UKTrainsim's Days may be Numbered

[fleegle411]

While the story has just come to my attention, it seems a myriad of factors are coming together that have put an expiration date on the site from "Across the pond." While the date of closure is not set, I have seen it stated that the site has "a few months yet."

While I've linked a post from the site admin, the rest of the thread seems to point to the community hoping to find a resolution involving transferring ownership of the site. I suppose only time can tell at this point.

https://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&p=1893925#p1893925

[NorthernWarrior]

Writing has been on the wall for a while I think. Will have to make sure I grab whatever files of mine were uploaded over there with a view to putting in the library here. Though TBH some of it is so old and dated I'm just as inclined to let it go. And if UKS goes, how long before sites like this follow suite?

I know from my own experience over the last couple of years that web hosting has become a complete nightmare and potentially very expensive if you want a decent provider which is why I finally let my old site die a death. Still on the Wayback Machine as an archive, fortunately.

[NorthernWarrior]

Official now, closing at the end of August.

[eric]

Ah well. It's like railroad preservation -- save what you can in the next few months...

Even if you can't find the author to get permission, as long as it's on a hard drive "somewhere" it can always be reposted to a file repository later once permission is obtained.

[geepster775]

So many responses on that thread from shareholders of buggy-whip manufacturers who don't have the decency to hold a funeral.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62kxPyNZF3Q

[haverfordwest]

Official now, closing at the end of August.

I have everything from the library that i wanted to save over the years, on DVDR's.

So no great loss to me. The forum was always over officiated and after the advent of TS, became a mouthpiece for DTG.

Mike.

[rt35ge]

I only used it once to get a version of RR. I can't recall why I ended up downloading on the UK site..... Anyhow, I downloaded 1 item. First off, it was a pain to register. The sever keep resetting and making me start all over again. After that circus show it took 5 hours for RR to download. I said never again and haven't been back. That was long ago in a galaxy far away.

[ex-railwayman]

According to Matt Peddlesden it is an extremely expensive library/forum to run financially, about £500 per month, and the number of subscribers has dwindled, and the number of folks who don't go onto their forum any more is a lot lower than years gone by, but, that's their fault for having in-house moderators who wouldn't moderate the idiots.

I doubt many people have that type of money in this day and age to want to take it on independently every month.

I would say that it is a gracious decision to keep things going until August by the Peddlesden family, anyway.

Cheerz. Steve.

[rdayt]

Is UKTrainsim the repository for UKFS Track?

Randy

[scottb613]

Is UKTrainsim the repository for UKFS Track?

Randy

Hi Folks,

Yeah - don't want to lose UKFS.

"Railworks America" seems to be in the same boat - numerous posts about funding and lack of cash - their days seem numbered as well.

Regards,
Scott

[NorthernWarrior]

As I said above, web hosting has become a bit of a nightmare with either fly by night operators (like the one I last used) or mega expensive. Wasn't worth it in the end.

From UKTS point of view, if no-one is subscribing then interest in MSTS/OR must be negligible at this point and TSC seems to have shifted over to the bearded one (Alan Thomson). Some freeware has gone to be distributed via 3rd party independent companies such as SSS and or just put on Steam Workshop. Get the vibe fewer and fewer people are developing freeware for any of the heritage sims, apart from Trainz which has its own in house arrangements (DLS) anyway.

The one thing that might be missed is the MSTS routes that came on CD, not just mine which anyway I cringe to look at now - most are getting on for 20 years old and can just fade away, but there are some more recent classics which still potentially provide a good MSTS/OR experience. That said I haven't personally fired up OR for well over a year now - got too much to do in TSC/TSW or non rail programs such as Snowrunner, ETS2 or ATS. Even Run 8 is lying pretty much dormant despite all the money I poured into it.

[eric]

Does anyone think that it's worth trying to lifeboat all or part of the file library at UK Trainsim?

I ask this as a railroad preservationist -- all of the proceeds from my sales at DigitalRails have been going to museum preservation efforts, but I'm wondering if perhaps some of that needs to be diverted to helping save data from our hobby....

Comments welcome.

[NorthernWarrior]

Does anyone think that it's worth trying to lifeboat all or part of the file library at UK Trainsim?

I ask this as a railroad preservationist -- all of the proceeds from my sales at DigitalRails have been going to museum preservation efforts, but I'm wondering if perhaps some of that needs to be diverted to helping save data from our hobby....

Comments welcome.

It's a worthy notion but the problem I see is that unless it all comes over, particularly in the case of TSC routes, there are dependencies which need to be downloaded separately. So you get into permissions from scores if not 100's of authors, some of whom may no longer be active or contactable or sadly passed beyond the rainbow bridge in a few cases. UKTS have already stated the routes etc. for MSTS on CD will not be released elsewhere for hosting due again to the multiple permissions issues that would be involved.

The current UKTS file library also clearly lists by id number any assets that need to be downloaded as dependencies including the unique file id number so transposing that to the file library here could potentially involve 100's of man hours to sort out. If the intention was to host here, we don't know for certain how secure the long term future of this site could be. Also let's not forget, UKTS came about because the Trainsimfiles site became overwhelmed with excessive bandwidth charges landing the owner Tim Booth with a massive bill. The numbers circulating are that UKTS currently costs around £500 (US$650) a month to maintain. Any site setting out to maintain the current file load is going to face similar logistics.

For myself I have pretty much decided to let my TSC content go (6 routes). The youngest route over there is now 12 years old and frankly anyone interested would have downloaded by now. Most rely on assets that will also go with UKTS, or DTG content like Phorum Peninsula which were withdrawn from sale. Essentially end of life and withdrawn.

[eric]

I could believe $600-800 per year, but not per month.

[NorthernWarrior]

Well I have decided to bite the bullet and rework my TSC routes for the Steam Workshop. Some will take longer than others but at this point feel it is the best chance of preserving something.

Starting with Sulitjelma, as apart from my own assets the only third party non official DLC items are the RSDL/UKTS hogweed and rosebay.