Atomic Systems

Each to their own, guys; not gonna try and twist your arms

Frankly, I've found that once you get out of the 'burbs and onto the more lengthy 100mph+ stretches, the little niggles melt away; the dash, the catenary, I find I quickly forget it and just concentrate on the driving.

With a typical load of only 5 or 6 coaches, the AEM7, as modelled, is a swift beastie (as you might expect: nearly 6,000hp and ~90t ) and I'm finding it very enjoyable to drive -- I've absolutely no idea whatsoever how well the physics have been modelled, but I do know I find it fun, which is what it's about for me

As was mentioned earlier, the cruise control feature is great; dial 110mph into it and keep the power handle in notch 8 until you need to slow down

Oh, and the cab signal indicator combined with the cab speed indicator and alerter ('can I hear y'say "whoop! whoop!"' )) means you can blat along at line speed and properly read the signals and have some idea what to expect in the next block and slow down/speed up accordingly -- very clever.

Just did my first full run through and it's quite astonishing the level of detail that's packed in quite close to the track and yet still trot along at a smooth framerate.

Oh, and the "box-in-the-middle-of-the-view"? To be honest, I've already started to not notice it, iyswim; most of the time, your focus is set on the next signal and the cab signal indicator, just glancing at the big speedo to check we're not overspeeding. Oh, no, no I don't use the Fisher-Price controls

Cheers, Rik.

michaeldono wrote:Hey wikkus, was that error near the jersy coast junc area? I got i too.

Hi Michael, yes it was -- fix incoming

Rik.

Oddly enough the big black box isn't really all that bothersome...mind you the car I drive (a Saturn) has its instrument panel in the middle of the dash board which is strange, yet oddly quite functional

One of the things that the route does is captures the feel/ambiance of the area-- I never rode the rail route, having always driven or flown when I lived in Washington, DC for awhile-- quite nicely from what I remember. I've found it quite captivating and scenario ideas are brewing....mmm brewing...need tea...

Kind regards,
Dave

Wikkus wrote: Oh, no, no I don't use the Fisher-Price controls

Things like this need a like button I really need to stop using them things, but can anyone tell me how to use the in cab signalling works, its confusing me:

Upper Signal-is this the next?
Lower Signal-Or it it this...?
Upper Speed-Is this the speed of my train?
Lower Speed-Is this the next speed?

All very confusing.

The signals (both outside and inside cab) are explained in the manual - but don't expect to be any less bewildered after reading them. The American signalling systems are frankly bizarre.

Kromaatikse wrote:The signals (both outside and inside cab) are explained in the manual - but don't expect to be any less bewildered after reading them. The American signalling systems are frankly bizarre.

I'm sure that's been said about all signalling systems by others at some point, including UK-style route signalling.

Very nice. Now, where has RS hidden their Acela I saw back in May/June?

styckx wrote:

bigvern wrote:Has anyone checked to see if the assets can be enabled for use in 3rd party routes?

They can and there are a lot of them. All nicely named with the prefix "NEC" for easy finding.

Thanks for the confirmation.

I suspect I will still be putting this on the Xmas sale list rather than buying immediately, but sounds like it is worth getting eventually.

michaeldono wrote:

Wikkus wrote: Oh, no, no I don't use the Fisher-Price controls

Things like this need a like button I really need to stop using them things, but can anyone tell me how to use the in cab signalling works, its confusing me:

Upper Signal-is this the next?
Lower Signal-Or it it this...?
Upper Speed-Is this the speed of my train?
Lower Speed-Is this the next speed?

All very confusing.

It's actually quite straightforward (he said... famous last words, etc. ): The lower figure one is the line speed, i.e. the maximum permitted speed; the upper one is the speed for *that signalling block section*. So, you may find yourself in a situation, e.g. following another train, where the lower one says "120" 'cause that's as fast as you'd be allowed to go were there not another train ahead, but the upper one may read "30" 'cause there's a train in the next block section and the next signal is a "stop".

Which leads me neatly ( ) on to the signal indicators: the upper and lower are not, in fact, two signals, but one, each having an upper and a lower portion. Possibly confusingly, when the signal is clear, it only uses the upper bit to show the greens, the lower bit is unlit. Various other combinations of "caution" may use the lower bit, too.

Best bet is go have a shufty at the "Northeast Corridor Signalling Guide.pdf" provided and it should become a bit clearer

All the best, Rik.

Leaf85 wrote:Agree about the cab and was a bit surprised at the 'roughness' of the graphics given some of the stellar looking cabs more recently done, however the exterior is really nicely done.

+10!
Graphics wise, this cab is way underd RW standard...too bad.
No, thanks!

I have to say that I was also somewhat underwhelmed when I loaded this. I have dim memories of NEC from MSTS1, and this - with the total lack of shadows - was startlingly similar, with the exception of having the AEM-7 instead of the Acela. Of course, shadows will come back with RW3, but as they say: you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

But even looking forward to RW3, I have already noticed that transition curves are not consistently applied even though this is supposedly a high-speed route, and this does not bode well for the prospect of superelevation. And, like another poster, I chose "The Keystone" as my first scenario and therefore ran into the AI Collision bug. I am constantly horrified by the lack of basic quality control that goes into commercial scenario releases.

It is also very clear that only the mainline is modelled. There are many branches and junctions along the way, but it is only possible to take one route, from one end of the line to the other. Even where it is theoretically possible to use a different terminal platform at an interpediate station, the trackwork leading to it is of very poor quality and clearly not intended to be run on. Compare this to the choices available at the northern end of WCML-N.

I have no idea how closely the signalling and speed limits follow the prototype, but both of these are also highly bizarre. There are no lineside signs warning of impending speed limit changes - even where a change up is followed immediately by a steeper change down - and the cab signalling also gives no *advance* warning of a new speed limit (signal triggered or otherwise), both of which would be considered utterly insane in European or British practice. The line speed limits are shown in the Cab Control panel, but not the signal speed limits.

The signal aspects are much harder to learn than any other type I've seen elsewhere, and yet they are much more critical since the speed limits they convey are enforced immediately. And yet there is no "tutorial" or "tour" scenario explaining how they work in practice, just a three-page manual (buried where 90% of Railworks users never look) with a bare listing. The AEM-7 manual doesn't even explain the cruise control in the cab, just labels it in the screenshot.

And yes, I'm quite aware that I sound like a rivet-counter. But this route is clearly meant to entice the large remaining body of MSTS and Trainz users - and the quality really should match up to the huge improvements slated for RW3. Railworks does have limitations, but the problems I note above could have been fixed within them, in some cases with a very little work and attention in the right places.

Kromaatikse wrote:I have no idea how closely the signalling and speed limits follow the prototype, but both of these are also highly bizarre. There are no lineside signs warning of impending speed limit changes - even where a change up is followed immediately by a steeper change down - and the cab signalling also gives no *advance* warning of a new speed limit (signal triggered or otherwise), both of which would be considered utterly insane in European or British practice. The line speed limits are shown in the Cab Control panel, but not the signal speed limits.

in germany most speed limits are completely unsignalled. you have to follow a printed or displayed schedule with the limits in it.

keep the reviews coming lads! I'm liking what I'm hearing so far, especially about the frame rates, good that RSC are going for smooth running, IMO. Just wish there were a few more scenarios for this. 20% seems very generous, but might have to wait until payday. If the 20% would have disappeared by then, that's me waiting for christmas

I also enjoyed my first couple of runs on the route.

Apart from a major stutter near Frankford very smooth framerates especially with all the built up areas.

The AEM 7 is a great loco to drive. With having to learn the new signalling system this will keep me challenged for quite a while especially when driving without the HUD.

Definately glad I got this.

this is probably very wishful thinking, but do the stations have the "train approaching, please remind behind yellow line" announcement?