Just some thoughts . . .

davesnow said:

Not long ago, I was on the YouTube Chat while watching a Trainz video. Someone, I don't remember who, figured out I was the Dave Snow from the Trainz Forum and proceeded to tear me limb from limb, making very disturbing remarks about my age, my assets I make, and calling me outright names. I got the impression it was another Trainz user who has it in for me for some reason. (What the hell did I do???)
Dave

Click to expand...

I vow to never do "chat." I have never done "chat." I would not devote one second of "think time" to anything anyone said on a YouTube chat. First thing I do when I watch a live event (ie: train cam) is turn off chat. Turn off chat and live longer my friend....

davesnow said:

As a former Senior Graphic Artist

Click to expand...

By the way... A number of years ago I worked for a publishing company being responsible for a number of graphic artists and typesetters. I'm dating myself as it was in in the "Yellow Page" business. I saw the transition from hand made paste-up yellow pages to digital pages going to the printer (imposition) and the conversion of "Directory Color" inks to process color inks. We were always in hot water with the IT "mainframe" guys who wanted to control everything. (circa early 1990's) Some people just can't stand not being in charge.....

1611mac said:

I vow to never do "chat." I have never done "chat." I would not devote one second of "think time" to anything anyone said on a YouTube chat. First thing I do when I watch a live event (ie: train cam) is turn off chat. Turn off chat and live longer my friend....


By the way... A number of years ago I worked for a publishing company being responsible for a number of graphic artists and typesetters. I'm dating myself as it was in in the "Yellow Page" business. I saw the transition from hand made paste-up yellow pages to digital pages going to the printer (imposition) and the conversion of "Directory Color" inks to process color inks. We were always in hot water with the IT "mainframe" guys who wanted to control everything. (circa early 1990's) Some people just can't stand not being in charge.....

Click to expand...

Wow we share some history here...

My brother runs a graphics design business, which my dad founded in 1980 after working in Boston for nearly 30 years. My brother setup a photo-stat camera in the mid-1980s when he joined the firm, and later I went to work for the business as a typesetter. Yes a typesetter who ran a Varityper Epics 20/20 and out put RC-paper on the 6830 film recorder. We had a big Kodak processor, which had a film-box on it and I would run my paper through the processor. I ruined more pairs of leather shoes in those days when the paper would get stuck in the developer or fixer tank rollers and had to be pulled out. As Murphy would set it up, this always occurred during a rush job and I would have to output the paper again, which by this point was extra curled because it was at the end of the roll. During the 1989-1992 recession, I left and went back to the IT industry.

Anyway the output was run through a waxer along with the stats so that everything could be pasted up on Strathmore board. Sometimes a customer would want color separations and films so my brother would shoot the stats in the camera again on to panochromatic film and create the individual seperations. Do you know how many orange dots we still find in our clothing draws? The stat camera and processor was once located in our basement next to the laundry...

Later on I worked for a small print-shop using Quark and PageMaker. It wasn't the same, and I was quite frustrated with the lack of precision that the older methods had in comparison. When the print shop was closing due the owner retiring, I went to work for Polaroid Graphics Imaging. PGI made digital proofing systems capable of outputting full color half-tone proofs. They operated at 2540 x 2540 dpi and could produce images with text at 1/144th of an inch or 1/2 point type! The division was sold in 1999 and became Latran Technologies, which is sadly out of business now due to the Great Recession which put 90% of the customers out of business, and those that remained in business switched to ink jet.

Today my brother is still in the business, which focuses now on the advertising specialty industry and screen printing. He gave up his ECRM VR30, which replaced the Varityper in 1991 along with the processor, and now runs periodic films for his screen-printing customers on a Xante FilmMaker4 laser printer.

So much has changed in the past 30 years it's quite amazing yet sad at the same time.

I carve granite tombstones for 42 years now. I also do the CAD work. I get people who are so snotty because they want their name 1/8 of an inch higher on a 30 inch tall monument. I fooled alot of them by opening up the text editor and act like I am adjusting and close it an say "How's that?" and I get "perfect", and did not change anything. Fortunately for me and them, there are not too many that are snotty. I got into a few arguments over the years, but in the end I am right and they finally realize I am right. After 42 years you think I might know how a monument will look good. Engineers (not train engineers) and artist are our worst customers. They know it all...

And Dave I am loving your Cotton Belt route.

RJArtim said:

I carve granite tombstones for 42 years now. I also do the CAD work. I get people who are so snotty because they want their name 1/8 of an inch higher on a 30 inch tall monument. I fooled alot of them by opening up the text editor and act like I am adjusting and close it an say "How's that?" and I get "perfect", and did not change anything. Fortunately for me and them, there are not too many that are snotty. I got into a few arguments over the years, but in the end I am right and they finally realize I am right. After 42 years you think I might know how a monument will look good. Engineers (not train engineers) and artist are our worst customers. They know it all...

And Dave I am loving your Cotton Belt route.

Click to expand...

Yup... I've dealt with both in the family and elsewhere.

Don't you love the MIBMIS Make it bigger; make it smaller crowd? They can pick a fart to death! I had one lady come into the shop and had me change the type-size 16 times. When I handed her the bill for close to $850 for the typesetting changes alone, she was shocked. We allowed a single AA without charge and anything else was charged at a nominal rate. My dad intervened, sweet talked her and lowered the bill of course, and I got yelled at for over charging! I said the bill was more to prove a point because this particular customer was notorious for AAs. She got the point and never did that again.

Speaking of adjusting text... Back in the paste-up days, my brother had a client hovering over him making last minute changes to a paste-up. The guy kept requesting that the type be adjusted up and down. It went something like this. "Move the text up a few points" Okay... "No wait, move it down a point", Okay... "No wait, move it up!". My brother took his ruler and knife and touched the type proof and asked the guy "How's this?" The guy answered fine and the job was done!

Well said, Dave. I am among those who download anything you post without checking even the thumbnail. I dodged the cancer bullet (but lost a kidney in the process) but, thankfully, haven't had a heart attack, even at 77. My hearty thanks for everything you've produced.

Retired service, but 20-year veteran of the Navy.

Bill

GreyAreaUK said:

Besides - growing old may be mandatory, but growing up is not

Click to expand...

lol, so well said.

Rock on davesnow. Keep being yourself and especially keep enjoying what you do.

You rock Dave. I have been a fan of your work for years. You work has inspi8me to be about and start creating models too. You have been a major player in making this hobby comparable to model railroading.

Thank you for talent. Hard work and dedication!

Dave,
I'm a relative newcomer to this Trainz community, and my train line is only slightly longer than 1611mac. It was very clear to me early on just how important your contributions were to this forum and the Trainz simulation, simply by reading the posts in your threads. It was always a highlight to see what new item you might be posting to the DLS. I'd check that thread often, as in several times daily.

I had always hoped you would eventually release your Cotton Belt route. The screen shots you'd post from your route from time to time looked so nice. I was really thrilled when you finally put it out there for the rest of us to enjoy. Thanks so much for that route and for all the contributions you've made to this community. I, too, quickly snap up your posted content, just because it's from you and I know it's going to be good. You are really appreciated here!

Heinrich505

Good evening all I just downloaded sir Dave Snow's recent Cotton Belt update and it is out of this world you can see how much time is invested how much detail it has..... truly amazing I recommend for everybody and I'm actually thinking about re-downloading the original Cotton Belt and having both versions to play on because they're unique in many ways thank you Dave for all the effort.... we are truly lucky to have you as Trainz Creator.....

If you like Dave's work check out all his other routes he's got some terrific ones as well you won't be disappointed....

I had no problem with running his route under TRS19 ******That speaks to the rigorous detail work product Sir Dave makes......

blueodessey said:

Good evening all I just downloaded sir Dave Snow's recent Cotton Belt update ----

I had no problem with running his route under TRS19

Click to expand...

Blue, it was made for TRS2019

Dave

davesnow said:

Blue, it was made for TRS2019

Dave

Click to expand...

I apologize I misspoke I should have qualified that better....

davesnow said:

I check the Trainz forums probably 40 times a day. Here at home on my desktop. On my iPhone whenever I'm out running around. If I'm on a trip or vacation on my Laptop. Some of you may ask, "Why?"

Mostly I suppose I check the Forums to see if anyone left any nice comments on any of my threads. Reading those good comments and "thank you's" give me nice brain dopamines. But I also enjoy helping others out by answering questions and offering solutions to problems or issues. Using my Trianz experience to assist other "Trainzers" gives me a good feeling as well.

Sure I get annoyed sometimes at some comments, PM's, and emails, especially when someone practically ORDERS me to make an asset. Sometimes, I am just plain rude to people, and I will apologize for that. I am old (72), and my health isn't near what it was ten years ago. I'm a heart attack and cancer survivor. I get riled up sometimes; sometimes easily if things don't go smoothly or if I get too far off my routine.

Why am I even writing this thread? Because I just want to say that in my old age and retirement the Trainz game and these Forums mean a lot to me. I feel like I kinda belong here with the rest of you, especially a lot of you "old timers" who I have come to look upon as friends. I just want to say "Thank You" to everyone and I hope you'll bear with me if I get a little crabby sometimes. After all, I am a

Crabby Old Geezer!

Dave Snow

Click to expand...

WOW !

This is what i call commitment to game and community

davesnow said:

I check the Trainz forums probably 40 times a day. Here at home on my desktop. On my iPhone whenever I'm out running around. If I'm on a trip or vacation on my Laptop. Some of you may ask, "Why?"

Mostly I suppose I check the Forums to see if anyone left any nice comments on any of my threads. Reading those good comments and "thank you's" give me nice brain dopamines. But I also enjoy helping others out by answering questions and offering solutions to problems or issues. Using my Trianz experience to assist other "Trainzers" gives me a good feeling as well.

Sure I get annoyed sometimes at some comments, PM's, and emails, especially when someone practically ORDERS me to make an asset. Sometimes, I am just plain rude to people, and I will apologize for that. I am old (72), and my health isn't near what it was ten years ago. I'm a heart attack and cancer survivor. I get riled up sometimes; sometimes easily if things don't go smoothly or if I get too far off my routine.

Why am I even writing this thread? Because I just want to say that in my old age and retirement the Trainz game and these Forums mean a lot to me. I feel like I kinda belong here with the rest of you, especially a lot of you "old timers" who I have come to look upon as friends. I just want to say "Thank You" to everyone and I hope you'll bear with me if I get a little crabby sometimes. After all, I am a

Crabby Old Geezer!

Dave Snow

Click to expand...

There are parallels between what he writes and some things that I feel.
It is my opinion that the train hobby in general unites people, countries and continents. Seeing a bogey or smelling the creosote aroma makes friends.
Do not be angry when asked for an asset, it is that today the culture of effort has been lost; here in Spain the new generations want everything done, fast and free; They do not understand a hard working life and therefore do not feel the pride of something built with time and effort.

Share seems important, I make assets for train free for that reason.
Sorry for my bad English, sergeant.

Regards

Javier