January 04, 2008

Streamlines Shifts Its Stance

As far as repaints for Train Simulator go, Stream Lines has been one of the most restrictive payware companies out there. For whatever reason, they chose to ban the distribution of repaints on their models.

This is in stark contrast to Maple Leaf Tracks, which eagerly approved the distribution of repaints of its models, with an eye towards driving up sales of the base product. I have a friend who, while not really caring for modern Canadian National/Canadian Pacific routes, purchased MLT products to get access to the base models which wound up being repainted in NSR, CSXT, or other liveries. He is particularly fond of the SP/NS SD70M model as repainted for the Susquehanna, and regularly complains that a good F45 is not available.

The problem with the SLI policy was twofold: One, in that some people chose to ignore it and distribute repaints on the sly to their friends and two, some folks chose to continually show off their repaints of SLI models as if to say, "Look here what I have, and what you won't". One chap in particular took great pleasure in posting his SD70ACe repaints---such that I often wanted to tell him to knock it off, since he could only be in it for the self-aggrandizing adulation of the MSTS user base.

This all changed with the new year: SLI announced a change effective 01 JAN 2008, specifically allowing the creation and dissemination of repaints. This is a very good move in my opinion; not only does it restore them in my opinion, but it also makes me have a reason to look at their product catalog with renewed interest. (Set aside for the moment that I have no particular use for BN/ATSF/BNSF/UP merchandise.)

For an Eastern railroading fan, the SLI policy shift means that I can have

from this

If you're wondering, NS 2702 and CR 4106 are both EMD SD80MAC locomotives. The NSR currently has 17 of the 30 SD80MACs built on the roster, hauling coal and local traffic in Pennsylvania. CSX Transportation has the other 13 units doing various work on the Eastern end of the system.

I eagerly await the release of additional repaints to the model, and hopefully we'll wind up with all of the CR, NSR, and CSXT fleet in the near future. Want your own SLI SD80MAC? Get it here. If you're looking for the NSR repaints, NS 7202 and 7211 are available from Train-Sim.com as ns807202.zip and ns807211.zip respectively.

I'm told that the best sound configuration to use is the SD90MAC/43 provided with the MLT Rogers Pass route, with a Conrail-specific RS3L. Likewise, the SD90MAC/43 cab is reportedly the preferable arrangement.

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July 17, 2007

BLW/ZT Release 1955 GN Empire Builder

The Belanger Locomotive Works/ZosaTrains consortium have recently released their rendition of the 1955 Empire Builder of the Great Northern Railway. Included in the set are the following units and cars:

GN F7A 363C
GN F7B 281B
GN F7B 365B
GN F7A 270A
GN Storage Mail 272
GN RPO-Storage Mail 42
GN REA Baggage 274
GN Baggage/Dormitory 1201
GN 60-seat Coach 1210
GN 46-seat Dome Coach 1324
SP&S 46-seat Dome Coach 1332
CB&Q 46-seat Dome Coach 1334
GN Ranch (Cafe/Grill) 1245 Whitefish Lake
GN 4-7-3-1 Sleeper 1262 Snohomish River
GN 4-7-3-1 Sleeper 1274 Bois De Sioux River
GN 6-5-2 Sleeper 1380 Suiattle Pass
GN 36-seat Diner 1254 Lake Minnetonka
GN Great Dome Lounge 1392 Mountain View
GN 4-7-3-1 Sleeper 1264 Bad Axe River
GN 6-5-2 Sleeper 1375 Jefferson Pass
GN 6-4-1 Lounge/Observation 1193 Rocky Coulee

A friend of mine who's more into the GN than I am has this, and he's quite pleased with its quality. He's also a sucker for driving the train from a dome car while crossing the simulated mountain vistas of the GN Hi-Line route for MSTS

I saw this train for myself on his computer, and I agree that it is up to the usual high standards of this group. Further information is available from the BLW/ZT sales page.

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June 22, 2007

New GG1 Cabview

It's been a while since anyone made a cabview for the Pennsylvania Railroad's GG1s. In fact, the one that's probably in widespread use for MSTS is the one that came with the NALW set released in 2002. However, the prolific freeware cabview creator, Dwight Mitchell, has seen fit to make a modern GG1 cabview that is capable of dealing with the MSTSbin upgrade. It's available from Train-Sim, so go on over and get yourself a new GG1 cabview.


The pride of the Pennsylvania Railroad at rest somewhere on the Northeast Corridor.

Filename: gg1cab.zip

EDIT: Resize your browser window as appropriate. I'm used to having a huge resolution by way of a widescreen laptop, so this may look really out of place for the viewing public.

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April 07, 2007

Unwelcome Theories

There are days in the world of MSTS when you want to strangle someone. Today is one of those days.

Some chap posts the following on a message board:

I have been pondering this one: For MSFS there is an API called FSUIPC, which allows the interfacing of 3rd party custom models with the simulation. Through FSUIPC, we are able to use functionality in aircraft models, which have not been within the scope of the out-of the-box program.

Now, for the new train simuator, let me imagine the following scenario. Imagine the new simulator out of the box does only have a limited functionality regarding EOT devices, like the current version. With the current version we helped ourselves with the creation of a car, which looks like an EOT device. It works, but honestly, it does not really cut the mustard for known reasons.

Now if in the new simulation, there would be a TSUIPC functionality, we would be able to make a working EOT device, which would be rendered at the last car and feed-back the relevant information to a new custom gauge within the locomotive cab. (End of Imagination)

On the top of that an API like this would enable to fully customise how a given locomotive model works, down to simulation complex systems. It would enable the user not to have to rely on what the box provided, but what the community is able to come up with.

In other words, what he wants is the opportunity to spend more money. Pete Dowson charges for FSUIPC at this point, and has for some time. Let me imagine the following scenario: Someone makes TSUIPC and charges for it. No.

I am not enamored of solutions that involve giving third party vultures the opportunity to insert themselves into train simulation as they have for flight simulation. The original poster is an FS devotee, and quite frankly, I don't care for his opinion. A fair amount of the FS apparently loves spending money and driving out freeware or Microsoft-created functionality. No thanks; one of the reasons I enjoy railroad simulation is that it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. This is contradistinguished from flight simulation, where PMDG charges sixty bucks or so for a 747-400.

Our poster also dreams of "full customization" for how a locomotive works, apparently tacking on additional layers of overhead on the processor. Oh, let's make this game even more demanding on hardware than it already will be. Sure thing!

To once again quote Joschka Fischer, "I am not convinced." What's the point? If Microsoft are able to shoehorn some sort of intelligent FRED into the game, who needs TSUIPC (and the probability of additional costs)?

There's one response so far, and it's the sort that makes you want to throw something at the poster:

I'm a bit of an evangelist for it, but I've already seen some awesome things done in FSX with the API. I look forward to the future when people can build add-on products (other than planes or trains, things like environmental add-ons) that use SimConnect and can be cross-platform between Flight Sim and Train Sim.

I have actively loathed the term "evangelist" as applied to bloody software since 1996-1997 when I first heard it. A guy told me he was an evangelist and I asked him what for, expecting the Southern Baptist Church or something similar. He told me, "Apple", and you could have knocked me over with a feather.

To the point, I have heard this fantasy of FS/TS interoperability before, and I've yet to figure out what the value of it is. His dream of add-ons that are useful in both FS and TS seems irrelevant; they're simply very different modes of transportation and I don't see anything that could benefit the simulation railroader from the simulation pilot's world. Navigation's a whole different ballgame, and as for environmental add-ons, who cares? Trains run at ground level, where the weather's a lot different than at FL350. A weather add-on? Forget it; already exists in the FSX engine. I'm not paying a red cent for what Microsoft already provide for free in their game engine.

This sounds mean and nasty, and it should. I have no interest in railroad simulation being turned into the high cost replica of flight simulation. I don't think the railroad simulation interest group should be dragged to FS economies just because a couple of people think it's a great idea to hamstring the basic program in favor of some half-wit API.

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February 14, 2007

Weblogs for MSTS Developers

Microsoft is developing a new Train Simulator. From that site, several of the development personnel have weblogs:

Yard Limits

SimElations

TSEngineer

Mavryk

Tdragger

I have high hopes for a new Train Simulator, including some attempt at an AI dispatching system similar to the Flight Simulator ATC.

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October 04, 2006

N&W/NSR Recent Releases

If you're like me and are immediately attracted to black locomotives with white lettering, then the Train Simulator payware community has got a couple of things that you might be interested in. Before we go any further, let me say that I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in the companies or products mentioned below the fold: more...

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July 03, 2006

Norfolk Southern Diesel Patterns

One of the things that I've found valuable for Train Simulator is knowing what hauls what on a particular road. There are, after all, usually observable patterns if not outright assignments for particular types of diesel-electric locomotives. Offered without warranty is the following list for the Norfolk Southern Railway; representative units are generally believed to be available for free or for purchase. more...

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February 08, 2006

With Regards to Rogers Pass

I've noticed that people come here from time to time with regards to Maple Leaf Tracks' Rogers Pass.

Sooner or later, I'll get around to owning this route and providing some insight, along with some screenshots perhaps, of it. In the meantime, sate your curiosity with this, the documentation kit for the route.

If you don't need any further advice, click here to buy the route by download or CD through the Canadian postal service.

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November 25, 2005

Rogers Pass Released

The intrepid Canadians of Maple Leaf Tracks ("MLT") have released their Rogers Pass route for the Microsoft Train Simulator. In their words:

"Rogers Pass is a modern representation of Canadian Pacific Railway's Mountain Subdivision from Field, BC to Revelstoke, BC. It is a continuation of the transcontinental route through Canada's Western Mountain region that started with Kicking Horse Pass.

The route starts at the crew change point in Field at the end of the Laggan Sub. Drops down the Kicking Horse Canyon to Golden, BC. At Golden, the Windermere Sub connects, including the giant coal train servicing yard. From there, the route heads up the Rocky Mountain Trench to the mouth of the Beaver River. It then starts up the grades of Rogers Pass to the tunnels under the summit. From the summit, the route drops down the Illecillewaet River to Revelstoke, BC. "

It's affordably priced at $24.99, and is probably worth the money. Once I get the proper funds shifted, I will be giving myself this, eh. Read all about the route here.

---

It appears that this route is the next step to the west from MLT's Kicking Horse Pass v2.0, which simulates the CPR's Laggan Subdivision. I could be wrong, and if I am, correct me.

MLT has been making add-ons for MSTS for quite some time; I personally own most of their products and think them good. For what it's worth, the Canadian Pacific Railway has been the most accomodating of the MSTS user base, authorizing several "official" releases.

Addendum: I have no pecuniary interest in MLT, Microsoft, or the CPR.

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