Keep reading about Desktop-type controls and AAR control stand.
Keeping in mind that the Mook has no clue as to what the insides look like - can you tell me the difference between the two?
Moo
Desk top controls have the engineer facing forward with the controls sticking vertically ouf of a desktop infront of him, the gauges (or electronic displays) are mounted on top of the desk facing the engineer.
An AAR control stand sits on the engineers left side at about a 45 deg angle. The controls stick out horizontally from the panel. The gauges are monted in the control stand.
Dave H.
Is there a preferance to which ones locomotive engineers prefer? Is there advantages on one more than the other?
Dave
I believe you are refering to the controls in the locmotives, perhaps? The desk top is found in a Dash 9 or an SD90 and the like. It’s like having a table top in front of you with the controls all in front and a video screen replaces the dials, displaying brake pipe pressure, speedometer, load meter, etc.
On the contrary, the control stand is a unit that sits off to the side of the engineer and all the dials are not digital but actual real needle style displays. The horns, break handles, throttle handles and all other controls are on this unit. I’ll try and get some pictures up shortly.
I’m sure someone could write a better description.
OK, here they are:
Union Pacific SD90
Desk top
Santa Fe SDFP45
AAR control stand
MSTS dash 9
desk top
MSTS SD40-2
control stand
MSTS Maple Leaf Tracks common EMD cab
control stand
Go to www.angelfire.com/film/trains0/cabview.html to see full size pics
This is just too cool…excuse me - exciting!!! Great pictures! Thank you -
We’ll have to hear from the “real” engineers on that one - I did read that one “new” loco - perhaps the EMD in Trains last month (don’t have it with me right now) - is going back to the AAR control stand vs the console.
Never having run a real loco, I’d have to say that in a loco that is used for “over the road” with little or now switching, the console might be preferable, other potential considerations notwithstanding (such as limited knee room). On the other hand, I would think that switching with a hood unit would be easier with the AAR stand, since looking backwards along the loco would be much easier.
I do know that running MSTS and TRS2004 with a console is far superior to using the keyboard: 
An email exchange with the RailDriver folks leads me to believe they may be coming out with an AAR stand to go along with the console.
well, with the size of the trains they are hauling and going to haul in the future - they will look like a single wide trailer, if they keep going!
That’s just great…
Just what the world needs something else to be dropped off in a field, wheels taking off and a mess of dogs and empty beer cans living underneath!
These desk top controls look pretty neat if you are simulation driving a diesel. I wonder what they will bring out for those of us who want to drive steam?
A tea kettle…real steam effects too…
i personly like the desk top controll stands vrs the AAR style stands… for running over the road…but they suck when you have to switch with them…they are a pain in the butt to use becouse the controlls are all in front of you and you have to turn around to see behind you or use your mirrors…and trying keep an eye on you conductor with the mirrors is hard sometimes becouse the cut of cars might be going around a bend…so you have to hang out the window… now the AAR stands…are much easier for switching… you can just trun the seat around and look out the back window and run with your right hand insted of your left one… or if you are hanging out the window… you can still find the controlls easier…just reach over with your left hand…all the controll handels have a differnt shape and feel so you know what handle your are grabbing just by the feel and not have to actuly look at them to make sure you have the throttle and not the dynamic brake handle… the only exception to this is the older EMD styel controll stands…they are the same as the AAR except for one key differnce… their is a little selecter handle above the throttle that you have to use if you are switching between throttle and dynmaic brake… the throttle handle and the dynamic brake handle are the same one on an EMD controll stand… also the desktops suck for sleeping…thier is no way to strech out to get comfortable… the AAR/EMD ones since the stands are to the left of you…and in the cab infront of the window thier is a heater unit that is great for proping feet up on… great for sleeping and running…just prop your feet up…reline your chair back to about a 45 degree angle… and run in comfort…lol…
oh yea…another big draw back i think about the desktops…the ones with the computer screens… is that the computer screens are hard to read when the sunlight shines on them just at the right angle… no matter how bright you make them…
csx engineer
Ironhorse…
just an FYI… the MSTS -9 cab computer screens… they are ALL WRONG…
Well I like the AAR stand. I’ve been using them for years…road or yard and even a little commuter stuff. With the desk top I have to look at what I’m doing, while I can slap at the throttle or brake instinctively without looking at the AAR. I hope they do go back. (Whatdya know! Going back is like saying the old thing was actually better…a rare event!)
I heard that engineers like control stands because they can put their feet on the heater in front. Is that true? I’ve been behind desktop-style controls, and it seemed pretty comfortable.
alaskaman,
yes its true… you can strech out and get comfortable for the 45 min power nap that csx alows train crews to take when they are being held at red blocks or waiting to get into or out of a yard
Great pictures. Only time I ever ran a diesel it was a control stand. (B&M, Newberyport- Sommerville Yard) But that was some 50 years ago. But having handled lots of streetcar K controlers since I’d still feel comfortable with a control stand. This business of sun on computer screens could be serious and should be brought to GE’s and EMD’s attention, with some kind of modifications, shading, or brighter image possible. Dave
to my knowladge the desk top controll will be in wide body cabs. i prefer the aar stand over the desk top. they are more comfortable to run. the throttle on a desk top is not easy to use instead of 1 notch you get 2 ( not a problem with ge but can be on a emd) to many notches can cause a train to come apart. on a desk top you are limited to facing forward always when running on a stand you can sit sideways . looking in the mirror is not a problem when spotting a conductor and using a mirror is easy but the problem is that you get a limited picture of what is going on. this is where a aar stand makes it easy. our new sd70s are aar controll stands all of our dash 9s are control stands. but you are correct in stating that the prefrance is to the user as to what is better. give me a aar stand anyday.
We finally found the mirror!
Well they’re not all wrong, but they’re not all right either. I’ve been in a BNSF Dash 9 and have seen video of another BNSF Dash 9 and it’s pretty close. I was only using the picture here to illustrate the generic differnce between an AAR control stand a Desk-Top control. And it was the only example I had that showed computer display screens. I found my picture of the UP SD90 Desk-Top control with out computer screens that’s why I included it also.
It order to get the train simulator cab to fit on the screen they modified it and only included the most necessary views and displays for computer gaming. The same way with the BNSF GP38-2. The arrangement in the computer is not like the real thing. I purchased a GP38-2 handbook at a train show and the control stand pictures are way different. That’s why I used the Maple Leaf Track’s version of the AAR control stand because it’s closer to the real thing. I also used the SD40-2 because, even though it’s AAR, it’s still a differnt verion of an AAR.