State of the Site - November 2023

Happy Thanksgiving! I know we've got a lot to be thankful for in our household, and I hope everyone gets a chance to spend some time with those they care about and celebrate the good things in their lives.

To celebrate fall a little late, I've been having some fun in the Upper Peninsula on MLT's Michigan Iron Ore route, which I've been meaning to pick up for a while.

It's my idea of a perfect route -- not too large, and one where you can spend as little or as long as you...

Running the Microsoft / Open Rails Train Simulator is a little different from other simulators, in that there are a lot of options available for add-ons (over 30,000 in our library alone), as well as companion applications that are used to create routes, activities and even new models. Adding to the complexity, some of these applications date back to 2001, when MSTS was first introduced. The Windows operating system has changed quite a bit since then, and as a result, the way older app install...

This week, I got to combine two of my hobbies.... Off-roading and railroads.

I've written before about some of our ATV rides in Tennessee, and we recently acquired a four seat Honda Pioneer 700 UTV to add to our off-road "toy collection".

For those who have no idea ATV/UTV means... a "traditional" ATV (all-terrain vehicle) is a three or four-wheeler with handle bar steering and a motorcycle style saddle seat. A UTV (utility-trail vehicle) has a steering...

If you currently use an ad blocker and are not a paying member on the site, you may have started to see a additional message asking you to disable your ad blocker or pay for a subscription.

I've made no secret that this site costs money to operate, and while many of our visitors have been willing to help support it through First Class Memberships or a FastPass, many more do not.

Some of you may not see a direct value in paying for a full year membership or a one-month...

On this Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month, in the United States we honor our Veterans. Worldwide, many nations celebrate Remembrance Sunday, which this year falls on Sunday, November 12th.

From the trenches to the oceans, islands, and deserts, Veterans answered the call when your country asked.

You fought to protect our values, and paid a heavy price in doing so. Many continue to pay the price.

Today, we remember those who fell in service and honor those...

At The Railyard reviews the TrainSimulations SP Shasta Route.



https://youtu.be/lj_XKQI4NFI...

It's been a busier than normal week for the folks over at Run 8 Studios.

Hyrail Solutions released their CSX Baldwin, centered around Baldwin, Florida near Jacksonville.

Run8 issued their latest game update as well - Dale wrote about it in the Run8 forum here back on Monday, so check out the details at the following link:

https://www.trainsim.com/forums/foru...s-v3-update-11

The Baldwin route features portions...

No, that isn't an error on our site.

Have you ever seen a store that runs “Going Out Of Business” and “Everything Must Go” type sales, but never actually closes?

I’m starting to think that way about our friends at UKTrainsim.com....

While I gave open praise for the eight months advance notice of the site’s closing, I do have to say the ending is turning out to be nowhere near as organized.

For whatever reason, they’re approaching...

Last weekend, my wife told me we were taking a Sunday drive up to Wisconsin. Normally, I need no convincing to take a road trip and "head north", especially if it's Green Bay. But no, we weren't going to the Frozen Tundra or the Packers Pro Shop. We were going to Milwaukee to see the circus at the Fiserv Arena, home to the Milwaukee Bucks. I've always had a thing for the circus. My grandfather was a Shriner, and when we were kids, it was a bit of a family tradition to see the Shrine Circus ...

Our week started with some sad news -- longtime community member Yuri Sos passed away after a courageous battle with bone marrow cancer, which had been diagnosed in 2019.

Yuri was a huge influence in the early MSTS community, and the tutorials on his website Steam4me.net have been used by hundreds of thousands if not millions worldwide.

In real life, Yuri spent 49 years as a practicing veterinarian, graduating from the University of Melbourne and taking on his father's...