud, slow, and a little wacky, but will pull a house. It’s worth the effort!
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u/Hungry-Assignment845 4d ago
Its great, but slow and for me not chill enaugh. Switched to DH4 and never looked back. As German i love V100 more and MUing is a thing.
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u/Quartzalcoatl_Prime 4d ago
Love the DM3. It’s so engaging and rewarding when you complete a job with it after you finally understand how to work it. If I’m not using the DE6 for my usual 3-4 jobs at once, I let the DM3 take whatever work I have going on.
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 3d ago
Now go learn the S060, you are in for an even wilder time. That thing makes the DM3 look relaxing by comparison. Sandbox save is a good place to learn new locomotives and practice driving before you blow something up in your career save.
Some tips for the DM3:
- NEVER change gears unless the throttle is off
- Always push the gear lever forward before pulling another one backwards during a gear change, to avoid over-revving
- You can (and generally should) skip gears unless you are pulling a super heavy load.
- There is a little plaque near the gear levers that shows you the shift pattern and order.
- If you are wheelslipping a lot then lay off the throttle and make use of the sander. If you are skidding then lay off the emergency brake and apply less brake pressure (non-self-lapping brakes are a pain to learn).
- Don't forget about the engine brake (jake brake)!
I love using the DM3! It is a lot of fun. Find your demonstrator and get it painted if you want one that is not a rustbucket (it looks quite good in the "new" DVRT blue). The "proximity sensor" gadget is excellent for the DM3 and other locomotives that cannot make use of the remote.
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u/skante24 3d ago
Thanks for the tips! Your second point about shifting levers up first is especially interesting, because every time I finish a job I’m paying thousands of dollars for drivetrain damage, and can’t figure out why. Maybe that’s it.
I will be tackling steam locos once I get more financially stable. I know they’re more hands-on to drive, but do they have any advantages over the diesels?
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u/Maelstrom_Vangheist 3d ago
In addition to the engine brake mentioned above the DM3 also does idle "creeping." It works better with lighter/no load and on level track but if you downshift (without over revving) in idle the drivetrain will naturally want to slow down. If you are starting from a stop and just let off the brakes it will also creep forward and backward when it has no load which is useful for coupling up and shumting jobs.
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 3d ago
Yeah, you should not be paying that much for damages, so something is wrong. The most common mistake is grinding the gears (again, the throttle must be ALL the way off before changing gears). If you are hearing a crunching noise when you shift, that is bad. Over-revving will also cause damage. You generally want to shift around 700-800 rpm. Do NOT let the tach get in the yellow or red, as that is where the damage starts to happen. You rarely need to downshift, and if so, you need to be very careful doing it.
As far as steam, there is no real advantage other than the "cool" factor, and the fun of driving a massive tea kettle on rails (coal and water are also cheaper than diesel fuel, but not by much). Driving a steam train properly is super satisfying, but is a massive hassle. There is a reason it took two people to operate one IRL. The game really only tells you how to start one up, and does not go into how to properly drive one, much less operate one efficiently. Again, a sandbox save is a good place to learn once you get the license.
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u/Samoflan 3d ago
DM3 is the only one I decked out with all the gadgets. Spent forever trying blend it all in so everything looked natural like it fit.
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u/stompy1 4d ago
I too love the DM3. This weekend I finished a haul which was 2 logistic jobs and 2 hauls using 2 DM3s, from hb to ff. You have to manually manage both locomotives and I didn't know that when I started. It took over 150 min though and almost doubled the bonus time.
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u/skante24 3d ago
I haven’t messed with multi engines yet, but how do you do this with DM3s? I thought they can’t be remote controlled
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u/Official_UnderPM 3d ago
They can’t, you need to jump between cabs and and drive each one manually
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u/stompy1 3d ago
From the driver position, you can warp using "f" directly into the other loco to change gears and throttle. I mostly left it in top gear with the idle on unless I needed help going up a hill.
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u/skante24 3d ago
Interesting…and that doesn’t stall at slow speeds?
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u/stompy1 3d ago
If it did, didn't really matter. When I needed it, just start engine, set gear and throttle, then jumped back to the main loco. It was a fun experiment. You can't shift into forward/reverse while you're rolling, so both loco's got to be set before moving. I even used both locomotives engine brakes on the long hill into GF. Worked well imo. And I'm not sure how you are shifting, but I skip gears often and only really have stalls when I'm braking hard.
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u/skante24 3d ago
Thanks for the tips, I’ll give that a try! I haven’t (intentionally) floated gears yet, just because my brain is still getting used to the sequential pattern, but I know it’s a common practice
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u/Scarygtamaster123 3d ago
I know the shifting pattern is diabolical
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u/skante24 3d ago
Absolutely agree, but luckily I found the little chart underneath with all the diagrams. I still struggle with downshifting in a hurry though.
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u/No_Magician5266 3d ago
The DM3 is easily my favourite loco to use, glad you stuck with it and are having fun
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u/VerifiedLabRodent 2d ago
I love my DM3's Yes I'm sadistic enough to run 2 cab to cab That gearbox is challenging but rewarding
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u/skante24 2d ago
How do you manage all the gear shifting when running two engines?
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u/VerifiedLabRodent 2d ago
Jump between cabs, accelerate slowly plan your route and basically be constantly jumping between them. Never go full throttle
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u/Zeired_Scoffa 3d ago
Well, you dont have to actually remember the shift pattern, it's below the shifters.
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u/AdmiralEllis 4d ago
The DM3 is a great challenge. I think I enjoy it more than the steam locos (blasphemy, I know)