Line news May, 2004

• <31-May-04>: web•TrainSim had just enough time before his ISP started misbehaving to read a post from Edouard Staniczek on the Simtrain-fr.net forum that he's got a version of the famous French 231K8 loco in the Flèche d'Or livery for download from his site (while there, you may as well catch up with Edouard's surprise). At Train-sim.com, Jan Henning Gettkant's pack of Canadian Pacific MLW RS-18u locos, cp_rs18u.zip (4Mb, 30-May-04), and William Diehl's San Juan activity for the Cumbres Pass route, train115.zip (1.9Mb, 30-May-04), caught his eye. For those wanting to find out how to best use the ConTEXT unicode editor for their MSTS files can browse a tutorial at Steam4Me.

• <30-May-04>: At Train-sim.com there's a set of schematic map diagrams for the Full Bucket Line route version 3, krwsfbl.zip (773kb, 29-May-04), to help activity writers. Joseph Spinella has created another Sydney tram, this one being an O-class number 1111, AU_sydtram_O_MSTS1_Setup.exe (2.5Mb, 30-May-04), and it's available from Australian Add-ons for MSTS. web•TrainSim has put the finishing touches to his Monchengladbach Hbf to Duisberg Hbf special service activity so give it a try (the weather has changed to Summer rain in the hope that some real rain will fall for the farmers sowing winter crops).

• <29-May-04>: There is a selection of Enrico Onori's Italian Railways diesel locos now available from the Train-sim.com library: Class D343, fs_d343.zip (5.5Mb, 28-May-04), Class 345, fs-d345.zip (6.7Mb, 28-May-04), Class 443, fs_d443.zip (5.3Mb, 28-May-04), and Class D445, fs_d445.zip (11Mb, 27-May-04). If you haven't a couple of F40PH locos in your roundhouse, the Spiderman liveried set, spmnpt2.zip (8.2Mb, 28-May-04), might be a good start, but make sure you use NALW's sounds to appreciate why F40PH drivers were supplied with ear plugs.

• <28-May-04>: Route Riter is now at version 5.2.21; you can update with a full install, RRit5_2_21full.zip (8.1Mb, 23-May-04), or if you've got V5.2.12 or later, all you need is the EXE update, RRit5_2_21exe.zip (1.7Mb, 23-May-04). web•TrainSim has another Wupper Express activity for you to try, this one being the Monchengladbach Hbf to Duisberg Hbf special service. At the UKTrainsim TrainMaster Forum, Tim Court has some preliminary screenshots of work he's done thus far with TrainMaster.

• <27-May-04>: Michael Sinclair has contributed his Activity Editor Pictorial tutorial, aepict.zip (10.7Mb, 26-May-04), to the Train-sim.com library. There are some new additions to the Trenomania.it library, too: Mr. Rokko's two electric locos, Locomotiva E646 164 (9.5Mb, 26-May-04) and Locomotiva E652 143 (13.8Mb, 26-May-04), and and two new cabs, Cabina per la nuova pilota piano ribassato (3.46Mb, 26-May-04) by Stefano and Cabina per la nuova pilota a piano ribassato by Paletta (2.55Mb, 26-May-04).

• <26-May-04>: Thus far it seems it's going to be a quiet day so web•TrainSim has no excuses for not trying out a new activity for the Wupper Express route.

• <25-May-04>: At Train-sim.com Dick Cowen has more of his reskinning kits, two new ones being GE 44 Ton Switcher, britkt23.zip (3.6Mb, 24-May-04), and SD40T-2 and SD45T-2 Tunnel Motors, britk22.zip (6.5Mb, 24-May-04). As well, there's the second part of Paul Gausden's and Peter Nijmegen's Airbus A330 Project - Germany, a330ger2.zip (1.8Mb, 24-May-04), and SD-50 No. 8579 in Chessie livery, 2cs8579.zip (4.6Mb, 25-May-04). web•TrainSim has his Flughafen to SG-Ohligs commuter service activity for you to try.

• <24-May-04>: A pack of seven 422 Class EMD diesel-electrics in New South Wales Government Railways, State Rail Authority and Australian Railroad Group liveries, AU_nsw422_MSTS1_Setup.exe (9.9Mb, 23-May-04), is available from Australian Add-ons for MSTS. UKTrainsim.com has the version 2.1 update, mvalb21.zip (15.6Mb, 23-May-04), to Michael Vone's Albula metre-gauge route and accompanying rolling stock in two packs, rhbpack.zip (18Mb, 23-May-04) and rhbpack2.zip (15Mb, 23-May-04). mvalb2.zip (18.7Mb, 23-May-04) is version 2 of Albula so you'll need this if you're still back at version 1.2. Check Michael's Albula route page for update details and the official Rhätische Bahn site for plenty of real-life photos. At Train-sim.com you'll find an update to the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Northern route, gmonl151.zip (26Mb, 23-May-04) and gmonl152.zip (125Mb, 23-May-04), Paul Gausden's and Peter Nijmegen's Airbus A330 Project - Germany 1, a330ger1.zip (1.8Mb, 23-May-04), with install instructions in the readme, and paths for the Red Arrows route, ra_paths.zip (186kb, 23-May-04). Both parts of the Airbus A330 Project - Germany are available from TheTrain.de.

• <23-May-04>: The Train-sim.com library has a number of EMD SD60 models in various liveries contribed by Bill Hemb, using Dick Cowen's SD60 model: EMD SD60 Demonstrator Set, sd60demo.zip (17.9Mb, 22-May-04), BNSF SD60M Set, bnsfsd60.zip (8.6Mb, 22-May-04), and Burlington Northern SD60M sets, bnsd60m.zip (10.8Mb, 22-May-04) and bnsd60m2.zip (8.3Mb, 22-May-04). One snippet of trivia about the SD60 that web•TrainSim remembers reading is that when first testing their dynamic braking, the SD60s tended to rip off the top of the rail.

• <22-May-04>: At Train-sim.com Alex Hall has a plug-in for Shape Viewer, sv_plug1.zip (2Mb, 21-May-04), to add grass, mountains and scale track so rolling stock wheels sit properly.

• <21-May-04>: Version 1.3 of Paul Gausden's Shape Viewer is available from its Australian Add-ons for MSTS page, SView1_3.zip (2.25Mb, 21-May-04). Trenomania.it has a new route, Ferrovia Centrale Umbra 2, for download (168Mb, in 18 RAR files, so you need WinRAR if you haven't already installed it). web•TrainSim has again updated his Wupper Express Monchengladback to Dortmund activity and it's just about right with plenty of traffic to keep you on your toes, especially coming up to Gruiten.

• <20-May-04>: A quiet day but there is a new (fictional) French route, Ligne de Transaveyronnais, which you'll find fully described at the author's site, including a map, photos of the old right-of-way on which he's based his MSTS route, screenshots, and download page (120Mb total, in nine files). At UKTrainSim.com you'll find three different Virgin Super Voyager named trainsets, Amelia Earhart, Amelia_Earhart.zip (1.3Mb, 18-May-04), Dr. Who, Dr_Who.zip (1.3Mb, 18-May-04), and Amy Johnson, Amy_Johnson.zip (1.3Mb, 18-May-04); you'll need to also download the Class 220 cab. web•TrainSim has made some improvements to his Wupper Express Monchengladback to Dortmund activity so it's there for you to try.

• <19-May-04>: R.K. Bird's Red Arrow Trolley Lines route, over 100 miles of line based on the 1940's Philadelphia trolley systems, including the famous Norristown third-rail high-speed section, is the highlight at Train-sim.com: redarr00.zip (150kb, 18-May-04) contains the readme and route map, and there are five other files, beginning with redarr01.exe (20Mb, 18-May-04). For background information about the Red Arrow Lines Division, see The Philadelphia Trolley Tracks site.

• <18-May-04>: A couple of small downloads at Train-sim.com to enhance your Amtrak carriages and roundhouse: Amtrak Superliner lighting upgrade to JJ Chaisson's carriages (AMP4SUP.ZIP) with new WAGon files included, suprlite.zip (45kb, 17-May-04), and an Amtrak Downeaster consist file, downestr.zip (270kb, 17-May-04).

• <17-May-04>: Contributions to the Train-sim.com library include a New South Wales Silverton 80s1 diesel-electric loco, 80s1.zip (566kb, 16-May-04), a collection of commuter activities on the Full Bucket Line, fblcomac.zip (42kb, 16-May-04), Marcel Despont's objects for route builders to make good use of, such as Various Billboards, de_bill1.zip (3.7Mb, 16-May-04), and Johan Johanson's SnapShooter screen capture utility, snpshtr1.zip (206kb, 16-May-04). At TheTrain.de, you might find Tilo Klaus' EVA (Eisenbahn Verkehrspläne Auskunft) utility, eva3.zip (, 16-May-04), useful in getting to know German railways ICE timetables and loco data (further updates are available from his homepage).

• <16-May-04>: A quiet day gave web•TrainSim the chance to make some improvements to a couple of his Wupper Express activities. As well, he solved the problem of Route Riter reporting that it couldn't find the shape files for the Graphics15 BXF796 carriages; simple really: open each carriage's WAGon file and remove the double quotes on the Wagon and WagonShape lines.

• <15-May-04>: Without a doubt, Pascal Grando's SNCF 231E Chapelon-modified compound steam loco is the highlight, 231E_CHAPELON.zip (5Mb, 01-May-04), from Rail Atelier. You'll find plenty of info at Chapelon.net about Chapelon's work on redesigning and improving the French compound steam locos. At the Train-sim.com library you'll find a couple more Milwaukee Road EF-4 electric boxcabs, Little Joe milwe77.zip (3.6Mb, 14-May-04) and Little Joe freight milwe74.zip (2.7Mb, 14-May-04), revised graphics for users with high-end graphics capability running the North Coast Railroad route, the first file being ncr512-1.zip (21Mb, 14-May-04), and a Hbis wagon in Lord of the Rings livery, lotr.zip (579kb, 15-May-04). web•TrainSim is trialling his Wupper Express Dortmund to Monchengladbach activity and you can give it a try too.

• <14-May-04>: At Train-sim.com Robert Fontaine has contributed a set of four Amtrak Genesis P42DC locos, these being in Phase V livery (with appropriate smatterings of soot and dirt) and fitted with ATS for running at the head of the Southwest Chief at 90 mph, atveatsp.zip (3.0Mb, 13-May-04). Loco No. 51 is available separately, atvea51.zip (789kb, 13-May-04). Over at Trensim.com you'll find the Talgo 350 trainset (The Duck).

• <13-May-04>: The most important download from Train-sim.com today is the patch to Kosmos, kosmo101.zip (776kb, 12-May-04). It's particularly important to read the installation instructions before applying this upgrade. There are a number of boxcars, one particular model being the Harry Potter forty footer, hp40ft.zip (662kb, 12-May-04). You may want to check future plans of TrainArtisan and the Raildriver team, each of whom are considering alternatives to MSTS 2.

• <12-May-04>: Only a couple of snippets today. Firstly, those who are happy to use the Convoi consists editor may like to update to the latest version, V1.2 (2.71Mb, 05-Apr-04), which now includes thumbnails of Australian rolling stock. Wupper Express fans should have a look at the ET420 trainset, Beta SBahn ET420.exe (7.84Mb, 10-Apr-04), and might like to add it to their Wupper roundhouse.

• <11-May-04>: A quieter day but the EMD SD60 in demonstrator livery, emdsd60.zip (4.5Mb, 10-May-04), at Train-sim.com caught web•TrainSim's eye. At UKTrainsim.com there's a patch for the North West England route, NWE2_Patch1.zip (380kb, 10-May-04).

• <10-May-04>: Several contributions to take note of at the Train-sim.com library, especially: Route Riter version 5.2.12, rr5212.zip (7.4Mb, 09-May-04), which now includes Shape Viewer V1.2 and can back up a route-in-progress for route builders, four New South Wales FreightCorp Mk3 48-Class ALCO-powered locos, 48mk3_fc.zip (2.3Mb, 09-May-04), TSNZ Railway Workshops' New Zealand Rails DA-class diesel-electric loco, nzr_dav3.zip (2.2Mb, 09-May-04), and the northern Californian North Coast Railroad (Northwestern Pacific) route, the first of four files being ncr2_1.zip (31Mb, 09-May-04). Bruno Astorg has over the past few days released some new RIO 79 S.N.C.F. and RIO 80 S.N.C.F. carriage sets in Transilien livery (you'll need also need the BB 16500, BB 25639 and BB 67439 locos).

• <09-May-04>: A short note to mention that web•TrainSim has updated some of his Wupper 7 activities to improve traffic by changing some paths and adding new ones to earlier activities. He hasn't tested them all but can't see any problems arising but he's still to see how to get around a couple of problems with the two activities that involve driving from the number two end. Edouard Staniczek has provided the fourth clue of his surprise project.

• <08-May-04>: The Train-sim.com library has seen more scenery objects added - always handy for route builders. Hopefully web•TrainSim can get a chance later today to test some changes he's made to his Wupper 7 activities, Desiro service Solingen Ohligs to Wuppertal (RB47) and Wuppertal Hbf to SG-Ohligs (RB47), and upload the revised zips. The Graphics15 team have reported that Wupper 8 is progressing well and that there will probably be a version 2 of U79. Later: he's got an update for the Desiro service Solingen Ohligs to Wuppertal (RB47) activity.

• <07-May-04>: Just a couple of snippets of news, firstly from Train-sim.com where Tim Muir has a set of graphics ACE files, 70mlwef1.zip (2.5Mb, 06-May-04), to update his Milwaukee Road electric boxcabs from the liveries of the early days to those used in the latter years of operation. It's always worth taking a look at Amicitreni.Net's Cabina section - today there's a new cab for the E652 electric loco. At Trenomania.it there's an add-on for the Genova Ventimiglia (Express Riviera) route (10Mb).

• <06-May-04>: There's plenty to choose from at Train-sim.com: Martin Bennet's and Matt Julian's Melbourne (Australia) Comeng suburban EMU trainsets in two liveries, olcomeng.zip (8.8Mb, 05-May-04), another Michael Sinclair Kosmos environment, Birdsong In The Breeze, bbreeze.zip (3.2Mb, 05-May-04), Petit Arbre Line rolling stock ENGine and WAGon file updates, julengwg.zip (975kb, 05-May-04), version 2 of a set of schematic maps for the Rollins Pass/Moffat Tunnel route, rollmap2.zip (174kb, 05-May-04), and the Eastbound Passenger Train activity for the Denver & Rio Grande Western Cumbres Pass route, dailypax.zip (13kb, 05-May-04). At Australian Add-ons for MSTS you'll find Shape Viewer V1.2.221, SView1_2.zip (2.26Mb, 02-May-04), and a set of five 930 class World Series ALCO diesel electric locos, AU_sa930_MSTS1_Setup.exe (5Mb, 04-May-04). Fingers crossed, by the time you're reading this, web•TrainSim.com should be all back together again.

• <05-May-04>: webDotTrainSim.com is back online again after finding a new web hosting service (SB-Host.com). Sadly web•TrainSim's original provider decided that $$$ were more important than his customers. Not all pages or images are up yet but remember web•TrainSim's files have to climb uphill from Down Under, cross the Equator, and then find the server in the U.S.

• <05-May-04>: At Train-sim.com the following caught web•TrainSim's (blurry) eye: the Benelux Sim Team's fictional TAR Steam-Electric Locomotive, bsttar50.zip (6.1Mb, 04-May-04), with sounds by Belphegor (enough said), Boston & Maine Budd RDC railcars, bm_rdcs.zip (3.7Mb, 04-May-04), a set of SNCF BB9600 locos, bb9600.zip (11.3Mb, 04-May-04), a BNSF Twinstax five-car articulated double stack wagon, twinstax.zip (2.5Mb, 04-May-04), and a set of Milwaukee Road boxcars, milw6pck.zip (4.7Mb, 04-May-04).

• <04-May-04>: Today is/was a blur. But that enables web•TrainSim to mention the amazing Listowel's Lartigue Monorail. web•TrainSim first read about it a magazine somewhere or other. Just the sort of railway for a garden model railway!

• <03-May-04>: Dwight Mitchell contributed more of his Maine Central liveried locos to Train-sim.com, including E7A No. 706, mec706.zip (2.6Mb, 02-May-04), and E7A No. 707, mec707.zip (2.7Mb, 02-May-04). Michael Sinclair added to his Cloudburst Kosmos Environments with a Hammering rain sound set, cburst3.zip (3.1Mb, 02-May-04), there's a set of Rollins Pass/Moffat Tunnel route schematic maps, rollmap1.zip (173kb, 02-May-04), and a new version of the Utah Belt rolling stock that has the self-installer fixed, utahbelt.zip (31.4Mb, 02-May-04).

• <02-May-04>: Shape Viewer version 1.2, sview.zip (2.2Mb, 01-May-04), is now available from UKTrainsim.com and expect it soon at Train-sim.com and Australian Add-ons for MSTS, as well as being part of Route Riter. The Train-sim.com library again contains a wide variety, including two Cloudburst Kosmos Environments by Michael Sinclair, cburst1.zip (2.8Mb, 01-May-04) and cburst2.zip (3.3Mb, 01-May-04), Okrasa Ghia's Utah Belt, utahbelt.zip (31.4Mb, 01-May-04), a pack of eighteen locos and freight wagons for the Unbeatable Service activity on Marias Pass (use the custom option in the installer - see this Train-sim.com forum thread for more info), an activity for the Italian Riviera Express route, ebriv04v.zip (264kb, 01-May-04), and SD75M loco BNSF No. 8208, bnsf8208.zip (12.3Mb, 01-May-04).

• <01-May-04>: You should find something at Train-sim.com today: there's the Milwaukee Road Rocky Mountain division route map, mwrmmap1.zip (296kb, 29-Apr-04), TSNZ Railway Workshops Tranz Scenics S-class carriage, tzs_sv1.zip (1.2Mb, 30-Apr-04), Norfolk & Western ALCO RS-11 loco pack, nw_rs-11.zip (3.4Mb, 30-Apr-04), Peter Czarnowski's CPR Alco FA/FB locos and carriages, cpfafb4p.zip (2.6Mb, 30-Apr-04), Back In The Blue Mountains passenger activities with the CityRail V-Set, bkblum10.zip (33kb, 30-Apr-04), and Tony Calorel has contributed more freight rolling stock. MS Trainstop has a double-decker NMBS-SNCB M5 EMU set (16Mb). Shape Viewer version 1.2 is being tested and should be available soon - more info on this thread at Train-sim.com.

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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.