Newbie: Where to start

[Swampgoat]

I'm totally new to Trainz. I bought Trainz for Mac. Also, I am not a real or model railroad person, just someone who likes trains. While I enjoy the simulator, and have completed the tutorials and played with some of the sessions, there is a lot I don't understand.

What if I want to edit a session or create a session and I wish to place a steam locomotive on the track? There is a long list of engines and cars in the software but each seems to have a cryptic name such as BK BR24 DB or CNR FP9A 6525. Is there an on-line listing that reflects what comes with the Trainz software but is more easily searchable/viewable?

Second, please let me know if questions like this (I have lots more to ask) belong here or in another forum.

Thanks,
SG

 

[4ndylloyd]

Hi SG, welcome to Trainz. Your question is fine here but there is a dedicated area for Mac users. When you load the forum home page scroll down a bit below the 'General Trainz' forum and you will see one dedicated to your version.

As far as finding out what the names and codes of the engines mean then your best bet is to visit 'Railyard' off the splash screen when you start the game. This will allow you to see all of the installed rolling stock and any others that you have downloaded. You can pan/tilt/zoom the camera around the item and if its an engine you can hear the sound of its horn/whistle. Make a note of any that you are interested in using and then use your notes to find the items in the surveyor list when you want to place them in a sessions. If you are using the built in sessions to make your own then make sure to use the 'save as' option in surveyoer to give the sessions a name of your choice.

Trainz can involve a steep learning curve but once you get going with it you wont stop !!

Enjoy, Andy

 

[2train]

Trust Me Same Thing ive been asking.
As far as finding out what the names and codes of the engines mean then your best bet is to visit 'Railyard' off the splash screen when you start the game.
This will show you All The Trains You Have.If you want to download trains
Hit the Lancher Button And then Press Content.Then A Progam Will Come Up.
At the Top Press Download Station and search for anything you like to download!
If you are using the built in sessions to make your own then make sure to use the 'save as' option in surveyoer to give the sessions a name of your choice.

Regards,
Rally <--------- New Thing !

 

[2train]

Sorry 4ndy i didnt see your post!

 

[Ghost42]

Welcome to trainz!
I don't have your version of trainz but to identify steam locos you will find they have an associated tender.
There are some excellent generic tutorials on youtube also.
Many others will be forming a queue to help you......
Rog

 

[JIb228]

There is a long list of engines and cars in the software but each seems to have a cryptic name such as BK BR24 DB or CNR FP9A 6525.

Thats how they are named, and its not a cryptic system. CNR stands for Canadian National Railroad. The FP9A tells you what type of locomotive, in this case this locomotive:

And the number after it tells you the number of the locomotive, that shows up in the number broads. (The locomotive I pictured would be listed as CP FP9A 1406 but its not in game.) The "A" in "FP9A" tells you its a head locomotive, and has a cab for a crew. A "FP9B" would not have a cab and would be place behind a A unit. Typical set up of A and B units is A+B+B+A.

Now if you know what locomotive you are looking for often you can type the first few letters of its road name in and the game will jump to it. For example if I was looking for a Southern Pacific SD40 I could type in SP and the list would jump to every thing that starts with SP.

Now your other question is a bit hard to answer. There is a list of locomotives in game, but the list includes every thing that other users have made. I cant find a link, but look up the Trainz Resources Directory I believe it is and you should find all the information you need, and then some.

 

[2train]

Double post

 

[Kochegar]

Sometimes, Trainz interface makes Baby Superman cry.

My own solution to the mess that is the Railyard and the Consist Library is the good old pen and paper. I go to the Railyard and write down the names/codes of the rolling stock I want. Then I put them together in the Consist Library and pray that I didn't accidentally attach something backwards.

 

[Swampgoat]

Thanks to all for the welcome and for the responses.

Basically I suspected, as 4ndylloyd states, that there is a steep (but rewarding) learning curve. Fortunately, this is more fun than old fashioned school homework!

Although I wasn't expecting it, 4ndy and Kochegar, I guess some paper and pencil notations IS the only way to zero in on which engines and cars to choose.

I plan to also follow your advice, 2train and Ghost42 about youtube and downloads.

Thank you all again and I'm sure I'll be asking more questions soon, although I'll move any Mac specific ones to that forum.

(Thanks to JIb228, but i want to answer your post separately.)

SG

 

[Swampgoat]

Thats how they are named, and its not a cryptic system. CNR stands for Canadian National Railroad. The FP9A tells you what type of locomotive, in this case this locomotive:

And the number after it tells you the number of the locomotive, that shows up in the number broads. (The locomotive I pictured would be listed as CP FP9A 1406 but its not in game.) The "A" in "FP9A" tells you its a head locomotive, and has a cab for a crew. A "FP9B" would not have a cab and would be place behind a A unit. Typical set up of A and B units is A+B+B+A.

Thanks JIb228.

While I'm far from new around computers, I know little about railroads or railroading. So while most Trainz folks might take the nomenclature for granted, it was brand new to me. I found your answer very informative. I need to see what books or websites will have other basic information for 'civilians' like myself. I'm still thinking about the A and B trains. I can see (guess?) that the B trains must be operated remotely by the crew in the A train. Now I am curious about the interface between A and B, the mechanics of it. More homework!

Thanks!

SG

 

[Dawgvet]

Did a quick Google search and came up with this site of some common railroad nomenclature to get you started.

http://http//www.hobonickels.org/combs02.htmhttp://www.hobonickels.org/combs02.htm

Miguel

 

[JIb228]

No problem, see what happens when you ask questions? You get flooded with more information and more questions. But thats a good thing.

In the early years of diesel's/gas electrics and having more then one to control they would MU, or Multiple Unit, them as they still do today. But back then it was with a MU cable. This was a cable that linked the lead locomotive to the rear ones, and sent the engineers commands to the rear units. Most locomotives had MU plugs on both ends so they could be linked no matter what way they where facing. Baldwin Shark A units lacked front MU plugs. Now some, not all, B units did have full working cabs, such as PRR GP9B's, and these could be used as a single locomotive. But they hardly ever did that as the cab was not set up for road use, just to move the unit around the shop's or yards.

As for the nomenclature, its easy once you learn it. The first thing to learn are all the railroads reporting marks. Pere Marquette is a bit much to write down, but PM is not. So in most paper work a Pere Marquette 50 foot box car might be seen as "PM 50' Box car #523456." For more information on reporting marks we turn to Wiki, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reporting_mark .

One of the many things I have learned in my years of railroading is this, there is all ways more to learn. For basic information Wiki is good. If you want more history Wiki is okish too. Most railroads have some sort of historical society that can provide even more information. And most have web sites with big chunks of information. And they will even tell you what books you can use to find out more. One thing you can do is find a loco model railroad club. You dont have to join, you dont even have to have any model trains. Find out if and when they have an open house. Go there, and ask questions. You'll get even more answer's then you had questions.

 

[JIb228]

I hate to do a double post, but this is something I thought of.

One of the ways to start learning about a railroad is to find one near your house. I dont know what part of the world your from, but there's got to be tracks near you.

Lets use me as an example, I live a mile a way form a CSX crossing, and about 2 miles away from a CN crossing. Now I like CSX a little more then CN so I started to dig into the history of CSX, and that particular line near my house. After some research I found that the line near my house, the CSX Saginaw sub, was once C&O tracks, and before it was C&O track it was Pere Marquette tracks. And thats why CSX is now one of my top 5 railroads.