HOW DOES "FREE MODE" WORK? The "free mode", listed under the set of activities as "Explore The Route" allows you to drive a train without any regard to the rules of the road. You can use free mode to run locomotives and train types not normally used on a route. You will not meet any other trains so there is no need to observe signals. Depending on how you have the configuration settings you may still need to observe speed limits so as not to derail. Other configuration settings are also in effect, such as automatic/manual fire man, simple controls, etc. so you have control over how you want to operate. IN FREE MODE, CAN YOU JUST SELECT A LOCOMOTIVE, GO TO A YARD, AND BUILD YOUR TRAIN? Not exactly. You must select a locomotive type from a drop down list and then select one of the pre-built consists available for that locomotive. You cannot create trains within the sim itself. Also, in free mode there will be no other cars or locomotives that are not part of your original consist so you can drop off cars but there will be nothing to pick up. A consist editor is available as a utility separate from the sim itself. It's not a separate tool but is available in the Activity Editor under "Player Service". HOW LONG CAN YOU BUILD A TRAIN IN FREE MODE? You cannot build a train directly in the sim itself; this must be done using the Consist Editor portion of the Activity Editor. So far no limit on the size of a consist has been found.
Copyright © 2004 by Nels Anderson. All Rights Reserved.