New Birney thread

This puppy is nearly ready to go. Just gotta replace a few little bits with high-quality Tim Muir bits (did the poles and I'm overawed with the quality impovement - thanks Tim)and animate the door. Thanks are owing to Tim also for his explanation of crisp numbering and lettering - look at the difference between this screenie and the first Fort Collins version - I owe Tim a huge debt of gratitude.The car is animated so it rocks at speed, giving the virtual motorman a sore neck and his passengers a distinct earthquake feel. It actually looks pretty good with the ends going up and down, and the springs doing their funky thing! I've doctored an .eng file and I'm using a borrowed Mesaba cabview from the kind folks at Port City Car Company. This is private at the mo, as I'm slowly working on a dedicated cabview. More to come...

A reminder of the car before some Muir Magic was applied to the lettering.
Cheers,
Matt Austin

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RE: New Birney thread, asamtrak911, Aug-23-04, 00:07 AM, (1) RE: New Birney thread, msavianney, Aug-25-04, 08:50 AM, (3) RE: New Birney thread, Swissie, Aug-25-04, 01:10 PM, (4) RE: New Birney thread, tryagin, Aug-25-04, 01:21 PM, (5) RE: New Birney thread, msavianney, Aug-25-04, 05:23 PM, (6) RE: New Birney thread, tryagin, Aug-25-04, 05:53 PM, (7) RE: New Birney thread, tryagin, Aug-23-04, 01:23 AM, (2) RE: New Birney thread, CMO, Aug-26-04, 01:53 PM, (8) RE: New Birney thread, msavianney, Sep-04-04, 03:57 AM, (9) RE: New Birney thread, tryagin, Sep-04-04, 11:57 AM, (10) RE: New Birney thread, msavianney, Sep-05-04, 09:09 PM, (11) RE: New Birney thread, Downunder Tom, Sep-18-04, 02:31 AM, (12) RE: New Birney thread, msavianney, Sep-18-04, 03:48 AM, (13) RE: New Birney thread, Swissie, Sep-18-04, 05:23 AM, (14)

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Very interesting idea about the rocking animation. I guess that's another way of exploiting what little the sim gives us to work with!Only a couple other comments about the car. One, the roof looks like it has a low-res noisy texture, which would look a lot better if it were either hi-res (making the noise more subtle) or had no noise at all.The other thing is that while the body looks perfect, the undercarriage seems a little empty or naked. This is partly because it would be hidden in shadow on the prototype, which is of course missing in the sim. But maybe a dark rectangle could simulate a centersill, and darkening the axles and back sides of the wheels would help as well. Also, this is less important, but I think the sideframes would look better if they had rusty textures like the wheel faces.All in all, it's a great-looking model and I look forward to trying it out (and being rocked back and forth)!Alex Stroshane
http://www.trainweb.org/asamtrak911

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Thanks for the feedback. I'm working on it. Here is an interior view, I've nearly finished the inside of the car. They'll be available with timber slatted seats as shown or rattan covered seats. Interior is a compromise between detail and poly count, and I'm fairly happy with it. Need to add some internal lettering, using the Tim Muir method.Cheers,
Matt

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http://www.train-sim.com/dcforum/User_files/412c98fc47544438.jpg

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That interior is looking very good, Matt, please book me for a ride Lukas a.k.a Swissie

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I can almost smell the varnish! Wow! Are you going to put advertising "Car Cards" or a farebox in? ( I know, another month of work!) Looking great!

Tim

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Thanks for the kind words, gents,Tim, I am going to drop in your terrific farebox, and I'm looking at the option of ads. The car is pretty close to falling over, with the animation it seems to give a death card sometimes I load it up after converting, so I'm on the balancing act that we all know and love. I wouldn't mind using your ads if thats cool.Cheers,
Matt

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Matt, are you using the FreightAnim tag yet? If not, you can add up to 4000 more polys of detail! You use any of my parts, or textures you need. You don't need to ask. It's freeware, remember?

Tim

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Hi Matt,I'm glad to have helped your project along. The top view looks really great. I hope to get the chance to take 'er out for a spin.Thanks!

Tim

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Matt,
Another fine model. I remember riding in the Ft. Collins cars back in the late 1940's.
Thinking about your rocking and rolling, was wondering if you would explain exactly how the animation is done. And also if it is possible to turn it off?
Paul.

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Hi Paul,Thanks for the kind words. I'm working on a tute for model animationm and should have it ready soon. The animation is fixed on these cars, but I could make a non-bobbing version for those who want one. Meanwhile, here's my latest version. Even though I've had an Electroliner project on my HD for over two years, this is my first North Shore model. Once fine detail is worked out, I'll look at a cabview then upload.Cheers,
Matt Austin

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http://www.train-sim.com/dcforum/User_files/413975260e0b2b2e.jpg

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Absolutely fantastic, Matt! That is gorgeous. I can't wait to give it a try.

Tim

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Two more done yesterday.The much-travelled Reading Traction Lines 502.
San Jose 143, as preserved today (just need more info on the logo below the numbers on the side...)
Getting close, just gotta do a cab and she's out there!Cheers,
Matt

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Looks good sofar, can't wait till they come out, always liked these little cars and they were used all over the world, lots in Australia
Keep up the great workTom

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Thanks Tom. I'm also working on Bendigo, Melbourne, Adelaide and Geelong versions, so all eight Australian Birneys will be represented. It is remarkable that of eight Birneys imported to Australia for three systems, seven survive today. Even the truck of the eighth one survives, in New Zealand IIRC.Cheers,
Matt

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Hi Matt,it's just looking better and better, your little cutie here. I wanted to say that I also like the great variety of eye-catching liveries you already have up your sleeves. I hope that'll also "spill" over and give our traction community which seems a bit silent as of late a fresh push (well, we better call that a fresh pull, don't we?) and might also light the desire repaint some more cars for those systems (if available), in order to give the Birneys some company. Gee, I've got to send the construction crew out to add a few spurs to my carbarn there!Lukas a.k.a Swissie

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