Route Builders

[gasman]

I take my hat off to those who build routes. To build one of the big routes you must be using an editor other than the Microsoft one supplied with the main program.

As a start I thought I would try to build the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway as its a single track with 5 main stations (with passing loops), 14 halts and 2 connections with the GWR.

I've just spent 4 days and all I've managed is a basic station layout, run round loop and 3 sidings, a platform (no buildings) and ONE COMPUTER nearly thrown across the room in frustration!!! I've tried laying a road and it puts it where it wants not where I want! It won't allow me to rotate it (all it does is higher or lower it (and that makes it dissappear)), It won't move it, just attaches it to the nearest object it finds and of course thats not where i want it. My other problem is in the placement box there are plenty of titles of track or roads to lay down but very few thumbnails when I try and use them it promptly tells me they are not installed, so where do I get them from?

I've printed off the Microsoft help guide which unless I'm not reading it properly is very little help!!!

So is there a better editor / route buider?

Thanks

Dennis

[yerkes]

You have no choice but to use the Route Editor included with MSTS. It's a tedious, immensely time-consuming process, though spending time and effort pays dividends in the end.

But there are plenty of tools to help you, and plenty of friends on the forum here to share in your pain . Don't go any further until you've this thread:

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=240&t=5783

Pretty much most of your initial queries will be answered here.

[clay001]

The WC&PR would be fantsastic!...keep at it.

[yerkes]

I feel I should have been more encouraging in my earlier post... Do keep at it, as clay001 says. Trust me, it will be worth it in the end.

Why not start with an experimental route, just to get the hang of the basics? My Oxford route is the third or fourth attempt I've had at creating a route. At one point I did make some headway with Guildford-Portsmouth but Dave Corfield beat me to it

Get hold of Michael Vone's highly-recommended guide which takes you through the principles of using the Route Editor step-by-step to build a practice route. I think you'll feel frustrated if you want everything built exactly as you want it first time around.

[clay001]

Hello Gasman,

I once produced a very basic marker file (ie stations only) for the WC&PR, if you'd like a copy of it I'll try and dig it out and send you it.

All the best,

Clay.

[GSX1400]

For what it's worth, I only started my route in January and it took a while to get used to it.
Whether my approach is right or wrong I don't know but the route hasn't come back to bite me yet. . well not too hard anyway.

I used google earth and push pins to mark out my route in the train sim world and put the pushpins close enough together to be able to use them as guides 50m or 25 for tricky bits and 10 for junctions. Another trick is to put google's altitude in the pin label, that way you can put your track at the right height too. Lots and lots of pins but as they say, preparation is the key.

Track laying is the fun part and I discovered that once I'd got used to track height track laying became quite rapid.
I did have a few false starts, the first piece of track is vitally important IMHO and several times I did get a mile or two up the track before throwing it away. Mainly because the track height was wrong and embankments/cuttings were in the wrong place as a result.

I'm just on my third relay of Westbury station as I get used to using UKFS and better track work. For all of the other stations, I've left points in but not the track work off the mainline as that requires more effort (points, crossings, slips and so on) but once I've done Westbury, I'll be doing the stations one at a time.

One thing I do is I have a copy of my blank route in which I test new junctions and layouts before playing with the real route.

Backups, backups, backups that's the trick!

Stick at it, once you pass the frustration of not knowing much about the editor and how it works and then you get used to it's terrible unreliability and ways to work round it, it becomes more fun, more 'constructive' and take it from me, there's nothing like driving your first test train over the whole route in glorious 3D and seeing how well it compares to what the real route (If you're doing a 'real' route) looks like. I'm very pleased with mine and I'm hoping to recreate some old B&W photos in the old books I have.

The whole sordid episode is being logged in my blog, the link is below.

[yerkes]

PS Nice blog, GSX1400 - like the 'Funnies' section

[gasman]

Thanks to everyone for the info and the encouragement.

Clay001, If you do manage to find it would be bonus. I'm using one of "Oakland Press" books to give me station track layouts so anything extra would be greatly appreciated.

Dennis

[dkightley]

Not having had any problems with the Route Editor...honest!....I can offer one very good piece of advice.

Never, never exit RE or save when you have any object (track piece, scenery item, etc) selected. Always get into the habit of swinging up to the sky and selecting fresh air before you exit or save.

[clay001]

No worries, I'll have a dig about over the weekend and 'pm' you when I've found it - I think I know where it is...!


You probably know about this anyway, but in case not check out this superb website -

http://www.wcandpr.org.uk/

[GSX1400]

PS Nice blog, GSX1400 - like the 'Funnies' section

Thanks very much. I thought recording my progress/experiences may be of use. . . and yes, the "funnies" too

[gasman]

Clay001

Thanks very much I didn't know the web site existed, its an excellent site with a lot more information than I already had. Thanks again

Dennis

[clay001]

No worries, you have a pm.

[gasman]

Clay

Thanks, only just logged back on, got PM and have replied

Dennis

[gasman]

Well I've persevered and now got all the Stations and halts down!! just started started to add scenery and change the terrain heights. My problem at the moment is when I a add a bulding I manage to get one corner down on the landscape but the rest of the building is in the air! so moving round the building and using the "move object" key / "rotate object" key all that happens is the building rocks!! Any suggestions?

And while I'm at it A strange thing happens when I run trains over the first few miles of the track they "wobble" ie the bogie coaches shake ( the bogies jump off the track but the coach stays on) the M7 (0-4-4) loco stays on the track but the pony truck does the same as the bogies! Any ideas with that on Please?

Dennis