[steamer_ctn]

Unfortunately due to conflicts created by another PR I have withdrawn the Duplex Steam engine feature from the Unstable version.

I will attempt a rebuild of the PR and reintroduce it when I have some time.

[darwins]

Traindude, on 08 July 2023 - 06:15 PM, said:

I think it would be a better time than ever for me to share my ideas for implementing articulation into the "multiple steam engines on one locomotive" functionality. Please let me know what you guys think!

An excellent paper. The ideas for including lights, special effects and freight anims with the different sections are essential. (Some might also apply to some old time articulated diesel and electric locos!)
I hope the coders find a way to make these work.

Interestingly up until now we have only been allowed one ORTSFreightAnims ( ) block in one eng file - the possibility of more than one block might allow separation of things that belong to a loco (change in mass etc) from things that can change (removable lamps).

[Traindude]

darwins, on 10 July 2023 - 09:34 PM, said:

An excellent paper. The ideas for including lights, special effects and freight anims with the different sections are essential. (Some might also apply to some old time articulated diesel and electric locos!)
I hope the coders find a way to make these work.

Interestingly up until now we have only been allowed one ORTSFreightAnims ( ) block in one eng file - the possibility of more than one block might allow separation of things that belong to a loco (change in mass etc) from things that can change (removable lamps).

Thank you darwins! You're right, there are articulated diesel and electric locomotives that have a combination of driving and idler wheels (before "power trucks" became a thing--the Milwaukee Road's old Boxcab locomotives on the electrified sections of the Pacific Extension come to mind).

I think once we get it working for steam locomotives, then the articulation parameters can be easily adapted to diesel and electric locomotives as well. Cesarbl's recent discussion on grouping wheels for independent wheelslip (see page 7 of the thread) seems to be a step in the right direction. I'm still unsure as to whether the lights, FX, and freight animation information should stay where they currently are within an *.eng file or be included in the ORTSSteamEngines groupings. I'm hoping the coders can use my proposal as a jumping-off point, though...

[Jonatan]

I don't know what all this means but I'll recite the old saying: "they were too busy with the question wether they could, to ask the question wether they should".

It sounds nice, but every new feature or redesign of systems has to be implemented in such a way it won't require rewriting the thousands of existing .engs and .wags we have in our collections.

[Traindude]

Jonatan, on 13 July 2023 - 12:41 PM, said:

I don't know what all this means but I'll recite the old saying: "they were too busy with the question wether they could, to ask the question wether they should".

It sounds nice, but every new feature or redesign of systems has to be implemented in such a way it won't require rewriting the thousands of existing .engs and .wags we have in our collections.

FYI, darwins and I were talking about my proposal for adding new parameters to add articulation to the whole "multiple engines on one locomotive" concept--so no more two-plus-piece models for one locomotive! (See page 8 of this thread for a *.pdf download of my proposal.)

Believe me, I agree that the addition of new features does have the inconvenience of having to edit and re-edit all of our *.eng and *.wag files, but if we're moving toward more realism and doing away with the constraints of MSTS, it's well worth the effort in the long run!

[steamer_ctn]

steamer_ctn, on 09 July 2023 - 06:49 PM, said:

Unfortunately due to conflicts created by another PR I have withdrawn the Duplex Steam engine feature from the Unstable version.

I will attempt a rebuild of the PR and reintroduce it when I have some time.

I have now attempted to re-introduce this feature into the latest Unstable version. It should appear shortly.

There has been significant changes to the code, so if you identify any steam locomotive features that used to work, and now don't please let me know. If you can reference any issues against a CTN locomotive, this will enable me to experience the same issue that you are reporting.

Thanks

[Laci1959]

Hello.

I'm trying to apply the characteristics of Peter's PRR_T1_6111 steam locomotive with the correct proportioning to a simple small locomotive.
I got stuck at the Weight ( ) line. My question is what mass is this.
1. The mass of a railway bicycle (ie an axle with two wheels pressed on it)?
2 The mass of a railway bicycle (i.e. an axle with two wheels pressed onto it), plus the corresponding part of the mass of the connecting rod (RODxA, RODxD)? To me, this seems the most logical because the NumberWheelsetAxles ( ) line is below it, and only a simple multiplication is required.
3. The total mass of the elements listed in the AnimatedParts ( ) line?
Current code:

	ORTSAdhesion (
		Wheelset (
			ORTSCurtius_Kniffler ( 7.5 44 0.17 0.7 )
			Axle (
				ORTSInertia ( 2342 )
				ORTSRadius ( 0.375m )
				AnimatedParts ( "WHEELS1, WHEELS2, WHEELS3, Rod01, Rod02,  Rod11, Rod12,  Rod21, Rod22, WHEELS4" )
				NumberWheelsetAxles ( 4 )
				Weight ( Xkg )
			)
		)
	)

Does OR recognize metric units (kilograms or tons) in this line?

Sincerely, Laci1959

[darwins]

For a steam locomotive the weight is the adhesive weight on an axle or group of coupled driving axles. So neither 1 or 2 or 3, but rather the total adhesive mass on that engine. OR should recognise kg or t in that line. For a locomotive with only one engine the equivalent is ORTSDriveWheelWeight ( x ) but for a locomotive with more than one engine you use Axle ( Weight ( x ) ) for each engine.

[Laci1959]

darwins, on 22 April 2024 - 10:29 AM, said:

For a steam locomotive the weight is the adhesive weight on an axle or group of coupled driving axles. So neither 1 or 2 or 3, but rather the total adhesive mass on that engine. OR should recognise kg or t in that line. For a locomotive with only one engine the equivalent is ORTSDriveWheelWeight ( x ) but for a locomotive with more than one engine you use Axle ( Weight ( x ) ) for each engine.

https://kephost.net/p/MTE5NTc5Ng.png

Just to make sure. Are the parts marked in the picture?
IF the wheel is solid, then its total mass?

[darwins]

That locomotive has only one engine. You should not use

       ORTSAdhesion (
                Wheelset (
                        Axle (
                                Weight ( Xkg )
                        )

Just use ORTSDriveWheelWeight ( x ) in the eng section.