Railworks America

Those who have downloaded and driven J.B. Fried's latest RW3 scenario have visited the Coatsbridge intermodal yard, located in an obscure corner of a relatively new section of the WCML route. The yard features four container loaders and I decided to experiment with one of them, thus discovering how not to position one of these contraptions.

The screenshot below depicts the crane just as its load materializes ... between and slightly overlapping the next two tracks:


And here's that load being lowered into place ... well, actually toward the ground alongside the waiting container wagon:


Then Mighty Mouse flies to the rescue (so fast he can't be seen) and heaves the off-aim container into place:


The materialization and dematirialization of containers is an absurdity (I can't help tossing in the Italian word for this: "stupidaggine ") we've had to live with since RS days, and most of us probably ignore it by now, but misplacing a loader in this way is yet another example of careless creation on the part of "professional" route builders. I haven't yet tested the other three cranes in this yard, but my guess is that the person who poorly positioned this one did no better with the others.

And yet, we continue to pay our good money for such [expletive deleted].

There's nothing quite like responding to your own post: I'm just talking to myself, evidently, but that's okay by me.

After further examination of this container crane, I think I've spotted the fundamental problem: the three tracks that make up this part of the yard are too close together. I came to this conclusion after moving the crane into its correct position, so that the blue box that marks the crane's loading zone is positioned directly over a track and the little dingus that indicates I'm not sure what is in the correct position:



And here is an image that shows that the tracks are too close together:



This is, however, the only possible position for the crane if it is to function believably.

So, what we see here is a case of either carelessness, ignorance, disinterest, or sloppiness -- perhaps all four -- that resulted from poor route design and a lack of testing. I don't know whether RSC made this route or had it made by someone else, but whoever is responsible should be ashamed.

Just for the record, the other three container cranes in this yard are also incorrectly positioned. And, finally, let me also note that similar shameful negligence can be found in many of the routes made for RailWorks, both "professional" and amateur, both free-ware and pay-ware.

Never assume that you are not being heard!

I am listen to everyone here and learn quite a bit.