[Csantucci]

Phillip, please read this post https://www.elvastow...post__p__322271 and the subsequent ones. I can say that what ORNYMG 169.1 displays as smoke is identical to the one displayed in your PR, because I ported your code as is (incompatibilities apart). I'd like to have your position before reverting your feature.

[pschlik]

Well, I don't expect any change to make everyone happy, that's unreasonable, but all I've seen there is what I'd expect (in that one screenshot, 50,000 pounds of steam an hour is a lot of steam, that locomotive is not being operated in a sustainable way and the plume will reflect that excess consumption of steam). Steam locomotives will have more particles, they will move faster, and will expand more over time compared to the old system because the old system divided steam particle calculations by 10. Some minority complaints will not change that this is actually using the real data now, without huge adjustments done by magic numbers. That seems to be an improvement for most people, but if that's not what someone wants, you can reintroduce the division by 10 using the new customization parameters added.


That is not to say that the default effects are final. Previously, Peter shared some code for steam emissions that at a glance would greatly improve things, but I will let him implement that in his own time. Eventually I want to investigate calculating air fuel ratio for diesels which can be used to influence which of the defined colors is selected and how much exhaust should be emitted, instead of just basing that on whether or not the engine RPM is changing. What's changed so far is a foundation for future changes. Just as the current work has not made everyone happy, this also won't make everyone happy (for all I know, what Peter has in mind will only make steam puff bigger!), but it becomes easier to argue for the implementation when it's using less faked data.

Also, if someone wants steam to be emitted intermittently, that's already a feature, but more data is needed. That's something that Peter could explain, might even be explained on the Coals to Newcastle website.

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

First off - thanks for the efforts. Much has changes since I last looked.

I have my Alco RS3 working nicely.

I've been trying to get my Mountain up to speed with the new particle system - I did manage to get some nice-looking smoke. One thing I noticed - it looks like the inside surfaces of the smoke plume are the only surface visible - so when moving the camera near the smoke plume - you see the inside surface of the conical shape of the plume - a tad distracting - but maybe it's just the nature of the beast.

So - with the stack effect looking decent - there is NOTHING I can do to get the cylinder cocks even to a marginal state of operation.

I went from massive 500-foot spaghetti worms - to this.





Has anyone managed to get a steam locomotive looking good with all effects in this new system?

It seems the issue is that - most params on steam locomotives are global - as opposed to by emitter.

Being able to control opacity - by emitter - would be a plus.

I see we can call custom textures but that appears to be another global param.

Comment ( ##### EFFECTS - FINAL 2025 PHYSICS REVISION ##### )	
	Effects ( 
		SteamSpecialEffects ( 
			StackFX ( 			
				0 5.1 5.9
				0 1 0 
				0.36 
				

				ORTSExpansionSpeed ( 2.0 )
                                ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.5 )
				ORTSWindMultiplier ( 1.0 )

			) 
			
			WhistleFX ( 		
				-0.58 4.65 5.1
				0 1 0 
				0.1 
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.5 )
			) 
			
			SafetyValvesFX ( 	
				0 4.76 0.55
				0 1 0 
				0.1 
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.5 )
			)  
			
			Comment ( *** GENERATOR *** )
			GeneratorFX	( 	
				-1.1 4.5 -5.75
				0 1 0
				0.06 
			)

			Comment ( *** COMPRESSOR *** )
			CompressorFX	( 	
				-1.0 1.6 7.34
				-1 0 -0.5
				0.05  
			)
			CompressorFX	( 	
				1.0 1.6 7.34
				-1 0 -0.5
				0.05 
			) 	
			
Comment ( *** CYLINDER COCKS: PRECISION JET TUNE *** )
			
			CylindersFX ( 		
				1.4 0.464 6.65
				1 0 -0.5
				0.03
				ORTSExpansionSpeed ( 0.5 )
				ORTSUseChaoticRandomization ( 0 )
				ORTSLifespanVariation ( 0.2 )
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.1 )
				ORTSWindMultiplier ( 0.5 )
			)
			
			Cylinders2FX ( 		
				1.4 0.464 5.8
				1 0 -0.5
				0.03
				ORTSExpansionSpeed ( 0.5 )
				ORTSUseChaoticRandomization ( 0 )
				ORTSLifespanVariation ( 0.2 )
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.1 )
				ORTSWindMultiplier ( 0.5 )
			)
			
			Cylinders2FX ( 		
				-1.4 0.464 6.65
				-1 0 -0.5
				0.03
				ORTSExpansionSpeed ( 0.5 )
				ORTSUseChaoticRandomization ( 0 )
				ORTSLifespanVariation ( 0.2 )
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.1 )
				ORTSWindMultiplier ( 0.5 )
			)
			
			CylindersFX ( 		
				-1.4 0.464 5.8
				-1 0 -0.5
				0.03 
				ORTSExpansionSpeed ( 0.5 )
				ORTSUseChaoticRandomization ( 0 )
				ORTSLifespanVariation ( 0.2 )
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.1 )
				ORTSWindMultiplier ( 0.5 )
			)
								
			Injectors2FX (		
				1.18 0.25 -7.75
				1 0 -0.5
				0.1					
			)
			
			Injectors1FX (		
				-1.18 0.25 -7.65
				-1 0 -0.5
				0.1
			)
						
			BlowdownFX	( 		
				1.0 2.0 -3.27
				.25 -1.0 0
				0.15 
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.5 )
			)
			
			BlowdownFX	( 		
				-1.0 2.0 -3.27
				-.25 -1.0 0
				0.15 
				ORTSRotationVariation ( 0.5 )
			)							
		)
	)

I truly appreciate the efforts to improve some of the visuals - but I can't get a result that's useable - perhaps it's me.

Thanks.

Happy Holidays.

Regards,
Scott

[atsf3751]

I have been having the same issue with steam Scott. I mainly run my Milw 261 and have tinkered around with it a little bit but also can not get the smoke the way I want it to look. I also thank everyone for there efforts in this and hope it will be resolved at some point.

It sure is getting closer to what it should but there is still quite a bit to do yet.

Happy Holidays,

Brandon

[scottb613]

atsf3751, on 24 December 2025 - 07:59 AM, said:

I have been having the same issue with steam Scott. I mainly run my Milw 261 and have tinkered around with it a little bit but also can not get the smoke the way I want it to look. I also thank everyone for there efforts in this and hope it will be resolved at some point.

It sure is getting closer to what it should but there is still quite a bit to do yet.

Happy Holidays,

Brandon

Hi Brandon,

Thanks much - I've spent days going through threads - trying to glean some tidbit I may have missed - and trying everything I could think of.
:ko2:

No joy.

Thanks for your insights.


Regards,
Scott