Railworks America

... but that doesn't say it all. I've noticed quite a few folks both here and on TSW discussions at DTG advising avoidance of saving and resuming scenarios. To the contrary, I've found that process to be most helpful, even or perhaps I should write especially with a TSW shut-down along the way.

For example, I'd been "working" at the Fully Fueled scenario off and on for several days, arriving at what I expected to be the final destination yesterday. But, more fun was to come: 1) shut down the lead engine (which I'd been driving); 2) uncouple the 2 lead engines from the rest of the train [I neglected to set the handbrake on the 1st freight car, but no one noticed, so I kept my mouth shut); 3) walk to the other end of the (infinitely) long train; 4) uncouple the pair of trailing engines from the freight cars; 5) park those engines on a spur; 6) shut down those engines -- including a step I'd never encountered before; and, 7) walk to a nearby pickup truck.

Step 5 involved a problem: a red ground signal guarding the stub. A switch ahead obviously had to change, but it is electrically operated. After waiting a while, I resorted to saving and quitting again. This morning, I resumed the scenario, still sitting a short distance from the red signal, of course, and was just about to try reversing a short distance when the signal turned green. Just to add insult to injury, however, it turned out that there were two pickup trucks parked in the vicinity and, of course, headed for the wrong one first! (Hint: after leaving the cab, look around for that gizmo that marks the next destination.)

All in all, I'd rate this scenario as quite satisfactory and wish that I had the stamina to run it all in one session. Perhaps I'll try it again sometime.

In Step 5 while you were sitting there or any time before , did a coal train go by? That is what is making the light red, it has control of that switch. Since your light turned green on the save, makes me wonder if the save messed up and lost the coal train.

artimrj wrote:In Step 5 while you were sitting there or any time before , did a coal train go by? That is what is making the light red, it has control of that switch. Since your light turned green on the save, makes me wonder if the save messed up and lost the coal train.

You're asking my 72-year-old mind to remember something like that? Well, let's see: about 4 or 5 miles out of whatever the final destination was (I don't have the route's map in my head yet), a mixed train passed me, which I remember because I had my head out the left cab window and being between two trains made an impression. I really don't recall a coal train. However, the signal I mentioned was one that led into a crossover between the track to the left of the one I had arrived on and a center track between it and the other mainline track. I really don't think that a passing train would have affected it. More likely, had I just stopped and waited a bit longer before saving and quitting, the signal would have turned green -- or perhaps the program had a touch of indigestion and needed a rest.

I have noticed that after about an hour of running, either TSW or my computer begins to misbehave, so possibly the latter is overheating. I never experienced that with TS, unless that heating could be involved in some of the interruptions I've experienced in overly long scenario editing sessions. However, TSW is obviously of a different breed,

There is definitely a coal train out there. You can see it on the 9 map.

artimrj wrote:There is definitely a coal train out there. You can see it on the 9 map.

Are you sure you haven't been "getting stoned" too often, Bob? And how on earth can you tell a coal train from any other on the 2D map? Anyway, I'll take your word for it: I didn't deny its existence, just said that I don't remember seeing it.

I can't from the map, I know by waiting that is what is comes by, a coal train. The map only shows you a train avatar.