[B & O GUY]

62stratfan, on Jul 28 2008, 01:59 PM, said:

Why thank you, Wayne. That's quite a compliment coming from such a prolific builder such as yourself. It's very much appreciated! I agree with everything you've said with respect to the modular approach, especially if one enjoys switching or local freight and passenger movements. Even with the full L&PS, I'm alway hovering around London and the rolling mills shuffling cars back and forth. With the module, 30-60 minute activities are very do-able. You feel like you've accomplished your mission for the day!

Many thanks for permission to upload. I didn't plan on it, but the little route is going pretty well, maybe some others would like to try it. I've yet to upload a route, hope I can ask you and Tim for help when neccessary. Most of the add ons are Michael Sinclair, Tim Muir and Paul Charland.

So far, the modelling is moving along, but please stay tuned just in case! Here's a couple more screens taken last weekend....


Best Regards,
62stratfan

Boy! I know nothing of the area you are modeling but the era was only a little before my time. Some
of your screen shots bring a wetness to my nose and I wish I could crawl right into any of them. One
of those old Ponties looks like my grandma's old car. I wish things hadn't changed quite so much. The
modeling is just georgeous.
I'm an eastern boy but I really love the looks of the west and of California. Looks warm and inviting.

Allen

[62stratfan]

Why thank you, Allen, those are very nice comments, indeed. The Pontiac and in fact all the car models were made by Wayne Campbell. He also built the modular route upon which I'm modifying to resemble Southern California. The trucks were made by Frank Musik. The project is inspired by Tim Muir's outstanding P-E route in progress, and is freelanced just for fun. I personally enjoy smaller routes with high detail and lots of switching potential, so the L&PS module was a natural starting point for the faux P-E. So far, I haven't made any of the models myself, just added freeware objects from other builders, and re-painted the tertex. Hopefully it'll all come together, stay tuned for in-progress screens as I can manage them. I'm also an easterner, from Boston Ma. transplanted to the southwest.

Best Regards,
62stratfan

[B & O GUY]

62stratfan, on Jul 31 2008, 08:55 AM, said:

Why thank you, Allen, those are very nice comments, indeed. The Pontiac and in fact all the car models were made by Wayne Campbell. He also built the modular route upon which I'm modifying to resemble Southern California. The trucks were made by Frank Musik. The project is inspired by Tim Muir's outstanding P-E route in progress, and is freelanced just for fun. I personally enjoy smaller routes with high detail and lots of switching potential, so the L&PS module was a natural starting point for the faux P-E. So far, I haven't made any of the models myself, just added freeware objects from other builders, and re-painted the tertex. Hopefully it'll all come together, stay tuned for in-progress screens as I can manage them. I'm also an easterner, from Boston Ma. transplanted to the southwest.

Best Regards,
62stratfan

Okay! I've got a question about the L&PS module. I don't really understand how this little layout should
be used. The reason I call it a little layout is because it looks just like a HO or N scale module. Well. Last
night I was playing with some switching and trying to get used to the area without dropping into never,never
land and while trying to move some of Tim's steam era cars in one corner I ran into a car squirting effect
in that the third car or end car shot out from the string and rolled to a stop and then the second car did the
same thing. The car next to the locomotive ended up derailing both itself and the locomotive. Is this area
of the module a no go place or something. I've got a shot from overhead after the derailment. I didn't
actually see the derailment action as I was spinning around from back to front to check location Could this
turnout be set to an opposing position and if so how do I change it. It looked to be okay.

Allen :) :) :) : :)

[wacampbell]

It sounds like a TSECTION.DAT problem. The route requires TSECTION.DAT version 29 or higher. Let me know if you are not sure where to look and I'll provide more detail.

And, yes calling it a 'layout' is appropriate. This area of the L&PS, modelled in HO, would be only 24 feet long in perfect scale. With a little selective compression, it would make a nice little 16' shelf layout! The main line curving off through the park would end up in a fiddle yard on a narrow shelf making an L shaped layout ... now don't get me started on another project ...

[B & O GUY]

wacampbell, on Aug 6 2008, 01:16 PM, said:

It sounds like a TSECTION.DAT problem. The route requires TSECTION.DAT version 29 or higher. Let me know if you are not sure where to look and I'll provide more detail.

And, yes calling it a 'layout' is appropriate. This area of the L&PS, modelled in HO, would be only 24 feet long in perfect scale. With a little selective compression, it would make a nice little 16' shelf layout! The main line curving off through the park would end up in a fiddle yard on a narrow shelf making an L shaped layout ... now don't get me started on another project ...

It's not the T-section dat that's the problem. It's where I installed the module and that's why there's no
t-section data. And no. I'm not contradicting you either. It's where I put the module and that was inside
the L&PS route and not in the MSTS main install. I thought it would make it easier to keep the equipment
straightened out. My current MSTS installation is a whopping 19.6 gigabytes small and it takes forever to
load as you can well imagine. Hence the reason for installing where I did. Can I put the T-sect dat in the
L&PS installation folder.
I really do like your work. Hope you didn't notice my indescretion with the diesel on your electric route.

Thank you
Allen :) :)

[wacampbell]

Yes, part of the full L&PS route's separate install involves a custom TSECTION.DAT file in its global folder. Oddly, as you have discovered, the full route's custom TSECTION.DAT file isn't compatible with the Bathurst Street module which requires a plain vanilla TSECTION.DAT. Something to fix one day. And the diesels are OK but the neighborhood residents are sure to complain about the noise!

[62stratfan]

Hi Guys,

Well, I have the L&PS \ P-E module in the MSTS1 folder with no problems. I do have UKfinescale and the latest X-Tracks too. I think X-Tracks installes the latest TSECTION file with it. Also, you may want to "standardize" the coupler statements in the *.eng and *.wag files. I couldn't get my tiny little critter to move a gondola in or out of the John Mann coal yard till Tim pointed out the issues in the CouplerHasRigidConnection line within the critters' *.eng file.

Best
62stratfan

This post has been edited by 62stratfan: 07 August 2008 - 07:32 AM

[62stratfan]

Hello All,

I've been experimenting with some backdrops to keep the eye from wandering off the edge of the faux-P-E module using images from Tim's PET screens on this forum and several that he shot specifically for my project. Blending them together with foliage and signs etc seems to have a fairly convincing effect.







In some cases, I can combine elements of several screens to produce a backdrop. Lots of trial and error, but I think it'll look OK.

Best Regards,
62stratfan

[pnrailway]

Great shots there 62stratfan. It looks like you are doing virtually what I use to do physically with my shelf Model Railroads in N Scale for years, providing backdrops to make the modules look larger than they were. Great job!!

Paul

[august1929]

I agree with Paul, a neat solution to a serious problem in small modules.

On Sweethaven, Ron Paludan used some cutout skylines to good effect (from certain angles). The problem now is the extended range of the external camera views.

Keep going on this one - looks excellent.

Rod