[ErickC]

It's actually very common for cabooses and whatnot to have brake pressure gauges and brake valves. Is there any way that the passenger view could gain the same ability to have animated controls and displays as a 3D cab? We could just follow the same naming conventions and place a cvf file in the root folder with the same name as the passenger view shape file. It would be impractical to set up a caboose as a powerless locomotive, because you can't swap cabs unless a very restrictive set of parameters are met (although it would be nice if we could get rid of this "feature" anyway). This would defeat the purpose of having a caboose interior - that of having a view to switch to on the run to enjoy the scenery.

If we could have controls in a caboose, we could also use the reverser tag to change the seat direction, which would also be really handy... I can provide a test model if anyone would be interested in working on this.

[steved]

As long as we're monkeying with the caboose view it would be great to have several and be able to toggle between them.Go from a cupola view to the back platform to the conductor's desk. Let the rear brakeman wonder around a bit.
Maybe even use the whistle and brake valve on the platform.
One can always wish.Steve

[ErickC]

Yeah, I was thinking along those lines, too, but didn't want to ask for too much. The tentative plan is to create a powerless engine version for switching activities, which would have a passenger view on the back porch and a cab view in the cupola, which would allow the use of a whistle. In this particular case, it wouldn't be too big of a restriction to have to stop the train to switch cabs, since you'd be using it for backup moves where you'd have to stop anyway. Such a caboose, as mentioned above, would be useless for over-the-road use.

The ideal solution, of course, would be a separate caboose whistle parameter and multiple views inside of a caboose with working controls, as you suggest.

[ebnertra000]

I like the idea of this, since I've actually seen pictures of a caboose that was used in this fashion, to the point that it had headlights and a horn. Reserve Mining used it on push-pull tailings trains until they got DPU-equipped power

[Traindude]

steved, on 27 August 2018 - 10:01 AM, said:

As long as we're monkeying with the caboose view it would be great to have several and be able to toggle between them.Go from a cupola view to the back platform to the conductor's desk. Let the rear brakeman wonder around a bit.
Maybe even use the whistle and brake valve on the platform.
One can always wish.Steve

I like that idea. It definitely has applications for passenger cars, too. Imagine toggling between different sleeping car accommodations--sections, roomettes, double bedrooms, compartments and drawing rooms!

[Csantucci]

Allowing multiple passenger views for the same carriage shouldn't be so difficult.
I see two possibilities for keyboard assignment, once you are within the passenger view:
1) pressing Shift+5 enters the first alternate passenger view, and pressing further Shift+5 enters following alternate passenger views: only one key assignment is consumed, but you might press multiple times to arrive to the desired alternate passenger view;
2) pressing Shift+2, Shift+3, Shift+4, Shift+5, Shift+6 you directly go to the related alternate passenger view: more key assignments are consumed, but you directly go to the desired alternate passenger view.
The alternate passenger views should all be based on the .s file used for the default passenger view.
A possible .wag or .eng file arrangement could be following one:

	Inside (
		PassengerCabinFile ( Seconde.s )
		PassengerCabinHeadPos ( 1.109 1.685 -0.091 )
		RotationLimit ( 50 270 0 )
		StartDirection ( 0 0 0 )
		Sound ( "Duplexpas.sms" )
	)
	ORTSAlternatePassengerViewPoints (
		ORTSAlternatePassengerViewPoint (
			PassengerCabinHeadPos ( 1.109 1.685 2.091 )
			RotationLimit ( 50 270 0 )
			StartDirection ( 0 90 0 )
			Sound ( "Duplexpas.sms" )	
		)
		ORTSAlternatePassengerViewPoint (
			PassengerCabinHeadPos ( -1.109 1.685 -0.091 )
			RotationLimit ( 50 270 0 )
			StartDirection ( 0 180 0 )
			Sound ( "Duplexpas.sms" )	
		)	
	)

These additional block might of course be inserted in an include file, so as to leave the base .eng file in a standard MSTS format.

In fact what I often miss in passenger views is also the possibility to be near the opposite window, in order to look at the landscape at the opposite side.

[Csantucci]

So, I started on my last idea. Here you have these .exe and .dll files to replace into x.4185
(deleted)
When you are in a passenger view, by pressing Shift-5 your view switches to the opposite side of the carriage (so left side if you were on right side and vice-versa). This feature does not require changes in the .wag file.
Disclaimer: to get a good effect of course some preconditions are needed:
- the X zero of the shape must be at the center of the track (it is usually so)
- the shape must be designed also at the opposite side (there are some incomplete passenger view shapes, however also this precondition is usually satisfied)
- the walls/windows of the wagons must be located more or less symmetrically on the X-axis (also usually so).

2/9/2018: file deleted because new test version available

[Csantucci]

I have created a blueprint for the enhanced passenger view here https://blueprints.l...-passenger-view including following points:
1) Switching view from right side to left side and vice-versa with a key press
2) Additional views within same wagon and same .s file
3) Display of gauges (to be analyzed).

Trello box here https://trello.com/c...-passenger-view . Vote if interested in this feature.

[ErickC]

Voted. I tried your revision last night and it's very handy. Do you want to use the caboose I am working on for further testing? It has several places where you could place a camera: both porches, seats on each side of the A end, seats in the cupola, and a couch in the A end across from the stove. If the gauge display idea gets enough votes, it also has a brake pipe gauge set up with the same naming conventions as the 3D cabs.

[steved]

ErickC, on 30 August 2018 - 09:05 AM, said:

Voted. I tried your revision last night and it's very handy. Do you want to use the caboose I am working on for further testing? It has several places where you could place a camera: both porches, seats on each side of the A end, seats in the cupola, and a couch in the A end across from the stove. If the gauge display idea gets enough votes, it also has a brake pipe gauge set up with the same naming conventions as the 3D cabs.

And almost aff of the cabooses, at least I ones I worked on, had airbrake valves and whistles on each platform and a swivel spotlight, for grade crossing/reverse movements.
These were actually used quite a bit.

Steve