AI and Trail.eng Files

[willykillem]

Hi all,

I've been away for many years and have just rediscovered MSTS. I've noticed that some developers are adding "AI.eng" and "trail.eng" files to locomotive folders and would like to know what lines I would need to modify to a player .eng file to make it either AI or trailing .eng? Somehow I'm guessing there's more to it than removing the cabview and headout entries.

Thanks in advance,

Bill

[ragtimer]

This is what I do:For trail engines,no head or ditchlights;no cabview;no engine controls.For AI engines,as for trail except they need AI head and ditchlights and the warning beacon ( for engines without ditchlights ).You can keep truck and step lights if they are there already. Hope this helps.

[geepster775]

Lights, cabviews, engine controls and sounds were all different from player versions, primarily to work around limitations of 1990's hardware and in the way MSTS was hard-coded to cap quantities and left to wallow unsupported. It was so disheartening back in the day to not even experience dynamic braking sounds from DPU units on the rear end.

Of course, vendors are eliminating AI and Trail from today's new content as being unnecessary since MSTS limitations no longer exist when using the 'MSTS replacement' application.

[R. Steele]

Of course, vendors are eliminating AI and Trail from today's new content as being unnecessary since MSTS limitations no longer exist when using the 'MSTS replacement' application.

Very diplomatic phrasing, however, I'll risk some ire or mild rebuke and add this --- "MSTS replacement" = Open Rails Simulator...which most former MSTS users have phased into.
Official website: http://openrails.org/

Free Starter Route with equipment and activities - scroll down to bottom of page: https://www.trainsimulations.net/

[willykillem]

Hi all (again),

Thanks for all the responses! I've seen Open Rails stuff and will most likely tr it out in the near future, however, for the moment, I would like to get back up to speed on MSTS. I'm "relearning" things long forgotten, i.e. shape file manager and shapeviewer, for example.

Additionally, I can't believe the quality of some of the freeware routes that have been released! Dare I say, some rival, and even surpass, some payware routes! WOW!

Going back to engines, when I got away from MSTS, Jason Dilworth's SD40/SD40-2/SD45s were pretty much the standard for freeware, but there's some really nice newer models out there that demand attention. I recently discovered Danny Beck's release of some shape files here at TS, and have been cobbling together some modern engines, which is what brought me to inquiring about AI and Trailing .eng files.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

Kind regards,

Bill

[R. Steele]

Hi all (again),

Thanks for all the responses! I've seen Open Rails stuff and will most likely tr it out in the near future, however, for the moment, I would like to get back up to speed on MSTS. I'm "relearning" things long forgotten, i.e. shape file manager and shapeviewer, for example.

Additionally, I can't believe the quality of some of the freeware routes that have been released! Dare I say, some rival, and even surpass, some payware routes! WOW!

Going back to engines, when I got away from MSTS, Jason Dilworth's SD40/SD40-2/SD45s were pretty much the standard for freeware, but there's some really nice newer models out there that demand attention. I recently discovered Danny Beck's release of some shape files here at TS, and have been cobbling together some modern engines, which is what brought me to inquiring about AI and Trailing .eng files.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

Kind regards,

Bill

Bill, if you are re-learning MSTS, here's one important point to remember
Do NOT install MSTS or any train sim stuff ( routes, trainset, etc..) in any of the Windows "Program" folders or other protected folders. Install everything in, for example, C:\TrainSim or whatever name seems reasonable to you.
Read and follow these instructions at Steam4Me >>> https://msts.steam4me.net/tutorials/...ling_msts.html

[geepster775]

Free Starter Route with equipment and activities - scroll down to bottom of page: https://www.trainsimulations.net/

Just so people know, the free starter route has been updated. It includes Mullan Dash9s with current newer cabviews and some other rolling stock now. The 3 unit Gunderson 53 footers and the 3-unit 57' spines are also included for free now. Activities include a 2x3x2 grain train. All route textures are DDS only now, whereas the old starter had ace textures.

Since they dumped the MSTS stuff and re-did their website, makes me wonder whether any old packs that were retained as OR releases now include newer OR physics?

[niknak]

Thanks for the heads up on the starter route update. I can feel a download coming on to replace my original....

[derekmorton]

I am glad we are discussing ai and trail.

I have deleted ALL of my AI and trail loco's as I do not intend to use MSTS again.
The changes that this deletion brings makes it a bit longer to run an activity, but I like the file count in my sim set.
I have assembled a couple of utilities to assist with the modifications.

[SD40-2]

I would suggest combining both the original and new starter route's stock to get the most bang for your buck.

As to the original poster's question, MSTS-BIN phased out the trailing/AI engine file need before OR came around.