Atomic Systems

Does anyone know where I can find a basic introduction to route building?

I'd like to try and knock something up myself, Nothing fancy just a "trainset" type layout to mess about on.

I've searched this forum but have not found any details

Thanks

I read the help section in the R.E.

It tells you how to create a route, however I should agree that someone should make an easier maunaul with a descriptive step by step guide.

I only recently found out how to make terrain dissapear from inside a tunnel.

So far I've managed to create a white world... erm that's it!
Will look at the help section now.

Hi there,

If you go to http://trainsimulatorworld.com (Abacus software) there is a route building book avalible . Its $15, but very helpful.

Marcus

Check the sticky at the top of this forum!

I recommend the Route Building guide from Abacus. It is $15 very well spent.

Charlie
(Currently building the Waverley Route)
(Well, not currently 'cos I'm still at work, but you know what I mean )

Availability: We are currently unable to offer this title. It may be out of stock with the publisher or out of print. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.

Dam

And don't anyone dare put manual points out on the main line as that route building guide says - not that I own one, but I've seen diagrams.

Very naughty that, extemely unprototypical and is saftey hazard..or would be...tut tut

LucaZone wrote:Availability: We are currently unable to offer this title. It may be out of stock with the publisher or out of print. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.

Dam

That's the printed book - you can still download the PDF for US$15

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Goingnorth; I have seen serveral tutorials that suggest using manual points so you can set them in activities - I am totally against this practice as it can prevent AI traffic etc; I'm glad to see someone else thinks the way I do.

-Alan

I'm against it because it's completely unprototypical. Imagine if you could walk off the end off the platform at Leeds and reverse a set of points by pulling a point lever! Those sort of points are used in sidings, not parts of the main line, which by law, must be fully interlocked with the signalling system.

You'll notice on my routes the signalled areas are AI points, the siding areas are manual points - unless it's a busy siding area, where very often they are powered in reality. That's the way it should be as far as UK practice...and most other countries go.

i dont have a credit card they accept :/

Sadly Woodhead V1.1/V2.0 have been built with manual points because of early advice that manual ones were the only ones you get set in certain situations. Hohum - I never liked them but there we go.

I always thought points were set by the path you set for the service?

You live and learn

Paul

pgmetcalf wrote:I always thought points were set by the path you set for the service?

You live and learn

Paul

I'm not sure what you mean. Manual points have no place on the main line because the driver NEVER sets points unless he is in sidings...and even then it's usually the guard/trainman or shunter (if there is one).

Drivers have no say where they are going whatsoever, they drive to the linespeeds/signals. The safety/speed of the train is controlled by the signals. That's why approach control/delayed aspects/theatre indicators are a must.

My biggest problems is the signal system on MSTS is rubbish and on most routes you cannot drive without the track monitor. In reality of course you don't have one. The speed/safety is controlled by signals. In MSTS the signalling function is the activities. There is a booked timetable but in reality routing varies a lot from the plan in order to 'run the service'. So a train may be booked on platform 7 at Birmingham new street, but because of a late running service it's re-platformed to 9. Freight trains are refuged out the way of Passenger trains in order to allow the faster train 'greens' where possible. So from that point of view the AI signalling system is rubbish, and doesn't reflect anything like a reality situation.

Obviously you have AWS as well to help you, which MSTS doesn't have.

So essence MSTS doesn't work anything like the real thing. It's a very simplified form of it. This (I hope) will be rectified in the next versions. In my view far more important that pretty graphics and sounds. If you want a simulation its back to basics.

I hope that makes sense and doesn't come across as too patronising, especially to those that are 'in the know'.

Don’t get me wrong, I love MSTS and Kuju have done a wonderful job. But even MS admitted the signalling function is a bit of an after thought.

Really shunting in some sidings, around stations is controlled by ground signals. And very few routes to date (mine included) use them. Mainly because it's a pig to set up activity wise.

Whether the game works for you or not depends on what you want from it. For me it is an alternative to building an actual model railway. On a model railway the whole operation (signals, pointchanges, etc) are usually worked by the operator (read driver) and so doing this manually in the game is not an issue for me. For the same reason I am happy to drive a train from the Cam2 view since that is the view a model railway operator gets. For me cabviews are an interesting bonus, but not essential.