Line news November, 2005

• <29-Nov-05>: Good news from the Graphics15 team - work on building Wupper Express 10 is going better than expected and the route could be completed in January '06. Mike Simpson has re-compiled Route Riter so that the latest full install is now version 6.3.55, RRit6_3_55full.zip (13.0Mb, 27-Nov-05), but there's an update for those with version 6.3.10 or later, RRit6_3_55upd.zip (2.05Mb, 26-Nov-05). Most of the updates apply to route builders but there's also a better shape viewer module that gives fuller thumbnail pictures of rolling stock. The latest full version is also available from the Train-sim.com library in file rr6355.zip (13Mb, 27-Nov-05). Frank Musick has several sets of ALCo DL-109 locos, such as New Haven Nos. 0701-0700, nh0701-1.zip (2.2Mb, 27-Nov-05). Both Amicitreni.net and Trenomania.it have electric loco FS E633-006 (8Mb).

• <26-Nov-05>: Mike Simpson has an update for Route Riter, RRit6_3_53upd.zip (2.04Mb, 23-Nov-05), to fix a couple of problems that route builders might come across. The Graphics15 team have posted more screenshots of Wupper Express 10 (use the Screenshots link under Wupper Express on the left-hand menu). Hugh Reilly has ENGine file replacements for a couple of his locos to update the physics to Bob Boudoin's version 4.7 parameters: Norfolk Southern Dash 9-40CW, hrnsfx1a.zip (200kb, 24-Nov-05), and BNSF Dash 9-44CW, hrbnsfx1.zip (215kb, 24-Nov-05). To explain why web•TrainSim has to painfully rebuild all his Wupper Express 8 services (SRV files) so he can move his Wupper Express 8 activities over to Wupper Express 9, see this short writeup on his webDotTrainSim Space.

• <24-Nov-05>: Amicitreni.net has Riccardo Gennari's pack of all models in the FS ALe 801-940 series trainsets, FS_ALe801-940_Pack.rar (29.7Mb, 19-Nov-05). Trenomania.it has Renzo Grassi's Set treni old per la Leopolda 3 (37.1Mb, 22-Nov-05) and Elettromotrici di prima generazione (8.4Mb, 22-Nov-05). Route Riter has been updated to version 6.3.52, RRit6_3_52upd.zip (2.04Mb, 20-Nov-05), to fix a couple of bugs but more importantly, Mike warns that RR should not be used on the Berlin Underground route. The-Train.de has a pack of twenty activities for Stadtbahn U79 version 3, U_79_V3_Actpack.rar (320kb, 23-Nov-05). By the way, it seems the Graphics15 team's Güterwagen Königs Pilsener and Güterwagen Rlmms wagons are included in wup7ap1.zip (2.5Mb, 22-Sep-03) also at The-Train.de. The Seaboard Air Line route rolling stock packs have been changed and there are new versions now in the Train-sim.com library: salrspk1.zip (40Mb, 22-Nov-05) and salrspk2.zip (27Mb, 22-Nov-05). Hugh Reilly has contributed more ENGine file upgrades for various Dash 9-44CW locos using his photoreal textures: hrbnsfx1.zip (215kb, 22-Nov-05), hrbnsfx2.zip (139kb, 22-Nov-05) and hrnsfx1.zip (203kb, 23-Nov-05). Craig Kawahara has produced track charts of the London and Port Stanley Railway route in booklet form, lps_diag.zip (164kb, 21-Nov-05) and Tim Muir has modelled a Hagerstown & Frederick steeplecab, hf_ge12.zip (7.9Mb, 21-Nov-05).

• <21-Nov-05>: Over the past few days Liu Fei has contributed a large number of Chinese electric and diesel locos to the Train-sim.com library and he's looking after the MSTS Chinese Locomotives and Trainsets site as well. There are new routes and models at Train-sim.com today but web•TrainSim will mention Southern Pacific 4449 first, as contributed by Tom Price, sp_4449.zip (2.4Mb, 20-Nov-05). The first route to menion is version 3 of Jonathan Lewis' Rio Grande Southern, rgs_v3.zip (201Mb, 20-Nov-05), which now includes the complete main line from Ridgway to Durango. The second route is Carey Stevens' Seaboard Air Line, Florida Division which can be downloaded as a single archive, salflall.zip (121Mb, 20-Nov-05), or in smaller chunks: salfl1.zip (12Mb, 20-Nov-05), salfl.z03 (36Mb, 20-Nov-05), salfl.z02 (36Mb, 20-Nov-05) and salfl.z01 (36Mb, 20-Nov-05). There are two packs of rolling stock for Seaboard Air Line, Florida Division: salrspk1.zip (39Mb, 20-Nov-05) and salrspk2.zip (66Mb, 20-Nov-05). Finally Chris Jennings has modelled another Sydney CityRail interurban trainset, the U-set, uset10.zip (10Mb, 19-Nov-05).

• <19-Nov-05>: The Graphics15 team must have had forebodings that Australia would qualify for the World Cup and extra rolling stock would be required. So they've created a set of electric locos, g15_db146.zip (3.39Mb, 18-Nov-05), which includes DB 146 028-6, DB 145 007-1 and RAG 145-CL 206. The set can be downloaded from the Graphics15 downloads page or from The-Train library. For cab and sounds, see web•TrainSim's Small fixes - E146 electric loco. The London to Southampton route is now available from UKTrainsim in three files, lsfile1.exe (14.5Mb, 18-Nov-05), lsfile2.exe (12Mb, 18-Nov-05) and lsfile3.exe (10Mb, 18-Nov-05). As well there are route announcements for the London Portsmouth and London Brighton routes, LPS.zip (2.3Mb, 18-Nov-05) and LBE Sounder v2.zip (1.1Mb, 18-Nov-05) respectively. Finally, The Cabmaker has an OBB 1822 cab.

• <17-Nov-05>: Last night (Australian Summer Time) the Australian Soceroos qualified for the World Cup in Germany next year. So everybody is excited and that's motivation for web•TrainSim to make sure he's prepared plenty of paths on Wupper Express and Stadtbahn U79 to carry all the Australians who'll be visiting the region in June 2006. Mike Simpson may have been watching the match but he must have had one eye on updating Route Riter, RRit6_3_50upd.zip (2.04Mb, 17-Nov-05), to make a couple of improvements.

• <16-Nov-05>: Paul Gausden has updated his Shape Viewer tool to version 1.6, SView1_6_187a.zip (2.54Mb, 15-Nov-05), to improve a couple of features introduced in version 1.5 - the new version can be downloaded from its page at Steam4Me. Don't leave Steam4Me because Route Riter has been updated, RRit6_3_48upd.zip (2.04Mb, 16-Nov-05), to simplify thumbnail creation for ConBuilder and it needs the new version of Shape Viewer. Trenomania mentions two routes, version 3 of Linee Toscane (300Mb, 15-Nov-05) and Scalo di Marcianise sm.to (250Mb, 15-Nov-05). At Train-sim.com Ted Curphey has his Ultimate pack of gondolas (i.e., all those he's created thus far), ugpac1.zip (5Mb, 15-Nov-05), Paul DeVerter of the Port City Car Co. has modelled an 1885 mule and a bobtail coach, mule_car.zip (1Mb, 15-Nov-05), Frank Musick has a Chicago and Northwestern loco pack (Baldwin DR-6-2-1000 No. 5000A and ALCo DL109 No. 5007A), cnwset.zip (3.7Mb, 15-Nov-05), and Craig Kawahara has eased the complexity of Austin Yoder's Norfolk Southern Pocahontas District route with a comprehensive map booklet, pokeymap.zip (440kb, 14-Nov-05). Finally, catch up on the latest TMTS (TrainMaster Trainsimulator) news.

• <14-Nov-05>: In response to a fellow trainsimmer's request, Mike Simpson took about two minutes to add a feature to Route Riter to eliminate the onerous job of creating thumbnail images of rolling stock for use in ConBuilder. The update brings Route Riter to version 6.3.45, RRit6_3_45upd.zip (1.91Mb, 12-Nov-05), and can be downloaded from the usual Route Riter page. Other news snippets include a night cab for the D445 diesel loco, CabD445-Notte.zip (1.6Mb, 13-Nov-05), from the Amicitreni.net library and version 1 of Berlin tramway Linie 68 version 1 (with patch) from The-Train.de.

• <12-Nov-05>: Okrasa Ghia has wrapped Joe Realmuto's FCalc physics calculator for MSTS rolling stock into a Windows application, fcalc.zip (1Mb, 10-Nov-05). FCalc can be downloaded from either Train-sim.com or UKTrainsim. While at Train-sim.com, you'll want to look at Ryan Foreman's SD40-2 cab, sd402cab.zip (6.9Mb, 11-Nov-05) and Dick Cowen has contributed the third Canton RR steam pack, ctnspk03.zip (15.6Mb, 11-Nov-05) which includes a number of updated ENGine files. Version 3 of the Paris Rive Gauche route can be downloaded from the author's site, as either Prg3.exe (85Mb) or Prg3.zip (102Mb).

• <10-Nov-05>: Wayne Campbell has version 2.00 of his London & Port Stanley route, lps-v200.zip (177Mb, 09-Nov-05), at Train-sim.com. Note the L&PS route installs as a mini-MSTS installed route; if you have questions, see the London and Port Stanley troubleshooting page. Frank Musick has two more ALCO DL-109 models, Gulf, Mobile & Ohio ALCO DL-109 A-A set, gmo271.zip (2Mb, 08-Nov-05), and Rock Island ALCO DL-109 Rocket A-A set, crip622.zip (1.7Mb, 08-Nov-05). The Tramway de Bordeaux route, version 2.4, is now available from Tramway de Bordeaux site. Graphics15 is on the air again after some changes to the site which now includes a download section and a gallery of photos of rolling stock around the area modelled by the Wupper Express route. And that leads into what web•TrainSim is doing - he's shuffling bits of paper to organise his rather large list of Wupper Express paths so he can create new services that will work with Wupper Express 10 (which will just about completely model all lines on the Rhein-Ruhr network).

• <06-Nov-05>: Frank Musick has brought more history to MSTS with his ALCO DL-109 models, New York, New Haven & Hartford No. 0701, nh0701.zip (2.2Mb, 06-Nov-05), and another in Gulf, Mobile & Ohio livery, gmo272.zip (1.4Mb, 06-Nov-05). Frank's models are available from the Train-sim.com library and the other new addition for the day is a set of four GN F45s by Lucio Moreira, gnf45set.zip (6Mb, 05-Nov-05).

• <05-Nov-05>: Mike Simpson has a warning when using Route Riter to attempt to modify multi-line values (e.g., the Description ( ) section) in ENG/WAG files. Thus Route Riter version 6.2.43, RRit6_3_43upd.zip (1.91Mb, 04-Nov-05), now has an option to make backup copies of any changed ENG/WAG files. At Train-sim.com Hugh Reiley has a set of three Dash-9s in BNSF livery, Nos. 4408, 5529 and 4092, hrbns1d9.zip (14.6Mb, 01-Nov-05). Hugh has also contributed BNSF Dash 9-44CW No. 4816, hrbns2d9.zip (3.6Mb, 04-Nov-05). Dick Cowen has released the second Canton Railroad steam pack, ctnspk02.zip (10Mb, 04-Nov-05), comprising a 4-6-2, a 2-10-0 and a 2-8-0. UKTrainsim has a new cab for the venerable Class 47, Class47cab.zip (3.4Mb, 04-Nov-05), and a night-time one too, 47nightcab.zip (2.3Mb, 04-Nov-05).

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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.