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USA Locomotives and Rolling Stock


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I have been trying to test Traffic density that works in TRS19 and I have found that if I have 6 locomotives in the range of being rendered the frame rate drops noticeably.

Rolling stock is much harder to assess.  If I have loaded open hoppers I get the FR drop at about 290 wagons.  Empty open Hoppers it is about 320 wagons.  for invisible loads it is about 300 to 320 wagons with and without loads.

 

I have had a look at all the freeware locomotives we used in the T:ANE sessions and the skins are not up to the standards I would like for TRS19.  The engine specifications are very poor and very variable.  The rendering of the Locomotives spoils their appearance for me but the engine specs can be fixed for most of the locomotives.  That is easy because Jointed Rail have a freeware dependency cdp of all their Locomotive engine specs and by changing the default engine spec for the latest JR spec and the performance is improved to very close to the real world performance.

 

If we want to make sessions for TRS19 with a lot of traffic in Yards what we need are talented asset builders to make lots of scenery locomotives which can be placed on the tracks to look like actual locomotives but which do not hit the frame rates to the same extent.

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8 minuti fa, DennR ha scritto:

...............................

If we want to make sessions for TRS19 with a lot of traffic in Yards what we need are talented asset builders to make lots of scenery locomotives which can be placed on the tracks to look like actual locomotives but which do not hit the frame rates to the same extent.

 

 

This is a very good idea, but who is the "talented asset builder" actually not too busy?

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Bob, despite the magnificent routes made by Jango, very few TrainZItalia users share our passion for US railroads: for most of them, the rails (and the world, but this is another matter) end at the Italy-rest of the world border :rotfl: . They can - and undoubtedly will - show appreciation for Jango's masterpieces, but the story ends there. 

 

This group also includes the very few individuals with 3D modelling skills (don't look at me, an ISO container is the best I can do :mrgreen:), who never showed the slightest interest in making American models, so I think we will have to look elsewhere for the rolling stock we will need in our sessions.

 

:ciao:

 

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Unfortunately, the tendency is to create locos with thousands and thousands of polygons.
they do not consider the impact on the FR or in drivers.
I Saw 3D person with bolts and screws THREAD !!! :testa:

 

Ask the authors if possible to change 3d to a limited number of polygons for scenery objects.

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  • 4 months later...

Important topic here: static locos that look good but have low poly count for scenery use in sessions or routes.

 

Although I have never tried 3D modeling I recognize that static locomotives that look good but are not resource hogs have been needed for some time in Trainz (since long before I started Trainzing).  

 

I think I can remember some static locomotive scenery in Ionut Chircu's routes (please do not throw sharp objects at me; I know about some of the issues, both with regard to technical use and copyright ownership, in his work) but they also may have been "static" due to MKs or really unknown kuids due to the many unofficial Trainz assets he uses/used :classic_sad: (do not wish to waste more time/space here but if you are curious just let me know).

 

I would like to try my hand at some 3D modeling work with this narrow focus: somehow making Trainz locomotive scenery assets that look good and have a low polygon count.

This also seems like a good place to start without too high of a bar to set for myself as a 3D model maker (vs. more elaborate creations with higher detail, ploys, etc).

 

Trying to do some Trainz asset creation and 3D modeling was on my mind before acquiring a new PC and TRS19.

 

3ds Max is expensive; I will need to research how to use 3ds Max and all the relevant/essential steps of Trainz asset creation in order to maximize efficiency and productivity.

 

Although CAD software is different from desktop publishing software in several ways, I was able to teach myself a good deal of PageMaker 5.0 (a very sophisticated and complex piece of software) back in the 90's, so I think I will be up to the task of wrapping my head around 3D modeling software.

 

Please know the following link is intended with great humor, with intended being the key word.

 

I will take the Ring to Mordor, though I do not know the way....

 

No Frodo savior aspect intended; I am just recognizing this might be a significant undertaking for me. And being a bit goofy as always...that and I am a bona fide Tolkien freak who takes no end of delight sneaking Legendarium references into any and all communications nearly whenever/wherever I can. 🧝‍♂️🧝‍♀️ 

 

P.S. I like challenges like this. :su:

Edited by owsleyiii
editing spelling and grammar
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In earnest attempt at moderating or modulating my previous tone or attitude, I need to add that the others who have posted here before me are far more intelligent than I am; beyond their Trainz knowledge DennR, ettore48 (Das Karognenführer), UP844 and jango all have keen minds, remarkable life experience(s) and decades/lifetimes of productive creative capacity and output. Having corresponded with all 4 for a few years, I know this to be the truth (e.g. truthfully, besides ordering a beer in German, I cannot even manage a little meaningful text or words in another language).

 

Having done as much research as I could in the 2 hours since last posting :computer: I see that there are several options besides the costly 3ds Max.

 

That is very good to know, as I recognize that learning 3D software will require learning about whatever rendering program makes the most sense (for cost, learning curve, etc), in addition to a 10+ year overdue review and relearning of Photoshop (which at one time, along with PageMaker 5.0 I knew fairly well for an amateur; one of the benefits of being a long time Mac user is the knowledge, albeit now quite outdated, from the "desktop publishing" era).

 

Between the ages of 9 and 15, in school I learned Integer BASIC (no FPU; like Trainz CM for a while now: no decimals!), Applesoft BASIC, MS BASIC, and TRS-BASIC, and taught myself Atari BASIC, PILOT/LOGO and started trying to learn 6502 assembly (I made it as far as being decent at hex conversion and could work out some simple computational 6502 ml programs but never was able to generate any meaningful/useful graphics or sound code).

 

I also managed to learn a little C/C++ in my 20s; harder than BASIC or PILOT/LOGO but far easier than working with the "brutal logic" of 6502 ml/assembly (6502 programming eluded me: almost no syntax feedback from Atari assembler/editors made it very hard to learn).

 

I hope that some of this computer programming background may help.

Regardless, I will have much to learn hoping to try and make some useable static locomotive assets for Trainz.

Edited by owsleyiii
I spelled BASIC wrong several times! : )
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In the "Middle Earth" there are many practicable roads ...
In addition to 3DMax v.2015 if you find it "used" or with a "student" license ....
A great alternative is Blender, freeware, complete and always up to date.
A bit tricky at the beginning.
For simple items, you could track down the old GMax with the Trainz plugin.
I send you an elven protection for research ....

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Il 1/2/2019 alle 23:51, UP844 ha scritto:

 for most of them, the rails ... end at the Italy-rest of the world border :rotfl: . 

 

Se non ti leggessi da anni mi incazzerei...

So benissimo che non hai scritto con intento denigratorio nei confronti di noi poveri italiani che non riusciamo a capire la bellezza dei vastissimi e desolatissimi paesaggi desertici americani, ma uno che non ti legge da tempo potrebbe avere questa impressione.

Giusto per "par condicio", questa immagine (sicuramente non la migliore), ha ottenuto zero voti da una platea prevalentemente americana.

 

2019-06-03-143946.jpg

 

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É esattamente la stessa risposta che ti diedi quando chiedevi come mai ricevevi pochi o nessun voto dagli utenti americani sul forum Auran: perché per la stragrande maggioranza degli appassionati, l'interesse si ferma al confine della loro nazione, siano essi polacchi, francesi, americani o indonesiani.

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Thank you for the elven protection GianFranco! 🎆 (fireworks for magic spell)

Like the elven cloaks given to the Fellowship by Galadriel and Celeborn, such magic will be used wisely and well. :fantasma:

 

I am continuing to research and am leaning towards Blender; your recommendation is in synch with the (little) research done so far online. I have performed a few general google searches about 3D modeling; Blender looks like it is being used by a lot of content creators who post and mention using it in the auran forums.  Thank you for the recommendation.

 

Apologies to all about my rambling about programming; the more I look at 3D modeling software, user interfaces and functions, the more 3D modeling software all looks more like very complex, sophisticated and very specific applications rather than programming in a computer language.

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Update to USA Locomotives and Rolling Stock:

 

This was certainly news and new to me. :18: 

Labeled "Yard Clutter," static locomotives exist and were made by btvfd!  I have no idea when these were made but they are CM build 3.5. 

 

Amazing ingenuity proven yet again by Trainz content creators. :su:

These are locomotives models, specifically reskins of Dave Snow models, but they are not drivable so at least use less resources; as to how much less resources perhaps another person with such a Trainz skill set and or PC graphics/benchmarks knowledge could test and determine.

I would do so but do not know how, but I am happy and willing to learn.

 

At least at first consideration prior to testing them, these btvfd creations would seem to offer a potentially valuable and useful temporary solution for reducing locomotive asset system strain, overload, etc in route or session work, should authors chose to consider them; again, they should be evaluated/tested first but seem quite promising.

 

All I could find using TS2 Mac CM on the DLS

 

<kuid:359354:102815> Yard clutter EMD SD70ACe BNSF H3
<kuid:359354:102821> Yard clutter EMD SD70ACe DEMO UNIT CAB LIGHT
<kuid:359354:102818> Yard clutter EMD SD70ACe DEMO UNIT NOSE LIGHT
<kuid:359354:102802> Yard clutter EMD SD70ACe Union Pacific
<kuid:359354:102797> Yard clutter ES44AC Tier 4 Locomotive BNSF
<kuid:359354:102812> Yard clutter ES44AC Tier 4 Locomotive BNSF PATCH
<kuid:359354:102798> Yard clutter ES44AC Tier 4 Locomotive UP yard clutter
<kuid:359354:102805> Yard clutter GP38-2 BNSF
<kuid:359354:102806> Yard clutter GP38-2 GATX
<kuid:359354:102801> Yard clutter GP38-2 HLCX
<kuid2:359354:102803:1> Yard clutter RP20BD Genset Locomotive UP
<kuid:359354:102803> Yard clutter RP20BD Genset Locomotive UP
<kuid:359354:102804> Yard clutter RP20SD Genset Locomotive UP

 

All locomotives are CM build 3.5.  There were also several yard clutter bogeys by Ben Dorsey (RIP) CM build 2.4.

 

If these static assets ever came up before in communications with anyone and especially my friends here at TZIT then I am seriously losing my long term memory. :bho: 

 

I am still going to learn Blender and work on reduced poly count and hopefully, at some point (however long it may take to crest the Blender learning curve), attempt to create locomotive scenery that will reduce system resources even further than what btvfd has already created.  Kudos to btvfd!

 

Edited by owsleyiii
added that btvfd used Dave Snow models
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If they are static models they should have a limited number of poly.
They should be positioned at a certain distance, as choreographic objects.
It may be a convenience, as they are not on the Driver list and are not confusing.
In reality, WfD already has some static models.
In the Big Ten Curve, wagons positioned as anti-wind are static.

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Yes.

The Big Ten hopper wind shield is perfectly placed, well considered static asset; I admire it every time through the Big Ten in WFD ML.

 

Most of Highway 93 from Golden to Boulder is typically very windy; frequently there is enough dirt/dust in Summer, snow in Winter that either particulate, driven by high winds, reduces visibility to under a mile.  The mountain winds really open up around Coal Creek and tear down hill towards the Big Ten "hill" and Highway 93.

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