Freight cars, or lack thereof...

[rdamurphy]

In an e-mail discussion the other day, it was noted that there are probably more locomotive models out that freight cars. Since I'm a rank beginner in modelling, I would like to stick to cars for a while, to build up some skill before attempting something really difficult. What types of cars would you be interested in? The intermodals seem well covered (ahem!) but there are other varieties that seem to be lacking. There's probably only 5 cars out there in the 40's era that would be appropriate for the Big Boy and other heavy steam. What do you think?

Rob

http://www.prolynx.com/rdamurphy/rdamurphy/Tank7.jpg

[mjs2101]

I have not seen many stock cars other than repaints of standard box cars. Just a thought.

Michael

[FozzyBear]

>In an e-mail discussion the other day, it was noted that
>there are probably more locomotive models out that freight
>cars.

These are a very welcome model Rob!! nice work indeed.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)
http://www.trainsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3d1087cf4bc9bf7b.gif

[netmasteroc3]

IMO the problem with freight cars is there aren’t enough noticeable differences between many cars that are significant enough to model in another meaningful way that by retexturing an existing car. That I find the single hardest part of building things for MSTS, the simple fact that you are better off sacrificing detail for performance, as 9 times out of 10 your going to be looking at a long string of colored blobs.

Now, as I really only care about narrow gauge and as such have done enough research into narrow gauge equipment that I would notice differences and deficiencies. Call me a digital bolt/rivet counter. That mostly comes from my belief that MSTS is a perfectly valid, all be it not perfectly refined, alternative to modeling in 1 to anything scale, especially with no budget for brass equipment as narrow gauge often necessitates.

Now that’s not to say that there isn’t a lot of equipment out there in the world of fat rails and funny smelling diesel engines that warrants modeling. But, should my goal be the general distribution of fat gauge models I would likely shy away form the mundanely similar models like a modern boxcar (although that composite one would be an interesting if not unique model) and the overly unique ones that would prototypically see very limited use (again the composite boxcar should fall in nicely here).

My other piece of advice would be to build stuff from prototypes that you are interested in. IMO if you build a good model for your self, others will come. Maybe not in gigantic numbers but they will come none the less. Often times, I find myself downloading models I’ll never run simply so I have them and I think many others do likewise.

I really feel that the only people that seriously need to be concerned with what people want, are the ones trying to make equipment to sell. Everyone else is pretty much in it because they love doing what they are doing, and project schedules and deadlines can be a significant dampener on both your abilities and enthusiasm.

My 2 cents.

[rdamurphy]

I agree, and I've often wondered if there would be a demand for low-poly, low detailed cars, so you could run your locos, a few nicely detailed cars, and 90 or so "colored blobs" that only show in the background anyway, and just add weight (and challenge) to the train. Somehow the idea of getting a 125 car unit coal train down a 2% ruling grade safely appeals to me. Not to mention what happens if you don't. Using 10 Train-artisan quality cars, and 115 50poly cars may make this possible...

Rob

[netmasteroc3]

Well fotunately I'll probibly never run accross that kind of situation. With the average narrow gague train runing sometihng liek 20 cars max, and the extreamly long ones running some 50 or 60, you can almost afford to have forground models for all your cars, and sill have a reasonable framerate (baring loads of intersecing polygons) what IMO killed my boxcar and gon.

The idea of a super low poly car might work though. I dont know enough about how 3D canvas or TSM work out distance levels (TSM seems to require you to build/copy your parts into different leves), but I think you could make a very very very basic shap, including non animated trucks and wheels I mean thats just one more thing for the CPU to work out, and maybe just cubes for couplers, as a far distance level, and add on the close stuff and animation to the near distance level.

I've seen some discouragement about doing distance levels, but if your far model is a big block, with textures, it shouldnt add to much to the size of the shape files, and provide a significant bost to the preformance of the game. Kuju must have though so, otherwise they wouldnt have built the game to support them the way they did, nor would they have used them.

Of course, how much time to do you spend rubber necking and watching your train and how much time do you spend driving it. (espically on thoes 2% grades) Thats really what it comes down to though, isnt it?

[lnghairedwizard]

As far as what freight cars have been generally ignored, or that we could use?... well tankcars for one....65' LPG or anhydrous ammonia tanks, Chlorine tanks, multiple dome tanks (both old and new).

We could also use a greater variety of open top hopper cars.....
2,3,4 and even 5 bay hoppers, ribbed-side or offset hoppers....different loads for the hoppers (100ton hoppers are only filled half full of taconite), orebuggies, perhaps a greater variety of gondolas( 40', 50', fishbelly and straight sided)....more properly scaled cabooses of different variations...More retro rolling stock in general is needed!!!

different loads on existing cars such as steel coils loaded into gondolas, or car frames loaded onto 89' flatcars

Longhairedwizard

[wdcalvert]

I'll probably get into troble for posting this, but here goes. I too feel that there is not enough period freight cars around. I have TSM and have this to show for about 5 weeks work. Poly count is aound 5k, haven't figured why TSM double the count, just a quirk I guess. As for distance levels, I've decided to let the program do it. When I try to merge different levels MS crashes big time. Model is of the 70ton 3-bay hopper of the Pensy design. It's not finished, have a few things left to iron out. But if theres any interest I will upload to the library. Comments always welcome.


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