NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02

Well folks, I am now ready for the final phase of construction, signals.Got all the car spawners and grade crossings in this evening. Worked the gang for a ten hour day today and got them done.I just finished running an inspection train north on the CSX divisions from Washington to Philadelphia at night, snowing like crazy and had no problems.Installation of signals will start soon.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, davereage, Dec-15-02, 11:27 AM, (1) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Sandpatch Dispatch, Dec-15-02, 11:40 AM, (2) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-15-02, 12:48 PM, (3) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, davereage, Dec-15-02, 04:08 PM, (4) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Motley24Crue2, Dec-15-02, 05:24 PM, (5) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, davereage, Dec-16-02, 00:14 AM, (6) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-16-02, 00:58 AM, (7) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, davereage, Dec-16-02, 11:10 AM, (8) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Coonskin, Dec-16-02, 01:44 PM, (9) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-16-02, 03:46 PM, (10) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Coonskin, Dec-16-02, 03:49 PM, (11) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, davereage, Dec-16-02, 10:04 PM, (12) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, ajp31, Dec-17-02, 07:25 AM, (15) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 12:45 PM, (16) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, ajp31, Dec-17-02, 05:27 PM, (17) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 06:02 PM, (18) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, ajp31, Dec-17-02, 08:05 PM, (19) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 08:43 PM, (22) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Franklin, Dec-16-02, 10:16 PM, (13) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 00:18 AM, (14) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, davidbeach, Dec-17-02, 08:22 PM, (20) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 08:36 PM, (21) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 08:58 PM, (23) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Macster, Dec-17-02, 09:12 PM, (24) RE: NECv4 Progress Report 12-14-02, Vince, Dec-17-02, 09:57 PM, (25)

Conferences | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic

Woohoo! Great news Vince! Is this shaping up to be a Christmas present for us all? Dave

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Awwww, still no screenshots? Eagerly waiting for this route!Jake Mensel
Sandpatch Dispatch
http://www.geocities.com/sandpatchdispatch/index.html
_________________________

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Jake, I have posted many screenshots of the route.
Do a search on "vince" authors name.Dave I don't know about ready for Christmas as I am waiting on the signal scripts for the combined five types that will be used on the route. As soon as I have them signal installation will begin and probably take about a week to complete.
Then I would guess another two weeks for beta testing. After that I have to work on the packaging and the InstallShield(tm) installer build.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Ahh well, a late x-mas gift then Dave

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

ahh Beter late then Never Bob
Philadelphia, Pa

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

And better done right than done early.......I think we witnessed that with the original release of MSTS Dave

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-02 AT 01:02 AM (EST)

Yes sir Dave. I want this to be a good route and will not rush it out the door before it is ready. While I'm waiting for the signal engineering dept to complete their work I am doing some running of the route under all weather conditions. Found several grade crossings that had a bad gate alignment, a few floating buildings and trees and some missing speed posts in the Washington yards. Fixed all those but there has to be more. Did some major tree pruning in the south Baltimore area that were dragging frame rates down to the 12-17 fps range on my 866Mhz GeForce2 machine. Much better now at 17-24 fps in the same area.Folks, you are going to love the signals, five different types, all brand new. Included will be a new illuminated switch stand for the many, many manual switches on the route in the 27 yards.
You will be able to tell at a glance if a switch is an automatic as I have placed a stock default shape that is a pretty good representation of an electric switch machine on all automatic switches.As I have said, all yard and switches on sidings are manual type and all mainline switches are automatics. . . .except ONE!When the route is released lets see who will be the first one to find it. The prize....I will personally buy he or she a dinner when they visit Las Vegas Nevada. All you have to do is be the first to find it and get out here in the desert to claim your prize. Hotel and travel are up to you. Switches on the Norfolk Southern Alexandria extension and the CSX extension in Philadelphia dont count. I considered these branch lines and put in mostly all manual types. It's hiding somewhere on one of the two main lines, CSX or Amtrak.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Glad to hear the frames are going to be respectable Vince, that was my next concern. Just had a question about signage on the route (speed signs etc...). Are they going to be the default NEC signs, or have you created something else? The reason I ask is that I find the speed signs on the NEC and Marias Pass too small and hard to read, so I have to drive the route with the track display window. However, the signs on the Kicking Horse Pass are just big enough that they can be read while passing in a train, and hence I can run the route without the track diplay open (much more fun!)CheersDave

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

My feelings are the same as yours Dave. The less I have to open the "Track Monitor" the more fun it is for me. I LIKE having to watch trackside indictors for input as I progress. Have fun!Andre Ming

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-02 AT 03:47 PM (EST)

Sorry but I used the default NEC speedposts. Even they are not prototypical. The real speed limit signs on the NEC are 2 feet square yellow with black numbers and hang on the catenary. They are clearly visible in the cab ride video.
If someone had modeled a simple square sign with properties to change the numbers (or letters for that matter) on it I would have used them in addition to the default speedpost.Amtrak rules state that engines using the northeast corridor are required to have an operating track signal monitor.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

"Amtrak rules state that engines using the northeast corridor are required to have an operating track signal monitor."Well I'll be... so there's a prototype for that thing? Guess that's the price I pay for being stuck in historical railroading! Andre

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Yeah, that's really interesting. I had no idea there was a track monitor in real life. Although I guess that's the difference between flying along the NEC at 125 mph and crawling along the KHP at 30 mph Dave

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

I think Vince is referring to the cab signal monitors that are standard in most modern equipment. The default Acela/HHP cabs in MSTS have this feature, which only shows the next signal aspect. There is no Amtrak rule that I know of requiring an MSTS-style "track monitor" showing mileposts, diverging routes, and signal locations. I doubt such a contraption exists, although with the development of GPS technology, it probably isn't too far away!Andy

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Re:post #10Andy, you must read more carefully before responding to posts.I said "........required to have an operating track signal monitor.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Hey Vince,I didn't misread what you had written, I just wasn't sure to what you were referring. So I ask: to what are you referring? To my knowledge, the devices on real locomotives are known simply as cab signal displays. On the Northeast Corridor they display the next signal's aspect (including that aspect's speed limit). The Acela and HHP, at least, also have a track speed display; I don't think that's true of most other equipment operating on the Corridor (for example, New Jersey Transit commuter equipment that I frequently ride).Again, I don't think any "monitor" exists that shows ALL of the information that MSTS "F4 Track Monitor" displays---approaching mileposts, distance to signal, diverging routes (separate from diverging signal aspects, of course). Do you know of something that I don't?My point was that, contrary to what had been suggested in response to your post, I don't think that a prototype "Track Monitor" akin to MSTS's actually exists.Am I missing something?Thanks,
Andy

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Andy,When I said "track signal monitor" I meant exactly that. Displays next signal ahead only.
The Long Island RR was using these on all their trains, MU, steam and diesel in the 50's.
The only prototypical model in the sim is on the Acela and I think,
the GG-1 engines released by CLW and NALW.
Ask an engineer on the NJT about speed display, I would think they would have that in addition to a next signal display. >>My point was that, contrary to what had been suggested in response to your post, I don't think that a prototype "Track Monitor" akin to MSTS's actually exists.<<I agree. I have never seen or heard of a "MSTS track monitor" type of display in any locomotive.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Thanks for the quick reply! I figured we were on the same page about everything except terminology... Sorry for the confusion!Andy

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

The confusion is all mine Andy. Been at this route editor far too long.
Goes something like:
I know you understand what you think I said I meant, but do not understand what you think I meant to say... Cheers!

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-02 AT 10:17 PM (EST)

About the new signals being installed by someone else (signalmaster, perhaps?), I was wondering if any of them will tell me if I am assigned to go on a diverging track, or can it not be done?

One of ACR's Acela Express trains, courtesy of Alex Stroshane

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

I will not yet say who is building signals as I don't have his permission.I can tell you that yes, signals are being constructed to NORAC rules and will show a diverging route.Divirging route indication signals presently exist on the default Marias Pass and the Marias 3.0 and I would assume on the new Marias 3.1 route.Here's a teaser, the new switchstand for manual switches. Lights at night and turns when the switch is thrown.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Attachments

http://www.train-sim.com/dcforum/User_files/3dfeb38a2a57cd68.jpg

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Vince,That switchstand looks great, but it really needs to be back at the points, not where the kuju klowns put their krazy lever.David Beach.Palouse & LewistonRoute Building 1% Completed
Route Mapping 10% Completed
Route Photo Map 100% Completed (Now, Can I make the Railroad Profile match the photo map?)

Standardized \global\tsection.dat file now at build00011.

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

I know that Dave but I did not place the stand. Illustrative purposes only from the CEO, signals division. I wonder if there is a way to make that klutzy KUJU lever invisible?

And I am not gonna get critical with the guy who is presently writing up the combined signal config dat files for six operating types of signals in one package. I figure he must be tearing his hair out by the roots as this has never been done to my knowledge. Pass the valium please...

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

BTW, here are some statistics from the NECv4 thanks to Martyn T. Griffin's neat little MSTSmile program. (available in the file library as milev1_1.zip)Northeast Corridor version 4 Route StatisticsRoute Track Miles 736.9 (1185.9Km)Route Tunnel Miles 4.44 (7.15Km)Dynamic track sections-559Total switches on route-1217consisting of:
10 degree manual switches-535
10 degree automatic switches-326
5 degree manual switches-6
5 degree automatic switches-167
4 degree automatic switches-148
2.5 degree automatic switches-13
Y point automatic switches-4
Y point manual switches-18Plenty of switching opportunities here.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Boy, now this would be a great stocking stuffer... good thing I have cable internet.....*thinks of how big the route is gonna be -Brian Says: 95mb
Bret says: 102mb
Kim says: 150mb...great work, can't *well, we can* wait to see this work of art!

Brian E. Bundridge

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

LAST EDITED ON Dec-17-02 AT 09:58 PM (EST)

Well, with uncompressed world files right now it's 315.26 megabytes.The compression of the world files will probably knock that down to an
installed size of about 160-170 megabytes on a users system.
The compression program FFEDITC really shrinks these files with, for
example, a 700Kb file compressing down to about 4Kb.This brings up a question; Why do route developers distribute routes with uncompressed world files?I can't do any compressing yet. That is the last step so all the above
is an educated guess (I did try compressing a few world files a few
months back) Almost trashed the route too as I did not know that
running FFEDITC against an already compressed file would corrupt it.The distributed download size should be under 50 megabytes because
most of the really big files will be copied from the users MSTS.

Regards,
Vince Cockeram
NEC Track Team
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
E-Mail me at vcockeram@lvcm.com

Alert | IP

[ Home | MSTS Forum | MSTS FAQ | File Library ] Copyright © 2002 by Nels Anderson. All Rights Reserved.