Trainz newbie - Industries and whatnot

[cheechako]

Actually, I bought "Trainz" not long after it came out. I'm not sure exactly what version/release/build/whatever that is. I still have the disc. I never got into it for various reasons: time, learning curve, hardware, other games, life, etc. I bought 2010 (first) and 2009 on-line when I got i3 laptop, but they are just too sluggish with just Intel HD graphics. Now have a slow Pentium D 3.0 desktop, but at least it holds a GTX 550 Ti and I can manage more than a slide show. I even bought 2010 again direct from Auran because my GameStop version was broken and could not be patched. Unfortunately, I just missed the 50% 2012 sale.

Now, my computer is still not great. But Trainz has so many learning curves, I have a lot of ground to cover while I save for a better home for my GTX 550.

Part of my confusion is that the web turns up so much old information related to Trainz, much of which seems valid regardless of the version. Some info applies only to versions other than my (2010) version.

Industries: LARS, ProtoLARS, MIN, CMTM, etc.

I see lots of mention of downloads to get some of this stuff. Yet when I browse through buildings in Surveyor, I already see some of these things. Are all of the major options already built in to 2010 (except for CMTM). Is there a nice explanation of the differences? Should I just stick with one style in a layout. Is there a list of built-in interactive industries? Do all the interactive ones work with the various systems; are they simply industries where you can see cars being loaded and unloaded? Which industries are roll-through and which are drop off and pick up?

CMTM (at least) seems to require unique cars, just like in real life. You don't just have a dozen coal hoppers; you have 12 uniquely numbered cars. Should I make (clone) my stock and edit the config, or should I install ARN or something like that? Do I need to download special stock to show the number or reskin my stock? (Even without CMTM, unique stock has appeal.)

 

[colourlight]

There are two distinct types of industry. The first is an Interactive Industry which is a whole Industry with at least one (un)loading track which were first introduced in Trainz 2004 such as the Oil Refinery. These consume or produce a specific product or products and they were designed to interact with each other. For example One Industry produced Crude oil which was taken to the Oil Refinery which is then refined into Diesel, Petrol and Aviation Fuel which is then taken to other Interactive Industries. The second type is a length of straight track. Both types can be found in the buildings tab in surveyor. You mentioned the MIN (multiple insustry new) which is only found as a straight track. This has one advantage and one disadvantage. The advantage is that you can set them up to suit your own needs. Not only is there a huge number of commodities to choose from you can also specify the rail vehicle that you want to load or unload if you wish as well as a number of other parameters you can specify. The disadvantage is it,s a rather complex piece of kit compared to the others and you may struggle at first to set it up but there is a good tutorial. Perhaps some kind soul will post the link? LARS and PROTOLARS are similar in that there is a list of products built into them and you simply set up the one or ones you want to be active. Some have a lot of commodities or only a few and they cover specific types e.g. Aggregates, Locomotive Servicing and so on. Apart from the way you set them up LARS and PROTOLARS differ in one importantant respect. Where LARS loads or unloads exactly the same as any other type PROTOLARS is unique. It consists of a short track and you position any vehicle in the train over it and you can uncouple the locomotive(s) and go on your merry way! Meanwhile back at the industry, after a specified period of time the PROTOLARS track will start unloading or loading the cars in the way you specified when setting it up.It can either (un)load the whole train at once or one vehicle at a time with an interval specified bvy you. CMTM I have never heard of so I can,t comment. This is a brief description of a complex subject but it will give you an insight into how the different types work.

 

[philskene]

" ... but there is a good tutorial. Perhaps some kind soul will post the link?"

There are several. One can be downloaded here:

https://www.rapidshare.com/files/438627468/LARS_ProtoLARS_MIN_Tutorial.pdf

 

[AntonyVW]

Is there another place to download this tutorial? as my antivirus threw a wobbly when I tried to access the site.

 

[philskene]

" ... my antivirus threw a wobbly when I tried to access the site."

Hmmm. Unusual. Rapidshare is one of the oldest and probably the most reputable file sharing sites. It might be your anti-virus?

I did a Google search. This came up:

http://www.rizzos-home.de/infusions/pro_download_panel/download.php?did=256

But be advised it's an older version. The newer version of the Tutorial covers the Multiple Industry New.

 

[peghorse]

I got the first tutorial Phil.
Thank you for posting the link

 

[AntonyVW]

" ... my antivirus threw a wobbly when I tried to access the site."

Hmmm. Unusual. Rapidshare is one of the oldest and probably the most reputable file sharing sites. It might be your anti-virus?

I did a Google search. This came up:

http://www.rizzos-home.de/infusions/pro_download_panel/download.php?did=256

But be advised it's an older version. The newer version of the Tutorial covers the Multiple Industry New.

Just lately Ive had a few issues with Rapidshare. It throws up not only unwanted adds but some of them are bordering on outright trash or asking me to decipher codes before it will allow me to access the files. Hence my antivirus throwing a wobbly. But thanks for the help in finding it elsewhere.

 

[philskene]

"It throws up not only unwanted adds but some of them are bordering on outright trash ... ."

That seems to be common on all file sharing sites. It's one way that they make money to cover the storage costs.

" ... or asking me to decipher codes before it will allow me to access the files."

Also common. It's to make sure you are a human accessing the site, not some bot. Unfortunately with advancing age I'm finding some of them are becoming a bit hard to decipher.

 

[Dap]

. . . CMTM I have never heard of so I can,t comment. This is a brief description of a complex subject but it will give you an insight into how the different types work.

CMTM is a car destination system that does not require interactive industries, but can be used with interactive industries. Each car is asigned a movement record. Among other things, the data in this movement record tells the player what the next destination is for that car. All that is needed for an industry is a track mark (even if that industry is interactive). When a car is delivered to its desiganted industry (track mark) and is noted with a mouse click that it has been delivered, the loading/unloading cycle will begin. The length of this cycle is determined by the data in the movement record. At the end of this cycle, the car is unloaded or fully loaded with whatever product is specified in the movement record. Each movement record can have as many destinations as you want.

Also, the cars do not need to be auto-number cars, but the cars should be CMTM enabled which allows the cars reporting mark and number to be displayed in the CMTM switch list.

CMTM was created to enable shipper driven operations in as prototypical manner as possible. The cool thing it offers is that every car on the route has a clearly defined destination that is displayed in a window so there is never the question where the cars are headed. No longer do you need a scratch pad and pencil to keep track of where all those cars on the route are headed.

David