Adding more to route after construction

I haven't seen this answered yet but once a route has been constructed is it possible to extend to it without corrupting the database. I have 98% of the tracks layed for Sydney's cityrail system but may extend it in the future.With the problems that occour with adding roads before completing rails is there any advice apart from constant savings and backups that i need to look out for when adding more rail to a route.Or should i in all cases lay all of the track first before adding scenery and not add track afterwards.

Route Developer of Sydney CityRail Network

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This has been discussed before, but I don't have the links handy.You can extend an existing route without problems: it has been done many times already, including with some default routes (I am doing it myself now).In principle you can add track, roads, scenery, etc., to a route in any order: Bill Burnett builds and extends his Sea View route that way. I suspect he is a very careful builder since he reports almost no crashes during his route building, while I see quite a few crashes in mine (it may depend on the hardware also). So, for common mortals like me, caution is advisable! That is why I always suggest adding tracks first, then roads, then track objects, and only then all the other objects. But in practice, if needed, I don't hesitate to go back and change tracks or roads at any time and at any place.Absolutely: save and back up, often!!!Michael Vone
Step by Step Guide to Route Building for MSTS - http://trainsimulatorworld.com/catalog/b470.htm
Albula Line Route
Rocky Islands Route
Cliff Hanger Route
http://avsim.com/hangar/utils/mvchallenges/

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Haven't added any roads on purpose yet. When I use a road section for terrain sculpting, sometimes I get a portogden#.rdb generated, and when I delete the road section I use for a "trowel" before exiting, the empty .rdb file gives a "failed to load track (!) database" error. Deleting the empty .rdb file always fixes that. I once added track sounds to the PO&N on the bridges, I forget whether it was V2 or V3, but with numerous crashes I lost it. I had 128mb of RAM back then, now I have 768mb, makes a big difference.
Signals, I change around constantly, I think the trick there is don't let the RE automatically unlink or delete them for you, instead if you get the message about "this junction referenced by one or more signals, delete these links?", I answer "no way!", and delete all the signals linked to that switch manually before changing the trackwork, then replace them all. Scenery isn't actually a problem, static objects only go into the \World\~.w files, and don't affect the RDB, RIT, TDB, TIT, or tsection.dat the way interactive & pickup objects do, so bridges, buildings, and trees are perfectly safe to toss around whenever. Where you get into trouble is with things like crossing gates, which write to the RDB, RIT, TDB, and TIT files. That's the kind of stuff that really should be saved for last.
I've never done a successful rebuild of the .tdb since adding signals, always had to go to a backup if something got screwed up, so that's another consideration.
As far as expansion:http://www.train-sim.com/cgi/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=3850&forum=DCForumID6The first PO&N was a 4 tile square route, the current version is 24 tiles. Select the route in the geo extractor, load quad tree, select new tiles, toggle populated state, save quad tree, and you got new tiles.

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Just to add and confirm what the others have said. My ADFRR started as the first 50 miles with most things added in. Since then it has been expanded 3 different times accumulating some 200 miles straight and is ready for a 'last' 50 miles soon.As everyone has said, backup, backup and backup again or you are guaranteed to lose your work. I do a minor backup with a little batch file (only what has changed) every 3 to 4 minutes, then after finishing whatever I'm doing at that time, go through and test it thoroughly. If it works I then zip it to keep and continue from there. As has been said the track objects (especially signals and in my case milemarkers) seem to be the worst culprits in reducing the route to rubble.

RobertR .. ADF-M&RM at http://www.adfrr.com

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Hi Oz.......I've added track to an existing, growing route without problem - IF I extend the route beyond it's boundaries. I'm building a North-South route and can add track to the north end or the south end. I can also extend spurs and any unsignalled track in a yard, so far. Where I had a turnout leading to a branch line I've found I can add the branch line - my branch lines don't have signals.Where I've crashed and burned is when trying to add anything in territory I've already signalled. Although warned against it, I just had to place signals. Then, when I went to put in an industrial siding (including a new switch on the main), I had a mess. Paths broke, and rebuilding didn't work - activities screwed up - signals needed replacement - yuk. Spent hours trying to find a way to fix, but gave up. I had backed up the route just before trying to insert the spur (Don't ask how long it took me to learn THAT lesson) and finally decided to live with the back up version.I do have roads,by the way.Hope this helps.Mark
A Southern Railway Fan

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The IC route starte with 57 miles and has had tiles added to it 3 times without issue. I'll be adding more tiles soon as I'm close to having the scenery done on what is there.

David Klemm
Illinos & St Louis Divisions
IC Version 1.0 uploaded

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