[CC&C #15]

In my quest for more Japanese trains for MSTS, I dug up some nice Series 204 EMUs at TrainSim.com
 series204.jpg (557.83K)
Number of downloads: 1

And some Kiha 40 DMUs
 kiha40.jpg (538.88K)
Number of downloads: 2

The problem is these trains are AI only and I'd like to be able to drive them instead of tow them behind another locomotive.
I know making AI trains drivable is possible, but I don't know the process or the difficulty.
Any pros out there care to throw in their two cents?

[ebnertra000]

Basically, put a cabview line in the .eng file and make sure it has a cab sound line. It's just that easy.

In OR, engines without cabs can be run, but you will be stuck in outside views

[CC&C #15]

I tried with the Series 205, but I got a message saying the consist didn't have a player-drivable engine.
Is there a specific way or place to add the text in the .eng file?
*EDIT* Never mind, I figured it out, well that's one more skill under my belt. :buffalobill:

The problem is the Keihin-Tohoku Line and Chuo Line Series 205s (The solid blue and solid orange on the right) keep throwing error messages and crashing the game.
The Keihin-Tohoku train loads up fine in Shape Viewer and the consist editor, but when I fire up the game, it crashes with the following message:
 crash error.jpg (17.84K)
Number of downloads: 1
I will also receive this message when loading the consist editor, but can continue without incident if I click "Yes".

The Chuo front car somehow got the skin of the blue-stripe 205 when it shows up in the consist editor (Even though I touched nothing) and crashes with no error when I try to load the consist in the game.

The blue-stripe 205 has sound and no brakes while the Yamanote Line 205 has brakes and no sound, but both trains otherwise load up and run perfectly.

[CC&C #15]

Also, when I try to load any of the Kiha 40s in the game, I get the following error messages in order:
 errors.jpg (54.56K)
Number of downloads: 2
The Kiha 40s were previously in one folder, but I had since individualized them by putting them in their own folders (And renaming them based on the areas they operated), and I had thought this was the issue.
But low and behold, I put everything back the way it was and still got the same messages (And the names weren't changed despite showing up in the .eng files).
Penny for your thoughts?

[ebnertra000]

I'll take a crack at it sunday night when I get home from an ice fishing trip. Something strange is afoot, since I don't recall having so many errors from de-AIing stock

[slipperman]

Hi CC&C #15,
All the KIHA140 .eng files are looking for shape files named the same as the .eng files, but they don't exist! You need the edit the WagonShape entry in each .eng file to omit the leading #; then they should work OK.
There is also a problem with the supplied consists in that all the trailing vehicles are shown as Wagon/WagonData - these should be changed to Engine and EngineData (in the Consist files).

I haven't checked the 205s yet, but are you using the Series2000 cabview and sounds?

Cheers,
Ged

[CC&C #15]

slipperman, on 04 January 2019 - 10:29 AM, said:

Hi CC&C #15,
All the KIHA140 .eng files are looking for shape files named the same as the .eng files, but they don't exist! You need the edit the WagonShape entry in each .eng file to omit the leading #; then they should work OK.
There is also a problem with the supplied consists in that all the trailing vehicles are shown as Wagon/WagonData - these should be changed to Engine and EngineData (in the Consist files).

I haven't checked the 205s yet, but are you using the Series2000 cabview and sounds?

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks, the Kiha 40s are now working perfectly, although they still don't display the new names despite me changing them.
I eventually figured out the sound issue on the 205s, which are indeed using the Series 2000 sounds and cab.
The blue-stripe 205 has no brakes and the Chuo Line (Orange) 205's cab car is still the blue-stripe cab car in the editor and crashes with no error when I load it in the game.

[slipperman]

Hi CC&C #15,
I found the following errors in the 204/205 files :
(1) JNR_205yoko_LimeBar_AI/205moha_LG.wag
WagonShape ( 205moha_sa.s ) should be WagonShape ( 205moha_LG.s )

(2) JNR_205yoko_Orange_AI/204kuha_OR.eng
The 2nd wagon entry is ( #204kuha_sa ) but should be ( #204kuha_OR )

(3) JNR_205yoko_Blue_AI/204kuha_blue.eng
File name should be amended to 204kuha_B.eng

... and one error in the KIHA140_AI folder :
File #jp2kiha140_Y.eng has WagonShape ( jp2kiha140_U.s ) which should be WagonShape ( jp2kiha140_Y.s )

There were some errors in the consists files MSTS didn't like, which you've obviously overcome, or are, probably, running in Open Rails.

Cheers,
Ged

[CC&C #15]

slipperman, on 04 January 2019 - 01:38 PM, said:

Hi CC&C #15,
I found the following errors in the 204/205 files :
(1) JNR_205yoko_LimeBar_AI/205moha_LG.wag
WagonShape ( 205moha_sa.s ) should be WagonShape ( 205moha_LG.s )

(2) JNR_205yoko_Orange_AI/204kuha_OR.eng
The 2nd wagon entry is ( #204kuha_sa ) but should be ( #204kuha_OR )

(3) JNR_205yoko_Blue_AI/204kuha_blue.eng
File name should be amended to 204kuha_B.eng

... and one error in the KIHA140_AI folder :
File #jp2kiha140_Y.eng has WagonShape ( jp2kiha140_U.s ) which should be WagonShape ( jp2kiha140_Y.s )

There were some errors in the consists files MSTS didn't like, which you've obviously overcome, or are, probably, running in Open Rails.

Cheers,
Ged

I've since corrected the errors in the Kiha 40s and they now run flawlessly.
I tried giving the Kiha 40s more prototypical names, but they don't display their new names despite me making the necessary changes in the .eng files.

Hmm...the LimeBar and Blue 205s seem to work perfect, but the orange 205 does need correcting, and the blue-stripe 205 needs brakes (Will have to work on it tomorrow as it's 11:30 PM here :goodnight: ).

[slipperman]

CC&C #15, on 04 January 2019 - 11:33 PM, said:

I've since corrected the errors in the Kiha 40s and they now run flawlessly.
I tried giving the Kiha 40s more prototypical names, but they don't display their new names despite me making the necessary changes in the .eng files.

The 'Name' line is in the wrong position in each KIHA 140 .eng file! Move it to immediately before the final close bracket - it will now show correctly.

Cheers,
Ged

[CC&C #15]

slipperman, on 05 January 2019 - 04:58 AM, said:

The 'Name' line is in the wrong position in each KIHA 140 .eng file! Move it to immediately before the final close bracket - it will now show correctly.

Cheers,
Ged

Fixed it, and the Chuo Line 205 is up and running. :sign_thanks:
If only I could figure out the blue-stripe 205's brake issue...

[slipperman]

CC&C #15, on 05 January 2019 - 08:38 AM, said:

Fixed it, and the Chuo Line 205 is up and running. :sign_thanks:
If only I could figure out the blue-stripe 205's brake issue...

I have no problem with the brakes in the blue stripe version - they work the same as in the other 3 versions. Maybe you have modified the .eng file and added, or deleted, a close bracket?

Incidently, all of the 204 and KIHA140 locos report "load error" in Open Rails, but I haven't found out why, yet!

Cheers,
Ged

[slipperman]

Hi,
I know this is an MSTS Forum, but as it may be read by Open Rails users, I include the following, in respect of the 204 and KIHA140 locos referred to in this thread :

(1) Fault : "load error" is shown for each of the 204 locos.
Cause : The author has included a "Modified by" line after the final close bracket.
Solution : Either delete the line, or include it within Description ( ), added before the final close bracket.
(2) Fault : "load error" is shown for each KIHA140 loco.
Cause & Solution : Under investigation!
(3) Fault : Name shown in Locomotive list only shows file name and not that from the Name parameter.
Cause : OR only seems to accept Name entries which follow the Engine Controllers entry.
Solution : Move the Name line so that it follows the Engine Controllers entry and before the final close bracket.
(4) Fault : The brakes on the 204 locos do not release.
Solution : Press <SHIFT+/> to initialise brakes.

Cheers,
Ged

[CC&C #15]

I copied over all the stats from one of the other 205s, and now the brakes on the blue-stripe one work fine.
Next order of business will be adding better lighting to the Kiha 40s and 205s, after which will be new sounds and passenger views (But those are dilemmas for another thread).
In the meantime, thanks a bunch for the assistance, you saved me many headaches.

Cheers from "Across the pond".