Horseshoe Route Modern Activity Pack in the Works

[vince1234]

I'm currently creating a modern activity pack for the Horseshoe route, I'm trying to use newer rolling stock while still not having a high percentage of repeats. I'm trying to see if the variety of rolling stock I'm going to use is simply too much for most people. What's your opinions?

Payware Rolling stock needed includes but at this time is not limited to:

Streamlines:
Horseshoe Pack
BNSF Seligman Route and Priority Pack
SD50 Volume 1 (for the SD40Es in the library)
BNSF Scenic Route 2.0 / Engine upgrade
Any of the two NS Heritage ES44AC sets

Tiger Trains:
DPRX Tankers

Diesels West:
Maxi IV & NSC 53' pack or ES44C4 combo (BNSF & TTX cars)

3D Trainstuff:
P42 Phase V (for shapes)

Freeware files:

Streamlines (and Forum):
SD80MAC (For shape)
26,000 gal tank car packs 1 - 3 by geepster775

Trainsim.com:
All C40-9W repaint packs by Aivo Merimets
MSTS Norfolk Southern ES44AC Set by Aivo Merimets
All intermodal packs by Andrey Tucker-Wells.
NS SD80 Four Packs 1 and 2 by Michael Schmiga
NS MSTS Norfolk Southern Top Gon Pack 1 & 2 Repaints by Austin Yoder.
MSTS Norfolk Southern Top Gon® Set #1 - #4 by Chris Denbow
MSTS Amfleet II Pack by Buzz Benz
MSTS NEC Pack #1 by NALW
MSTS Six Bethgon Coal Cars For PPLX by Mark Giltz
MSTS Pennsylvania Power & Light Bethgon Set by Jake Mensel


Anyhow that's about 90% of everything. Some mixed freight cars I have to identify but those are freeware ones. I will use the new Amtrak P42 repaints that are being done up by SantaFe801.
This pack is a few months off, I intend to have about 10 - 15 activities done and 5 are already done. I do nth train consists and traffic patterns based on my observations, this takes time and I do not have a lot of free time to work on these activities, April would be a good eta at this time. This is being done in open rails and I cannot test it in MSTS on this computer due to various issues. Since MSTS does have many issues on my computer I cannot place loose consists, I currently have get around is I want a train in a yard, helper set(s) at cresson etc. and it works for me (traffic). Traffic patters will be very heavy in some activities and light in others, by no means is my computer a gaming computer but it could be considered average or slightly above average performance wise, that being said I do not plan to have a "light" version of this activity pack at this time. Any thoughts, criticisms?
Vince

[conductorchris]

I'm always up for more downloads. Personally I find the repetition of equipment caused by few downloads to be grating. Obviously other people have different opinions, but for me, more downloads = more value in the activity. In fact what equipment you choose in the activity is part of the fun itself.

Payware downloads is a little different story, but I've certainly bought stuff because it was central to an activity. It's annoying to not have something and not want to buy it, but if it makes a difference to the accuracy and whole of the activity, I'd rather have it in.

Oh, and let me say thank you for the work you are sharing. I'm looking forward to this.

Christopher

[Don6218]

I am always looking forward to new activities, especially on good routes such as this. Thank you also for publishing a planning list first to get feedback.

I am one who usually ends up changing out some equipment for what I have on hand. I enjoy this hobby immensely, but being on a fixed income some of the payware is just not in the budget, particularly when a set that is $14usd translates to $22cdn! The other problem is equipment that is no longer readily available, thank goodness for the Way-Back system for some of the SLI stuff.

I don't see any big issues with your list beyond the "Diesels West: Maxi IV & NSC 53' pack or ES44C4 combo (BNSF & TTX cars) & 3D Trainstuff: P42 Phase V (for shapes). There are a ton of really good P42s here in the library & the DW website gives me back a 404 Error.

Other than my 2 cents worth, thank you for planning these activities for this great route!

[vince1234]

Thanks everyone, the only reason I'm using the DW wells is for the JB Hunt containers. SLI has them mixed in, and I can make copies and rearrange the containers so there are only JB hunt containers. i have done this with the UPS containers to get more car numbers and paint jobs on the well cars. Which brings me to a question, Can I have .wag files that references new shapes calling for different freight animations? Since I cannot release SLI shapes referencing the new freight animations the user will have to create them, or is that too much for the end user?

[conductorchris]

It might be too much (but you should still do what you want). You can release revised .wag files with the freight anim link in it.
If it is too much depends upon how central the work is. I do know that J.B.Hunt is a major NS customer and the activity wouldn't be complete without including some.
Christopher

[vince1234]

Good point, I'll see what I can do to make it easy for the end user, write a batch file or something of that nature and require the user to put the required files in a certain place.

[lateagain]

Hi Vince,
IMO creating a stock list is a great idea. Too many uploaded acts suffer from withdrawn, bettered or wrongly labelled stock. Don't forget folk discover routes long after they're uploaded and seek out acts also long after they were created.

There are after all a good few utilities out there to allow folk to customise their own activities?

I know what Chris means by seeing the same old stock but with some creative modifications anyone can use or add stock of their own preference?

As far as the wagons are concerned and renumbering. Well if you want to show variety you really need to vary the weathering on additional wagons too? MSTS resolutions (even OR?) won't allow you to read numbers on many different wagons but it will show up a pattern of weathering over an entire consist? The containers too are going to have different dings and dents, patches, numbers and various levels of weathering in reality. Tank cars too will show weathering more immediately in the Sim than numbers? Obviously if you change the weathering you might as well change the number.... and vice a versa? A lot of work though.

[samg83]

The Bala route by Maple Leaf Tracks has double stack cars. The MLT cars are shorter in that they can hold a 48ft container in the lower well and a 53ft container in the upper well. The Diesels West car holds 53ft containers in both lower and upper wells.