Large Routes crashing Trainz

[alexl102]

I'm using Trainz Mac 2 - I know there's a mac-specific section but it's practically abandoned.

In the last week or so, Trainz has started crashing when I load a larger route - the full Settle - Carlisle line, for example - either to create or load a session. The ECML did work yesterday but various others have crashed Trainz at various times.

I usually hit the button to create or load the session, and then minimize trainz whilst it loads, but now it just says 'Application not responding'. If I don't minimize, it just freezes my Mac and I have to force a shutdown using the power button..

Does anyone know why this may be happening? It's really quite annoying.

Cheers

 

[Falcus]

Try the easy thing first, do a quick DBRepair. THat'll detect any faulty assets that might be causing this. After that, I would wager its a System Resource thing, but /shrug.

Good Luck,
Falcus

 

[JCitron]

This sounds like corrupted data, or you downloaded something that has problems and is causing the crash.

Did you download anything recently that could have caused this? I'd go through and remove, or check the most recent downloads and see if that's the problem first before going for a QDR, which is very time consuming.

John

 

[mikeaust]

I have just updated to SP1 Hf4 lately, and I have a large route that takes from 5 to 10 minutes to save sometimes. Sessions will save in the normal amount of time.
Mine sits there with the hourglass and if I click on the screen it goes to 'Not Responding'. If I click on it again it goes misty and then I have to kill it with Task Manager.
I have just got into the habit of letting it do its thing and have a cup of coffee. Works for me.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[alexl102]

The full Settle-Carlisle route is now crashing every single time I try and load a session. I'm quite frustrated and I can't imagine why it should suddenly stop working? It worked every time until recently.

I really do not want to have to uninstall & re-install the whole S&C pack.

I would put it down to my hard drive being almost full, but the ECML route loaded successfully the other day.

 

[Robert3a0]

I have just updated to SP1 Hf4 lately, and I have a large route that takes from 5 to 10 minutes to save sometimes. Sessions will save in the normal amount of time.
Mine sits there with the hourglass and if I click on the screen it goes to 'Not Responding'. If I click on it again it goes misty and then I have to kill it with Task Manager.
I have just got into the habit of letting it do its thing and have a cup of coffee. Works for me.
Cheers,
Mike

Even a very large route should not take anywhere near that time to load. I would start with a quick data base repair, because there might be faulty assets. SP1 Hf4 creates a lot of errors in older (pre build 2.09) scenery. An error check through your content will probably reveal lots of red exclamation marks - check those against the errors and warnings function. Many will say they are missing wave files or thumbnails. Simply open those assets via the edit in explorer function and locate the wave file (or faulty thumbnail) and rename that asset by including '.wav' or '.jpg' after the existing name. Close the file in explore the commit the asset (CTRL + M) and it will work fine. Next, look at your virus checker, as it might be doing a check of every asset as it loads. Mine, Kaspersky Pure 3, allows me to isolate specific programmes, which I have done for Trainz 12. Others will allow you to temporarily disable the virus checker, which also works. If all of that fails, your operating system might be full of nasties that are sucking up all of your computer memory - in that case all you can do is back up your files and then reload your operating system.
Regards
Bob

 

[mikeaust]

Hi Bob,
I don't have any faulty assets , just some speed trees that I have deleted from CM and still show up as on the DLS. My Avast Premium doesn't bother any other programs , including TS12 and 4 other TS10 installations. I have Just had my system cleaned up so no problems there. It is just TAD Daemon doing file checks and validating assets. I have it showing on the taskbar and I always run Trainz in window mode, so I am able to see what is happening.

When I say a large file I mean 'Big'. The map has 3 large asset stripped and baseboard trimmed layouts (Clovis 2.5, Mojave Subdivision and Montana Rail Link) 4 smaller downloaded routes (also asset stripped) and 5 custom routes of yards that I built myself using Google. These are joined together using 40 portals. I have had as many as 20 trains running at one time on the route, each having 4-6 locos and 100-120 wagons. In one session at startup I had over 500 locos and wagons i one yard and my computer coped even though it was a bit jerky.

My Computer is a Gateway NV57H Laptop with Intel i5 2410M chip and Geoforce GT 540M 1 Gb video card, 6Gb DDR 3 memory, 720Gb HDD, plus 2 1Tb external HDD and connected to a Teac 32 inch digital TV via HDMI. I have been running Trainz on this for over 3 years.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[JCitron]

Mike,

The assets you removed, that were once on the DLS, will now show DLS in CM. It's a bug, I think since TS12 first came out. Just ignore these as they truly are not on the DLS.

A question regarding your PC. How much disk space and when was the last time you cleaned and defragged? That can definitely make a difference on loading a route as large as yours. Also keep in mind that the route its self may appear to be taking its time loading up, there are also the AI drivers and initialization of all the portals and everything else on the route as well.

That's quite a route you put together, by the way, especially with the two different areas being about 1800 miles from each other in real life. The MRL is up in Montana, which is up near the Canadian border while the Clovis Sub is located down in New Mexico right on the New Mexico-Texas Border.

John

 

[mikeaust]

Hi John,
I have plenty of hard disk available (156 Gb) and one of my externals is connected all the time, the other is used only for backup and turned on when I need it. I have them setup to defrag automatically and I do a disk cleanup once a week.
In my early days of forced retirement I used to build and sell computers as a hobby, so I know my way around them pretty well.

I don't have a problem with the time it takes to load or save as time is something I have a lot of, as I am an amputee and spend my day sitting in a power chair. At 67 I don't sleep much anymore so my day averages about 18 hours.
This forum is my main contact with the outside world. I dont use Facebook or any of those types of social media.

The route does cover a lot of country, but that is the beauty of a virtual railroad, you are not restrained in what you do.
I spend very little time in the cab driving as I prefer to be the dispatcher. The beauty of it is I don't have to decide which route to drive each day, they are all there at my fingertips. I may concentrate on one area or I may decide to run coal trains from Wyoming to all parts. I can move cars,containers,oil, grain,goods and trailers anywhere I want across the States. I know the distances involved as I spend a lot of time in Google, checking out railroads. At present I am extending my reach to San Francisco via Mojave to move cars to the large export yards there. Also enlarging my Los Angeles map to give more yards to access. The only restraints are what I can think of and of course memory in the computer. I will be upgrading my computer in the next few moths as this unit is 3 yeas old and getting a bit outdated.
I think I probably know more about America than a lot of Americans.
These days I concentrate on just 2 Class 1 Railroads, BNSF and UP along with their subsidiaries.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[Falcus]

Just loading Baseboard positions alone will tax that computer enough on that route for it to take 5+ minutes, geez.....

When you get your upgrade, unless you really want the mobility of the laptop, get a Tower. Much Much cheaper for what you get.

Falcus

 

[JCitron]

Hi John,
I have plenty of hard disk available (156 Gb) and one of my externals is connected all the time, the other is used only for backup and turned on when I need it. I have them setup to defrag automatically and I do a disk cleanup once a week.
In my early days of forced retirement I used to build and sell computers as a hobby, so I know my way around them pretty well.

I don't have a problem with the time it takes to load or save as time is something I have a lot of, as I am an amputee and spend my day sitting in a power chair. At 67 I don't sleep much anymore so my day averages about 18 hours.
This forum is my main contact with the outside world. I dont use Facebook or any of those types of social media.

The route does cover a lot of country, but that is the beauty of a virtual railroad, you are not restrained in what you do.
I spend very little time in the cab driving as I prefer to be the dispatcher. The beauty of it is I don't have to decide which route to drive each day, they are all there at my fingertips. I may concentrate on one area or I may decide to run coal trains from Wyoming to all parts. I can move cars,containers,oil, grain,goods and trailers anywhere I want across the States. I know the distances involved as I spend a lot of time in Google, checking out railroads. At present I am extending my reach to San Francisco via Mojave to move cars to the large export yards there. Also enlarging my Los Angeles map to give more yards to access. The only restraints are what I can think of and of course memory in the computer. I will be upgrading my computer in the next few moths as this unit is 3 yeas old and getting a bit outdated.
I think I probably know more about America than a lot of Americans.
These days I concentrate on just 2 Class 1 Railroads, BNSF and UP along with their subsidiaries.
Cheers,
Mike

Mike,

That sounds like you're doing the right things. It's most likely the hog, I mean TS12 SP1 HF4 creating the long delays as it loads up the assets and stuff. I too have lots of time as I too have been forced into retirement. I spend my days testing T:ANE, here in the forums, or watching cab rides on YouTube. The thing is, as you probably know, that inefficient code only makes things more unstable as the program slogs through the bits and pieces. T:ANE looks promising in this area, and hopefully with its 64-bit memory space, being a 64-bit program, and better code we'll have a better time with a more reliable program.

I couldn't agree with you more regarding the virtual railroading. This is what makes Trainz so great. We can create the world that we want, bring old lines back to life, and even reset the old clock to better times.

You are probably right as you most likely do know a lot more about our country than many folks do. I did have the opportunity to travel through that region over the past few years. I've been from just a bit north of Shelby, MT up to Minot, ND, and as far south as Alabama, all over Texas, and the Midwest, and then into eastern New Mexico. I saw lots of severe storms, which was the main point of traveling, farms, Walmarts, and trains. There's a lot of country I'd like still like to see and maybe I can do that some day for real instead of virtually either in Trainz or on YouTube.

John

 

[mikeaust]

Hi Falcus,
I got this computer when I was laid up in hospital for 4 mths and it has served me well. I will be getting a desktop again when I replace it for sure.

John,
you have been lucky to see so much of your country. I came from the small island state of Tasmania, where I travelled all over. Since coming to the mainland ( or as we called it the "Other Side"), I have done a lot more travelling. I have driven to Perth and back from Adelaide. I drove to Alice Springs in the REd Centre in the early 70s on the old dirt track, a new highway goes there now. I travelled all over the State of Victoria. I have been as far north as Newcastle on the east coast when I was truck driving.
I had hoped to see a lot more but my health has let me down and I don't drive anymore due to poor eyesight. Google Earth is a wonderful thing, I can go anywhere and see what it looks like and don't spend a cent.
I would really like to be able to go to Cajon Pass or Tehechapi and hear those massive locos growling along.
cheers,
Mike

 

[1superstoker2]

Yes I have the same problem,i tried to load ecml and save a session it just freezes and I have to restart my pc very frustrating, also trainz takes awhile to load any route as well. I am glad I am not the only one with that problem was a bit worried.

1superstoker2

 

[Falcus]

Hi Falcus,
I got this computer when I was laid up in hospital for 4 mths and it has served me well. I will be getting a desktop again when I replace it for sure.

John,
you have been lucky to see so much of your country. I came from the small island state of Tasmania, where I travelled all over. Since coming to the mainland ( or as we called it the "Other Side"), I have done a lot more travelling. I have driven to Perth and back from Adelaide. I drove to Alice Springs in the REd Centre in the early 70s on the old dirt track, a new highway goes there now. I travelled all over the State of Victoria. I have been as far north as Newcastle on the east coast when I was truck driving.
I had hoped to see a lot more but my health has let me down and I don't drive anymore due to poor eyesight. Google Earth is a wonderful thing, I can go anywhere and see what it looks like and don't spend a cent.
I would really like to be able to go to Cajon Pass or Tehechapi and hear those massive locos growling along.
cheers,
Mike

I would add, if your health is an issue, if you know you're going to be "Laid up in hosPITAl" for awhile, depending on where you're at and whats wrong with you, places have been known to let people bring their computers with them. You might want to call the hospital you're most likely to end up in and ask them before you buy your computer, but I have seen people take Towers and Monitors into in-patient care before.....

In addition to Google Earth, I could suggest trolling Youtube for interesting videos. Lord knows many here have done that often enough, myself included. Just posted about C&O1309 (BIG honking 2-6-6-2, last Steam locomotive built in the US by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the U.S.), and they put that sucker on a Low Boy Rail Car and hauled it a fair distance. They even ran a Railroad crossing that some berk had hit with a truck over! For more stuff related Cajon or Tehachapi, Just search for those, also try adding words like "Run8" "Notch" "8" or for fun "Exploded" (I kid you not, lots of loco's have exploded on camera here in the U.S.).

Good Luck,
Falcus

 

[mikeaust]

Thanks for the advice Falcus, I have seen a few interesting you tube train videos.
The health is pretty good these days I had a problem when a hospital bug got in when I had an operation many years ago. I am just on one pin these days, but I am pretty mobile in my powerchair when I need to be. I travel on the train quite often, they cater well for disabled here in Adelaide. Most of my trips are up and down the new section electrified line they have put in here. I am just 5 minutes from the station so it works out well.
Cheers,
Mike