Rail Sim Discussions

F8 key

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:38:48 +0000

Hello,

I have been using MSTS since it came out. That said, I am embarrassed to say that I have never mastered how to switch my trains effectively using the F8 key in tangent with the G and shift + G keys. I have read the help section for MSTS. I know that clicking shift + g key throws the switch behind. What I anticipate is the correct alignment of the switches, based on the display of the F8 switch monitor, to get me from point a to point b never seems to work effectively. Can someone please give me a tutorial in lay man terms on the basic principles of the F8, g, and shift g keys? It is really hard to know which track my train is going to diverge and converge from or to using the F8 window.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,
Walter

Error After Resizing

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:28:10 +0000

Greetings everyone. Since the locomotive in question, Captain Bazza's Chinese C2 is the culprit at the moment, I thought I'd post this here. I've always loved the model, with one issue: It was built during the pre x-tracks days, using 2:1 scale to make standard gauge look like 2.5ft gauge. So, wanting to run it on today's more up-to-date routes using the latest in x-tracks pieces, I decided I'd try rescaling the locomotive and tender using Shape File Manager. Got that all done, had SFM also resize the bounding boxes in the .sd file and all dimensions in the .eng file (length, width, height, steam/smoke positions, light positions, head-out positions, passenger view positions... You name it.) I opened them up in shape viewer together and they looked and worked just fine (even the Bazza motion was working just fine,) to the point where everything looked to work correctly with other similarly scaled locomotives. Put it in the simulator, created a consist of just the locomotive and tender to try things out and wham-o! Already an issue.

Quote

Error reading train database file File: Trains\Trainset\BZZ_N26_C2_2\BZZ_N26_C2_2.eng Line: 162

So I went in, opened up the .eng file in question, went to line 162 and was greeted with

Quote

Light (

I've had similar issues in the light section before, but not with the opening bracket. So thinking it might be a BIN issue, I went and uninstalled and then reinstalled BIN (twice, using the stable release and the working release) to no avail. Still getting a line 162 error. I searched up and down the Steam4Me site, and found no clues as to what might be going on. Did a search here and in other forums and all I came up with for light issues is "install bin." Check, already did that. So, I took the folder out of the trainset, removed it's consist file, put the original back in, made another new consist, loaded up the simulator and... Voila! No problem other than having a 2:1 scale locomotive on 1:1 scale 30" track. So, I reversed the previous process, tried it again and still a Line 162 problem. I've tried all I can think of. I ran the file through Route Riter; no luck. I've tried adjusting the spacing of the "Light" and the opening parenthesis; no luck. I'm about at whits end and could use some help here. I've attached the .eng file (though as a .txt file, apparently I can't upload a .eng file) so maybe those of you with a more trained eye to spotting the tiny little errors that MSTS throws fits over, can find what I'm missing.

Thanks for staying with me so far, if you have. And thanks for any advice. (And further thanks to Barry [if I may call you that] for an otherwise fabulous locomotive!])

BZZ_NG26_C2_2.txt (35.64K)
: 5

Need Smoking factory smokestack

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:13:57 +0000

OK - so building the smokestack is easy asn I already have that done.
But I would like to add animated smoke to the stack and I have very quickly found that that is not an easy chore to accompliush - for me anyway.

I see a smoking stack in the sea view route and would like to know how to do that...can anyone help me with that project?

Very much appreciated in advance

Oh Yes - here is my TSModeler model from my 1930's route with the smokestack: And yes - I have some land filling to do.

Hopper Car Madness at BLLW

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:16:20 +0000

Have you been eying the Keystone Legends series items, but don't quite have the room in your budget for everything you want?

It's your lucky week! In recognition of Labor Day, BLLW is pleased to announce our "Black Diamond BOGO"! Only from Friday, Sept. 3rd through Friday, Sept. 10th, buy any Keystone Legends H21a set, and receive your second set ABSOLUTELY FREE! Sound good? THERE'S MORE! The bonus sets are still included free of charge. Just think, three sets of dizzyingly-accurate H21a's for the price of one! Steam on over to BLLW and get yours today!

Over the Pond to Scotland

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:32:01 +0000

Hi Everyone,
I posted on here sometime last November about unfinished routes and here in the UK, we have quite a few that get off to a good start, then get abandoned for one reason or another. One particular route is the Scottish Central. This route which incorporates the magnificent Forth & Tay Bridges was started way back in 2003 but was never finished. Basicaly it runs from Dunbar, 20 miles south of Ednburgh and ends at Dundee across the Firth of Tay, after first crossing the 1.25 mile long Tay Bridge. There was some scenery added to the route around Edinburgh which includes Waverley Station, a beautiful Victorian building containing fifteen platforms, this alone is a magnificent structure and the creme de la creme of the route. Approx 15 miles north of Edinburgh, is the magnificent Forth Bridge, which almost a mile in length, crosses the Firth of Forth (Firth beng 'gaelic' for River).
Scenery adding ended approx five miles north of the Forth Bridge and the only other scenery done in the route was a bit at the Dundee end, including the Tay Bridge. The tracks also extend to Glasgow Queen St & Glasgow Central stations, altogether making it quite a large route with over two hundred route miles.

After almost seven years, the Scottish Central Route has finally been given the Green Light for work to begin again where it orignally left off. At the moment the route is well under developement again, by myself and another route builder, after first seeking the permission to finish it from the original author. It was originally intended to be a modern image route set during the 1990s period, but it was decided to make it a Steam Era route set around the mid 1950s to late 1960s which was the period when steam in the UK was coming to an end (1967). With the inroduction of Diesel Traction around 1963, both steam and diesel could be seen running together, before all steam finally ceased in 1968.

It has also been decided to add further extensions to this route by incorporating Stirling & Perth which will add another one hundred miles or so and allow many more options for making and running activities. This part of Scotland (Fife) around the Forth area was a hive of industry during the 50s & 60s which covered coal mining, refineries, dockyards, whisky distilleries, stone quarrying and a host of other minor industries which are all being included in the route. This makes this route all the more enjoyable because as well as running passenger trains, there will be many oportunities for running lots of various goods activities, which will keep activity editors happy for hours.

The route once finished will be available for download and will also be available on DVD (for a nominal fee to cover the DVD + P&P) and this will include a train pack with over twenty main line locos, and a host of goods locos all specially built for this route, plus new coaching and goods stock.(DVD version ONLY) All locos made for the route are based on those that were shedded in this part of Scotland during the period the route is set. There will also be about twenty or so activities included with the DVD package. Route ONLY, available as a download, but no stock & activity pack.
Both versions will be available from UKTrainsim only.

If you are interested or just curious, you can follow the progress of this route by clicking here:>

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=240&t=101456

Updates are posted on a regular basis and there are well over a hundred screenshots for you to view, throughout the whole topic so far. Work is still in progress and it is hoped to have the route completed for about March next year (2011). Subject to the interest still being shown in MSTS and the developement of OR, there is a possibility that this route will be extended further, to Newcastle in the south and Aberdeen & Inverness in the north, adding another two hundred route miles. But it is only a possibility for now. Please pop over and have a browse through the 18 pages on this topic so far.
Any comments on the route from you guys would be much appreciated, should you wish to view this topic.

Geoff

MSTS freezes then crashes after exiting

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:05:56 +0000

Hello,

Despite some ongoing non-MSTS computer problems, I was hoping to get MSTS to a point where I wanted it. I moved around a couple of the files in the main Train Simulator to create a mini route -- I thought I knew how to create a mini route the right way. Well, after I did this, MSTS now crashes when I hit escape from an activity. This problem occurs with most of my routes. The only route that goes to the activity page is the Southern Tier route which does not have many scenery items. I don't know if the following is important but I have the latest version of MSTSBin installed and the MSTS patch.

Walter

Pennsylvania & Lehigh Valley

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:59:46 +0000

Ok, I am once again requesting a steam locomotive builder, cept this time i at least have diagrams . I'll post the diagrams in a bit when i have the custom parts diagrams done that i'm drawing myself. Before I do that, would there be anyone interested in this project at all?

I Figured the P&LV has diesels, but what is a railroad's history without steam

Nate

Rail Simulator Consist Editor

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:27:57 +0000

I just recently downloaded and installed the KRS Consent Editor. It does not work and because of that I can't use my downloaded train from this site in my game. Does anyone know of a Consent Editor that does work for Rail Simulator and where it can be found. If you know of one send a message to me on this site, I am jpetersjr

Diesels West SP MP15AC

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:17:45 +0000

Hey Folks
I came across this Yesterday. Seems like Scott from Diesels West is beavering away at SP Pack 3.

I've got quite a bit of His stuff including SP pack 1&2. This one looks like a real kicker.

Cheers Tony

Balloon Tracks

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:57:51 +0000

Using ScaleRail, what would be the most efficent way to make a balloon in this fashion?:

How to sync steam sounds ?

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:52:28 +0000

Could anyone please advise me as to the proper way to sync steam sounds with the animation of the drive cylinders and rods . I'm trying to add some different sounds to an engine that is different than the original .
Any and all Help is appreciated !
Thanx
Hobo

A New Commuter Railroad

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:57:45 +0000

Well...ummm. I really don't know how I want to start this.

I'm wanting (or dreaming) of planning a commuter railroad, something that's just long enough to connect a city with a suburb...and not even a really big city. More of a regional thing. An interurban if you will, between two or more points on a route that's maybe 70-100 miles long. Problem is I have no idea even where to start. I know where I want it - in the Pacific "wastefulness of grace" Northwest, but it seems that everytime I have an idea about doing a railroad or a route, it gets alot of momentum and then comes to a slamming halt.

I know a few have said that they've had an interest of seeing something like this, and has offered to help, but that's not the point of this post. The point of it is, me trying to find a direction to go in. Last night I found my favortie EMUs (in MSTS), downloaded them and instantly fell in love with them all over again. Now instead of modifying a route, I really want to build one from nothing and seeing where it goes. I don't care about grades, tunnels, none of that shoot. I just want to be able to rip open the throttle and move like no effing tomorrow across a wide distance.

I want to be able to have a real traction railroad with that real spark and almost like the renaissance for transit-rail we've been seeing here in North America over the past four-to-five years. Yes, I know while this isn't light rail, this is an idea for railroads that operate like a "heavy-rail" railroad all over the world, including North America.

I guess what I'm getting at is, does anyone have a better clue here than I? Does anyone here know exactly what I'd be looking for to model and how I can get it done? Anyone can design a map, profile, something that'll get me on the right track...I have some beautiful EMUs that are in need of a wonderful home, and as much as I'd like to, right now my mind won't let me concentrate to give them one. As ya'll have seen, I can modify a route into something amazing, but as for all the other projects and route building teams I've been on, nothing happens. I want to change that. Just part of me doesn't know how or part of me isn't inspired to...I don't know. Either way, this is something I want to do, but its hard to sort your thoughts when they're racing at 100 gilzillionbehgillion miles an hour.

With that, being said, heres the EMUs...now they need a route just as beautiful for them. http://www.bclw.ca/P...LineDrawing.png

I think I left quite a bit out, I guess once I have more "spark" I'll come back here and continue ranting. Anywho, thank you for reading this.

Crashing before Starting

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:42:18 +0000

!!! Last night I ran Route Riter because I have been having a lot of trouble with the error messages that pop up before you can run the sim, and I figured there would be something to make it better. Well it got worse. I used the six things on the Activities/Stock page that say fix .eng .wag .sd .com .act .srv files. I figured this would somehow fix or tell me how to fix the problems. Well it told me how, in lists hundreds of things wrong. I don't know how much of a big deal some of this stuff is, and I know there's some stuff I can't fix. Anyhow, now there are over 100 error messages and after a while of clicking yes to these it crashes. It my sim fried or is this repairable. I could never understand why people got pissed off and got rid of the sim, but with all the issues I have been experiencing lately, I get it. I'm spending more time trying to get it to operate than actually operating! What fun is that? Does anybody know how to fix this? Any help would be appreciated! I will continue to try to figure it out myself and if anything pressing pops up, I'll post it.
Thank you,
Sam

Doubleheader Whistles?

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:42:11 +0000

I have Master Muir's NP steamers, and today I ran a doubleheader using the helper engine files for the second loco. I was thinking to myself how cool it would be to have the whistles on both locos blow at the same time, but that defies the laws of the sim. Now I know with two of the same whistles you wouldn't notice anything special, but what if both locos had different pitches or different whistles altogether (like a 3 chime and a 5 chime for example)? Even better, what if both whistles played different tunes (some whistles in MSTS locos have different tunes versus a continuous tone, like loooong, short, short, loong...loooong, short, short, loong... and so on)? I am no expert on sound files but after messin' with Windows Movie Maker and two whistle sounds (Southern 4501 (3 chime I believe) and the 6 chime with the pattern off of the Reading Camelback), I layered the two to get a really neat sound. Why not layer two whistle sounds on top of one another and have that be the whistle for the lead locomotive (or whichever one you're in the cab of). I'm not just talking about just the NP F1s, this could be done with any locos of course. I don't have a sound editing program otherwise I'd make some myself and release them. I know this is pushing it, but is it possible to create key commands for the sim? If this could be done you could have different keys for different mixtures and patterns of the two (or more) whistles. I guess if this was possible you wouldn't even need to combine the two whistles, you could have a key for each whistle. Could something be done like say get rid of the bell sound and replace it with a whistle sound? Then you could have two whistle sounds.
Hope that interests someone,
Sam

Bad track Section (TDB?)I found a section of track out of place. While I can find and delete it in the world file, I cannot add a replacement section.

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:05:55 +0000

I found a section of track out of place. While I can find and delete it in the world file, I cannot add a replacement section. Rebuilding the TDA in RouteRiter just trashes the route. (Thank Goodness for backups)

What is the fix, if there is one?
Michael

Never mind found an old back-up from before this track was corrupted. Just cut and pasted over the world file with the bad track. Should have tried this sooner.

Thanks anyhow
Michael

Springfield Terminal v2 Issue

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:12:46 +0000

I downloaded the Springfield v2 Route today from the ET file library, and it won't show up in the game route menu. I ran the install file and its just not there. Any idea what the problem may be?
Thank you,
Sam

Shadows

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:51:36 +0000

I am using berms from the Whitefish route, along with Quebec berms for scalerail.They look good together but the ones from the whitefish route have shadows enabled while the scalerail ones dont. Is there a way to turn shadows off in the shape file? I opened up one of the shapes and saw nothing pertaining to shadows. Nothing in the sd file either. Any info on this?

Computer destroyed! Now what is going Here?

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:45:49 +0000

I backed up the train simulator folder and all the rest of my stuff the day before my computer crashed. Now, with a new install of windows and train simulator back where it should be(In program files),I go to play it and it works fine. The problem is when I play with any steam loco, They all use the Scotsman sounds.
What Happened??????

Easiest Wye I Ever Built!

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:17:39 +0000

Now, this may have been posted all over the place, but I didn't know it. I got to thinking, while soaking in a tub of hot water, about the hassle of building wyes. I came up with an idea, not suitable for all locations, by any means, but it gets the train turned around using only 3 types of track. I only use ScaleRail, so don't know about other profiles.

It consists of a 10dR switch, End10dR, and ( 2)150r20d curves on each leg. It all fit, boom! I suspect this would work with any other symetrical group.

Steve

BCER activity 'livrpool'

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 10:55:18 +0000

Does anyone know if the activity 'livrpool.zip' from trainsim.com works with BCERv3?
Brian

More CTDs with MSTS

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:01:33 +0000

Hi all,
Got a new problem and not sure how to solve it.
After setting up three mini routes, which all run flawlessly, btw, the default MSTS won't run anymore.
I have messed something up in the default installation and can't find my error.

1. Will the mini routes still run if I uninstall MSTS proper?
2. Can I uninstall MSTS then re-install it without effecting the mini routes?

It appears that re-installing MSTS is the only answer I have to solving this dilemma.

Thanks,

We NEED a WP&YR Route!!!

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:24:24 +0000

I have been very interested in the WP&YR since i went up to Alaska, and it was the best experience of my life and especially to other railfans! If we had the route, we could re-experience the beauty and splendor that narrow gauge railroading has to offer. So please, can someone make a White Pass Route, and maybe the equipment to go with it? That will be great!

Koasterkidd

Signals in a route with Dark Territory

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:47:52 +0000

Hello,

As many of you know, I am working with my friend on building the Middletown & Unionville (M&U) Railroad for MSTS. In reality, this railroad did not have any signals. My friend and I are including in the virtual M&U route the trackage of the Ontario and Western Railway and Erie Railroad which did have signals close to the M&U trackage. I am wondering if it is possible to have the M&U portion of the M&U route without signals while the O&W and Erie trackage have signals without getting the AI confused. Is there a way to bury/hide signals on the M&U portion to allow for the scheduling of AI traffic on the Erie and O&W sections of the route?

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Walter Conklin

Rate of change for Variable2 in SMS file?

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 04:37:07 +0000

I have been playing around with some samples from a H-12 FB engine. I am trying to simulate a throttle up/down between notches. There are various ways of getting the throttle up/down "oneshot" sounds to trigger. Now what I don't have a handle on (pun submitted by default here!) is the rate of change in the Variable2 when for example, the throttle is moved from 0% to 13% (Idle to Notch1). How many seconds does it take the Variable2 in the SMS file to go from 0.0 to 0.13?

The reason for asking this is that if you have a bunch of discrete engine sounds for different notches you would most likely want them to fit these notches (from many Diesel ENG files):

EngineControllers (
Throttle ( 0 1 0.125 0
NumNotches ( 9
Notch ( 0 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.125 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.25 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.375 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.5 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.625 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.75 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 0.875 0 Dummy )
Notch ( 1 0 Dummy )
)
)
.....

However, throttle up/down sounds occur between settings. Unless you are very lucky you will not be able to loop your engine samples to an exact length of time (as is my case, where the lower notches have longer samples than the higher ones). So effectively the triggers for throttle up/down sounds from Variable2 have to triggered at different relative values between notches. Hence the question of how long does it take for Variable2 to change?

Can anybody help?

Thanks,

Eldorado

PS: The fixed notch sounds and the throttle up/down sounds are in different "Streams" in the SMS file. They have to be because I do not want dead spots (no sound) as Variable2 changes its value from one Notch to the other!

Looking for a CNJ Pacific

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 02:37:44 +0000

I'm going to tackle a freeware version of the CNJ "Blue Comet" using my modified Cowen cars. The only thing missing is a CNJ Pacific to pull it.

Does anyone know of a model close enough to use/reskin?

(photo courtesy of Hank Sundermeyer)

Thanks

Rick

BC Locomotive.bmp (3.18MB)
: 47

Models underway at BLLW

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:24:17 +0000

Just thought I'd stop off to let you guys know that BLLW is still going stronger this year than ever. Currently in the shops to become an eventual member of the "Keystone Legends" Series of equipment is the PRR Headend package. This exclusive package will include high detail and high quality examples of cars owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad, but operated under contracts by the Railway Express Agency and United States Postal Service. Cars in these services could be found rolling anywhere in the US. Shown below are a few work in progress examples still being tweaked and tested. All cars have operable doors, animated wheels, high quality artwork and much more.

PRR 74' "BM70m" Railway Post Office Car

PRR Postwar Era 60' "B60b" with on-board facilities for a Railway Express Agency Messenger

More shots are available at: BLLW

Traction Direction Switching

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:16:12 +0000

I feel really dumb asking this because I've done it before many times in the sim. I forget how to switch ends of a locomotive, specifically a trolley. I've looked all over the forums and I can't find the thread where I originally learned how to do it. I really hate to bother you guys, but I'm lost and really frustrated. I know you have to be stopped with the brake on, but I forget what button(s) to press to change ends.
Thank you,
Sam

BindCPU and how I solved a problem!

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 05:16:13 +0000

For some time now I have used google to find an answer to a MSTS problem. I have read about many users complaining about how poor or great their framerates were on their respective hardware. Talk about multicore CPU's, the latest GPU's, fast SATA drives, etc. But in the back of my mind I knew when MSTS was written, back in the days of single core CPU's and Windows 98. The truth about MSTS is single core CPU execution speed. So I spent a frustrating 1.5 years trying to figure out why MSTS behaved so poorly on an AMD AthlonX2 4500 (2 Cores).

Many complain about the stutter every time a new tile is loaded. That was something I had seen since day one. But I was not prepared to answer the reason why my AthlonX2 setup ALWAYS stuttered. It seemed to behave well with flight simulators but not MSTS.

Some time back I stumbled on the commandline switch for MSTS Bin, -mapframerate. This switch might seem useless to some, but to me it was like winning the lottery. It tells you graphically what is going on with the frame rates in the top left hand corner of the screen. You can see when a tile is being loaded or what happens when the camera is panning around in view 4 and more.

Today I was trying out the Autopilot (ctrl numpad "2") feature with MSTS Bin in windowed mode and I happen to open the taskmanager to see what was going on with the CPU usage graphically. I suddenly noticed that the graphical output from the -mapframerate switch in MSTS was mirroring the ping-pong effect between the two cores in the AthlonX2. It then occured to me that maybe all the stutter in MSTS was because of the context switching going on in the CPU. I selected "train.exe" in the taskmanager (process tab) and right clicked on it to set the affinity to one and only one core. Like magic the two years of stuttering in MSTS were gone!

The next trick was to have MSTS always start up with one and only one core, whether in a window or fullscreen. So I found this BindCPU
and it solved the problem.

For an older 8X AGP system I am getting 30-40 FPS in Soldier's Summit from MLT and no more stutter except for a tile load.

I hope this helps somebody out there because I could not find a simple answer to this anywhere!

Eldorado

RGS Progress

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:12:24 +0000

OK, I'm back to work and finally finished foliating the Dolores River Valley from MP 73 north of King to Rico. This marks the completion of District 2 - Durango to Rico. Here is the RGS So Far - Yellow marks the completed sections:

Here is the valley near MP 73.

Passing a flock of woolies at Garbareno - good dog! Keep 'em back!

An engineer's eye view of the canon north of Montelores.

Coming out of the canon.

Rolling into Rico.

Rico is Achieved!

What a fine looking hogger on old 25 today!

Now it is time to go to work on the black lines on the map. Rico to Lizard Head has been realigned and is ready for foliation. Lizard Head north to Ridgway still has to be tweaked. Ridgway, Placerville, the Telluride Branch and Ophir have been nearly completed so the 'detailed' areas are nearly finished. But there is still lots of work to be done on the mainlines.

I'm still hoping to finish this thing and release it sometime before 2011 gets here!

3DTS Cab Forwards

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:49:33 +0000

Hey All-
I just received 3DTrainstuff's Donner Pass, but I noticed that the driverss of the cab forward rotate too slow (it's not that bad but it's definitely noticeable, for me at least...); I know you can change the wheel rotation speed in the .eng file, but does anyone know of a way to preserve the synchronization of the sounds (i.e. the 4 chugs/rotation)?
-Justin

a few updates from me.

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:02:07 +0000

Hello guys, It sure has been awhile since I was last here posting. I would like to start by saying, I am currently at the half way point in track laying for the Maine Central Mountain Division route, that will be running from Portland, Maine to St. Johnsbury, Vermont. It will be based in the 1950's and 1960's however, this doesn't limit the potential or running diesel MEC power on the route up into the buyout in 1981. I am also currently working on a set of as delivered Maine Central GP38's based off the Streamlines Inc BNSF GP38-2 from their Scenic Sub route. So far, they are 95% complete.

Here are some teaser shots, of both the route, and the engines.

Rigby Yard looking towards Portland.

A freight Train bound for Rumford is leaving Rigby with a set of F7 units.

Sebago Lake region.

Steep Falls, Maine.

A mixture of textures in one, All are photo textures with use of my own photos.

Mail Train usually has to back down to North Conway NH, on the B&M Line.

Now, for the progress of the GP38 unit. Before shot:

Parts I added in with TSM.

Slowly these are being finalized. Phase two, will eventually come for these MEC units, as I will do the "Rebuild" with cut dynamic blisters, a new filter box near the dynamic brake housing, and a new K5LA horn rather then the 3 chime horn. A friend of mine is hopefully adding the White chevrons to the front Pilot as well.

Also, I remember talking with someone here, about the SR&RL line, How much has progressed on that route? I would have to cancel the part of me doing the MEC part of that, as I have gotten tied up in my own work, but It would be still interesting for that to be part of it.

Thanks for looking.

Coming soon to the ET file library!!

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 02:41:01 +0000

I have decided to upload my steam whistles and boiler to the ET library. I will try to get them on ether tomorrow, or the next day. Any tips on uploading are welcome.

Been experiencing a lot of CTDs lately

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:51:07 +0000

Hi all,
I've been experiencing quite a few Crashes To Desktop lately and was wondering if anyone can explain why? No messages displayed, no notes to Billy, no nothing, just, "Hello desktop" is all that happens.
It rarely happens when playing the sim. I can play for hours and not get any CTDs but, it's when I hit the F2 key then the OK button is when it happens. It will also crash after I pause the sim then hit the Return To Activity button. It'll crash after reading the train orders then clicking on the little 'x' to close that window.
In other words, my crashes are occurring when ever I try to return to the sim.
Anybody got a handle on that situation?

Thanks,

Random positioning of gantry items

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:57:30 +0000

The reason for asking this question is that in nature, the position of things such grass and trees are rarely symmetrical. At least that is what I seem to see! The attached image is that of ATSF La Junta (freeware, over at TS). Travelling this route in MSTS I notice that vast sections of vegetation are gantry items. My mind and eye would like to re-position them such that they are not symmetrical and have a slight random rotation around the Y-axis. I could punish myself by doing this in RE, but my job does enough of that everyday! I was thinking that it might be simpler to modify the world files instead. The two items in question are for any given gantry item in a world file are:
eg.
Position ( -86.9195 43.7045 148.33 )
QDirection ( -0.00576709 0.678806 -0.00533145 0.734276 )

1) Modifying the "Position" should allow me to move the shape in the simulation, correct?
2) Modifying the "QDirection" should allow me to rotate the shape in the simulation, correct?

Would I also be correct in assuming that only the world files need to modified for non-track items to move the position and pitch/yaw/roll (hey, I grew up in the "space age"!) of a given shape?

I am thinking of writing a utility that could take items that are placed near the track (especially grass and bushes) and randomizing their position so it doesn't look like the image that I have posted.

I value your input!

search route

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:48:56 +0000

I am looking for the road La Salle Rockford And Central who could give me the link for the download
Thanks