Line news February, 2004

• <29-Feb-04>: The Alpensee mountain route and rolling stock are now available from the Train-sim.com library in files alpsee10.zip (26Mb, 28-Feb-04) and alprol10.zip (18.3Mb, 28-Feb-04). Take note of where the self-installer wants to put the files - you may have to edit the destination folder for your own setup. Matt Julian has re-textured James Brooks' B-class into the West Coast Railway B65, auwcrb65.zip (1.6Mb, 28-Feb-04) - you need James' B-class cab from Victorian Rail for MSTS. Gavin Mclaughlan has worked out how to have the leading loco and its helper notch up and down together - see fln.zip (107kb, 28-Feb-04) for his revised SMS and ENGine files for the default Dash 9 and GP-38. Stew Winston has painted diesel loco P2505 (a former WestRail P-class involved in an accident) into Australian Railroad Group livery, arg2505.zip (629kb, 28-Feb-04). If you've installed the Full Bucket Line Commuter Edition route and having problems, see this thread at Train-sim.com. MrMike has posted on the Train-sim.com forum of news of version 2 of tram route, Linie 5 from Betriebshof-Koeln.de.

• <28-Feb-04>: The revised Full Bucket Line Commuter Edition route, with small modifications, is now available from the Train-sim.com library in fblcomm.zip (31Mb, 27-Feb-04). Julien Cachemaille has been contributed a large collection of various rolling stock for some time painted in the livery of the Petit Arbre railway. He has been working on the Petit Arbre route and an announcement the other day on the Train-sim.com forums will be of interest to those wanting more information. TheTrain.de has been inaccessible for the past couple of days, apparently due to a hardware upgrade, and all should be back together soon.

• <27-Feb-04>: A quieter day at the Train-sim.com library for web•TrainSim but his eye was caught by more Melbourne trams by Tim Blythman, two A1-class (A1.231 and A1.233) and an A2-class (A2.282), autram_a.zip (785kb, 26-Feb-04).

• <26-Feb-04>: There are a few fixes in the Train-sim.com library. Firstly, a small one to provide some missing files in the light version of the Vysocina route, vyso-fix.zip (27kb, 25-Feb-04). A reminder that vysofx22.zip (78Mb, 22-Feb-04) is the correct download for Vysocina route lite. There was a problem or two with the FBL Commuter Edition route but it's been uploaded again after fixes were made - it's in file fblcomm.zip (31Mb) and should be in the library by now. Don Crano has yet more GP & SD cabs, e.g., for LV high hood EMD locos, lvh_dark.zip (3.0Mb, 25-Feb-04).

• <25-Feb-04>: Plenty to choose from at the Train-sim.com library today: Paul Gausden's Shape Viewer version 1.1, sview11.zip (2.17Mb, 24-Feb-04); Paul and Peter Nijmegen have teamed to produce a number of Airbus A330 Projects, such as Belgium/Luxembourg 2, a330bel2.zip (1.5Mb, 24-Feb-04); Don Crano continues to produce more GP and SD cabviews to suit various liveries, e.g., Canton high and low hood in both light and dark views, cntlight.zip (4.0Mb, 25-Feb-04) and cntdark.zip (3.0Mb, 25-Feb-04); there's Enrico Onori's 1957-8 Trans Europe Express diesel railcar set, fs_tee.zip (6.1Mb, 25-Feb-04); and it's always handy to be able to download loco and boxcar packs, e.g., Conrail C40-8W pack number 1, crd8w01.zip (2.5Mb, 24-Feb-04), and Railbox 50 foot boxcar pack number 1, rbox5001.zip (1.9Mb, 24-Feb-04). New additions to the UKTrainsim.com libary include new sounds and cab for the Blackpool trams, msts_blackpool_cabsound.zip (3.1Mb, 24-Feb-04).

As we run the first leg of our service, plenty of people are already out enjoying themselves at the amusement park on the Rhine.

• <24-Feb-04>: Paul Gausden's Shape Viewer has been upgraded to version 1.1 with several new features. You can download it from Ottodad's site (download of the zip file will start immediately) or from the Shape Viewer page at Australian Add-ons for MSTS: sview11.zip (2.1Mb, 24-Feb-04). At Train-sim.com Don Crano continues to expand his range of GP and SD cabs, one of the latest being a version for BN low and high hood locos with dark interior (the console and gauges are lit), bn_dark.zip (3.1Mb, 23-Feb-04). On the Train-sim.com forum there's an announcement to expect a commuter edition of the Full Bucket Line route (it will replace the original FBL version 3 if you decide to install it).

• <23-Feb-04>: ConBuilder has been updated to version 1.7.3 and you can either download the updated EXE and help file, cb173up.zip (668kb, 22-Feb-04), or the full installation if you haven't already installed this essential MSTS tool, cb173ful.zip (3.0Mb, 22-Feb-04) - both are new additions to the Train-sim.com library. The light version of the Czech Railways Vysocina route is also now available, vysofx22.zip (78Mb, 22-Feb-04). Note two listings appear - it's this one you need (check on the Train-sim.com forum if you need). Alexander Jamieson has brought Melbourne's old red Tait passenger trains back to life, tait10.zip (5.6Mb, 22-Feb-04). Ever wondered what Okrasa Ghia does between versions of X-Tracks? Take a look at Okrasa's Burro at TheTrain.de.

• <22-Feb-04>: At Train-sim.com there's a fix for the IRT Lo-V railcars, lovtexfx.zip (504kb, 21-Feb-04) and an announcement in the forum that a light version of the Czech Railways Vysocina route will be soon available. At Australian Add-ons, there's another pair of Freight Australia X-class locos, AU_fa_X_DOO_MSTS1_Setup.exe (2.6Mb, 17-Feb-04), and a Queensland Railways DH-class shunter, AU_qr_DH_MSTS1_Setup.exe (3.4Mb, 17-Feb-04). web•TrainSim has his U77 Seestern to Graphics15 Platz and return activity ready for trialling and has updated the U79 service Meiderich to Oberbilk activity with more traffic.

• <21-Feb-04>: A couple of items caught the eye of web•TrainSim at the Train-sim.com library: Austin Seely's pack of three BNSF Dash 9s, numbered in the 4000s and based on MapleLeaf Track's recent contribution, bnsf4000.zip (6.8Mb, 20-Feb-04); a set of replacement sounds for MSTS' defaults (i.e., all the squeaks, rattles, etc.), newsound.zip (238kb, 21-Feb-04); and Enrico Onori's pack of six Gr.420 class steam locos with cab, fs420v2.zip (9.6Mb, 20-Feb-04) and cabgr420.zip (5.5Mb, 20-Feb-04).

• <20-Feb-04>: Edouard Staniczek and team have produced another of their detailed creations, the 2D2 5546 Waterman electric loco. It can be downloaded from the Projets ESK site, 2d25546.exe (8.89Mb, 19-Feb-04). For more info on the 2D2 5546 Waterman, see Motrices 2D2 5500. Nick Bernard has a redesigned MSTS GUI with new buttons, icons and driver aids. Once you've implemented his files from msts-gui.zip (1.3Mb, 18-Feb-04), you can choose either a set of west coast, ts-scr-w.zip (17.7Mb, 18-Feb-04), or east coast, ts-scr-e.zip (17.9Mb, 18-Feb-04), U.S. liveries to complete the installation.

• <19-Feb-04>: Those of you who have European rolling stock will know how many realistic cabviews Kenji Kimura has created. Another of his works is in the Train-sim.com library, a much improved Series 2000 cab, s2000cab.zip (2.8Mb, 17-Feb-04). For a good pic of Kenji's cab, do a View of his download listing in the libary. Jim England has been hard at work again and produced his version of the American Freedom Train, aftpass.zip (19.99Mb, 18-Feb-04), consisting of GS4 loco, tender and thirty carriages. web•TrainSim has done a two hour run from Meiderich to Kaiserslautener on the U79 route with his tram set up for regenerative braking - all went well. However, he discovered the need for a parking brake (at St Anna hospital, one of the few stops on a grade) so that's been added to the ENGine file changes.

• <18-Feb-04>: A quiet day today so web•TrainSim put his grey matter to work again and has written up some brief notes on what he's done to implement regenerative (dynamic) braking as the principle braking system on a couple of his trams. More testing needs to be done to get the best performance but the biggest problem is that MSTS doesn't simulate regen braking in reverse, that is, too bad if you want to make a return trip from the number two end of your tram!

• <17-Feb-04>: At the Train-sim.com library, you'll find that Niels Picciotto has contributed a number of Italian Railways models, such as K.P.E.V. P8 2412 steam loco, p8-br38.zip (3.3Mb, 16-Feb-04), Gr.675 steam loco, gr675fs.zip (2.0Mb, 16-Feb-04), E326 electric loco, e326fs.zip (7.9Mb, 16-Feb-04), and ALn772 DMU, aln772fs.zip (4.0Mb, 16-Feb-04). Check Niels' site for more details and more of his models. The UKTrainsim.com library has the Blackpool Tram Route in five files, starting with FYLDE_README.zip (15kb, 15-Feb-04), and there are a couple of patches too. A unique rail-bus is the German Schi-Stra-Bus and it's been available from the TheTrain.de library for a few days; have a look at Eurotrainsim.de for a screenshot of its cabview.

• <16-Feb-04>: Jeff Link and Frederick Dreany have teamed up again to contribute their Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) heritage Lo-V railcars, irtlovem.zip (5.6Mb, 15-Feb-04) and irt_lo-v.zip (5.6Mb, 15-Feb-04). There's plenty of information about the IRT, New York's first subway, at the NYC Subway site - look under Cars and Yards / Retired Fleet for plenty of photos of the Lo-Vs. Also at Train-sim.com, Don Crano continues to extend his GP and SD cabviews, this time with a night view version, niteview.zip (4.7Mb, 15-Feb-04). Paul Watson has a number of freight activities for the Full Bucket Line version 3, v3actpk1.zip (1.6Mb, 15-Feb-04). Finally, at Amicitreni.Net you'll find the Verona P.N. - Brennero route (172.2Mb).

• <15-Feb-04>: A quiet day at Train-sim.com with just another reskin by Anthony D. Cook of Canadian Pacific Manor sleeper carriages, cpslprs3.zip (4.6Mb, 14-Feb-04). web•TrainSim thought it about time he tried out an idea he's had floating around in the grey matter for some time, namely to implement rheostatic/regenerative braking on a tram (it's also applicable to modern EMUs). So have a look at what needs to be done to one of the Melbourne trams or you could try it on one of the U79 trams. MSTS has a bug in the simulation of rheostatic/regenerative (dynamic) braking and web•TrainSim needs to further tweak a couple of parameters after a longer test period.

• <14-Feb-04>: At the Train-sim.com library, Brandon Lee has more Norfolk Southern SD60s, such as #6625, ns_6625.zip (3.1Mb, 13-Feb-04), and Dwight Mitchell has more Boston & Maine locos, such as Alco S2 number 1261, bm1261.zip (2.8Mb, 13-Feb-04). Jean-Louis Chauvin has a set of WAGon files for the default freight wagons which improve the brake system, us2wagbr.zip (36kb, 13-Feb-04), and Eben Soussan has his CD Vysocina Local Freight to Vestec activity for the Vysocina route, ebvyact2.zip (129kb, 13-Feb-04); note you need to download the CD Uacs tanker from Filip Havel's site. MapleLeaf Tracks have given us all a present with their BNSF Dash 9-44CW #4723 loco, d9setup.exe (3.57Mb) - download from this page. Finally, there's a new route, La linea del Brennero da Verona a Brennero (176Mb), available from Trenomania.it.

• <13-Feb-04>: Daniel Gaudard's alternative background, sview_nb.zip (255kb, 12-Feb-04), for the Shape File Viewer utility at Train-sim.com stood out today and narrow gauge fans would like Dean Kurowski's pack of thirteen boxcars in famous liveries from a couple of days ago, ngboxpk.zip (5.0Mb, 11-Feb-04). web•TrainSim has zipped up his version of the original U79 017 activity, Loerick and return, although he's only tested the first hour or so. There's lots more traffic so it looks like taking about two hours to complete. The weather is set to autumn-clear and with Michael Sinclair's Soft Rain sound environment, web•TrainSim will finish testing tomorrow while he's enduring a 43 degree Celsius day.

Melbourne B-class tram number 2003 with a familiar destination showing, "St. Kilda Beach" on the number 96 route.

• <12-Feb-04>: The following rolling stock and add-ons caught web•TrainSim's eye at the Train-sim.com library: Tim Blythman's Melbourne B2-class trams, B2003 and B2100, aumelbb2.zip (1.1Mb, 11-Feb-04); more Michael Sincliar Kosmos sound environments: Winter Storm Wind, winstorm.zip (5.4Mb, 11-Feb-04), Soft Rain, softrain.zip (4.5Mb, 11-Feb-04) and Mountain River, mountriv.zip (2.7Mb, 11-Feb-04); part two of Philip Chesters' Trainsimming Modern Czech and Slovak Railways reference series, msts_cz2.zip (1.2Mb, 11-Feb-04); and Dick Cowen's Australian SD50 Kit Supplement, aussdkit.zip (1.14Mb, 11-Feb-04) for those wanting to do some reskinning. Those wanting to learn more about Melbourne's famous trams can start with All About Melbourne Trams and there are a few more links in the recent additions section of the sites page.

• <11-Feb-04>: A light day at Train-sim.com with only Anthony D. Cook's Canadian Pacific Chateau sleeper carriages of note, cpslprs2.zip (4.6Mb, 10-Feb-04). At UKTrainsim.com there are a number of Blackpool Balloon trams such as number 712, BT712A.zip (1.0Mb, 10-Feb-04), more Class 43 (HST or XPT) sounds, CLASS43-SND.zip (1.3Mb, 08-Feb-04), and the display base to use in the Shape Viewer utility, Displaybase.zip (1.4Mb, 08-Feb-04). Finally at Amicitreni.net there's a pack of carriages in FS UIC-Z livery (4.8Mb).

• <10-Feb-04>: There are more Michael Sinclair sound environments to plug into Kosmos at the Train-sim.com library: Forest Breeze, windfir2.zip (5.1Mb, 09-Feb-04), Sea Surf, seasurf1.zip (6.1Mb, 09-Feb-04), and Summer Clear River, river1.zip (3.4Mb, 09-Feb-04). The next download you need is Philip Chesters' Trainsimming Modern Czech and Slovak Railways, msts_cz1.zip (1.2Mb, 09-Feb-04). Other downloads are Bruce Bridges' pack of five SD60s in ConRail livery, crsd60p1.zip (5.4Mb, 09-Feb-04), and Anthony D. Cook has a pack of Canadian Pacific Chateau and Manor sleeper carriages, cpslprs.zip (5.7Mb, 09-Feb-04). There's a translation of the first activity pack (in file ebvyact1.zip) for the Czech Vysocina route and plenty of screenshots on the Train-sim.com forum. The UKTrainsim.com library has a new download system in use - at 1000 AEST there was still 1.5Gb download quota remaining. Of the new files there, the Diaplay Base for Shape File Viewer stood out and it will probably appear elsewhere. There are some screenshots at the Train-sim.com forum so you can see how it's used. There hasn't been much news about French MSTS rolling stock or routes although there's a new version (version 1.2 - click on the link named MISE A JOUR 09/02/04 if you wish to download the EXE installer) of the RER B route. web•TrainSim will try to keep track of the Kosmos environments on this page under Tools. Thus far there are eight sound environments by Michael Sinclair, three from the How in the World? team's Sky Conductor! and one other.

• <09-Feb-04>: You should be able to find something of interest in the Train-sim.com library today: there's another sound environment from Michael Sinclar, the Winter Wind set, winsnow1.zip (, 08-Feb-04); Dwight Mitchell has contributed a number of Boston & Maine locos, such as Boston & Maine F7A number 4265, bm4265.zip (1.9Mb, 08-Feb-04); the Port City Car Company have another of their unique models, the Chesapeake & Western Railbus of 1921, railbs51.zip (3.7Mb, 08-Feb-04); Don Crano continues to provide more prototypical cabviews, such as for Illinois Central GPs and SDs, ic_lncab.zip (1.9Mb, 08-Feb-04); and Anthony D. Cook has a whole range of Canadian Pacific diners and skylines, cp_16518.zip (3.4Mb, 08-Feb-04) and cp_508.zip (4.8Mb, 08-Feb-04). web•TrainSim decided to do his own version of the U79 Loerick and return activity and finally went back to basics and documented most of the U79 activity paths and services.

Looking back towards Dusseldorf's main city area. The curved roof of the Tonhalle (concert hall) is just visible in the background.

• <08-Feb-04>: The Train-sim.com library today has another Michael Sinclair environment sound to add to your Kosmos collection, the Forest Sounds set, forwind1.zip (5.5Mb, 07-Feb-04). The Giovi route, set in the mountains from Genova to Alessandria, is also available; the first of six files is ldg01.exe (15Mb, 07-Feb-04). If you'd like to set the context for the Czech Vysocina route, even though its author describes it as fictional, see this map at CDRail.cz.

• <07-Feb-04>: web•TrainSim was treated to the sound of heavy rain today, the first he's heard for some time as his region experiences more dry weather. Well, it was the real sound of rain but outside it was nearly 40 degrees Centigrate. In MSTS on the U79 route it was certainly wet with the help of Kosmos and Michael Sinclair's Abula21AutumnRainWithMSWindand Rain1 environment, winrain1.zip (3.3Mb, 06-Feb-04), the third in Michael's environments available from the Train-sim.com library. Also there's more Full Bucket Line rolling stock such as Brandon Lee's FBL F40PH pack (ear plugs not included), fblf40_1.zip (3.5Mb, 06-Feb-04), and Jean-Louis Chauvin's Santa Fe SD40-2 number 5142, atsf5142.zip (6.8Mb, 06-Feb-04). There's a new route, Genova-Alessandria-Mortara, available at both Amicitreni.Net and Trenomania.it.

• <06-Feb-04>: Jon Davis' Eureka & Palisade narrow-gauge 4-4-0 Baldwin stands out in the Train-sim.com library today. This loco, privately owned and meticulously restored, has been modelled in great detail: 440ep4v1.zip (3.6Mb, 05-Feb-04). Michael Sinclair has revealed some of his secrets on how to integrate sound into Kosmos environments with his tutorial, senvtut.zip (7kb, 05-Feb-04). Jim Duncan has released version 1 of his Santa Fe Marceline Subdivision route, the first of eight files being sfmar10.z01 (20Mb, 05-Feb-04).

Another day, different weather (clear spring by Kosmos). We've just started at Meiderich for our rostered U79 service to Kaiserslautener.

• <05-Feb-04>: At the Train-sim.com library there are two of Michael Sinclair's environments you can add to your Kosmos collection, both with rolls of thunder for sound effect: JBStormyWeatherWithMSThunder1, mstorm1.zip (20.4Mb, 04-Feb-04), and Abula21SpringRainWithMOThunder2, mostorm2.zip (14.9Mb, 04-Feb-04). As well, there's Northern Pacific A3 4-8-4 Northern #2661 steam loco (with sound and cab), np_2661.zip (21.5Mb, 04-Feb-04). Dick Cowen has upgraded his GP7 and GP9 reskinning kit, gp79ktug.zip (13.1Mb, 04-Feb-04), and Anthony D. Cook continues his series of Canadian Park carriages, such as Canadian Pacific Yoho Park, cp_15418.zip (5.5Mb, 04-Feb-04).

• <04-Feb-04>: The first download from Train-sim.com noticed today is a golden oldie (for MSTS), the sixty mile Ayr To Stranraer route by Vern Moorhouse, strtscom.zip (3.3Mb, 03-Feb-04). Other new downloads include a patch for the Columbia Gorge Route route, cgfix.zip (20kb, 03-Feb-04), a pack of SD60 locos in Soo livery, soopack.zip (8Mb, 03-Feb-04), and another environment for Kosmos, a partly cloudy summer-clear sky, pvkosmos.zip (2.5Mb, 03-Feb-04). Trainsimfrance is following the progress of the SNCF Autorail X2200 project and there was an announcement on the Simtrain-fr.org forum that the RER B Paris route had been updated so check the RER B route page for more information.

• <03-Feb-04>: Anthony D. Cook has contributed a number of Canadian Pacific Park passenger cars that he's modelled on the Train Artisan-Via and Gaeten Belanger-Via passenger carriages, one of the latest being the Glacier Park carriage, cp_15406.zip (5.5Mb, 02-Feb-04). While at the Train-sim.com libary, you might want Dick Cowen's update to his SD50 and SD60 reskinning kit, sd605mug.zip (591kb, 02-Feb-04). web•TrainSim has been wondering about a method to tell visitors when some pages at the site have been changed, e.g., a few new links added to the sites page. So he's decided to use a RSS feed. There are several meanings for RSS, but Really Simple Syndicator will do for web•TrainSim's news feed. If you're new to RSS (as web•TrainSim is), you need an RSS reader, even though RSS is just another application of XML (eXtensible Markup Language). web•TrainSim installed the RSS Reader (one of many free ones) but for Windows XP you'll also need the .Net Framework update. The idea is that whenever you visit a site with the red RSS graphic button, you can add the link (for webDotTrainSim.com it's http://www.webdottrainsim.com/rss.xml) to your list of news feed channels in your RSS reader which, depending on your settings, will then tell you whenever new information has been posted on the site.

• <02-Feb-04>: Don Crano has been contributing a number of GP & SD EMD cabs to the Train-sim.com libary over the past few weeks. His work enables you to see the correctly coloured bonnet from the cab of the loco you're driving so take advantage of his cabs to add realism. For example, one of his latest is the GP & SD EMD common cab for Soo line low-nose locos, soo_ln.zip (2Mb, 01-Feb-04). Philip Chesters has released another of his Trainsimming Modern Railways series, this one being Trainsimming Modern Austrian Railways and it can be downloaded as mstsau.zip (1.6Mb, 01-Feb-04). All of Philip's series are highly recommended - they give a detailed view of rolling stock and routes in a particular country using illustrations of MSTS stock and routes. Finally, there's a full version of Mike Simpson's Route Riter, version 5.0.31 (including the Shape Viewer utility), rrit5031.zip (6.5Mb, 01-Feb-04).

We've just started at Meiderich for our rostered U79 service to Oberbilk.

• <01-Feb-04>: How in the World? have made their clear, rainy and snowy skies from Sky Conductor! available for use in Kosmos - the files are in archives hitwskyc.zip (8.6Mb, 31-Jan-04), hitwskyr.zip (5.9Mb, 31-Jan-04) and hitwskyw.zip (3.2Mb, 31-Jan-04) from the Train-sim.com libary. There's plenty of more at Train-sim.com: Cyndi Richards has a tutorial on the inside workings of the Track Monitor, trkmon21.zip (392kb, 31-Jan-04); there's Mike Simpon's latest update of Route Riter, rr5031up.zip (2.6Mb, 31-Jan-04); Dick Cowen has more reskinning kits, such as for the GP60, gp60-kit.zip (4.5Mb, 31-Jan-04); and Cal Rasmussen has contributed version 1 of his Columbia Gorge route (BNSF trackage on the north, UP trackage on the south) so there should be some spectacular scenery - there are eight files, the first of which is cg101of8.zip (15.9Mb, 31-Jan-04). The first Ghan Adelaide to Darwin passenger train departed Adelaide this morning, two locos hauling forty-three carriages with 300 passengers who paid up to $12,000 each for the privilege. web•TrainSim's adaptation of the U79 Rhine Stadium and return activity is ready for download.

We're met with a spectacular evening sky as we come up out of the underground to the Kennedy Damm stop.

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• 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.