February Progress

[ricksan]

We haven't posted in a while, but we've been busy. Wayne managed to texture the entire route in a very realistic manner with a the touch of a button (and a lot of custom programming prior to that).

Aerial.jpg

Jim has been adding signals and markers and making test scenarios. Some of them are fun even at this early stage!

And Michael contributed some more rolling stock, including a pickle car. I thought it needed a home, so I made this salting facility. Since I had already used the Walthers coaling tower as an inspiration, I turned to another model railroad supplier, AMB Laserkits. Here's the result.

PickleWorks.jpg

Here's another new revenue-generating item for the RW&A...

IcingPlatform.jpg

[Ericmopar]

Those pickle cars have been around a long time. It seems to me, that one I had was Tyco.

[Chacal]

I had a Athearn one. Exactly like the one shown, but the tanks were yellow.
*sigh* I miss my model trains.

[dejoh]

Nice screens. Yes I had an Athern HO pickle car kit in the 60's. Also a rubber band drive AT&SF GP-9 Zebra stripe loco. Still got em some where.

[TDHenderson]

We haven't posted in a while, but we've been busy. Wayne managed to texture the entire route in a very realistic manner with a the touch of a button (and a lot of custom programming prior to that).

Rick, please help me regain my composure after reading the above statement several times. Does that possibly mean there is a way to "auto-magically" texture a route? If so, WOW! And if so, that tool alone is worth a donation.

Trevor

[ricksan]

Maybe some day. I don't know how the terrain tool works but I suspect that at this stage it requires a lot of specialized knowledge and manual input. In my experience, if it takes X amount of effort for a software author to write something that pretty much only he can use -- knowing how that software works and what it does and doesn't do -- then for that author to develop and publish a general use software application that's flexible, stable and user friendly requires up to 10X more effort.

[TDHenderson]

Thanks for the reply Rick.

Trevor

[ricksan]

I added another screen shot to the OP, but it didn't force the forum software to update the topic. This ought to do it!

[PapaXpress]

Ice? If so do we have box cars for them?

[buzz456]

Yes.

[thecanadianrail]

Ice? If so do we have box cars for them?

like buzz said, yes, I believe GN had a freeware set...

ah here we go:
http://www.golden-age-rails.com/packslegacy/npreefer.html

And im sure the RW&A will probably come with some of these cars too but probably painted in the RW&A scheme.

[OldProf]

Here's another new revenue-generating item for the RW&A...

IcingPlatform.jpg

Wow! Is this interesting addition likely to be interactive? I don't know why loading/unloading work still fascinates me, but it has done so ever since I wrote a few scenarios based on such activities for the very old version of the PO&N.

[buzz456]

It is not at the moment but that is an interesting idea.