RW/TS2013 Narrow Gauge - Viable?

[NorthernWarrior]

I've been contemplating doing a narrow gauge route of some description for a route project but I'm still torn over which sim to do it in as there still seems very little support for the scene in Railworks.

The passive withdrawal of Phorum Peninsula by RSC and its included narrow gauge assets means the only official resource is no longer available to anyone who doesn't already have it. Thus far overtures to RSC as to whether "PP" will eventually return have met with stony silence.

There is the third party Durango and Silverton but, assuming we are allowed to reference assets from this in our own routes, not sure how many people have bought this or would be prepared to buy it to run another route. It also models a particular prototype which is going to look out of place running around North Wales, Yugoslavia or doing the St Kitts circuit!

Finally there is the Talyllyn Railway available on CD from UKTS and a couple of freeware items in their library over there based on the Darjeeling locos, but these are defective in that you can't add water to the boiler or coal to the fire thus run out of steam pdq. (I also recall the braking being too sharp).

By contrast Trainz has many narrow gauge resources, but the big drawback is that many of the steam locos are set up as simple arcade models, consuming neither coal nor water and possessing unrealistic physics.

So the choice comes down to: Railworks, build a nice looking route but very little to run on it and the resources may not be available to new users; Trainz, build a nice looking route with freely available assets but you might as well be running clockwork trains on it.

What a pickle...

[seagoon]

So the choice comes down to: Railworks, build a nice looking route but very little to run on it and the resources may not be available to new users; Trainz, build a nice looking route with freely available assets but you might as well be running clockwork trains on it.

What a pickle...

Vern, I realise that you have moved away from MSTS but with Open Rails now well into its development, and the latest X-file release giving much improvement to AI and signalling, I suggest that you consider a look at it for Narrow Gauge.

I have an old copy of the Denver & Rio Grande Southern route that was done many years ago and it takes on a whole new life in OR.

Bruce

[NorthernWarrior]

I managed to track down some "indie" NG track for Railworks at UKTS by Richard Maxted and the terms allow this to be bundled with a freeware route. That still leaves the stock but at least it hopefully means a route can be made up without the actual track and scenery from Project Platform.

I did think about MSTS but as yet I haven't been able to solve my Demex 64 bit install problem, which at this stage of Open Rails would still be necessary as it relies on the MSTS Route Editor.

[Richard]

Vern, I realise that you have moved away from MSTS but with Open Rails now well into its development, and the latest X-file release giving much improvemnet to AI and signalling, I suggest that you consider a look at it for Narrow Gauge.

I have an old copy of the Denver & Rio Grande Southern route that was done many years ago and it takes on a whole new life in OR.

Bruce

Bruce,
When is Open Rails going to release their own editors? If Open Rails were to release their own editors instead of relying on the MSTS editors, I might even consider doing a few more MSTS / Open Rails routes. Having purchased a new computer with Windows 7, I have lost my full installs of both DEMEX and Mosaic. Without DEMEX and Mosaic a new MSTS / Open Rails route would look very dated.

Vern,
I completely understand your dilemma. As a narrow gauge fan I have both the Phorum Peninsula and the D&SNG Rail Works routes and enjoy running both of them. On the MSTS side I have both the Cumbres Pass and RGS routes and enjoy them as well. But like you mentioned a European NG line using K36's would be a little odd in ether simulator. At this point in Rail Works I guess no one is creating NG stock because of the lack of NG routes and no one is creating NG routes because of the lack of NG stock.

[NorthernWarrior]

Agreed Rich, if OR had its own editor including a native means to import DEM data that would be excellent. As it is, the only other option is TS Terraform (TSTF) which I managed to install under Win 7 but can't make head nor tail how to use for direct DEM export, as the program and instructions were primarily designed around the era when we were still contour tracing from georeferenced maps.

Anyhow with the track from Richard Maxted I thnk that's enough incentive to make a choice and start something in Railworks over Trainz (or MSTS/OR) at this stage.

[seagoon]

Bruce,
When is Open Rails going to release their own editors? ...

Richard, I have absolutely no idea, not being part of the development team.
I can't imagine that it is any time soon and it would be an unwise move until the team are finishing the development and are happy with the stability of the Open Rails program.

As a bit of a dabbler with Activity creation for MSTS/OR (and Scenarios for Railworks) I look forward to the OR editors but would prefer to see the team hold back until they feel confident of an acceptable and satisfactory result.

Bruce

[NorthernWarrior]

Well I have also emailed RSC again about the Project Platform situation, will post any response I get on here.

[Xardas]

RW/TS2013 Narrow Gauge - Viable?

Yes it is.
Of course, to do things in the right way, one need free time, patience, blueprints, photos, a 3D program and an iron will.
A "one man band"...

[Train-a-Mania]

I have lost my full installs of both DEMEX and Mosaic. Without DEMEX and Mosaic a new MSTS / Open Rails route would look very dated.

Do you mean that you lost the programs, or that they don't work in Windows 7?

[ex-railwayman]

I managed to track down some "indie" NG track for Railworks at UKTS by Richard Maxted and the terms allow this to be bundled with a freeware route. That still leaves the stock but at least it hopefully means a route can be made up without the actual track and scenery from Project Platform.

Hello Vern,

I'm sure you remember Gor, our Spanish simming friend who has made routes in both Trainz and Railworks, he did a narrow guage route called Carbonia a couple of years ago, it uses 1000m metric track, which I assume is narrow guage, it was a freeware offering on the trensim website, I've popped a link up, http://www.trensim.com/lib/rs/index.php?act=view&id=300 if it's just track you are after there are a few offerings around Europe, depending on what time you have to surf the various Railworks forums, I think there are some narrow guage fans in Sweden and Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc, etc, but, finding suitable assets already available seems to be difficult, there may be some work in progress stuff that you may be able to 'borrow' at a later date, it appears there are more narrow guage nuts out in Railworks land than you'd think, so, building a route may inspire others to pick up the mantle.

No problems if you don't find anything suitable, but, I thought I'd suggest a few things.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.