Cranes . . . again!

[OldProf]

I know that I harp on this subject continually, but it really irritates me and I keep hoping that route designers will take note.

The subject is container loading cranes. Yesterday, I played the third of a series of switching scenarios made by "PS-Jaymac" for the Pacific Surfliner route. Its title is "Freight North (Part 3)" and, like the other two parts, it took me to places I'd never been before (sounds like an idea for a song): obscure sidings, particularly. This part takes place in the very large LA Yards and one of the tasks is loading two well cars. So, I got to the crane, positioned one of the empty cars, and clicked on the crane's loading icon. As usual, a container appeared out of nowhere and the crane picked it up. Then the "fun" began, as the crane moved the container to the other side of the waiting well car (not on the car, that is) and lowered to the correct height; as soon as the crane released the container, it slid over to rest on the car.

What's wrong? The nth case of a crane placed 180° out of its proper position. This is not in any way the scenario writer's fault; rather, it is due either to the ignorance of the route builders or to a lack of beta testing on their part. Come on! Perhaps these folks think that a crane is like a tree: just a bit of decoration, a way to fill up space. However, "If you build it, they will come." If there's a crane available in a yard, sooner or later a scenario maker will find it and instruct a switcher to use it. And that's when the stupidity and carelessness really become obvious.

For me, in this case, an otherwise excellent scenario was ruined by the route builders.

[Ericmopar]

Yep, it's one of many annoyances in Trainsimulator.

There is a fix though, if you're interested.

http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/d ... ccessories

[OldProf]

Yep, it's one of many annoyances in Trainsimulator.

There is a fix though, if you're interested.

http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/d ... ccessories

Thanks for pointing that out, Eric, and thanks as well to Robert Meek for making the fix. I'm usually not a fan of fixes to standard routes because they have to be reinstalled after every cache verification, but this one might be worth the trouble. Of course, that doesn't absolve the culprits I mentioned in the OP, who still deserve a gigantic .