[captain_bazza]

Are any modelers, or curious onlookers, interested in access to M&U #5, a standard gauge steamer of 2-6-0 arrangement, source files, in uncompressed* SHAPE format and 3DS MESH format, plus original textures in BMP and TGA formats?

This locomotive, and tender, are currently under going upgrading. Both are OR models, but the physics are not yet tuned for that sim.

The loco is a Baldwin of 192x vintage, broken up around 1951, or 52. A few photos exist, enough for me to make a good likeness. I knew two dimension; her driver wheel and her gauge. also a couple of the photos showed crew standing beside, or on her, so I used a guesstimate figure of their likely average heights as another guide. I had an idea of her overall dimensions from similar classes of Baldwin SG locos, which I extrepolated and used for #5. Her cab is fairly unique in its placement height which is lower than most US locos.

This is still an idea, which is timely considering the nature of a current topic of heated debate in another forum.

Your thoughts are welcome. http://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/friends.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/cheers3.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/victory.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/scare2.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/blush2.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/unknw.gifhttp://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/crazy.gif

Cheers Captain Bazza.

[CC&C #15]

Would it be possible to acquire an MSTS version?
#5 would make an excellent switching/industrial/branchline loco for my fictional "Confederate State Railroads" line (I'm still working on the roster).

[B & O GUY]

Hey Capt.

I think that would be a great idea. I just had to go and look at my 3DCanvas to see if it would import a 3DS file, and apparently it does. So it looks like it would be a doable project for a discerning modeler.

I could think of another model you have done in the past that I would like to see as a resource kit. And that would be the little D&RGW 4 wheel narrow gauge dinky. That is one cute little model.

I just uploaded a model resource kit to the library. I had to think about that for awhile and decided that this place and our selected simulator choice has to survive. In spite of the controversy.

Allen

[captain_bazza]

@ Nathan: I doubt the loco can run in MSTS, I cant remember whether I even bother to to test her, as it was aimed at OR from the start, I might do a test on my PC and see what eventuates.

CB.

[captain_bazza]

@ Allen, thanks, I'll consider that.

CB.

[captain_bazza]

@ Nathan, MSTS is a no go for loco and tender, the dreaded UID error for both. I don't wish to produce a MSTS version, it would be almost a complete rebuild to produce one. :)

Cheers Bazza.

[captain_bazza]

For starters, here's a peep beneath the skin.





You can't see every poly in those renders.

Cheers Bazza.

[captain_bazza]

You can see why it won't work in MSTS.

CB

[captain_bazza]

At look at why it won't run in MSTS. The stray pipework is still astray, aft of the WHP. I'll find a good home for it, one day. :)



CB.

[captain_bazza]

A couple of points that modellers have to ponder on, is how much detail should I add? And how critical is it to the overall appearance of a 'model'? Photos show that #5 had probably had a lot more 'semi & well hidden' pipework and other gubbins', as there is visible stuff on the model. I'm not a locomotive design engineer, so I got with enough to satisfy my criteria of making the over profile as accurate as possible and add detail, if I can figure it out, till it breaks the model, or my patience.

The question of detail is moot, it depends which sim you're aiming to please. Some end users say they want less 'eye-candy', so it works - say - in both MSTS and OR. But maybe it's the 'eye-candy' that appeals to the modeller, who no doubt sees it's a challenge to reproduce. Sometimes the requirements of 'end-user' and 'modeller' don't always coincide. I have a friend (nameless) who would like to draw eyebrows on the Mona Lisa. (The Louvre can relax, he's not into travel and he probably doesn't particulary desire to dine on escargot, frog's legs and french fries.) Others prefer non eyebrows, like the creator, Leonardo. Actually, his drawings of himself show rather bushy eyebrows! If he'd wanted eyebrows, he would have painted them on Mona's pic. Artist's choice.

So, currently, work on #5 consists ;-) of fixiing the oversupply of pipework and texture finishing (it never is!).

Cheers Bazza.