Trainz Update, number ??? oh, does it really matter?
Well, having used "Modellers Licence" for some of the other layouts, I decieded that I could take it one step further, and on the Severn Vally line, I have built an extension to Buildwas, via Ironbridge and Coalport.
Whilst in reality, this would now never happen due to financial and Land Ownership problems, (the poor Severn Valley Railway is struggling to get it's full operating length back into use, after the Summer Floods caused so many problems for them.)
Thankfully, in the World of Virtual Railways, I have no such constraints, and now there is a continuous run between Kidderminster and Buildwas, a distance of about fourty miles.
However, even on virtual railways, virtual engineers come across almost insurmountable difficulties, one being that the Main Station at Coalport is impossible to access from the Severn Vally line. To overcome this, I have built a new, smaller station at Coalport, about a mile distant from the ex-British Railways one. So in my world, a town which now has no rail access in real life, now has Two stations!
The SVR now has "Running Rights" over the ex British Rail line as far as Buildwas, where it rejoins the main line.
Browneyes, it isn't a "model" railway in the sense of the word, but neither is it "real".
As I thought I'd explained in a very early post on this thread, it is actually a "Virtual" railway. Originally it came with a Railway Simulation programme called "Trainz". (I have posted the main link to the site previously).
It is a Simulation of many different railway routes that only excsist on the hard drive of my computer, (although I do frequent back-ups, and copy all the content to DVD) in case the hard drive fails.
I have been running this programme for almost five years now, and it has built into a massive database of different loco's, rolling stock, routes, buildings, vehicles, in fact everything required to create a complete virtual world.
It's a world that I spend a lot of time in, as I find it now to be my main hobby.
In all my years around computers, this was the ONLY time a Software programme has held my interest for so long.
To get the best from it, you do need a "high-end" system, (mine has been upgraded many times during the past three years or so just to be able to run the Simulation with all it's added-on content, properly.)
Browneyes, I hope this helps to explain things for you. Remembers, it is just a Simulation, and not a model. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Imagination based strongly on reality is the keyword here, Browneyes. The only problem being, it is so time-consuming, and lately I have been finding that a lot of my time on the computer has been taken up with my Online Journalism, writing for my Newsvine column. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Just another little update on my Trainz Virtual Railway hobby.
As I have already stated in a previous post, my time spent with my Trainz has been drastically curtailed due to my other Online activities, lately.
I did, however, manage to spend a couple of hours on it yesterday afternoon, and downloaded a new Route from the Download Station.
This is of the short Cornish Branch Line to Looe. The scenic qualities are very well modelled by the Route Builder, and although the line itself is not very long, as you drive your train down to Looe, it's possible to see the river running alongside the line, slowly widening until it reaches the sea.
The line only has a top speed limit of 30m.p.h. which gives you ample time to enjoy the scenary.
I am running a DMU Class 101 along it, although I am not sure of the type of train currently using this line. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
I needed a "rest" from Hard News yesterday, so in between trying to get my car sorted out, (it requires some welding for the MOT), I spent a lot of time on my "Trainz" hobby.
I've been really doing some extensive running on a Route centered around the "North Yorkshire Moors" railway.
I deceided that, using my Railway Clearing House route maps from 1904, I would extend operations.
In reality, that very scenic but little used line along the North Sea Coast from Middlesborough to Scarborough has long been removed, (even pre Beeching), but on my Yorkshire Trainz layout it is still in situ and seeing quite an extensive service.
I spent hours yesterday using my "Surveyor" software and I have re-instated the line from Middlesboro' to Eston.
I have done the maths, and today I am going to start building the route Southwards further along the coast from Scarboro' through Seamer, Bridlington,Driffield, Beverley, as far as Hull.
I will then be able to run a service for well over 100 miles all along the coast of The North Sea.
You have probably heard about the "East Coast Main Line" on the News particularly over Easter when the line was closed in part for maintainance?
Well, if a huge section of the line I am working on had not been closed, then this should have been the "Real East Coast Line", and there would still have been a viable alternative for Rail Passengers.
I still think that between them, British Railways and Doctor Beeching were extremely short-sighted, and should have thought more carefully before closing lines simply because of economics. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
A few posts ago, I mentioned that I had downloaded the Looe Branch Line. Well, over the past couple of days, I have incorporated this into the main Exeter to Penzance line. I have trains running now all the way from Exeter St. Davids to Plymouth North Road, and on, over a beautiful creation of the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash.
Trains now run as far West as Doublebois, (about five miles West of Liskeard which is the junction for the Looe Branch.
I might as well continue modelling this, later on tonight, as for some reason, I cannot log in to my Newsvine Column. Perhaps the Servers having problems their end. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Building Routes, JoJo, is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing aspects of the whole Trainz experience. The hours just fly past, as you get so engrossed in what you are doing.
I always try to get my Routes looking as realistic as possible, and this takes, not only time, but research online. I try to re-create the stations and surrounding areas as faithfully as possible to the time period I'm working in.
This, of course means, getting the buildings right, getting the correct road vehicles for the period, and, of course making sure that you are operating the "correct" rolling-stock and loco's.
I have spent some time tidying up this thread, as some of the early posts were missing their pictures.
This is a Trainz Update on the previously mentioned Severn Valley Route.
I am now extending the line from Buildwas to Shrewsbury where there was a large Goods Yard and Loco Shed.
Once completed, the Severn Valley Railway will have "running rights", not only to Buildwas as at present (I've installed a Coal-Fired Power Station just up the line from Buildwas station, which is, as in reality called, "Coalport B."
This, of course gives me even more scope to run coal trains that automatically unload at the Power Station. These are usually hauled by a Class 37 Diesel, in British Railways Green Livery.
The main line track is now about ten miles short of Shrewesbury, so I'll let you know when Shrewsbury (which I still have to build), is reached. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Trainz Update, probably the last one for this year. The Makers and Creators of the original software have been very busy this year and are on the point of releasing a new "Trainz 2009" programme.
I have already pre-ordered it online, direct from the Manufacturer in Austrailia, and I am hoping it will arrive before Christmas.
Apparently it still incorporates all the good features of the earlier releases with added features and an enhanced Frame Rate.
So I am awaiting the "Postmans' Knock" impaitently.
Meanwhile, my others routes on the original sim are still running and I still mange to find time to enjoy them. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
My latest software for "Trainz" 2009 arrived Saturday, so I have spent some time reading the manual that was included, and there seems to be quite a few changes, although it does state that the software is almost 100% compatable with "Back Items" from the older editions.
I have yet to install and register it, will probably do so over the Christmas period if there isn't anything on tele that I want to watch. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Further to my previous post, I have now installed and registered my latest Trainz Software package. Early indications are that it is looking rather good.
I have also managed to download some new content from the Online Download Station, and these were installed successfully.
However, I still have to figure out how to install all the "Payware" items I have saved onto DVD.
It is going to be another steep learning curve by the looks of things, but, as I said, early indications are looking good. The Graphics seem sharper, and the running Frame Rate is also better.
About the only feature that is really unique to Trainz 2009, is the "Maglev" that is included.
"Maglev", for those who don't know, stands for "Magnetic Elevation", and these vehicles can reach speeds of well over 300 mph.
They run on elevated "tracks", and utilise a system of magnets, electricity, and levatation.
They have virtually no contact with any real track, just follow the guides on the elevated structures on which they move.
Japan has them, and so does Germany.
Will Britain ever have them? Ha! Ha! Ha! Don't make me laugh!!!!
Despite my illness and despite everything else that's going on in my life, I have not neglected my Trainz, even though it's been quite a while since any worthwhile updates on the subject.
I have been spending a lot of time working on a section of the G.W. Main Line through Newbury and beyond.
It incorporates the long-defunct Lambourne Branch through the river valley and up towards the Downs to Lambourne.
This used to be a huge centre for Racehorses and the line was quite well used by many local people before it was sadly closed.
I think this was one line that Beeching could not be held responsible for, although if British Railways hadn't have closed it in the fifties, no doubt Beeching would have a few years later.
Anyway, the whole layout is interesting and makes for Branch Line operations, and a lot of Main Line Running through Newbury andout onto distant return loops!
The Lambourne Branch itself is modelled exactly to length and an average "Journey" takes, as it did in reality just over Forty Minuets to run from Newbury to Lambourne, stopping at all stations on route! _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
I usually try my best not to have crashes and accidents when running my Trainz simulation routes. However, today I made a "human error" and ended up with a spectacular accident to one of my Branch Line trains.
I inadvertantly omitted to "change" a point on the line leading to and from a stone quarry, and the early morning (05.15a.m.) Branch Line Train from Minehead to Taunton hit the junction going around 25mph. As I say, a spectacular accident happened due to the points being set against it. The Prairie Tank loco carried on to a nearby bridge where it jumped the track and crashed through the rails landing partly on the road below. The first coach left the track and headed down the embankment where, luckily, it came to a stop in an upright posistion, the other two coaches stayed on the embankment although both de-railed.
Luckily, because it was the first "down" train of the day (i.e. a New Session), only three passengers were injured. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
Riding on the Real Railway during my recent holiday gave me the incentive to dust down my North Yorkshire Moors Trainz scenario again.
Riding "inside" the virtual coaches on Trainz is just so similar to riding along in the real train.
It is scary how alike the two experiences are, and except for the smell and the movement it's sometimes hard to distinguish the computer sim from the real journey!
Because I have been busy building and fitting out my home studio, Trainz has taken rather a back seat for a while, but, no doubt coming on the Winter I shall be spending more time on it. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
I almost panicked a couple of evenings ago when I went to "load" my Trainz programme and nothing happened. Tried again, the computer "froze".
Used the emergency "reset" button, naturally the drives wanted to run a "scan" and found many "unlinked" chains and broken strings. The scan "fixed" them all, and I again attempted a reload only for the thing to start loading then again "freeze" on me.
So I came out of my Sata Drive and loaded the "backup" copy that I made a couple of months ago instead. This loaded (different drive) fine, so I had a session on this until later on I deceided to "defrag" the Sata Drive. Before going to bed, I set it in motion, and turned off the lights in my sitting-room and went to bed. This was just after 1am. About 4am I woke up and had to pay a visit to the bathroom, then I looked in on the computer to see how it was getting on. It had only just completed the defrag, and was sitting quietly awaiting further instructions.
I shut it down, and went back to bed. The next day I attempted to load the Trainz programme on the Sata drive, and it worked perfectly first time, loading up a lot quicker than it usually does as well.
So, the moral of this story is to say that if you have any loading problems with your p.c. or it's running slow, then just take the time to defragment the hard drive and you should be fine. If any of you do not know how to do this then drop me a p.m. and I will try to talk you through it.
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