Line news June, 2004

• <30-Jun-04>: A quieter day but Train-sim.com has an updated ENGine file for Chris Jennings' New South Wales CityRail Millenium trainset, msctup.zip (5kb, 29-Jun-04); the full trainset is in download mset10.zip (3.7Mb, 10-Nov-03) at Train-sim.com. Latest news from the Graphics15 team about Wupper Express 8 is that they're still working slowly but surely, with night and snow texturing mostly finished. The team is also working on some animations, such as planes on approach to the Dusseldorf terminal; you'll see the new features on their screenshots page.

• <29-Jun-04>: The Train-sim.com library contains all the Canton Railways updated rolling stock for the Canton-Suddenly route: you can either download the complete set in ctneng2.zip (39.1Mb, 28-Jun-04), or download in smaller chunks: ctnenv2a.zip (13.2Mb, 28-Jun-04), ctnenv2b.zip (13.3Mb, 28-Jun-04) and ctnenv2c.zip (12.6Mb, 28-Jun-04). There's an update to the Thames-Mersey route, merspt31.zip (26Mb, 28-Jun-04); this patch is also available from UKTrainsim.com, and a reminder there's a lengthy description of how to solve any problems with the Thames-Mersey in the UKTrainsim.com forums. LucWeb has updated his FAQs page for LGVMed 3, and if you're missing the tgv2n_AI (double).con consist file, you can download it from there (about half-way down the page).

• <28-Jun-04>: Those wanting to use the Maryland Area Light Rail line on the NEC4 route can give the Maryland Activity, marclrv.zip (65kb, 27-Jun-04), from Train-sim.com a try. Under the thread titled Jules Verne is alive and well... on the UKTrainsim.com forums, you can read favourable comments on the fantasy Lunar1 route and visit the author's site. Lucweb has updated his FAQ and Activities pages at his site, in particular giving some tips for those intending to create activities for LGVMed 3.

• <27-Jun-04>: Peter Fisher has contributed his weathered V/Line G524 diesel-electric loco, vl__g524.zip (5.5Mb, 26-Jun-04), to the Train-sim.com library and this download includes an impressive cab so it'll be worth taking the time to get Peter's G524. For some screenshots of the cab, see this thread on the Railpage MSTS forums. And an Oops in relation to the NJ Transit Arrow III EMUs mentioned yesterday - they're not fair dinkum (as we say in Australia) and see comments by the original authors on the Train-sim.com forum.

• <26-Jun-04>: Philippe Crogiez recently updated his Lunar1 route and you can see what it looks like and download it from his site. Christopher Petraglia has contributed his version of NJ Transit Arrow III EMUs, arrowiii.zip (4.2Mb, 25-Jun-04), to the Train-sim.com library. As well, Hakan Pettersson's Burgenland route has been upgraded with better vegetation among other things, burghawk.zip (10.8Mb, 25-Jun-04).

• <25-Jun-04>: Mike Simpson's latest version of Route Riter, version 5.2.36, rr5236.zip (8.1Mb, 24-Jun-04), is available from the Train-sim.com library.

• <24-Jun-04>: A quiet day but, even so, web•TrainSim has only had one short run on LGVMed 3. However he has finished testing his SG-Ohligs to Dortmund ICE service activity on Wupper Express (a reminder to not try to race trains on ajoining tracks, but at the same time when a train is on an ajoining track running in the same direction, it's a good insight into how MSTS "controls" AI trains).

• <23-Jun-04>: The Train-sim.com library has Zec Murphy's S-class locos, S301 and S303, in their original Victorian Railways livery, s301s303.zip (3.4Mb, 22-Jun-04), and two packs of Amtrak GE P42Dc Genesis locos in early phase Ve livery by Robert Fontaine, atvep1.zip (3.1Mb, 22-Jun-04) and atvep2.zip (3.1Mb, 22-Jun-04). web•TrainSim is in a bit of a rush to get going on LGVMed 3...

• <22-Jun-04>: LGVMed 3 is now available from Train-sim.com, lgvmed30.zip (32.4Mb, 21-Jun-04), as well as from UKTrainsim.com and FunTrain.net. Remember you need to have XTracks v3.10 installed and to read Lucweb's readme for installation instructions. Also at Train-sim.com you'll find two of Matt Julian's repaints, Freight Australia T374, aufat374.zip (2.4Mb, 21-Jun-04), and Freight Australia S301, aufas301.zip (1.6Mb, 21-Jun-04); see the readme's for required cabs.

• <21-Jun-04>: A couple of downloads from Train-sim.com to mention: Andy Miller has put together a tutorial on creating custom terrain textures, terrtut.zip (2.5Mb, 20-Jun-04), and Russell Beer has contributed a pack of seven Australia NSWGR four-wheel freight wagons, nsw3pak1.zip (1.9Mb, 20-Jun-04).

• <20-Jun-04>: There are some more screenshots of LGVMed 3, in particular showing the more realistic larger-radius curves. Marcel Despont has contributed another range of lineside buildings, such as the one carrying a BSA Motorcycle sign, de_enbu4.zip (1.0Mb, 19-Jun-04), to the Train-sim.com library.

• <19-Jun-04>: Lucweb has announced that LGVMed 3 is in in beta testing - there are some screenshots at his site to show the improvements due to use of XTracks 3.10 and a tech document on the layout at Marseille Saint Charles. A quieter day, with only some further additions of Empire Builder carriages catching web•TrainSim's eye at Train-sim.com: River View No. 1395 full dome lounge car, cbq_1395.zip (4.3Mb, 18-Jun-04), and Glacier View No. 1390 full dome lounge car, gn_1390.zip (4.3Mb, 18-Jun-04).

• <18-Jun-04>: Version 4 of the Rollins Pass/Moffat Tunnel route is now in the Train-sim.com library, the first of five files being dwk40a.zip (25.1Mb, 17-Jun-04) and there's some info on changes from the previous version in this thread on the Train-sim.com forums. Robert Reedy has another set of activities, adfmrm04.zip (59kb, 18-Jun-04), for his ADFRR route (version 3), and there's a small fix for the Great Northern dome coach No. 1326, 1326fix.zip (757kb, 17-Jun-04). For those who find it more convenient, the Wupper Express 7 route has been made available from the UKTrainsim.com library.

• <17-Jun-04>: A couple of Australian pieces of rolling stock are available from the Train-sim.com library: Australian National EL56 diesel-electric loco by Gavin Mclaughlan, vlel56.zip (1.4Mb, 16-Jun-04), and a patch for the Freight Victoria T- and S-class locos, vicpatch.zip (2.2Mb, 16-Jun-04). Problems and solutions with the Thames-Mersey route has been better organised into this thread at UKTrainsim.com. The Graphics15 team report that all landscaping is finished now that the S6 Ratingen-Essen section is finished; they're expecting a version 8 release in August/September. web•TrainSim has updated his Duisberg Hbf to Volksgarten activity and there's an archive of modified ENGine files for some Wupper Express rolling stock from downloads.web•TrainSim.com.

• <16-Jun-04>: Lucweb is working on version 3 of his LGVMed route, utilising special aspects of XTracks 3.10 for an even better driving experience. At Train-sim.com Anthony D. Cook has Great Northern dome coach No. 1326, gn_1326.zip (5.5Mb, 15-Jun-04), and there's an interactive map of the Thames-Mersey (Merseyside) route, merseyma.zip (1.1Mb, 15-Jun-04). For more info on installing Merseyside, see this thread on the UKTrainsim.com forums. There's been some North Arkansas rolling stock recently contributed to the Train-sim.com library - for information about the route, see the VScaleCreations site.

• <15-Jun-04>: The VNERR team have contributed a number of freight rolling stock to the Train-sim.com library today, such as the NERR 100 ton coal hopper, necoal.zip (2.9Mb, 14-Jun-04), and a C30 cab, nec30cab.zip (1.7Mb, 14-Jun-04). Anthony D. Cook has added two 1950's era Great Northern diners, Lake of the Isles No. 1250, gn1250.zip (3.9Mb, 14-Jun-04), and Lake Wenatchee No. 1251, gn1251.zip (3.9Mb, 14-Jun-04) - they'll go well with Bill Hemb's Great Northern 1950's era trainset, gn1949eb.zip (27Mb, 10-Feb-03), on Marias Pass. For more info on the Great Northern Empire Builder, see the Great Northern Railway Page, in particular the reference sheet for the 1955-59 Empire Builder. The Great Northern Railway Historical Society are celebrating the Empire Builder's 75th birthday this month so a couple of extra toots on the horn are in order as you pass the Izaak Walton Inn at Essex.

• <14-Jun-04>: Route Riter has another update and the EXE-only download is RRit5_2_30exe.zip (1.63Mb, 12-Jun-04) - scroll to the bottom of the page then back up a bit to see what's been updated. Tilo Klaus' Eisenbahn Verkehrspläne Auskunft (EVA) freeware program whicn provides details of German Railways locos, trainsets (including ICE with ICE timetables) and driving time notebooks is now at version 3.2.2.8 and can be downloaded from TheTrain.de - see the EVA download page (English) for more info. For some hints to get the Merseyside 3/Merseyside Railways route loading more quickly, see this post on the UKTrainsim.com forums.

• <13-Jun-04>: In the interest of continuing the valuable contribution of freeware to the MSTS community, the Graphics15 team are making all objects of their U79 route available (u79ref.zip, 13kb, 11-Jun-04, contains further details). The Thames-Mersey upgrade to the Merseyside Railways route is available from both UKTrainsim.com and Train-sim.com. At the moment Merseyside Railways version 2 is only available from UKTrainsim.com but watch this thread at Train-sim.com for more news.

• <12-Jun-04>: There's a new route at Train-sim.com, the Burgenland, burglc.zip (43.8Mb, 11-Jun-04), which is a fantasy route based on the Settle-Carlisle but adapted to the European alpine environment.

• <11-Jun-04>: Train-sim.com has a variety of new additions: the Canton Theme Activity Pack for the Canton-Suddenly route, csrr0806.zip (549kb, 10-Jun-04), and the North Arkansas loco and rolling stock packs, naengpak.zip (7.8Mb, 10-Jun-04) and na_stock.zip (2.0Mb, 10-Jun-04), along with the NA Required Folder, na_req.zip (4.7Mb, 10-Jun-04), and ALCO fans will be happy to see a Century 630 (in Reading livery), c630rdg1.zip (1.7Mb, 10-Jun-04). web•TrainSim has another Wupper Express 7 activity for you to try, Duisberg Hbf to Neuss Hbf (you'll need the Eurodiesel loco). Note: the manager of train operations on Wupper Express 7 has issued a severe warning to all drivers that, whether on the slow or fast track, they are not to race other trains. There have been occasions of drivers of stopping services missing stations as they attempt to catch up to and pass trains on the fast ajoining track.

• <10-Jun-04>: The Train-sim.com library now has a version of the Red Arrows route in a compact form more suitable for dialup downloading and containing all the latest updates, redar1_1.zip (31Mb, 09-Jun-04). Phil Skene's Activities For Austral Bay are also available, ab_act_1.zip (316kb, 09-Jun-04), and you can read how to use them in this post on the Train-sim.com forum.

• <09-Jun-04>: At Train-sim.com, J. H. Sullivan's Milwaukee Road Rocky Mountain Division route has an update, rmd2snow.zip (1.7Mb, 08-Jun-04), Okrasa Ghia has contributed a number of Gorre & Daphetid locos, such as Alco S-1 Number 72, gd72_s1.zip (1.5Mb, 08-Jun-04). At UKTrainsim.com there are a couple of BR145 locos, BASF BR145-CL002, BASF_BR145-CL002.zip (5.0Mb, 08-Jun-04), and TXLogistik - ARS BR145-CL 031, TXL-ARS_BR145CL.zip (5.0Mb, 08-Jun-04). Those looking for a cab for the X73500 trainset will find a beta version, Cabview DB BR 641/SNCF X 73500/CFL2100 Cabview_73500.zip (1.984Mb, 08-Jun-04), at TheTrain.de.

• <08-Jun-04>: Michael Sinclair has contributed a set of Industrial Sounds to Train-sim.com which route builders will find handy to add to their routes, industr1.zip (6.2Mb, 07-Jun-04), industr2.zip (7.9Mb, 07-Jun-04) and industr3.zip (8.0Mb, 07-Jun-04). Robert Fontaine has an update to his Amtrak Early Phase V Genesis P42DC locos with ATS, atveatsf.zip (2Mb, 07-Jun-04), to fix some problems and improve lighting.

• <07-Jun-04>: At Train-sim.com Dwight Mitchell has a number of GE 44 Tonners such as Boston & Maine No. 117, bm117.zip (2.5Mb, 06-Jun-04), and New Hampshire Central No. 360, nhc360.zip (2.5Mb, 06-Jun-04). Dick Cowen has a further update to the Canton Railroad rolling stock to fix a couple of problems with the GP9s, ctneqm1b.zip (1.2Mb, 06-Jun-04). Join the training program offered by North Eastern Railroad (Virtual) - day 1 is ready, nerr_tr1.zip (68kb, 06-Jun-04), and all you need is Rich Garber's Ohio Rail route (build 10). A couple of Class 90 locos, such as Inter-City 90 001 BBC Midlands Today, 90001_IC.exe (1.5Mb, 06-Jun-04), caught web•TrainSim's eye at UKTrainsim.com and there's a small patch for the Ferrara Bologna route at Trenomania.it.

• <06-Jun-04>: The Train-sim.com library has Nathan Lyons' beta release of his Sydney Suburban Network route, this first release containing the Olympic Park loop (I think, from the file name), opark.zip (31Mb, 05-Jun-04) and patch, oparkfix.zip (71kb, 05-Jun-04). Keep an eye on the Railpage MSTS Routes forum for more info. Other interesting contributions include Peter Harvey's LMS Coronation Class 6220 Coronation steam loco, coro6220.zip (1.5Mb, 05-Jun-04) (also available from UKTrainsim.com), and the Canton/Suddenly RailRoad activity theme pack, csrr0706.zip (524kb, 05-Jun-04).

• <05-Jun-04>: Firstly, Dick Cowen's download to fix problems with ENGine files with some of the locos in his Canton Railroad rolling stock updates, ctneqm1a.zip (1.0Mb, 04-Jun-04). Also at Train-sim.com, Phil Skene has released his Austral Bay route which is based on the Port Ogden & Northern but has Australian scenery and buildings; it's in two files, austb_1.zip (9.5Mb, 04-Jun-04) and austb_2.zip (10Mb, 04-Jun-04) and Phil's got a good description of his route's features in the Train-sim.com forum. Wupper Express fans can keep up to date with how things are progressing with version 8 with an occasional visit to the team's site - the latest news seems to indicate slowly but surely and there are number of new screenshots.

• <04-Jun-04>: The Canton Railroad rolling stock upgrades by Dick Cowen have been re-released at Train-sim.com - they're files ctnneqm1.zip (13.7Mb, 03-Jun-04) through to ctnneqm6.zip (9.4Mb, 03-Jun-04), and doing some reading of the future (!), there's another file tomorrow. Also, Joe Smith has a handy utility for those who run into problems with the Activity Editor, aefixer.zip (484kb, 03-Jun-04) - note Joe's program changes Windows' registry data so only use it if you have to.

• <03-Jun-04>: More new locos have appeared at Amicitreni.net, all by Alessandro Sposito, using 1024x1024 texturing: FS E.464-149 (10.3Mb, 03-Jun-04), FS E.646-164 (9.8Mb, 03-Jun-04) and FS E.652-143 (15.8Mb, 03-Jun-04). If you like to keep your version of Route Riter up to date, there's an update (1.6Mb, 31-May-04, EXE only) to version 5.2.27 at Route Riter's page; scroll up a few lines from the bottom of the page to see what's been updated.

• <02-Jun-04>: Dick Cowen has been hard at work and updated all the Canton Railroad rolling stock. These updates are available in a series of downloads from the Train-sim.com, beginning with ctn-n-01.zip (13.6Mb, 01-Jun-04) through to ctn-n-06.zip (9.4Mb, 01-Jun-04). Browse the readme in any of the six zips to see the which pieces of rolling stock are contained in each download. Amicitreni.net has MadMike's E145C loco (917kb, 02-Jun-04) and the Ferrara-Bologna route (40Mb, 02-Jun-04). Among various new downloads at UKTrainsim.com, two are the Blackpool Standard Tram Pack, msts_blackpool_standard.zip (5.2Mb, 01-Jun-04), and the Manchester Metrolink LRV Vehicles, msts_metrolink_lrv.zip (2Mb, 01-Jun-04).

• <01-Jun-04>: At Train-sim.com, Marcel Despont has contributed more buildings and objects for route builders to use, such as his Freelance Seaside-Hotel, de_seaho.zip (846kb, 31-May-04), and Ingo Wittenberg has his fictional Eurodiesel loco for fast intercity trains, eurodies.zip (2.5Mb, 01-Jun-04) (you can find much more of Ingo's creations at TheTrain.de). French rail fans will be pleased to see that Benjamin Deville and Edouard Staniczek have teamed together to produce one of SNCF's new trainsets, the L'Autorail de Génération Nouvelle, AGN.exe (7.2Mb, 20-May-04) - it's available from TrainSimFrance.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.