Line news April, 2003

• <30-Apr-03>: Some useful downloads from the Train-sim.com library that web•TrainSim saw today include a small fix for The Coal Road route, coalfix1.zip (26kb, 29-Apr-03) to replace a faulty consist and add some noise to the dynamic brakes on the Class 81s; for those with NEC 4, there is now a set of activities derived from the default NEC activities, nec4acts.zip (61kb, 29-Apr-03); and if you've got German Railways 2, there are Raildriver engine files in rd-gr2.zip.zip (3kb, 29-Apr-03) to save you time adapting your own. web•TrainSim kept himself occupied in his free time today by installing rolling stock so he could run some activities on the Via Trenomania AV and the Coal Road routes; it looks like he's got a couple of more downloads to do though.

An empty coal train passing through Mt. Lambie siding, where there's a canola-loading facility.

• <29-Apr-03>: Bruce Kennewell continues to work away on his route (part of it is pictured above) and currently is locating towns well-known on the Main Southern line such as Goulburn, Jugiong, Harden and Cootamundra; he's looking for buildings with corrugated iron roofs, so typical of that area of Australia, to complete the scenery. A couple of days ago, two Litra EG electric locos, Railion EG #3110, rai_eg.zip (2.5Mb, 26-Apr-03), and DSB EG #3101, dsb_eg.zip (2.5Mb, 26-Apr-03), were added to the Train-sim.com library. The Litra EG at about 6.5MW is one of the most powerful electric locos used in Europe. Built by Siemens Krauss Maffei, you can read the full specs in a PDF doc at the Siemens site.

8048 stands at Werris Creek station while its driver runs over to the corner shop for a sandwich.

• <28-Apr-03>: Gavin Mclaughlan's Coal Road is installed! web•TrainSim went through the installation steps with a few changes since he hadn't downloaded all the rolling stock required by the included activities (this is where he wrote things down as he went along). Tonight he'll download any missing rolling stock and follow Gavin's instructions to update the various wagons. In relation to the locos, web•TrainSim will see if needs to make any changes since he's re-tuned some of these already to version 4.5 physics specs (e.g., see NSW 81 & 82 engine upgrades). In the Train-sim.com library, three downloads relate to commuter trains: an update for the Long Island rail diesel cars, lirdcfix.zip (1.8Mb, 27-Apr-03); alternative 512x512 textures for the STS trolleys, sts_upd2.zip (3.3Mb, 27-Apr-03) for those with machines not coping with 1024x1024 textures; and, Bill Scott's Reading MU commuter trainset, rdg_emu.zip (2.9Mb, 27-Apr-03). Bill's site, MSTS-Trains Station, details his other work, including his transparent driver aids.

• <27-Apr-03>: A quiet day today so web•TrainSim thought he'd organise the French and Italian rolling stock required for a couple of activities on the Ligne 1 Moulinsard and Via Trenomania AV routes respectively. Then he thought he might as well put up here what he's got listed in his spreadsheet and so now we're here and still no driving on either route. If you're wondering what rolling stock is available for French and Italian MSTS routes, look under Background info for French rolling stock and Italian rolling stock. Of course, Philip Chester's Trainsimming series are excellent references (search on Trainsimming modern at Train-sim.com).

• <26-Apr-03>: Javier Fernandez Lopez has created a very detailed model of the Spanish FC de Langreo No. 1, 0-4-0T steam loco, "Maria Cristina", langreo1.zip (3.2Mb, 25-Apr-03) along with some accompanying coal wagons, langreow.zip (1Mb, 25-Apr-03). Also at the Train-sim.com library, web•TrainSim noticed a GP pack of 6 locos in Canadian Pacific livery, cpgppack.zip (11.8Mb, 25-Apr-03). Those who've downloaded the Via Trenomania AV route will find an activity, vtact.zip (61kb, 25-Apr-03), at www.trenomania.it - there's a readme file giving details of required rolling stock. web•TrainSim has written his tune up for the FGW Class 180 Adelante so it's now set up prototypically with a Voith hydraulic drive.

• <25-Apr-03>: Gavin Mclaughlan has his Maitland to Werris Creek route ready (this line, in N.S.W., sees a lot of coal traffic): coalrdp1.zip (16.3Mb, 24-Apr-03) and coalrdp2.zip (15.4Mb, 24-Apr-03) are the two files to download from the Train-sim.com library. The CSX Maintenance of Way trainset has been updated to V1.1, csxmow11.zip (7.3Mb, 24-Apr-03), and will come in handy on the CSX Sub on NEC4. web•TrainSim is now a lot happier with the FGW Class 180 after various attempts to find some suitable sounds to go with his changes to fit a prototypical hydraulic drive; Belphegor does it again! A writeup in a day or two (before he forgets what he did. Ed.).

FS ETR Y500 express on the Val Trenomania AV route.

• <24-Apr-03>: It was the day of new and updated routes in the Train-sim.com library: Robert Ready's A Dual Fantasy Route has been updated to version 2 and is available for download in 8 files, beginning with adfv2p1.zip (20Mb, 23-Apr-03); next is the CSX Kingsport Sub by J.H. Sullivan, the first of seven archive files being kpsub11.zip (20Mb, 23-Apr-03); and, MBTA by Joseph M. Fortier has been upgraded to version 2, mbta_v2.zip (32Mb, 23-Apr-03). Steam loco fans and builders will be interested in Bryan Attewell's steam loco sim calculator, steamsim.zip (404kb, 23-Apr-03), to see how such items as the boiler and firebox perform on a trip. A number of activities have been uploaded and there's one by Michael Koziol who has taken over the Tokyo-Hakone route with Sydney S-Sets at peak hour, phis10.zip (83kb, 23-Apr-03). Finally, those with an interest in historical trainsets will be interested in adding Ping Pong coaches to their Long Island rolling stock, lirr_pp.zip (376kb, 23-Apr-03). From the pic above, you can see that web•TrainSim has been acquainting himself with the Via Trenomania AV route in his FS ETR Y500 trainset, FS_ETRY500_Romolo.zip (2.5Mb, 08-Dec-02, from www.trenomania.it).

• <23-Apr-03>: web•TrainSim timed in nicely in asking his son who is on broadband to do some downloading: Version 2 of Ligne de Moulinsard à Chavignolles had just been released a few days ago (see www.simtrain-fr.org for download links); Val Trenomania AV from www.trenomania.it (under Scenari) was next on the list; then Rich Garber's Ohio Rail from avsim.com. Last, but certainly not least, was Vince Cockeram's Northeast Corridor, version 4, necv4.zip (30Mb, 12-Mar-03). Vince's time and effort over almost a year is the sort of work that must worry the Microsoft/Kuju developers: "How can we ever produce a route like that?". Perhaps they should just concentrate on coding the best simulation engine they can so we can better enjoy all the freeware routes and rolling stock.

web•TrainSim, with the help of staff, prepares his home computer to run MSTS.

• <22-Apr-03>: At the Train-sim.com library, those who are looking for rolling stock for the Priest River RR Hoodoo Pass route have more of Kip Crawford's creations to consider: SD24 #909, sd24_pr.zip (831kb, 21-Apr-03) and SD45 #3105, pr_sd45n.zip (3.0Mb, 21-Apr-03). There's also a fictional cab suitable for any loco with rectangle windows but especially AC6000s, AC4400s and Dash 9s, ne_acc.zip (5.9Mb, 21-Apr-03). Ligne de Moulinsard à Chavignolles V2 has just been released; follow the links from www.simtrain-fr.org for download sites (as one file, 81Mb, or more friendly-sized chunks).

• <21-Apr-03>: Naturally, considering the Easter season, there aren't a lot of additions to the Train-sim.com library to note: Lionel Mollard has V1.2 of his French 141R steam loco, 141r12.zip (6.5Mb, 20-Apr-03) (this loco is a Mikado 2-8-2 which was manufactured in the U.S.A. after WWII and shipped to France). web•TrainSim thought it time to put fingers-to-keyboard and write up his thoughts on creating activity paths since he's had plenty of time while testing a NEC2 activity to ponder the matter; see his Documentation for NEC2 activities under Activities by w•TS in the Ops Docs.

CEBX Schnabel flat car, almost the whole 90m of it.

• <20-Apr-03>: At the Train-sim.com library, you'll find an activity pack of 4 passenger activities on the LGV Med, lgvtgv.zip (116kb, 19-Apr-03) by Robert Slater - just the thing for a quiet afternoon if the weather's not that good outside (you may need some extra French rolling stock, all of which is available from Train-sim.com - see Robert's readme). Jimi Ibbett has a small update for his London Underground CO/CP stock, lucocp23.zip (117kb, 19-Apr-03) which gives far more realistic braking behaviour.

• <19-Apr-03>: Easter season greetings to one and all. Another Schnabel! A whole 270 feet of it! Rick Lamp has done it again with a CEBX Schnabel car, cebx800.zip (1.1Mb, 18-Apr-03) (sorry, no screenshot yet; more time has been spent on trialling the NEC2 activity). A highly detailed piece of work comes from the Port City Car Company (PCCC), their Illinois Traction System electric loco with cab and sounds, its1578.zip (7.4Mb, 18-Apr-03); they've also got an observation car, sleeper and trailer coach.

• <18-Apr-03>: Got engrossed in creating an activity for NEC2 and by the time arrival/destination platforms were decided, paths were made, thought about, checked and edited, it only took a few minutes to create the activity but a couple of hours to test drive. Now more traffic is needed and some times require adjusting. So just a couple of downloads of note from the Train-sim.com library: an update to the Gulf Mobile & Ohio route, gmo01a.zip (5Mb, 17-Apr-03) and a fix for the bell in the EMD BL2 loco, bellfix.zip (32kb, 17-Apr-03).

• <17-Apr-03>: These are some of the downloads that web•TrainSim noted in the Train-sim.com library today: Santa Fe Boeing skybox trainset (a GP38, caboose and skybox, the latter being quite spectacular), sfgp38tr.zip (2.9Mb, 16-Apr-03); modified cabview files for Dadbill's GP38 and GP9 cabs, newview2.zip (15kb, 16-Apr-03) (you'll also need newview.zip 1.6Mb, 18-Nov-02); Rock Island EMD BL2 loco #428, emdbl2.zip (1.7Mb, 16-Apr-03); and the nine files of the beta version of the Gulf Mobile & Ohio route, gmo01X.zip (X=1,...9, file size up to 95Mb, 16-Apr-03).

MSTSEdit opened in tree mode.

• <16-Apr-03>: Firstly a reminder that the Train Store utility is, along with Route Riter and ConBuilder, a necessity for MSTS performance. web•TrainSim is still seeing posts on forums asking how to setup and run multiple MSTS installations (for the purpose of faster load times). Train Store eliminates the need for the complications associated with multiple installations and will help your copy of MSTS perform whether you have six or sixty routes installed. Now it looks there's another tool that will become a necessity, namely Etienne Cardot's MSTS Tree Editor for working with ENGine, WAGon and SMS sound files (at Train-sim.com it's in download, mstsedit.zip, 745kb, 15-Apr-03). For those who have always been fazed at the sight of all those brackets when opening an ENGine, WAGon or sound SMS file in WordPad can forget their worries when using MSTS Tree Editor; the diehards can switch to normal text mode. NALW have released their Speno/Pandrol-Jackson railgrinder, complete with working vehicles, in pjgrindr.zip (9.5Mb, 15-Apr-03).

• <15-Apr-03>: Just a couple of downloads at Train-sim.com caught the eye today: a one hour activity by Aaron Gold on the Tokyo-Hakone route; you'll need a fair amount of non-default rolling stock so skim the readme: britinv.zip (100kb, 14-Apr-03). Swissie has an update to his STS rolling stock, sts_upd1.zip (629kb, 14-Apr-03).web•TrainSim wants to try to tune a couple of trainsets that have hydrodynamic drive (e.g., the Countrylink Endeavour and Explorer, the FGW Class 180 Adelante). MSTS does not simulate this propulsion mode at all well (e.g., the Kiha31) but trying to match engine sounds with throttle position is even more fun. Maybe Belphegor's autorail sounds will help.

• <14-Apr-03>: There are a couple of updated routes now in the Train-sim.com library: the Real Polish route, ch-kc30.zip (8.9Mb, 13-Apr-03), and Kip Crawford's Priest River Railroad Hoodoo Pass V2.5, prrrdocs.zip (69Mb, 13-Apr-03) and prrr2-5.zip (47Mb, 13-Apr-03). Now here's some work for the cabview designers: in this month's issue of Australian Railway Digest, there are some detailed and close-up photos of the cab controls and the cab in general of a retired NSW Class 46 electric loco. In the first issue of Railways Illustrated, a new U.K. magazine, there are cab photos of a U.K. Class 66 and a European Class 66 (page 54, and another on page 75). On page 88 of the same magazine, there's a good wide-angle photo of the Voyager cab and instrument panel. If you're not a cab designer, there's a good article with abundant photos on the Tehachapi Loops in this March issue of Railways Illustrated. Finally while at the local newsagent, web•TrainSim purchased the Trains magazine for March and that contains a comprehensive article on the history and running of the North East Corridor. Please note overseas magazines don't reach web•TrainSim's local newsagents until some time after publication.

• <13-Apr-03>: The Spanish Team have another high-speed Spanish trainset available, a 490 Alaris EMU which servies the Madrid-Valencia/Gandía/Castellón route: Renfe490Alaris.exe (2.03Mb). While there, on the Train-Magazine's routes page, catch up with the latest news of their 470 km MSTS AVE High Speed Route from Madrid to Sevilla. At Train-sim.com, Bob Pickering has provided an activity pack, sap.zip (388kb, 12-Apr-03), for the Swansea route. This route, by John Arran, has been in the library since December '02: swan1_1.zip (31.7Mb). Lehigh valley enthusiasts can download lehights.zip (12.7Mb, 12-Apr-03) to get a collection of rolling stock for the Lehigh Valley route.

• <12-Apr-03>: L.A.Lusser's STS Brill Interurban set, with cab and sounds, looks interesting; stsbrill.zip (13.4Mb, 11-Apr-03) in the Train-sim.com library. There are other additional cars in other download files (STS = "Swissie's Trolley Shed"). Marc Bazin has an Acela HHP-8 with independent electric braking (IEB), hhpieb.zip (11.8Mb, 11-Apr-03). The download includes cab and sounds, and adjusted WAGon files for Metroliner and AcelaHHP cars. A couple of days ago Marc's fictional electric loco with IEB was added, cfv04g0a.zip (3.1Mb, 10-Apr-03).

• <11-Apr-03>: Just as web•TrainSim was gathering his thoughts for today's line news, a thunder storm with some savage lightning resulted in the power being cut and not restored for twenty hours. So web•TrainSim is now off to see what's new for today.

• <10-Apr-03>: At the Train-sim.com library, the North Eastern caboose mega pack will be a convenient download for fans looking to supplement their CR, PC, PRR or C&O roundhouse, ne_cabs.zip (10Mb, 09-Apr-03). Italian steam loco GR470 - in four different models, including a cab-forward, is in archive, fs470v2.zip (11.8Mb, 09-Apr-03). web•TrainSim has begun documenting his paths for activities on the Fairly Up-to-date England route. He also thought he'd try incorporating Belphegor's autorail sounds, used by Edouard Staniczek in his EAD X4750 SNCF Caravelle, into the First Great Western Adelante Class 180 trainset (install180.exe, 823kb, 09-Apr-02, from UK Trainsim) to bring it to prototypical performance; a write up is not too far away. While you're waiting, you can read up the details and specs (PDF document, 4.5Mb) of the Voith hydraulic drive used in the Adelante.

• <09-Apr-03>: web•TrainSim didn't know which way to look when browsing the Train-sim.com library this morning: Edouard Staniczek's EAD X4750 SNCF trainset V2, x4750v2.zip (13.7Mb, 08-Apr-03); Derek Morton's update to his Engine Modifier tool (now V1.51), engmd151.zip (2Mb, 08-Apr-03); Otto Wipfel's (better recognised as Ottodad on the Train-sim forums) Activities Made Easy tutorial for those wanting to start using the MSTS Activity Editor tool, easy_act.zip (172kb, 08-Apr-03); Ronald Keppel's JR West Shinkansen 500 high-speed 16-car trainset, aswjr500.zip (1.6Mb, 08-Apr-03), with virtual cab and Nozomi chime (it's also available from his site); and, finally but not least, Rick Lamp's ETARCO 180 foot (about 60 metres) Schnabel flat wagon, etarco.zip (807kb, 08-Apr-03), a must-have for the web•TrainSim roundhouse. At Trenomania, under the Scenari downloads section, web•TrainSim has had reports that the Val Trenomania AV route is impressive and worth the download (at 91Mb, we dialup users have to get a relative or friend on broadband to help out!).

• <08-Apr-03>: web•TrainSim was reminded of his first ride on a Melbourne electric train when he saw an activity in the Train-sim.com library for the NY electrics with the same nick-name, Red Rattlers. The Wilmington commuter return activity, pgr_wilmo.zip (159kb, 07-Apr-03), takes you back to the 1950s at the controls of a MP54 (there is a quite amount of non-default rolling stock required, so look at the author's readme). Robert Fontaine has a pack of Amtrak Genesis Phase V P42Dcs, amtpack.zip (4.2Mb, 07-Apr-03); if you want, you can download a single loco (look under New files for 07-Apr-03 or search). You'll also need Robert's P42 cab, genp42_2.zip (1.2Mb, 19-Mar-03) and Maple Leaf Track's GE sounds, gesounds.zip (3.5Mb, 01-Sep-02). web•TrainSim installed the Fairly Up-to-date England route, and thought he'd prepare to create some activities. Being similar to the Modern England route and learning from experience, it was a bit quicker to assign platforms at London, Oxford, Derby and Manchester stations (the main ones) to incoming and outgoing trains. Then paths could be created, using names such as wDTS-DY1-MN4-exp to designate from Derby platform 1 to Manchester platform 4 (express). After this preliminary work, creating an activity, a passenger express from London to Manchester, is straightforward. Services were created at this stage, each using the same name as the path for easy recognition and they can be used in later activities. By the way, after one trial trip London to Manchester, web•TrainSim was reminded of climbing the hills out of Melbourne on the way north, with plenty of curves used to lessen the gradients.

• <07-Apr-03>: Firstly at the Train-sim.com library, a couple of Swiss routes: a fictional one good for running SBB and BLS rolling stock, Project Schweizerhof, projshof.zip (19.6Mb, 06-Apr-03), and a fictional mountain rack railway with 15% grades, rackry.zip (16Mb, 06-Apr-03). Ryan Fielding has finished his Modern City Red Line which is a mixture of underground and above ground railway, mcu.zip (5.3Mb, 06-Apr-03). He recommends the London Underground Line CO/CP rolling stock, lucocopv2.zip (6.7Mb, 07-Mar-03) for this route. Edouard Staniczek has updated his EAD Serie X4750 to V2, X4750V2.exe (13.4 Mb), with new textures, cab and sounds; it can be downloaded from his site.

• <06-Apr-03>: ConBuilder is sorted out and V1.6.2, cb_162.zip (275kb, 05-Apr-03) can be downloaded from the Train-sim.com library. Curiousity killed the cat, so to speak, when web•TrainSim saw an upgrade for the Schnabel, schnabfx.zip (116kb, 05-Apr-03). A Schnabel? Schnabel cars are specially designed wagons to carry large loads, e.g. a power station transformer. They're rail's equivalent of a road transport low-loader. Tom's Trains Pages site has plenty of detail and photos. If you're wanting to see what EMD E- and F-class locos are available in your favourite U.S. railway livery at Train-sim.com, do a search on Jim England. He's been very busy re-painting a number of models over the past couple of months.

• <05-Apr-03>: Peter Worsley's Fairly Up-to-date England route, F.U.D.E., is now available from the Train-sim.com library. To begin, you can download an information pack, fude_inf.zip (Mb, 04-Apr-03) for a description of the route and installation instructions. There are six files, each friendly to dialup users: fude121.zip (10.8Mb, 04-Apr-03), fude122.zip (9.4Mb, 04-Apr-03), fude123.zip (10Mb, 04-Apr-03), fude124.zip (11.1Mb, 04-Apr-03), fude125.zip (10.5Mb, 04-Apr-03) and fude126.zip (6.5Mb, 04-Apr-03). Train Store users, remember to unstore the six default routes before running the InstallMe batch file after unzipping all the files. Joe Smith, who's been fixing some problems for Carlos, recommends going back to V1.6.0 of ConBuilder; it appears V1.6.1 doesn't pick up all the errors we're used to finding!

• <04-Apr-03>: A set of graphics of MSTS rolling stock, mstspics.zip (1.1Mb, 03-Apr-03), for use with ConBuilder can be downloaded from Train-sim.com. All these files have been named so they display when you look at the details of a loco, carriage or wagon in ConBuilder. Well, now you've got some time to browse through some MSTS sites or delve into some reference sites. web•TrainSim got carried away and decided to install the latest NVIDIA video drivers, V43.45, but ran into troubles with some strange interaction between his video card and the Raildriver control; a constant, distorted beat accompanied all the usual sounds. So, using a feature of Windows XP Home Edition, the video drivers were rolled back to the previous installation (i.e., the drivers installed as part of XP) and now, all is well. Phew! After contacting the good Raildriver people, it turns out this is one of those things we have to bear with (mind you, a small problem compared to the Raildriver control's benefits) until they can plug directly into the MSTS program.

• <03-Apr-03>: A couple of MSTS sites recommended by Philip Chesters (watch for his next issue of Trainsimming Modern...) are Virtual Train Italia and AllFreeNet Italian Trainsimulator. The former site has an impressive E402 loco and the latter site features EMU ÖBB 4020.059-4. web•TrainSim hasn't purchased a Road and Track magazine for some time but has a few old ones somewhere in a cupboard. He can remember they tested a Mercedes garbage truck in one issue many, many moons ago. The Road and Track test team have done it again, this time running a test on a 1924 Baldwin Decapod steam loco (Dear reader, please don't upset the car enthusiasts by asking what the Road and Track magazine is. Ed.). The Unterland Route, version 2.4, is now available in the Train-sim.com library, ul24.zip (26Mb, 02-Apr-03). Unterland is a semi-realistic Swiss route with a mixture of traffic types. All rolling stock for activities is contained in a separate package, ul24tsp.zip (30Mb, 02-Apr-03).

The third XPT behind us passes while we sit at Derby on the Modern England route, hoping the SIT point will work and clear us back onto the main line (it didn't!).

• <02-Apr-03>: At the Train-sim.com library, ConBuilder V1.6.1 is now available, cb_161.zip (275kb, 01-Apr-03); this download only contains the EXE and incorporates a couple of features asked by users. web•TrainSim finally got around to a little job, namely downloading a fix for the level crossing gates on the Modern England route; all you need is ukcross.zip (6kb, 03-Sep-01) from Train-sim.com and it only takes about two minutes to move one updated file. Mike Simpson forgot to take out a debugging command in Route Riter 3.8.50 so he has an update at his site; simply download the V3.5.51 EXE file.

• <01-Apr-03>: web•TrainSim caught up with the Raildriver site and saw that the Raildriver control software and drivers have been updated as of 17-Mar-03, RDSetup.exe (4.0Mb). On their free MSTS downloads page, you'll now find a Raildriver engine file for the Class 50, cabviews for the Mogul 2-6-0 and Berkshire 2-8-4 Class N, and a Raildriver-liveried boxcar, RD_Boxcar.zip (466Kb). At the Train-sim.com library, Derek Morton has added V1.5 of his EngMod utility; it now does bracket checking in ENGine, WAGon, SMS, CVF and CONsist files (take heed of his warning, however, when fixing any missing brackets). In a day or two, a further update to ConBuilder (V1.6.1) will be available.

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web•Train Sim was, until recently, part of my web•Wiz Online site at http://webdotwiz.tripod.com. Due to a reduction in free web space by Tripod, these pages have had to be posted at their own site, http://webDotTrainSim.tripod.com. Not such a bad thing because there's now 20Mb for Train Sim!

• Email me at info@webDotTrainsim.com if you have questions or comments. I'll try to answer as best I can. Certainly post me if any step-by-step instructions on various how-to pages need clarification.