Getting Back On The Rails

[rkillins]

I have recently retired and need a hobby to keep me spry. I had to step away from train simulation due to lack of time to commit. Now I have lots of time to commit. This is a multi question post, so I hope that those skilled and experienced can share their factual opinions and experiences in helping to provide an answer. All input will be welcome and appreciated.

1. I currently have Train: A New Era. Is is recommended I upgrade to the latest verison which I understand to be Trainz 2022? Is there any benefit in doing so for someone wishing to pursue route development?
2. I am very interested in route development and modelling, both route assets and the actual trains themselves. (Can users model actual locomotives and trains?). From those that do model, what resources for training and education - tutorials, reference guides etc - would you recommend (free or paid)? What skill development should be pursued top be successful. I would consider taking some post secondary education classses to develop certain skills, but would need to know what skills are needed to build. What software tools are essential, handy to have in order to develop routes and trains. I assume training in these particular applications would be most helpful. Are there flowcharts/checklists out there to refer to in the stages of route development or train development (what do I need to know before I even start to model?).

I hope not to overwhelm anyone, or myself, with these questions, which is why for now I'm avoiding the Google search which can sometimes offer too much fluff, or irrelevant information. Having a starting point to work from, then use Google to branch out on the specifics is how I plan to proceed.

Edit: I just found this. I suspect many will send me here (Trainz ContentCreator). I feel its a good starting point and I'll dig deeper to see how many of my questions can be answered. The big overlying question is ... where do I start? lol

 

[Forester1]

Welcome to retirement! Somehow, I have found myself with little more time for Trainz than I had before, but I guess it is good to keep busy. T:ANE is a great place to start, but I found there were some issues moving some older DEM routes up to TRS19 from T:ANE. Nothing that wasn't fairly easy to resolve, but there just the same. I think I do prefer the graphics in TRS19 and TRS22, and of course with TRS22 you can get Surveyor 2.0, which gives you additional options for laying out your routes. Of course you will get answers from people that prefer each version, and I am still reading of issues with TRS22. Several people do model actual locomotives and trains, but it is a skill that will take time and effort to acquire. I will let those with more advanced skill answer to what software, tutorials and training might be best. But again, welcome to retirement and I know you are going to enjoy it!

 

[CaseyBerg]

Welcome to retirement and a hobby that will consume all your free time if you let it. I recommend upgrading to Trainz 22 and creating assets in build version 4.6. Building your own assets is an enjoyable aspect of Trainz, but it will take time and patience to master. Blender is a free 3D modeling app. Have a look at Blender To Trainz to see if asset building is something you wish to take on.

 

[JCitron]

Welcome back to Trainz and to retirement. I can also say being retired means a bit more time for Trainzing.

I also recommend going for TRS22 or relations. There are three flavors to choose from. There's the base version, which doesn't give you much, then there's the highly recommended TRS22 Platinum Edition. This is the middle of the road version with lots of additional content, the new Surveyor 2.0 and a lite version of the new, still a WIP, HD Terrain.

There's also Plus which is another standalone version that shares the TRS22 program code but includes a lot more content, and is also a subscription version. There are two flavors of Plus with one offering more content than the other. The Gold version gives you all the DLC plus early access to the latest releases plus inside access to testing in addition to beta testing. This is by far the most expensive subscription, running about $12.99 a month. Like all subscriptions there are drawbacks, caveats, and whatnot, so choose the version you want if you are interested.

If you have already created anything in T:ANE, you can easily import that into TRS22 without too much of an issue.

The latest program for asset-creation is Blender and I saw you have discovered the content-creator's forums.