Line news August, 2004

• <31-Aug-04>: Okrasa Ghia has added his Archibald, Horace & Zipper utilities, tk_utils.zip (128kb, 30-Aug-04), for route builders to the Train-sim.com library. For more information and feedback, see the 3 new utilities! thread on the Train-sim.com forums. Also there are two more Long Island Railroad MP15AC locos, lir167tp.zip (9.8Mb, 30-Aug-04) and li171154.zip (12Mb, 30-Aug-04), and over the past few days Tim Muir has contributed several TSM Project Files, such as the GE Pantograph, tsmpan1.zip (167kb, 29-Aug-04).

• <30-Aug-04>: A quieter day but Australian trainsimmers will find Timothy Scott's B-class diesel-electrics, B80 in Murraylander livery, aub80wcr.zip (1.3Mb, 29-Aug-04), and B61 in West Coast Railway livery, aub61wcr.zip (3Mb, 29-Aug-04), in the Train-sim.com library. There have been a whole range of Class 90s added to the UKTrainsim.com library over the past few days, e.g., Freightliner 90044, 90044_Freightliner.zip (1Mb, 28-Aug-04). La ligne de La Vallée de la Meuse is a new French route, available from ActivitySimulatorWorld, (61.8Mb, 28-Aug-04).

• <29-Aug-04>: Today (depending on where you are on the globe), Train-sim.com has the full install of ConBuilder version 2.0.6, cb206.zip (4Mb, 28-Aug-04), a pack of Norfolk Southern SD60Ms, ns_sd60m.zip (4.1Mb, 28-Aug-04), with a light fix for trailing units, ns60mfix.zip (38kb, 28-Aug-04), and there's a patch for the Portland Traction Hollywood No. 4015_7, pt4015fx.zip (91kb, 28-Aug-04). For those wanting to copy and paste from Joe Realmuto's FCalc 2 tool, and have forgotten how when working in an XP Command or DOS box, see Any way to cut and paste in Fcalc2? on the Train-sim forums. Also on the Train-sim forums was a post, Whitefish 5 Troube, detailing how add-ons such as NewRoads can corrupt the default Whitefish 5 roads - there's a download, MSTS Whitefish 5 Roadfix wf5rdfix.zip (235kb, 29-Aug-04), from TheTrain.de to reverse these visual road errors. The Polish Dzialdowo-Brodnica route version 4.0 has now been extended to Grudziadz-Laskowice Pomorskie - it's at TheTrain.de (28.9Mb, 29-Aug-04).

• <28-Aug-04>: There's another of Paul Gausden's highly detailed steam locos, the South East & Chatham Railway 0-6-0 No. 1 at UKTrainsim.com, SECRO1.zip (1.35Mb, 27-Aug-04). At Australian Add-ons for MSTS (Steam4Me), Matt Austin has a set of Victorian Railways W Class carriages, AU_vr_ABCW_MSTS1_Setup.exe (3.8Mb, 28-Aug-04). Note that Bruno Astorg's MicroRail site is now at www.microrail-fr.com.

• <27-Aug-04>: Tim Muir has more Hollyword class suburban trainsets, Portland Traction Company No. 4015, ptc4015.zip (8Mb, 26-Aug-04), and Pacific Electric Railway No. 5149 pe5149.zip (8.3Mb, 26-Aug-04), and No. 5099, pe5099.zip (8.8Mb, 26-Aug-04), at Train-sim.com. As well, there's Bob Boudoin's Physics V4.7 Update for GP Locos, v47gp.zip (80kb, 26-Aug-04), and a small fix for the Whitefish 5 route, wf5fix.zip (590kb, 26-Aug-04). At Amicitreni.net there's the Torino - Milano route (94Mb, 25-Aug-04) and the ALe582 trainset (5.2Mb, 26-Aug-04). The version 6 beta of Route Riter has been updated to version 6.0.1 (EXE only), RRit6_0_1.zip (1.1Mb, 22-Aug-04).

• <26-Aug-04>: At Train-sim.com there's another of Tim Muir's 600-700 Class Hollywood passenger trainsets, pe655.zip (8Mb, 25-Aug-04), and Dick Cowen has two sets of unofficial updates to some Canton - Suddenly rolling stock (you must have some downloads already), ctneqpu1.zip (11Mb, 25-Aug-04) and ctneqpu2.zip (11.2Mb, 25-Aug-04). At Australian Add-ons for MSTS you'll find a set of Victorian Railways ABU & BU carriages, AU_vrUPass_MSTS1_Setup.exe (1.04Mb, 25-Aug-04). TrainClaudius has another M61 suburban train set for the Paris RER B line - see this thread on Simtrain-fr.org. At Trenomania.it there's an Elettrotrno ETR 202 trainset (5.44Mb, 24-Aug-04) and a pack of three versions of the E444 electric loco (7.11Mb, 23-Aug-04). Finally, Plainsman has revised the physics for fifteen or so EMD GP locos and this data should be in the Train-sim.com library in a day or two.

• <25-Aug-04>: These new additions to the Train-sim.com library caught web•TrainSim's eye: Ernesto Imperato's SBB AM840 diesel loco (a Vossloh G2000 diesel-hydraulic), sbbam840.zip (4.2Mb, 23-Aug-04), and Italian Railways PrOld driving trailers, prold.zip (3.4Mb, 23-Aug-04), Tim Muir's Pacific Electric 600-700 Class Hollywood passenger trainsets, pe637.zip (8.9Mb, 23-Aug-04) and pe653.zip (8.1Mb, 24-Aug-04), and Nick Kelsey's Metra Commuter version 2 trainset, metcom20.zip (12.7Mb, 24-Aug-04). At TheTrain.de there's Matthias Pichler's Slovenia Railways Desiro trainset and Ingo Wittenberg's test diesel, Henschel BBC DE 2500. The Class 92 SNCF Berlioz Eurotunnel electric loco by S.Laws and D. Verheyden, SNCFClass92.zip (2.63Mb, 19-Aug-04), can be found at Activity Simulator World.

• <24-Aug-04>: The Train-sim.com library now has the latest version of ConBuilder, version 2.0.5, either as a full install, cb205.zip (4Mb, 23-Aug-04), or an update of the EXE and CHM help file, cb205fix.zip (1.7Mb, 23-Aug-04). There's been some discussion of errors of missing WAV files found by this version of ConBuilder, so check the ConBuilder 2.0.5 thread at UKTrainsim.com and the ConBuilder Forum at 3DTrains.

• <23-Aug-04>: Dwight Mitchell has contributed more Boston & Maine GP-18s, such as bm1750a.zip (1.6Mb, 22-Aug-04), to the Train-sim.com library. From a day or two ago, there are several additions for Full Bucket Line enthusiasts, such as: an activity pack, fbl_upv3.zip (102kb, 21-Aug-04), with patch, upv3fix.zip (2kb, 22-Aug-04), FBL SD40-2, fbl_sdno.zip (3.5Mb, 21-Aug-04), and Alco C424, fbl_c424.zip (1.6Mb, 21-Aug-04). You'll find the Class 220/221 cab at UKTrainsim, 20_1cab.zip (2.9Mb, 22-Aug-04), as well as several Class 90s by Jonathan Powell, such as EWS 90039, 90039_ews.zip (965kb, 22-Aug-04).

• <22-Aug-04>: Today must be the day for new cabs! Kenji Kimura (who'll be familiar to those who have European locos in their roundhouse) has produced a Class 220/221 Voyager cab, 220_1cab.zip (2.9Mb, 21-Aug-04; Train-sim.com) and a Class 390 Pendolino cab, 390cabV1.zip (2.6Mb, 21-Aug-04; UKTrainsim). At Amicitreni.net Mauro Ciociola has version 2 of his cab for E655-E656 electric locos (4Mb, 21-Aug-04) and there's a new Cabina per E402 prototipo at Trenomania.it (5.1Mb, 19-Aug-04). However, the highlight of the day has to be Pascal Grando's 031-130-T Du Bousquet du Syndicat des Ceintures French steam loco and you can download it from RailAtelier, 031-130.zip (5.1Mb, 17-Aug-04) - see the Les 031+130 Du Bousquet page for history and more info on this remarkable loco. Mike Simpson has made available beta version 6 of Route Riter at his Australian Add-ons for MSTS page, Route_Riter6beta.zip (9.97Mb, 19-Aug-04), including a list of new features being tested; feedback is being posted on the UKTrainsim Route Building Forum.

• <21-Aug-04>: Mike Simpson has released beta version 6 of Route Riter for testing - details are in this thread on the UKTrainsim.com MSTS Route Building forum along with a link for those wishing to download and contribute to the testing program. Train-sim.com has a new GP-18 cab by Dwight Mitchell, gp18cab.zip (2.4Mb, 20-Aug-04).

• <20-Aug-04>: At Train-sim.com, Dick Cowen has a rebuild of his Alco RS1 Reskinning Kit, brtkt-01.zip (9.6Mb, 19-Aug-04). This page at UKTrainsim.com has the list of files for the Scottish Central route, which includes the Forth bridge; note the file you need to rename for a successful install. At Australian Add-ons for MSTS (Steam4Me) Yuri Sos has completed his tutorial on using the ConTEXT editor with his own custom MSTS highlighter for WAGon, ENGine, CVF cabview, SMS sound and CONsist files.

• <19-Aug-04>: The Train-sim.com library has Jim Ward's Port Ogden & Northern freight wagons pack, ponfrght.zip (1.7Mb, 18-Aug-04), electric loco SBB Dispolok ES64F4-094/E 189 994SR, sbbdispo.zip (7.2Mb, 18-Aug-04), and the Union Pacific C40-8 set number one by The Locomotive Paintshop, upc408_1.zip (10.2Mb, 18-Aug-04). UKTrainsim has the Scottish Central route in eleven zips (about 15Mb each) as well as a readme zip and a signals patch. This PDF doc describes (in Hungarian) the Jászkisér - Nagybereg route - you can view several screenshots here as well as being able to download the installer EXE (install_jaszk-nagyb10.exe, about 110Mb). Keep an eye on this post at Simtrain-fr.org for information.

• <18-Aug-04>: The Baldwin Sharknose RF16 by NALW has appeared in the Train-sim.com library, shark.zip (18.1Mb, 17-Aug-04); a good history with plenty of photos is the Baldwin Sharknose - A History page. Tim Muir has contributed some trolley parts, trlypts1.zip (490kb, 17-Aug-04), and trolley poles, trlypols.zip (112kb, 17-Aug-04), for others to use in their projects.

• <17-Aug-04>: Train-sim.com has the latest edition of the Standardized \global\tsection.dat file, tsection.zip (175kb, 16-Aug-04), for track section developers, and two Long Island Rail Road GP38s, lirrgp38.zip (22.2Mb, 16-Aug-04). It's LIRR's 170th birthday this year - for some history see LIRR homepage or LIRR History.

• <16-Aug-04>: The Train-sim.com library has the BNSFLady Dash 9-44CW loco, bnsflad2.zip (7.5Mb, 15-Aug-04), and the 1905-era Brill semi-convertible streetcar, blubrill.zip (3.6Mb, 15-Aug-04). A reminder, too, that several contributors have lately added all types of freight wagons and you should be able to find what you want for your consists from the wide selection. Before going on holidays, the Graphics15 team added some more screenshots of Wupper 8.

• <15-Aug-04>: UKTrainsim has the UK FineScale Track Manager, trackmanager_setup.zip (3.6Mb, 14-Aug-04), to help install and manage the UK Finescale track textures. For more details of how this app will help, see the UKFS Track Manager page. TheTrain has had four SVIR (SeaView) Projekt packs for a few days, such as SVIR-Elektropack (17.150Mb, 11-Aug-04) - do a search (Easy search or Einfache Suche) for SVIR to list them.

• <14-Aug-04>: Franco Caruso has contributed some Italian Railways rolling stock to Train-sim.com, namely electric locos E402b.155 and E402b.156, fse402b.zip (10.4Mb, 13-Aug-04), and a set of Hbbillns boxcars, .zip (4Mb, 13-Aug-04). Franco's site is NonSoloTreni.com where you'll find his works, including the Etnaland and Light Urban F routes. Teemu Vehkaoja has updated the Full Bucket Line route (version 3.02) signals using Maple Leaf Tracks' SigView technology, fblud303.zip (366kb, 12-Aug-04).

• <13-Aug-04>: Enthusiasts of hig horsepower locos should have a look at Frank Musick's Virginian Railway EL2B at the Train-sim.com library - at 8 000 horsepower, it's enough to keep everybody happy. The loco is in download vgnel2b.zip (1.6Mb, 11-Aug-04) with patch, vgnace.zip (161kb, 12-Aug-04). Browse the readme for more details and there's some history of this unique railway company at An Introduction to the Virginian Railway.

• <12-Aug-04>: Both TheTrain.de and EUTrainsim.com have the new TXLogistik BR185 531-1 electric loco, (4.5Mb, 12-Aug-04). Route Riter has been updated to version 5.2.52, RRit5_2_52exe.zip (EXE only) (1.6Mb, 10-Aug-04), to get everything working for those who have Route Riter on a different drive than MSTS and there's more info provided by type of loco in the Check rolling stock option.

• <11-Aug-04>: A quieter day however a simple question such as I would like to know the history of diesels locomotives from a European trainsimmer gave experts such as Bob Boudoin (plainsman, author of the physics updates for MSTS locos and rolling stock) to give us all a good history lesson. The Graphics15 team are on holidays until 05-Sep but there are some new screenshots of the upcoming Wupper 8 route. After changing servers, TrainSimFrance is back on the air; web•TrainSim has been keeping an eye on the Matériels Français sur Internet page for new French rolling stock.

• <10-Aug-04>: There have been two new Spanish railways routes added to the Trensim.com library over the past couple of days: Ruta A by Francisco Salvador Montori (94Mb, 08-Aug-04) and Ruta Ficticia FEFSA (FerroExpreso de Floresta S.A.) (33.9Mb, 05-Aug-04). Train-sim.com has the updated version of ConBuilder, the version 2.0.1 fix (EXE and help file only), cb201fix.zip (1.6Mb, 09-Aug-04) and the full install of version 2.0.2 (?), cb202.zip (4Mb, 09-Aug-04).

• <09-Aug-04>: At Train-sim.com Bob Pickering has his Modern Activity Pack for Marias Pass 3.1, mpap2.zip (590kb, 08-Aug-04); see the readme as this set of activities, made up of more prototypical consists, requires some extra rolling stock. Jonathan Lewis has upgraded his Rio Grande Southern route with a patch to bring it to version 1.2, rgsv12.zip (4.6Mb, 08-Aug-04), to add more scenic detail in various locations. EUTrainsim has Yves Lang's fictional 30 kilometre Swiss route, Project Schweizerhof, projshofK.zip (8.5Mb, 07-Aug-04), and you'll get more details at the author's site.

• <08-Aug-04>: ConBuilder has been updated to version 2.0.1 and it's available from the Train-sim.com library in cb201.zip (4Mb, 07-Aug-04). However there appears to be a further update which is available from Australian Add-ons for MSTS (look down on the right-hand side of the page to Permanent Content - Utilities): update from version 2.0.1 to version 2.0.1c, conbuilder2_0_1c_exe.zip (07-Aug-04), and a full install of version 2.0.1c, conbuilder2_0_1c.zip (3.84Mb, 07-Aug-04).

• <07-Aug-04>: Lukas a.k.a Swissie has posted a good description of all the file handling MSTS carries out while we run a route - see his post as part of the Exciting discovery: a method for improving frame rates thread at Train-sim.com. There have been some additions to the Amicitreni.Net library, namely a FS ALe601 trainset in Alitalia livery (4.2Mb, 06-Aug-04), electric loco FS E444R 110 (12.7Mb, 06-Aug-04) and a cab for the E444R as a separate download (3Mb, 06-Aug-04). You'll also find E444R 110 and the E444R at Trenomania.it. The E444R 110 electric loco has been built by Mr. Rokko and his site is worth visiting to see his other works. ConBuilder version 2.0.1 (to fix some minor bugs) is currently available from UKTrainsim and expect to see it in a day or two at Train-sim.com.

• <06-Aug-04>: There are several new additions to the Train-sim.com library and two that caught web•TrainSim's eye were the left-hand drive Acela cabview, acelalhd.zip (2.7Mb, 05-Aug-04), and the Amtrak GG1 Train activity on the NEC 4 route, amtrakg.zip (396kb, 05-Aug-04). The latter is also available from UKTrainsim.com. Route Riter has been updated to version 5.2.50 (EXE only) to solve a problem for those who run Route Riter on a drive different than MSTS and there are a couple of other minor improvements.

• <05-Aug-04>: The French Roussillon route has been updated to version 3 and if you have version 2.1, the update file is about 7Mb, otherwise firstly install version 2.1 (22.9Mb) from the author's download page (The Languedoc Roussillon region is to the east of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, the area of the LGV Med route). How ConBuilder works with Shape Viewer may not seem clear at first reading but as long as they both share the same folder (the suggested one being drive:\Program Files\ConBuilder\Pics where drive: will be C: for most people), the 3D View button will load Shape Viewer for the selected loco, carriage or wagon. Then press Screenshot in Shape Viewer which will close automatically and back in ConBuilder you can click Preview. Once you've got screenshots for all items in a particular consist, you can always come back to that consist and view it via the Preview button. See crstagg's (Charles) post under RE: ConBuilder 2.0 on the Train-sim forum.

• <04-Aug-04>: Conbuilder V2.0.0 is now available from Train-sim.com in file cb200.zip (3.9Mb, 03-Aug-04) and you can get some info on this thread in the Train-sim forums. Note you also need Shape Viewer 1.3 which you can download from its page at Steam4Me, SView1_3_129.zip (2.2Mb, 24-May-04) or from the 3DTrains utilities page. There's an activity for the LGV Atlantique route (version 2.0) also at Train-sim.com and you can download the route from a couple of sites including Funtrain.net (62Mb); here's a link to the author's site (Claude Jousset). Finally, Pierre Mertzeisen has a couple of activities for the Whitefish 5 route, 21 Meetings, wf5wtrf.zip (47kb, 03-Aug-04) and Watch the Train, wf5watch.zip (53kb, 03-Aug-04), which are also available from TheTrain.de.

• <03-Aug-04>: The Train-sim.com library has several tributes to Cyndi Richards, including Otto Wipfel's BNSF Lady Dash 9, bnladyd9.zip (515kb, 02-Aug-04), and Bob Pickering's two activities on the default Marias Pass, cyndi.zip (343kb, 02-Aug-04). Rene Rump's Whitefish 5 route is also at Train-sim.com in files wf51.zip (33Mb, 02-Aug-04) and wf52.zip (21Mb, 02-Aug-04); check the New Route Whitefish 5 now online post on the Train-sim.com forums for more info. Also on the Train-sim.com forums is a post that ConBuilder version 2 is on the way. Finally, TheTrain.de has an OSE H-561 Siemens Eurosprinter in a colourful fictional livery (715kb, 03-Aug-04).

• <02-Aug-04>: Jim Ward has kindly contributed GP38 loco BNSF Lady 8703, bnsflady.zip (952kb, 01-Aug-04), in memory of Cyndi BNSF Lady Richards who passed away suddenly on Friday after becoming well-known for the ideas and help she provided to all the MSTS community. Also at the Train-sim.com library, route builders will find a variety of houses and signal boxes by Marcel Despont. The Whitefish 5 has become available at TheTrain.de in two files, Route Whitefish 5 (WF5), Part 1 (31.773Mb, 02-Aug-04) and Route Whitefish 5 (WF5), Part 2 (19.968Mb, 02-Aug-04). OldieDaddy has provided two activities for this latest version (Whitefish 5 adds 65 miles of Union Pacific from Sandpoint to Eastport/Kingsgate at the Canadian border).

• <01-Aug-04>: At Train-sim.com there are a couple of activity packs for the Full Bucket Line route (version 3): California Zephyr Activity Pack, fbl3cz.zip (153kb, 30-Jul-04), and Activity Pack 2, fblactp2.zip (7.1Mb, 31-Jul-04), which has both passenger and freight activities. Route Riter has been updated to version 5.2.49 (fixes mainly deal with route building), RRit5_2_49exe.zip (1.6Mb, 30-Jul-04). Edouard Staniczek's Surprise has been available to download for a few days - it's on the Projects ESK download page in type11.exe (7Mb, 28-Jul-04) and there are a couple of screenshots in this post at Simtrain-fr.net. TheTrain.de has some new RhB Ge 4/4 III electric locos, e.g., number 643_1 in EMS livery (799kb, 01-Aug-04), and there's a new sound pack for these locos, (4.375Mb, 31-Jul-04). Piero Angeli (peterpan) has contributed his Italian Railways freight wagons to the library at Amicitreni.Net.

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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.