Problem playing "Japan Model Trainz - Freight and Emergency Service."

It appears that at the launch of "Japan Model Trainz—Freight and Emergency Service" in late 2016/17, there were some issues with this game, and nobody cared to fix them. Editing the route seems impossible as the content creator locks everything. That can be read in various threads on the Trainz forum.

The specific issue that bothers me is that when playing the Freight and Emergency Service, the locomotive gets stuck at the first task (collecting some wagons at Minato station). Apparently (but I can not know for sure), a wrong Japanese signal type is placed there, which makes the game stop when a locomotive passes the red signal "from behind" - i.e., not from the front of the signal.

As far as my intel goes, the content creator has chosen to use a Japanese signal type used at the beginning of a track and not a signal used for "blocks," as far as I have been able to read. However, that stuck train might also be due to other issues.

One expects such a payware game as this should work out of the box or be editable to make it work.
 
It would be nice if the author could fix the issues with the route, you see that crossover interlock thing. It hasn't been setup correctly
It needs to have a name and setup so that the signal would turn green







The only session you can drive is the free roam to be able to pass that red signal
 
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Thanks for supporting me and trying to get the developer(s) attention to remedy the problems.
I have found a way around the red signal, but I will encounter another red signal when entering Minato to pick up the carriages.
1) Instead of going into the first station, make a halt and turn back - as the junction changes.
2) Drive forward into Higa, middle track (need to change junctions manually)
3) Manually change signal out of Higa
4) Drive to Naga and enter the middle track, and return towards Minato.
5) Switch the junction and enter Minato
6) Drive towards the carries to pick up
7) GAME OVER - as the signal is Red (in the other direction)!!!! (message: you passed a red signal....) even if the signal controls the line in the other direction (I assume).

The screenshots are small and of bad quality. I apologize.


Could someone please unlock the game so it can be modified?
 
You can clone the session and the route and fix the problem yourself.
Open the session you want to fix for editing.
You'll be prompted immediately to save a new version.
When you save, choose save route and session.

You can now modify both to your heart's content.

If you want to, you can clone the other sessions-only and not the route and then edit the config.txt file so that your route, aka the map as it's called, and connect that to your copy of the route.
 
Thanks, JCitron, for your suggestion and clear instructions. I have tried to edit the route in the past but gave it a go again just now, following your approach.

However, I can't edit the route. I can place new objects but not select any existing objects as signals or junctions. Has the developer locked the route in some way that I do not understand? Is there a way to open it for editing?

As a quick test, I have just now tried to open and edit another randomly selected route, the USA Route—Forest Industry, and there, I was immediately able to select signals, etc. Please see the screenshots, first from the Japan route, then the last (of 3) from the editable USA Route - Forest Industry.

Two images from non-editable route and one editable
 
Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately, there are only two layers here: route and session, with no sub-layers.
I just tried to create a new route layer and merge the existing route layer with that one. I also tried to merge the route layer and the session layer, and the layer assets (locomotives, etc.) were moved into the route, but I'm still unable to edit or modify anything. Just to be sure, a database repair was also done.

It's a shame this nice route and sessions are not working, as I think the creator(s) did a big job with the layout of these sessions and routes.
 
Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately, there are only two layers here: route and session, with no sub-layers.
I just tried to create a new route layer and merge the existing route layer with that one. I also tried to merge the route layer and the session layer, and the layer assets (locomotives, etc.) were moved into the route, but I'm still unable to edit or modify anything. Just to be sure, a database repair was also done.

It's a shame this nice route and sessions are not working, as I think the creator(s) did a big job with the layout of these sessions and routes.
That's not the way to do it because things will get really, really messed up as you found out.

To implement the changes I recommended, you need to follow the procedure I outlined and don't touch the layers. They aren't needed for what you want to do, at least right now. The layers are meant for finer control of things such as placement of objects that can be easily hidden during editing of other parts to prevent objects from being moved, or to change operating characteristics such as showing an abandoned line in one session that's dated much later, and so on.

On the Routes and Sessions menu, select the route and then select view sessions.
Select the session you've been driving
Click on Edit Session.
Save it to create a copy and you'll be prompted to save either just the session, or the route and session. Choose route and session.

I do this all the time when I want to implement my own changes or connect my routes to a DLC one via an iPortal. By creating my own copy, I can edit things how I like them. Being DLC, the actual route is locked so it can't be merged but other changes can be made.
 
Thanks for being persistent on this, but I responded to another message that asked me to check the layers.

Also, thanks for the clear instructions. I can get it to work if I save, close, and open the route/session again to edit.

I found the signal I wanted to try to make behave so the locomotive could pass it without getting the "red signal passed, and the session is terminated" message. I have to look at it later.

Is there a difference between editing in Trainz on a MacOS computer and a Windows computer? I find it a little hard to navigate in Edit mode. Maybe I just have to learn.

Thanks again.
 
Is there a difference between editing in Trainz on a MacOS computer and a Windows computer? I find it a little hard to navigate in Edit mode. Maybe I just have to learn.
No, there shouldn't be any difference.

Try using Classic Surveyor instead of Surveyor 2.0. It's much easier to use and has a less daunting interface.

You're welcome, I'm glad I can help. I've been Trainzing for a long time. I was once a tech, now retired and I don't give up easily when it comes to solving problems. ;-)
 
Thanks to PhilChorusch01, who pointed out the issue with the ASB diamond crossover, and to JCitron for persistently pointing out the correct procedure for editing and saving DLC games in Trainz. (I’m not sure it is described in the Trainz manuals.)

Being struck with the flu or coronavirus the last few days, I have spent hours learning to edit Trainz, especially this Japan Freight and Emergency session. I have managed to enter a name on the ASB and move a hidden red signal on the Minato terminal. So far, so good. Here is what I have done to get the session running until the pick-up of the containers at Minato.

A. First, read carefully above how JCitron suggests editing DLC (downloaded) games and saving your own version to make all the necessary changes.

B. Second, the error reported is that the "ASB Crossover Controller on Channel 1 does not have a name. Please correct this in Surveyor." (I saw this message but did not realize that I could do anything myself about it, but now I have.)
  1. In EDIT mode. Search for “Higa” to go there and find the ASB box along the track. Or: Search for “ASB Crossover Trigger 2”.
  2. ASBs are controllers for diamond crossings.
  3. Select the ASB box with CTRL + right-click the mouse. -> View Details
  4. You will read on the pop-up sign that the ASSET IS BROKEN. It needs a name.
  5. Enable editing on the bottom left of the pop-up sign.
  6. I entered the name ASB-Higa (there is no need to do more).
  7. Save changes (I selected to Route and Session).
C. Third, in the Minato terminal (in a shoebox), there is a “hidden” signal on the tracks in front of the wagons to be picked up. This signal prevents the locomotive from coming near the wagons. I do not know the intended function of this signal (Signal 1043), but I figured out that it was better NOT to delete it but to move it backward and relocate it after the wagons.
  1. I found it difficult to edit anything in the shoebox-size container terminal, so I switched between using the new and old editing styles.
  2. In Edit mode, search for "signal 1043"—this should lead you to a small signal that looks blue from one side and has red, yellow, and green colors on the other. It is placed just above the track in front of the empty container wagons.
  3. Using the new editing mode, I used the move function to move the signal to just AFTER the empty wagons.
  4. Save changes (I selected to Route and Session).
  5. Maybe someone has information about this special type of hidden signal and what it is supposed to do. Do not delete it! I tried. Not good.
So far, I have not been able to run the whole session, as it is demanding, and I got into some issues where the game said that the track was controlled, but it was not.

Good luck to others, and please add if you have suggestions.
 
Update: It seems that the signals and junctions in the ASB-Higa controller (see above) get doubled (copied) when a game is saved. To delete the doubled entries, one needs to go to the ASB-Higa controller (see above), open it for editing, and delete the doubled entries.
 
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