Open Rails Activity Pack for BNSF Scenic Sub (Starter Route)

[Peter M]

If someone could provide some more info about operations on the scenic sub I would consider creating some seperate activities for the new Starter route using much more varied freeware and probably payware content from Mullan or BNSF Seligman. There are a lot of industries in the Scenic area that require more rolling stock than grain hoppers and stack cars.

However, if I understand correctly, this specific pack created by Mr. Reid is aimed at users who may not understand the advanced possibilities of Open Rails (especially new users). This pack would give new users a taste of different styles of operation in OR than the default activities (switching v. mainline running). As these users may not want to spend large amounts of money for a product they may not like, it is wise to limit the content in these activities to what is supplied free.

For what its worth, I made several very simple repaints (just changed the numbers) of the BNSF Dash-9 4410 that I could upload here if there is a desire. I did this because I too was tired of seeing the same loco repeated 2-3 times in a single train.

Peter

[Shawmut]

The earlier version of the "TS Starter Route" is, in fact, the same thing - activity wise - as the original version of the BNSF Scenic Sub sold by Streamlines. This iteration of their route was published from 2006 through 2010. Any of the activities in the file library here designed for the Scenic Sub and published before 2011 will work with the earlier version of the TS Starter Route.

By comparison, the new version of the Starter Route is based on the version 2 of the Scenic Sub published by Streamlines and, later, Trainsimulations.net from January 2011 until just recently. All of the activities in the f/l marked for the "v.2" of the Scenic Sub, like, for instance, Joe Lawernce's "mevespop1.zip" and "mevespop2.zip" will likewise work with the new version of the Starter Route.

All you have to do to make these activities work properly is a) be sure you've got an activity designed for the correct version of the Starter Route you have. If you are loading a BNSF Scenic v.2 activity into the new Starter Route you simply have to unpack the files in the appropriate folders. The RouteID in both is the same.

If you are loading one of the activities designed for BNSF Scenic v.1 (and the vast majority of activities in the library are for that version of the route) into the earlier version of the TS Starter Route, then you'll have to make one small change to the activity file (and to that file alone): you must change the RouteID from to "BNSF_Scenic " to "TS_StarterRoute." Obviously omit the period and the parens.

This is the way the activity RouteID will look when you download it from the f/l:

[email protected]@@@@@@@@@JINX0a0t______

Tr_Activity (
Serial ( 1 )
Tr_Activity_Header (
RouteID ( BNSF_Scenic )

and this is what you should end up with before you start up ORTS:

[email protected]@@@@@@@@@JINX0a0t______


Tr_Activity (
Serial ( 1 )
Tr_Activity_Header (
RouteID ( TS_StarterRoute )


Because these earlier activities were designed with MSTS in mind, you'll want to either

a) substitute the Trainsimulations.net stock for the older, non-ORTS stock called for by the downloaded activity, or

b) add Gerry Storey's physics files to the locos and stock recommended by the activity. You can find his physics packages that just drop right in place here in the f/l.

There are some cracking activities designed for both versions of this route, so start downloading and have fun!

Cheers,

Dave

[geepster775]

The new version comes with dds textures while the previous one came with ace files. This makes the new version more suitable to residing with the newer Trainsimulations routes that are OR only that have DDS-based Xtracks and do not mingle with MSTS stock in any MSTS installation.

[niknak]

Thanks for the heads up on the 2 acts for v2 Dave. I've d'loaded them and substituted some of the missing stock in the consists. I've yet to run them but fingers crossed...

[PerryPlatypus]

Peter, feel free to PM me if you'd like detailed information on Scenic Sub operations. The only thing I would not have good info on are some of the local trains in the Everett area, but I can provide info on all of the through trains and local ops on the east side.

[adreid]

Peter M and I will be working together to rework these activities for the current version of the route.

Regards,
Dan Reid

[adreid]

I did try to run first activity (A1-Appleyard-Cashmere v 1.0) and the instruction do not mach with what consist do you need to pick up and one of them is missing from the yard. I did try to make screenshots and point out accurate problem, but since you need to downscale screenshots to so small resolution, you can't see nothing what i am trying to say. Yes i do have previous avaible free route from Trainsimulations.com.

Hi Folks.


I apologize for not addressing your issues earlier; I have been very busy getting the activities updated to the point where Peter can run them on his setup in order to work on them. I have downloaded my files from the file library, and installed them onto my old route with the same result you have experienced. Fortunately, I still a backup copy of A1 which works correctly. I believe that is the only activity which is corrupted. If the folder name of your route is TS_StarterRoute you probably have the proper one of this package.

Has anyone been able to run the other activities in the package?

Regards,
Dan Reid

[michelouim]

I am doing the 3rd activity and so far only the first one is not working properly...as i mentionned elsewhere in this thread, the cars are not in the same number and the tracks are not labeled as mentionned...

Michel

[Shawmut]

Hi Folks.


I apologize for not addressing your issues earlier; I have been very busy getting the activities updated to the point where Peter can run them on his setup in order to work on them. I have downloaded my files from the file library, and installed them onto my old route with the same result you have experienced. Fortunately, I still a backup copy of A1 which works correctly. I believe that is the only activity which is corrupted. If the folder name of your route is TS_StarterRoute you probably have the proper one of this package.

Has anyone been able to run the other activities in the package?

Regards,
Dan Reid

I'm just finishing A2 and it has worked as advertised. I got the same results with A1 as everyone else has specified. Before I began I ran the activities through Route_Riter, and it came up with the following errors, all in consist files:

Consist AI_BNSF_GRAIN_EMPTY has an incorrect TrainCfg entry of BNSF_GRAIN_EMPTY


Consist AI_containers has an incorrect TrainCfg entry of containers


Consist AI_LoadedGrain has an incorrect TrainCfg entry of LoadedGrain

The solution in each case was to add "AI_" to the TrainCfg entry in the consist file. Then there were no errors.

Cheers,

Dave

[adreid]

I'm just finishing A2 and it has worked as advertised. I got the same results with A1 as everyone else has specified. Before I began I ran the activities through Route_Riter, and it came up with the following errors, all in consist files:

Consist AI_BNSF_GRAIN_EMPTY has an incorrect TrainCfg entry of BNSF_GRAIN_EMPTY


Consist AI_containers has an incorrect TrainCfg entry of containers


Consist AI_LoadedGrain has an incorrect TrainCfg entry of LoadedGrain

The solution in each case was to add "AI_" to the TrainCfg entry in the consist file. Then there were no errors.

Cheers,

Dave

It appears that I was not diligent in cleaning out my release library, and 3 extraneous items were left in the "consists" folder.

Thank you very much, Dave, for bringing this oversight to my attention!

I believe these items were ones which were originally installed as part of the route (TS_StarterRoute) and may have been used in the activities originally included with that route. These items are not needed by any of my activities.

I am not sure how the original activities may have been affected by the replacement of these items, but if you have previously substituted stock in those activities, regression may have occurred. If this is the case, please accept my sincere apologies.

In any respect, I strongly urge everyone, to recover these items from an earlier backup, if possible.

I have withdrawn my package from the file library, to prevent further damage. and will soon provide a corrected package. If you have already installed version 1.0 of my activities, you can ignore this replacement package, as it will otherwise be identical to the one you used (with the exception of the excess items).

Regards,
Dan Reid