Elvas Tower: MSTS Western Pacific 4-8-2's - Elvas Tower

MSTS WESTERN PACIFIC 4-8-2's #172, #173, #176, #179, TENDER, AND CREWS

ENGINES PROVIDED IN 3 TYPES - PLAYER DRIVEABLE, HELPER (DOUBLE HEAD OR PUSHER SERVICE),
AND AI

These models have been constructed to represent how these engines would have appeared in the 1930's to 1950'S.

The following historical and technical information is derived from the books "Steam Locomotives of the Western Pacific" by Stephen M. Hayes, 2010, and "Western Pacific Steam Locomotives, Passenger Trains, and Cars" by Guy L. Dunscomb and Fred A. Stindt, 1980:

The Western Pacific 4-8-2 Moutain type engines originally started life as part of an order of 20 locomotives from Alco-Schenectady for the Florida East Coast Railroad in 1924. With the Great Depression and hard times facing the FEC, a number of these engines were sold to other railroads including ten which were bought by the Western Pacific in 1936 for $12,500 each. Three of the locomotives were rebuilt by the D&RGW in Salt Lake City, with the rest being rebuilt at the WP's Jeffery Shops in Sacramento at an average cost of $33,000 each. As they entered service they took the place of the smaller 4-6-0's on Oakland to Salt Lake City passenger trains until replaced by the GS-64's and finally diesels. None were equipped with boosters, though 172 did have a booster installed which it retained from 1941 through 1946. All were oil burners, superheated, equipped with one lifting injector and one Sellers exhaust injector, and in the late 1930's were equipped with smoke lifters of various designs. Oil capacity of their tenders was 4,000 gallons, and 10,000 gallons of water. All were out of service by 1952, and sadly none were preserved.

Specificaions:

Type: 4-8-2 Mountain
Boiler: 200 psi, oil burning
Cylinder Bore and Stroke: 26" x 28"
Valve Gear: Walschaerts
Driving Wheels: 73" Diameter
Locomotive and Tender Length: ~87'
Locomotive Weight Loaded: 313,000 lbs.
Weight on Drivers: 210,500 lbs.
Tractive Effort: 44,000 pounds

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MODELING INFORMATION:

Locomotive and Tender models created in 3DCrafter Professional Edition, Version 9.1.1 (Build 1256). Post Processing of shape file performed with Shapefixer File Version 0.1.0.39 by Paul Gausden. Textures created using MS Paint and Photoshop Elements 6.0, and converted to .ace format by TGATool2A and AceIt by Scott Miller.

NOTE: With the exception of numbering, these models were not designed with re-texturing in mind so repaints will be difficult if not impossible to accomplish. Renumbering may be accomplished by editing the files WP172nums.ace, WP173nums.ace, WP176nums.ace, or WP179nums.ace .


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INSTALLATION:

YOU MUST HAVE MSTS BIN INSTALLED FOR THE LIGHTS AND SOUNDS TO WORK CORRECTLY ON THESE MODELS. BIN IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR CAB SWITCHING BETWEEN PLAYER AND HELPER LOCOMOTIVES. All files needed to run these engines are included, no additional downloads are required.

Unzip WPMSTS482s.zip to a temporary folder.

Move contents to ..\Train Simulator\ folder

Accept write overs if prompted, which will place a single engine consist for each locomotive in the CONSISTS folder and the Locomotive folder in the TRAINSET folder.

NOTES ON BUILDING CONSISTS WITH THE DIFFERENT ENGINE FILE TYPES SUPPLIED:

Included in this release are 3 types of locomotives to be used depending on their use as the lead or single engine in a consist, helper / pusher in a consist, or on an AI train. The sound files have been configured to achieve correct engine sounds for the locomotives in each of these cases, as long as the correct .eng file is used. Please note that to make the models MSTS compatible, they are split into two pieces, a -1.eng and -2.wag, both pieces being required to appear correctly in the sim. The .eng / .wag files to use for these different applications is as follows:

Lead / single engine in Player consist: wpmsts179-1.eng, wpmsts179-2.wag, and wp482tend.wag
Trailing Helper or Pusher in Player consist: wpmsts179-1help.eng, wpmsts179-2.wag, and wp482tend.wag
AI consist in any position: wpmsts179-1AI.eng, wpmsts179-2.wag, and wp482tend.wag

Engine Numbers 172, 173, or 176 may be substituted in the examples above.

NOTE: Engine files which contain "xtra" in their names denote those engines which have the class lights turned on. Engine files without "xtra" in their names have the class lights turned off.

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CREW AND SMOKE LIFTER FREIGHTANIM SHAPES

Taking advantage of these being split models, crew figures are added as freightanim shapes to the "-1.eng" engine files, and the smoke lifters are added to the "-2.wag" files.

For historical accuracy compared to photographs, 3 versions of smoke lifters are supplied, intended to be used with in the following engine / smoke lifter combinations:

WP482SmokeLift1.s with engine #179
WP482SmokeLift2.s with engine #172
WP482SmokeLIft3.s with engine #173

Engine #176 is represented in this set as she would have appeared shortly after entering service on the WP, before smoke lifters would have been applied.

As downloaded the "-2.wag" files have the freightanim lines included so the correct smoke lifter will appear when running the engines in MSTS. To run the engines without the smoke lifters present for a mid 1930's appearance, simply comment out the freightanim lines in the "-2.wag" files.

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LEGAL:

As author of this new design, I advise that it is copyrighted, but royalty free. You may use it and edit it as you wish, but you may not distribute it for money, or include it in a paid or non paid distribution without permission from Derek Miller, who can be reached via personal message at www.elvastower.com or www.trainsim.com forums (user midneguy). You must include my name in your credits, as well as my copyright notices, and this entire Readme.txt, if you repaint it, use or derive files from it, or otherwise use or distribute these files with my permission. Copyrights for content included in these files, but not created by me as listed in the credits section of this readme.txt, are retained by the original authors. Refer to the included readme text files in the installed "WPMSTS482s" folder for copyright and distribution information for additional content not authored by Derek Miller.

Because this program is royalty free, it is provided WHERE IS, AS IS, WITH ALL FAULTS, and WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE or any other warranties. There is no liability by the authors in your use of this program, instead all liability is assumed by the user.

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CREDITS AND THANK YOUS:

3D Models and textures © 2013 by Derek Miller with the following exceptions:

3D Model of coupler © 2004 Jeff Link and Tim Muir, Coupler Texture base © 2004 Steve Thompson

Engineer and Fireman shapes & textures (a.k.a. "Tom's Crews") are provided for use with this
model and may not be copied, modified, and/or transferred to a different model for distribution.
For information on adding "Tom's Crews" to models for distribution, contact
Tom Werb ("Sandy River Tom") via personal message at ElvasTower.com

Extra Thanks go to Tom Werb for creating the Crews for these models.

MSTS Steam loco photorealistic cab view,
suitable for US built, small to medium locos,
circa 1910-1935. Operable controls include;
throttle, reverse lever, train and engine
brakes, bell, whistle, sander and cylinder
cocks. From photos of SVRy #19. By Rick
Grout and Steve Thompson.

Sound credits:
Whistle sound provided by Chris Signorelli & Bill Hobbs, North American Steam Whistle Pack.
Bell sound provided by Captain Bazza, aka Barry R Munro
Background, Compressor, and Injector Sounds provided by Derek Miller
loco4, loco5, and loco6 Sounds provided by Derek Miller with permission from Alan, Youtube user 44950 and recorded from Youtube video http://youtu.be/XEa24Cllaqw

All other non-default sounds provided by Brandon Smith

Texturing and Modeling Advice (from elvastower.com forums): Rick (thegrindre), Tim Muir, Dave Nelson, Bill Pratt, Alexey Soljenitchev, Fleegle411, Allen Norton, Herb Kelsey, Philip Michlian, and Tom Werb.

Providing my "I can do that" moment: Scott (scottb613 at elvastwer.com forums) and his "big dog - birth of a steam locomotive" series.

Inspiriation and Encouragement: All listed above and those at the elvastower.com forums, both in the thread of the construction of these models, and inspiration from other models I have admired.

Herb Kelsey for his help in refining the .eng and .wag file variables for engine performance.

Donald Yungling for providing many excellent photos for the models.

Beta Testing and Input: Herb Kelsey, Tim Muir, Mike Long, Donald Yungling, and Tom Werb.

Brandon Smith for providing the .sms concept and the many of the sound files used.

Tom Werb for the use of his excellent "Tom's Crews" cab figures.

If I have forgotten anyone I humbly apologize but know that I appreciate all the advice and inspiration I've received. I also must mention that the vast amount of information available on the forums regarding modeling for MSTS has been invaluable. The success I've had in making these models would not have been possible without drawing on the experience of so many others that have blazed the trail before!

Thank you all and hope you enjoy these models!

Derek Miller
February, 2014