Old Dog - New Tricks

[Tom Constantine]

In the past two years I have been defeated over and over by the Editor in Railworks. I have tried several tutorials with no luck at all. Then, earlier this year I learned how to use RW_Tools to create Quick Drive Consists. And because of that I also learned how to edit some XML files. That allowed me to easily use all the freeware and payware 3rd party rolling stock in nearly all of my routes. BUT... Not all of my routes because some are not Quick Drive ready.

Finally though, a breakthrough! Paul Godber, owner of IHH and first class locomotive builder, just published a tutorial that I could actually follow and I was able to create simple Eastbound and Westbound QD scenarios for the Mayflower Line, a short branch from Manningtree to Harwich Town, UK. If anyone has The Mayflower Line from UKTS installed, I would be glad to share the scenarios. Also if you are a QD fan like me and have a route without QD, let me know. I may have work in progress I plan to do China Clay, Granfield Branch and Hedborough North in the UK and Ohio Steel & possibly Chicago Yard in the US. And maybe Torino-Genova...

The next step is adding AI & Static consists so I don't have to be alone. Let it snow

[bhk]

So....you're on the way to becoming a developer, Tom.

Where is the tutorial located, Tom?

[Tom Constantine]

You tube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrjMEpkHCzs

Developer? Maybe but not a chance I'll upload anything publicly. That ended the day I got the e-mail that said, "Your scenery is f***ed up. Fix it or take it down." From that day forward, I make stuff for me. I can envision getting an e-mail from some 12 year old on his mum's computer telling me the train actually starts 30 feet from where I put the start location.

[bhk]

Dec 13, 2013 12:21:58 GMT -5 Tom Constantine said:

You tube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrjMEpkHCzs

Developer? Maybe but not a chance I'll upload anything publicly. That ended the day I got the e-mail that said, "Your scenery is f***ed up. Fix it or take it down." From that day forward, I make stuff for me. I can envision getting an e-mail from some 12 year old on his mum's computer telling me the train actually starts 30 feet from where I put the start location.

Okay....point taken.

Thanks for the link....I'll have a look at that.

[AirCoaster]

Very nice video Tom. Paul did an excellent job with it. I shall try my hand at this soon.

[AirCoaster]

I took a look at this Tom, and it worked well with the base routes that come with TS2014, but RSC seems to continually change that base with each new version change. The thing I found is that the AI spawn points don't work for third parties unless the consists are properly provided for the route. These would be the consists listed on page 2 of the spawn point editor. I seems you can select them all you want and create the proper parameters for the consists, but they never do spawn in third party routes. Well, not to my knowledge, anyway, and I am no expert. Some input here from those who might know would be great.

[Tom Constantine]

I've had a similar experience John. When I added AI to the Mayflower Line (3rd party freeware) only 1 of 3 consists actually appeared. My very first static consist appeared ONCE and not again. Frustration!

So the next day I watched the tutorial again and noticed that Paul had to adjust the back-center-front and the spawn point. I also re-checked the length on each item and found 1 that still said 150.

I kept trying different things and making some changes to page 2 as well. I discovered that for passenger consists, only regional was spawning. Not too strange really since all the QD passeneger consists will default to that unless you choose another type. When I edited page 2 on the spawn points to 100% regional, I got 3 of 5 to spawn which is where I am now. Still head scratching.

Static consists are another problem and I think it comes down to the front-center-back. I get one of 2 to spawn about half the time and it is always a steam consist with oil tanks. It spawns with a lot of room in front and not much behind on the siding. I dont think a consist will spawn if it would be inside switch points. The second and much bigger siding has never spawned a consist. More head scratching.

I think my next step is to make some (short) route specific consists for all the different types and see if those will spawn.

So what I have now is 3 of 5 AI consists spawning every time. A 4th has spawned twice out of a dozen or so tries.
1 of 2 static consists spawns about half the time. The part that is staring me down at the moment is populating the yards at Harwich International.

EDIT: The oil train consist is all 3rd party stock. The passenger consists are from steam but use at least one 3rd party repaint at random.

[AirCoaster]

At least you got some spawns, I was totally disappointed in any attempts to correct any fault I had made. I think my question is, where do they come up with the Consist Types, such as Passenger - Regional, Passenger - Scrap, Freight - Coal, and such, where are they created? When I make consists through the Scenario Editor in any scenario type, I can't find a way to create these Consist Types in any way. I am missing something I believe.

[Tom Constantine]

I don't use the editor to make consists. It has always baffled me completely until Paul's recent tutorial opened my eyes.

I use RW_Tools, best donation I have made in years. In RW_Tools you can build a rolling stock index, select the Preload folder you want to use, create re-usable fragments, create QD consists and specify the route(s) where they will spawn as AI and select the consist type. You can build a consist without an engine, name it as usual, leave the display names blank so they won't show up in your QD menu, specify the route(s) and make the consist type Custom8. Do that for a half-dozen different consists and they will spawn at random, giving you a different look every time.

I've been using serz.exe to decompile/recompile various ready made quick drives, studying and experimenting. I won't say I have mastered the beast but I am getting results. I have 2 AI consists spawning about half the time, 4 AI consists spawning all the time but with variations. 2 static consists spawn all the time on sidings and 3 sets of freight cars spawning at random in a yard.

I hope to have a couple articles with pictures in the near future showing what I have done and how you can do it. All it takes is time LOL and I seem to have less than when I was working.

[AirCoaster]

Ok, RW_Tools, I have it, but haven't used it much as it always seems to crash when attempting procedures, which I always attributed to my lack of knowledge of the tool and the game.