Line news December, 2003

• <31-Dec-03>: For the last day of 2003 in Australia, these are some of the latest downloads at Train-sim.com: Chris Bogley's Guide To The Full Bucket Line (his twentieth of the series), fbl3gde.zip (3kb, 30-Dec-03), Stephen Shoemaker's pack of refrigerated boxcars, a six-pack for this warm spell of weather we're having, sixpak1.zip (2.8Mb, 30-Dec-03), and a Chinese Railways ND5 Type 1 diesel-electric loco, nd5.zip (1.8Mb, 30-Dec-03), repainted by Wang Daqing. web•TrainSim just noticed today at Simtrain-fr.org's Les Lignes Françaises page there's a button to take 56k modem users to a special downloads page where routes are in manageable chunks, although you may not yet find the latest versions of all routes available.

• <30-Dec-03>: Only one new model caught web•TrainSim's eye at Train-sim.com today, namely Peter Harvey's BR Ex-LNER 60103 Flying Scotsman which depicts the Fly Scotsman as she would appear in her British Rail days, a360103.zip (1.85Mb, 29-Dec-03). UKTrainsim.com has given up on its new download allocation method, and, as Matt says, they've returned to the "8pm food fight" (that's 8pm GMT). The Rule of the Week on the Train-sim.com forum this week is Starting Your Train, a very practical topic.

Sunshine station.

• <29-Dec-03>: The Middle and Southern Divisions of the former Monon Line are modelled in Steve Mosier's route; at Train-sim.com, the first download file is monon1.zip (51Mb, 28-Dec-03). For a map of the full Monon, see the Monon Railroad Historical/Technical Society site. Don Crano has a couple more low-nose GP and SD cabviews, one in Lehigh Valley livery, lvr_cab.zip (1.97Mb, 28-Dec-03), another for CSX, csx_cab.zip (1.94Mb, 28-Dec-03). web•TrainSim tested his ISDN connection by downloading Russell Beer's Footscray (Melbourne) to Ballarat route and is busy exploring it. As well, he's updated his version 2 of Blue Mountains to version 3.1.

• <28-Dec-03>: At the Train-sim.com library you'll find version 3 (with the update to version 3.01) of the Full Bucket Line route, fbline3.zip (26.7Mb, 27-Dec-03), and an updated version of the Lehigh Valley route, the first of seven files being lv_v2_11.zip (37.7Mb, 27-Dec-03). Dick Cowen has a two-part reskinning kit for EMD GP7s and GP9s, gp79kit1.zip (9.3Mb, 27-Dec-03) and gp79kit2.zip (1.7Mb, 27-Dec-03), including a manual. web•TrainSim has caught up with the latest news about Mike Simpson's Blue Mountains route: the full installation of version 3.1 is AU_BlueMountains3_1_Full_MSTS1_Setup.exe (43.4Mb), the upgrade from version 3 to 3.1 is AU_BlueMountains3_1_Patch_MSTS1_Setup.exe (2.4Mb), and there's an upgrade from version 2 to version 3.1, AU_BlueMountains3_1_Upgrade_MSTS1_Setup.exe (18.6Mb).

• <27-Dec-03>: A couple of new routes have been contributed to the Train-sim.com library. Firstly, a New Zealand one, the Southrail - Gateway To Central Otago set in the South Island, by Neville Brook, with information in nzsradoc.zip (3Mb, 26-Dec-03) and the first of five files in nzsrail1.zip (10.7Mb, 26-Dec-03). The other route is titled La Mure which is set in the Rhone-Alpes region of France, south of Grenoble. Formerly an electrified line to serve a coal mine, it's now a tourist route, well known for its spectacular scenery, viaducts and steep grades; it's in download, lamure.zip (128Mb, 26-Dec-03), with accompanying rolling stock in matos.zip (71.5Mb, 26-Dec-03). Phil Skene has made some adjustments to his Steam Locomotive Sound Scheme, g_s_1a.zip (2Mb, 26-Dec-03), Jim England has done a couple of repaints, Katy passenger F7 A/B set, mktpf7ab.zip (1.4Mb, 26-Dec-03) and CSX F7 A/B set, csxf7ab.zip (2.3Mb, 26-Dec-03), and Denis Verheyden has repainted two Eurostar sets, one with SNCF TGV logos, tgv_ex-e.zip (5.9Mb, 26-Dec-03), and the other into GNER livery, gnerstar.zip (4.6Mb, 26-Dec-03). UKTrainsim.com has a new download system in place so try it on Jeff Ashton's Class 81 & 85 Sounds, Class81&85Sounds.zip (1.57Mb, 25-Dec-03), and a class 87 cabview, Class87CabV1.zip (1Mb, 25-Dec-03).

• <26-Dec-03>: Just a snippet of news while you're enjoying the couple of days with family and friends. Werner Mueller has a patch for his Lehigh Valley route but only apply it if you don't have Sky Conductor installed, lv_v2_p1.zip (2.2Mb, 24-Dec-03). Cykworks has version 0.4 of his Chicago Elevated Railways route, cwcer04.zip (26.9Mb, 24-Dec-03), and you're advised to see his readme for more details. Version 3 of the Full Bucket Line, fbline3.zip (26.8Mb, 25-Dec-03), has been upgraded to version 3.01 to fix a problem with a couple of missing files in version 3 (released 25-Dec-03). If you already have version 3.00, you need fbl300_fix.zip (4kb, 25-Dec-03) to fix the problem. There's news from Trainsimfrance.net that Patrick Fabard has version 3 of his RER C route ready; see the download page at Funtrain.net for more information.

• <24-Dec-03>: At the Train-sim.com library, Jim England has contributed an FBL AS-616 four loco set, fblas616.zip (1.4Mb, 23-Dec-03), and Jon Davis has created Sumpter Valley Baldwin 4-6-0 #50 in 3-foot gauge, svry50v1.zip (1.7Mb, 23-Dec-03). There are new HST Class 43 sounds at UKTrainsim.com, New HST Sounds.zip (403kb, 22-Dec-03), and Amicitreni.net has electric loco E402B-134 and an ALE 801 repainted into light livery. Trainsimfrance.net has a number of new models including the Vespa BB9400 loco, Autorail EAD X4500 livried for Bretagne and SNCF Autorail EAD X4900 trainsets. The Rule of the Week in the Train-sim.com forum is Air Brake Operation. The Brakes 01 tutorial is a worthwhile reference and guide; it should be still in the Train-sim.com library in archive, brakes01.zip (459kb, 16-Jun-02).

• <23-Dec-03>: Okrasa Ghia and helpers have released XTracks version 3.9 in the Train-sim.com library. The version most of us will be interested in is the Standard Edition Setup edition with auto-installer, xtracks.zip (4.2Mb, 22-Dec-03). The route builders version is in xtracksr.zip (21Mb, 22-Dec-03). Don Crano has built cabs for B&M and D&H blue and lightning stripe nosed locos, bm_dh.zip (3.7Mb, 22-Dec-03), and NS low nose locos, ns_cab.zip (1.9Mb, 22-Dec-03), both of which in turn are based on his GP & SD EMD Common Cab, comcab.zip (5.2Mb, 22-Dec-03). The Lehigh Valley route, Pennsylvania, is ready to run from Jim Thorpe to Bethlehem; it's in seven files, beginning with lv_v2_01.zip (29.8Mb, 22-Dec-03). The Hamilton Norfolk has been updated to version 1.1 with improvements, hnv1-1.zip (741kb, 22-Dec-03). Lionel Mollard has created one of France's classic steam locos, the SNCF 141 R (built in the U.S.A. as a Mikado 2-8-2), 141rv12.zip (27.8Mb, 22-Dec-03), and both Lionel's site, Train Sim Spirit, and the 141 R site contain excellent photos and technical information.

A Victorian Rail diesel-electric, either S- or B-class. Unknown location and date. Scanned from a photo found among lots of famiy photos!

• <22-Dec-03>: Chuck Rickert has released version 2 of his Chicago Stations route - it has more track including a portion of the Belt Line; see download file chista2.zip (51.9Mb, 21-Dec-03) in the Train-sim.com library. Also at Train-sim.com, the TSNZ Railway Workshops has a New Zealand DA class loco, nzr_dav1.zip (1.9Mb, 21-Dec-03). XTracks standard edition version 3.9 with self-installer, along with route builder and manual install versions, is available from UKTrainsim.com, XTracks.zip (4.2Mb, 21-Dec-03), so expect it to appear at Train-sim.com in a day or two.

• <21-Dec-03>: Some additions to the Train-sim.com library that caught web•TrainSim's eye: Sea View 4 signals upgrade, sv4sig01.zip (11.8Mb, 20-Dec-03), to help in the design of activities; Autoparts 86 foot hi-cube boxcar pack number 3, 86ftpak3.zip (11Mb, 20-Dec-03), by Bill Bzak with permission from Dekosoft (see Bill's readme); IRT subway cars renumbering kit, irtnum.zip (62kb, 20-Dec-03) by Mike Brandt for those who want to make their own fleet (you'll need some experience with reskinning). There were a couple of sites giving information about graphics cards mentioned on the Train-sim forum - here they are for convenience: Articles about Graphics Cards and Table of graphics card chips.

• <20-Dec-03>: A couple of quick downloads you might find interesting at Train-sim.com: Markus Westhues' repaints of Jan Henning Gettkant's M420s into British Columbia Railway livery, m420b687.zip (3Mb, 19-Dec-03), and John Simpson's Pennsylvania Railroad NEC superpack number 1 activities, nec_prr1.zip (161kb, 19-Dec-03) where you're in charge of the Congressional, Senator and Colonial trains (see John's readme for a full list of required rolling stock).

• <19-Dec-03>: Wang Daqing has created a general-purpose cab for hood locos (whether high or low) based on the SD40-2, hoodcab.zip (3.6Mb, 18-Dec-03). The China Haerbin-Dalian Line route, version 5, is again in the Train-sim.com library, hadaline.zip (61.8Mb, 18-Dec-03). Version 0.2A beta of the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Northern Lines route is available in six files, starting at gmonl2_1.zip (1.8Mb, 18-Dec-03). Finally at Train-sim.com, Stephen Shoemaker has updated his All Aboard sound schemes to version 1.1, allabrd.zip (137kb, 19-Dec-03).

• <18-Dec-03>: There are some new models at Amicitreni.Net including a new 3D version of the FS TAF electric trainset, fs-ale426-506-taf.rar (2.7Mb, 17-Dec-03), and a repaint of the FS E633.014 electric loco. For those who have downloaded the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Northern Lines route, Jim Duncan has an activity, Train #94 on the Eastern Division, gmonl_a3.zip (83kb, 17-Dec-03), in the Train-sim.com library (check for required rolling stock in Jim's readme). The London & Port Stanley Railway has moved to a new location at www.lnps.info. Received a note from someone who has installed Convoi - the program takes over the consist folder (or, folders if you have separate MSTS installations); names are changed to French and not changed back after an un-install. However ConBuilder and Route Riter still seem ok.

• <17-Dec-03>: At the Train-sim.com library you'll find an update to Bob Pickering's Northeast Corridor Version 4.0 Fall Superpack Series activity pack, necfix1.zip (330kb, 16-Dec-03), and John Simpson has version 2 of his Afternoon Congressional activity on NEC, prrnoon2.zip (87kb, 16-Dec-03); check his readme for extra rolling stock. The Gulf Mobile & Ohio Northern Lines route in beta 2 form has been released in five files, starting with gmonl2_1.zip (7Mb, 17-Dec-03). And all route builders should find a suitable location on their route for Seamus Murphey's Irish Pub, smip1.zip (138kb, 16-Dec-03).

• <16-Dec-03>: There's more discussion on the Convoi utility in the thread, NOUVEAU A essayer l' Editeur de Consists CONVOI, in the Simtrain-fr.org MSTS forum. Convoi's author, Patrick Delavent, has quite an extensive set of online instructions for using the utility. At Train-sim.com Gary Horninger has put together Reading RS3 #450, rdgr3450.zip (2.2Mb, 15-Dec-03), and there's a specific cabview for this loco, rs3wdbcb.zip (3.5Mb, 15-Dec-03). David Ward has repainted Peter Harvey's 60009 Union of South Africa steam loco into BR green for running on the Blue Arrow Severn Valley route, 60009-2.zip (2Mb, 15-Dec-03). From a post on the Train-sim MSTS forum comes a news item on NBCSanDiego that Freight Trains Set To Roll Through Carrizo Gorge; click on the Images link for a slideshow to see how tough the countryside is for trains.

• <15-Dec-03>: At the Train-sim.com library, Steve Spivey has more of his freight wagons, such as Union Pacific #126129 40 foot boxcar, up_box9a.zip (804kb, 13-Dec-03). For the route builder, there's Tim Court's PI Engineering/Raildriver building, pi_eng.zip (2.1Mb, 13-Dec-03), and there's the Northeast Corridor Version 4.0 Fall Superpack Series of activites, necf.zip (1Mb, 13-Dec-03), for those seeking a challenge. For more details, on the latter, do a View from the library and peruse Necf.txt for details on required rolling stock. A post on the Simtrain-fr.org forum has announced Patrick Delavent's Convoi utility to manage consists. It appears similar to MSTS' Consist Editor but is standalone. At his site, Patrick points out that he's tried it under Windows 98 and Windows ME but web•TrainSim is not sure of its compatability under Windows XP (Babelfish tries hard to help web•TrainSim with French to English translation but there's a limit. Ed). Following Murphy's Law for Internet Searches, web•TrainSim came across Glacier Retreat in Glacier National Park which might provide some thoughtful reflection the next time you're traversing Marias Pass.

• <14-Dec-03>: Alco fans are catered for again at the Train-sim.com library with a pack of British Columbia Railway early M420s, bc_m420e.zip (4Mb, 13-Dec-03; for more information on these and other models, see the CN ALCo/MLW locomotives page at the CNLines site. Roje Schumacher has another contribution, this one Drehschemelwagen DRG H-Regensburg, a set of German wagons with stanchions and cradles, h-reg.zip (631kb, 13-Dec-03). TSNZ Workshops has version 2 of its NZR Class A No 64 0-6-0T steam loco and carriages, a_train.zip (5Mb, 13-Dec-03). You can follow how others are finding the Haerbin-Dalian route on this thread (with screenshots) at Train-sim.com.

• <13-Dec-03>: The China Haerbin-Dalian route has been become available from the Train-sim.com library in download file hadaline.zip (62Mb, 12-Dec-03). The The Haerbin-Dalian route is situated in northeast China and includes five separate lines making up about 2000 km in total length (and about 1.9Gb disk space on your hard drive). There are some early comments already posted in the Train-sim forum and you can view the readme to see the rolling stock that would be prototypical. fwbryanL began posting his Rule of the Week in the Train-sim forum a couple of weeks ago and this week it's about Air pressure, Speedos and Throttle Handling, always a relevant topic. Obeying the rule that you shouldn't be running in notch 4 or above nor be dynamic braking across level crossings can make for some excitement.

• <12-Dec-03>: Steam features today at the Train-sim.com library with two Western Maryland 2-8-0 locos, wmh-7s.zip (4.6Mb, 11-Dec-03), and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 4-8-4 #5632 in gold livery, cbq5632g.zip (9.7Mb, 11-Dec-03); this latter loco has its cab and sounds aliased to the SP 700 so it's required as well. Pierre Gauriat's site, Ajouts a Train Simulator, has a page dedicated to French rolling stock download sites - it's worth a look from time to time and currently there are some new models listed.

• <11-Dec-03>: James Brook has finished his V/Line T-class lownose diesel-electric loco, Au_vl_t_lownose.exe (1.38Mb, 10-Dec-03), and can be downloaded from his site. You'll also need his lownose cab, Au_t_lownose_cab.exe (8.34Mb). At Train-sim.com Gavin Mclaughlan has a New South Wales NPRX cement wagon, nprx.zip (1.2Mb, 10-Dec-03), which you can enhance by adding his dust and brake smoke effects, wagdust.zip (361kb, 10-Dec-03). The readme for the latter contains instructions for use with other wagons. Bill Cline has been busy producing boxcars in various railway liveries, such as an Alaska Rail Road 50 foot boxcar, ar_11509.zip (1.6Mb, 10-Dec-03).

New South Wales Class 82 #8258 coming into Kiama station on the Illawarra line.

• <10-Dec-03>: There weren't any downloads that caught web•TrainSim's eye today. However, an item titled Virtual Miniature Engineering in the UK on the Train-sim forums about running 15 inch gauge trains in MSTS seems to have brought out every trainsimmer's boyhood dreams. If you've got some time on your hands, you might like to try web•TrainSim's Hotshot Freight activity.

New Sout Wales Class 82 8258 stands at Bombo on the Illawarra line.

• <09-Dec-03>: Some news from Peter Gaut and his Melbourne to Warnambool West Coast Route has track as far as Camperdown and he's hoping it's all straight forward to Warnambool. A couple of new locos were noticed at Amicitreni.net, an E444R in XMPR livery and a diesel shunter in Kof della Ferrovia Alifana livery. At Train-sim.com there's Chicago & North Western 4-6-2 Atlantic #493 steam loco (renowned for its 81 inch drivers), atlantic.zip (3.1Mb, 08-Dec-03).

• <08-Dec-03>: Mike Simpson's Route Riter has again been updated to offer several new features, especially for route builders; it's in rrit4246.zip (6.5Mb, 07-Dec-03) from the Train-sim.com library. The French route, L'Etoile de Savoie, has been released in version 6.1 and should be available for download from perso.wanadoo.fr/gilbert30/ in L'etoile_de_savoie_V_6.1.exe (66Mb, 07-Dec-03). At UKTrainsim.com, there's a new HST Class 43 cab, Hstcab.zip (2.7Mb, 06-Dec-03). A small note on the installation of NSW 82 class loco #8258: the class 82s have an EMD V12 710 engine so alias the sounds to the SD70 which will be more prototypical than using the 4-stroke Dash 9's. Also you'll have to create a folder (call it NSW82-Cab, the same name as the CVF file for memory purposes) in which to install the cabview (you'll need to edit the CabView line in the ENGine file and, oops, you'll need to change the path to the ACE graphics in the CVF).

• <07-Dec-03>: There is a large number of Australian diesel-electric locos in the Train-sim.com library today. John Young has been busy repainting Craig Scott's former New South Wales Class 82s into Pacific National livery; for example, NSW 82 Class Loco #8249 Pacific National, nsw8249.zip (757kb, 06-Dec-03) and NSW 82 Class Loco #8258, aunsw82.zip (4.2Mb, 06-Dec-03) which includes a cabview. Mark Smith and Gavin Mclaughlan have also been hard at work to give us a range of New South Wales Class 442 diesel-electrics, such as New South Wales #44240 in blue livery, 44240.zip (771kb, 06-Dec-03); the 442s require the 442 Sound Pack, 442snd.zip (839kb, 28-Jul-03). Timothy Scott has finished his repaint of B61 into Melbourne-Warrnambool West Coast Railway livery, aub61wcr.zip (1.5Mb, 06-Dec-03); you'll need James Brook's cab, Au_b_cab.exe (5.7Mb, 29-Nov-02) from Victorian Rail for MSTS.

• <06-Dec-03>: There are more new downloads available from Amicitreni.net, including a number of steam locos by Renzo Grassi, such as his Gr.740 741 743 pack (1.5Mb, 05-Dec-03), Ernesto Imperato's FNM DE520-02 diesel loco (2.1Mb, 05-Dec-03), and Franco Caruso's Light Urban F tram route (35Mb, 04-Dec-03). At Train-sim.com, Phil Skene has his Steam Locomotive Sound Scheme with full instructions in his readme, g_s_1.zip (1.96Mb, 05-Dec-03). The Boat Trains thread on the UKTrainsim.com forum is worth looking at, especially the tongue-in-cheek writeup of Microsoft Ship Simulator.

• <05-Dec-03>: There are a couple of new models at Amicitreni.net including a Tram dell'ATM in the Locomotiva section and at TrainSimFrance.net you'll find version 0.5 of Chris Longhurst's Eurostar FR/UK trainset, eurostar.exe (8.20Mb, 04-Dec-03), re-textured by Gabriel Celeste. James Brook has a couple of patches to correct small problems with the textures of his VR T-class locos. At Train-sim.com, Dick Cowen has Ohio Rail MP15AC and MP15DC locos, bdmp15ac.zip (5.9Mb, 04-Dec-03) and bdmp15dc.zip (5.8Mb, 04-Dec-03), and there's the Canton Railway activities 31-40 pack, ctnap3.zip (170kb, 03-Dec-03).

• <04-Dec-03>: James Brook has a VR T-class diesel-electric loco, Au_t_highcab.exe (1.29Mb, 01-Dec-03), with a realistic cab, Au_t_cab.exe (4.36Mb, 01-Dec-03), for Victoria Rail fans available from his VR MSTS site. At Train-sim.com, Tim Blythman has contributed his Brisbane (Australia) FM & Phoenix tram, autramfm.zip (1.4Mb, 03-Dec-03). What really caught web•TrainSim's eye at Train-sim.com, however, was Pierre Forsberg's Water route, water-rt.zip (1.2Mb, 03-Dec-03), on which you can pilot ships and ferries such as the three DSB Dronning Ingrid, Prins Joachim and Kronprins Frederik ferries, f1.zip (3.2Mb, 03-Dec-03). Expanding on Pierre's innovative idea, we'll soon be seeing tracks in the sky - goodbye FlightSim, hello Trainflying.sim

• <03-Dec-03>: Trenomania.it has been updated with a number of new locos, including diesel loco DE520-02 delle Ferrovie Nord (2.08Mb, 02-Dec-03) and steam locos such as Locomotiva a vapore FS Gruppo 940, (18Mb, 02-Dec-03) and FS Gr.660, (10.7Mb, 02-Dec-03). At the Train-sim.com library you'll find Derek Morton's update to his EngMod utility, engmod20.zip (2.2Mb, 02-Dec-03), which now includes Bob Boudoin's version 4.5 diesel loco physics (steam physics will probably be in version 2.1). JJ. Chaisson has a fictional GO Transit trainset headed by a F59PHI, gotrans.zip (6.3Mb, 02-Dec-03). Paul Gausden's Shape File Viewer is in final beta and can be downloaded here.

• <02-Dec-03>: These are some of the new downloads at Train-sim.com that caught the eye of web•TrainSim: Ciro Di Donato's Italian Railways E402p and E402 electric locos, fs_e402p.zip (16.3Mb, 01-Dec-03) and fs_e402.zip (11Mb, 01-Dec-03); Keith and Geoffrey Fair's Fairplay Rail Service 1914 Jewett Motor Car, frsjmc03.zip (9Mb, 01-Dec-03); Alex Hall's cab for VIA Rail and BC Rail RDC Budd cars, rdc_cab.zip (3.8Mb, 01-Dec-03); and Jan Henning Gettkant's Canadian National M420 loco pack, cn_m420e.zip (4.3Mb, 01-Dec-03). Paul Gausden is continuing to develop his .S shape file viewer and is expecting a beta 2 version in a day or two - watch this thread on the Train-sim.com forums.

• <01-Dec-03>: At Train-sim.com, Jeff Rice has more repaints, an A-B-B set of Southern Pacific E7's, sp6000.zip (930kb, 30-Nov-03), and a set of F7's in Northern Pacific livery, np6007.zip (4.2Mb, 30-Nov-03). According to posts on the Simtrain-fr.org forum, expect to see a new version of Henri Verpiot's L'Etoile Savoie route and Vaillant Thierry is hoping to have version 2 of his Ligne Roussillon route ready for Christmas. web•TrainSim had a few freezes in MSTS and seems to have solved his problem with the tips in this post in the Train-sim.com forum.

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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.