Line news February, 2005

• <28-Feb-05>: A little quiet but Tim Muir and L.A. Lusser have contributed another Hollywood car, Pacific Electric 717, pe-717.zip (8.8Mb, 27-Feb-05), to the Train-sim.com library. The Canton RailRoad has been expanded with the Thompson extension so there's now some mainline running (even signals!).

• <26-Feb-05>: Simtrain has news of two new routes, one Danish, the other French. The Danish Denmark 2000 Elektric route can be downloaded from the TS-EF routes page. The new French route is Paris Sud Ouest Version 1 and there's information at the authors' (Patrick Fabard and Christian Laufrais) site. Paris Sud Ouest (which is part of the RER C line) can be downloaded from Funtrain.net and information such as typical rolling stock can be read on the Funtrain Presentation page.

• <24-Feb-05>: Edouard Staniczek and team have started work on their TGV Generation 1 project - their plans and goals are detailed on this page and you can keep an eye on progress too (their first trainset is the TGV Sud Est 84). Pascal Grando has completed another of his fine models, 231G 558 Pacific SNCF in 1939 SNCF livery (7Mb, 22-Feb-05). The Cabmaker's next project is an ICE-3 cab.

• <23-Feb-05>: Jonatan Gronoset's 2-6-2 Prairie loco is now in the Train-sim.com library in file 262prrie.zip (605kb, 22-Feb-05). The Amicitreni.Net library has a new version of Alessandro Sposito's FS E464 149 electric loco, FS_E464_149_v1_2.zip (22.9Mb, 22-Feb-05).

• <22-Feb-05>: The-Train.de has two sets of refrigerated freight boxcars, DB_Kuehlset2 and Db_Kuehlset_3 by Rainer Bluhm, that will go well with Wupper 8 (and Wupper 9). Jonatan Gronoset has his 2-6-2 Prairie loco ready for download for steam fans; some pics are in this Train-sim.com forum thread. Freight boxcars and hoppers by Gary Costa, Bill Cline and others have been contributed to Train-sim.com.

• <21-Feb-05>: The The-Train.de library has the latest full version and update version of ConBuilder, version 2.3.28, cbfull.zip (7.8Mb, 20-Feb-05) and cbup.zip (5.5Mb, 20-Feb-05). Changes include a clearer explanation of shape file errors. Amicitreni.Net has the version 2 cab for E444R locos, CabE444R_v2.zip (3.2Mb, 20-Feb-05).

• <20-Feb-05>: The-Train.de has a freight activity for Wupper 8, Gueter fuer das Bayerwerk, and there is a pack of four BR 141 electric locos, QD DB 141 (5.6Mb) with Blackman cab and Wespe sounds. The Cabmaker (Markus Schaufler) is working on a cab for OBB 1014 loco (50% complete). Electric loco FS E652-027 XMPR, FS_E652_027.zip (8.4Mb, 19-Feb-05), is available from Amicitreni.Net.

• <19-Feb-05>: Train-sim.com has an activity by Chris Kelly for the Australian Coals to Newcastle version 4 route, Horses For Courses, part 1, ctn4h4c1.zip (6kb, 18-Feb-05), two guides from Chris Bogley, Guide To Glorietta Pass Route, gloguide.zip (3kb, 18-Feb-05), and Guide To The Marias Pass / Kootenai, mp3kgde.zip (3kb, 18-Feb-05), and a Montana Rail Link GP and SD common cab by Don Soper, mrl-ln.zip (2.5Mb, 18-Feb-05). Trenomania.it has electric loco E652 027 XMPR by Mr. Rokko and Route Riter has been updated to version 6.2.39.

• <18-Feb-05>: The Graphics15 team have had a leisurely break (perhaps their soccer teams have had some good wins too) and have plans for Wupper 9 by adding the Monchengladbach - Krefeld - Rheinhausen - Duisberg section to Wupper 8. As well they're planning an upgrade of the U79 Dusseldorf - Duisberg metro tram route to version 2. The Sounds or physics? thread in the Train-sim sound design forum presents an argument for basic standards for designers of MSTS sound sets to help us all have a more enjoyable MSTS experience.

• <16-Feb-05>: The new Illinois Eastern route is now in the Train-sim.com library but there's an Installme.bat that's missing so it might be best to wait for an updated version to appear in the library; if you've already downloaded the route, see the Illinois Eastern - no installme.batch file post in the Train-sim.com forums. Chris Bogley has a guide to the Illinois Eastern, ieguide.zip (2kb, 15-Feb-05), and there's the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Historical Society site for more info. Amicitreni.Net has the FS E646-041 NAVETTA electric loco, FS_E646_041_Navetta.zip (16.8Mb, 15-Feb-05), and the latest E646 cab, CABINA E646 v4, CabE646_v4.zip (4.4Mb, 15-Feb-05).

• <15-Feb-05>: The Train-sim.com library has the latest version of ConBuilder, version 2.3.28, as a complete install, cbfull.zip (7.9Mb, 14-Feb-05), or as an update, cbup.zip (5.6Mb, 14-Feb-05).

• <14-Feb-05>: Both Michael Gilmore and Mark Giltz have contributed more freight boxcars and tankers to the Train-sim.com library. There's also a patch to fix some sound problems with the Santa Fe Zebra Striped GP7 Three Pack, atsfsndf.zip (42kb, 13-Feb-05). The-Train.de has a map of the S-bahn system on Wupper 8 and a freight activity, DW_Langendreer, for Wupper 8. If you've installed the MS Antisypware beta version, you might think things have gone awry when running the Installme.bat for a new route - fear not, Mike Simpson has a simple solution in this post (MS Anti-Spyware & MSTS) on the Train-sim.com forum.

• <13-Feb-05>: There are some new cabs available, one for the UK Class 90 electric loco, 90cabV1.zip (2.7Mb, 12-Feb-05), from UKTrainsim.com, and two from Trenomania.it, Cabina per ETR250-300 and Cabina per E646 version 4. Trenomania.it also has two electric locos, E646-041 Navetta and Loco fantasia E474 Olimpiadi, and a new route, Salerno Nocera, via cava de' Tirreni (96Mb in 10 files).

• <12-Feb-05>: The Train-sim.com library has updates for the Number 18 motor, both standard guage, 18up92.zip (11kb, 11-Feb-05), and narrow guage, 18ngup92.zip (11kb, 11-Feb-05), and Ron Furto has a new set of sounds for the EMD V20 645 engine in the SD45 loco, sd45snd.zip (2.7Mb, 11-Feb-05). At Australian Addons for MSTS you'll find Russell Beer's South Australian Railways 700 class 2-8-2 steam loco, AU_sar700_MSTS1_Setup.exe (7Mb, 11-Feb-05). Before purchasing a payware route, you might like to consider the idea of independent reviews being available - see Ottodad's experience in this post in the Train-sim forum. Some of you may be interested in obtaining Microsoft OneNote which at present is being offered as a free, full install for six months. For a long time web•TrainSim has been storing snippets of information, such as ideas from the Train-sim.com forums, technical specs for different locos and trainsets, links to sites, and all sorts of other bits and pieces relevant to MSTS, in text files using NoteTab. But quickly finding something... Well... So OneNote seemed to be an app that offered to put all these notes in, well, OneNote. Thus far web•TrainSim has copied over all the specs he's gathered from the web for the Australian locos, each in its own OneNote page and it only takes a second to click the relevant tab to find the info. OneNote's side notes work well for saving a few paragraphs from a web page - select the text and drag it onto the side note where the web page address is automatically added as well.

• <10-Feb-05>: At Train-sim.com there's Jeff Bergner's RandomRoute, v2.0, rroute20.zip (1.8Mb, 09-Feb-05), to create a randomly generated route, Robert Fontaine's update to his LightFx loco add-on for better lighting, lightfx.zip (268kb, 09-Feb-05), and Jan Henning Gettkant's Norfolk & Western ALCO roadswitcher pack, nwalcors.zip (29.8Mb, 09-Feb-05).

• <09-Feb-05>: Train-sim.com has Henri Patey's Bonners Ferry To Sandpoint set of three activities, w4hsndpt.zip (508kb, 08-Feb-05), for the Kootenai River Subdivision route and Carl-Heinz Rave's route builder tool, TSUtil version 3.2, tsutil.zip (591kb, 08-Feb-05).

• <08-Feb-05>: Henri Verpiot has a new site (hpv-trainsim-plm.com) for his French routes, La Bosse de Vallorbe à Dole, Dijon à Laroche-Migennes, and L'Étoile de Savoie (Haute-Savoie, Savoie et Suisse), including download facilities, screenshots, activities and route maps. New Haven ALCO fans will find three RS11 locos contributed by Rick Franzosa at Train-sim.com.

• <07-Feb-05>: A lot of bandwidth is being used today (Australian time) with a football game somewhere but there's a bit left for some Trainsim news snippets. The Train-sim.com library has an update for the Claremont Electric Steeple Cab No. 18, 18-ng-6.zip (151kb, 06-Feb-05), Michael Gilmore has several freight boxcars, Ron Pearson's Monon Route Industry List, monlist.zip (5kb, 06-Feb-05), will be handy, there's an A-Line CSX Engine Pack, andre.zip (10Mb, 06-Feb-05), to help with rolling stock required by older activities and Michael Sinclair has contributed his Pictorial Tutorial On Sound, howtosnd.zip (5Mb, 04-Feb-05), expalining how to convert an analogue sound to WAV format and then adapt it for MSTS. Trenomania.it has an update for the ETR302 Settebello trainset and a pack of E444R electric locos. The-Train.de has the latest version of the sound announcement program, FIS2004Final (2.2Mb, 06-Feb-05). For new MSTS users and old, here are the steps we should all follow to avoid MSTS errors popping up (and taking away valuable driving time).

• <06-Feb-05>: web•TrainSim knows a few Trainsimmers who will be pleased to see a couple of Chessie System locos in the Train-sim.com library: Clayton Notgrass has contributed Chessie System (B&O) SD50 No. 8593, csbo8593.zip (6.7Mb, 05-Feb-05), and Chessie System (C&O) SD50 No. 8630, csco8630.zip (6.5Mb, 05-Feb-05). Mike Simpson has found why Route Riter was having a problem checking some routes (e.g., the Chicago Great Western Railroad) and noticed an error that nobody had reported; the latest updates bring Route Riter to version 6.2.32.

• <05-Feb-05>: Mike Simpson has a timely tip for those who have Microsoft's Antisypware (beta) program running and are having problems running an installme.bat when installing a new route - see InstallMe.bat and MS AntiSpyware on the Train-sim.com forums. At Train-sim.com, the Port City Car Company (PCCC) have contributed Claremont Electric Steeple Cab No. 18 in both standard and narrow gauge, 18.zip (3.2Mb, 04-Feb-05) and 18-ng.zip (3.2Mb, 04-Feb-05), Dwight Mitchell has a generic MLW cab, genmlwc.zip (1.2Mb, 04-Feb-05), but the highlight of the day would be Peter Harvey's Peppercorn Class A2 steam loco, one in BR livery, 60530v1.zip (1.8Mb, 04-Feb-05), the other in LNER livery, 525_v101.zip (1.8Mb, 04-Feb-05). Both these locos are also available from UKTrainsim.com.

• <04-Feb-05>: Those who have downloaded and installed Ron Furto's SD40 sounds, sd40snds.zip (2.6Mb, 02-Feb-05), are very impressed so it goes into the list of downloads-to-done; read their comments in the Awesome SD40-2 Sounds thread at Train-sim.com. There's a cab for the FS TAF trainset in the Train-sim.com library, cabina-t.zip (4.2Mb, 03-Feb-05), and Route Riter has been updated to version 6.2.30.

• <03-Feb-05>: In the empire of Microsoft Simulator Train, there is a small kingdom directed by a horrible sanguinary ditactor.... So begins the introduction to Philippe Crogiez's latest fictional route, the Lovalie - you'll find all the details at Philippe's site. Train-sim.com has a set of SD40 sounds by Ron Furto, sd40snds.zip (2.6Mb, 02-Feb-05), and a new tool by Robert K. Guy, ShapeShifter, sshft1_0.zip (231kb, 03-Feb-05), to interface with the MSTS ffeditc_unicode.exe utility.

• <02-Feb-05>: Just a couple of snippets today (there's some rain for a change so web•TrainSim has got water on the brain). The FS Minuetto cab, cab-minu.zip (4.4Mb, 29-Jan-05), was contributed to Train-sim.com the other day - the Minuetto trainset modelled by PEK can be downloaded from Virtual Train - Italia. ConBuilder has been updated to version 2.3.25 and Route Riter to version 6.2.29.

• <01-Feb-05>: The Atlanta Macon and Gulf Mobile and Ohio Northern routes have been updated in files nsatlfix.zip (712kb, 31-Jan-05) and gmonl2_1.zip (14.6Mb, 31-Jan-05) respectively from the Train-sim.com library. Some have downloaded texture files to re-skin the default BNSF Dash-9 into BNSF's new logo and ran into problems - see why things went wrong and why you need MLT's free Dash 9 in the I downloaded... thread on the Train-sim.com forums.

About | Contact

• 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.