East Kentucky 4 - Maybe?

I have to admit Dermmy's East Kentucky (3) Route is one of my favourites. The version I have is the 'No SpeedTrees' version. Although quite nice in appearance, cardboard trees, no matter how well done, just don't look right. As for bright green in winter when most should be leafless, just nags at me both as a train nut, and horticulturist! So I've finally decided to do something about it. I have so much spare time between making routes and sessions = I must be crazy. :hehe:

So, I've updated the very old track to LRW Track, Wood, Bullhead, Brown Ballast, which is build 4.2. Changed Yarn roads to Yarnish, updating crossing and removing funny hidden white lines causing cars to cross the roads at 90 degrees.... Oh, and replaced all trees with species that actually grow in Kentucky, and seasonal at that. Moved some roads to the correct side of the track or river, having looked at street view for some ideas. Now for the question.

Not wishing to tread on Dermmy's wishes, and noting this version was made by someone else (?), I read what seems to have been his last post, so I quote....

“[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Trainzcontent 'licences' have always been more of an honor thing than inany meaningful way enforcable, so here's an appeal to honor:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Pleasedon't use any of my routes as the basis of any kind of payware routeor session.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Pleasedon't create a site or a page which hosts my original content (ChrisHackworth is the only exception to this request. Please don't bombardeither Chris or myself with requests about 'when'.).[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Otherthan that, all other licencing, distribution, modifying, restrictionsare lifted.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]PLEASEdon't post legal-eagle requests for clarification. No payware. Nohosting of unmodified routes. Otherwise - go forit......[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Enjoy. [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Andy [/FONT]“

My take on this is, you may host/share modified routes provided you don't make them payware. In other words they must be free. Does anyone agree, or disagree? I ask, because I have no interest in making a route just for myself, if I make, or modify one, I'd want to put it on the DLS so everyone can enjoy it.

Apart from that, I am seeing an odd issue, possible graphics related, with the track. I have had 2 instances where a mysterious straight section of sleepers ONLY, shoots out from a spline point. Eventually by moving and adding, then deleting extra spline points gets rid of it. A DBR had no effect, see picture below!!!

Meanwhile, 3 screenshots showing summer, autumn and winter. Although having replaced trees with similar seasonal ones, it appears to have too many conifers, so I've been replacing many of them. So, summer first.

Hm, I tried to upload the autumn shot 3 times, nothing! I had to take another one, and it finally uploaded.

And the winter shot. I'm also wondering what track people prefer to use for the USA, noting the period could be from 1960 -1990?

Looking good Alikiwi! I have trouble with screenshot uploads as well, with uploads being registered in game, but not showing up in the gallery, and then I can't upload them again. I have no idea what happens. Anyway, i think you are doing a great thing here and I personally think Dermmy would support it, but these things always lead to debates. I think in the long run, it would be better for the moderator(s)/N3V to make the decisions based on their criteria and guidelines, because everyone else will probably argue back and forth ad nauseum. Here's hoping for the best!

I have incorporated a heavily modified version of this route into one of mine with some additional mergers to create a substantial route.

The trees in this area are hardwoods such as oak, maple, and ash. If there were any pines, they're pretty much long gone since they were wiped out for structures a hundred-plus years ago.

Here's Lothair, KY in real life.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.238...4!1sw8SOd5Idk18ssSGhnBitUg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Near Hazard, KY
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.267...w=345.1933&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i3328!8i1664

We are at a disadvantage with Trainz, any version, due to the number of trees required to actually do the area justice and this has been and always will be one of my frustrations with the program.

JCitron said:

We are at a disadvantage with Trainz, any version, due to the number of trees required to actually do the area justice and this has been and always will be one of my frustrations with the program.

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The only disadvantage with v6 speedtrees in both TANE and TRS19 is that there are not enough of them. Speedtrees perform much better than billboards, in both FPS and visually. Spline trees are abhorrent visually and spline vegetation can be just as bad. Some are performance hogs, particularly some grasses, even on a great mid range graphics card. (1660ti) Speedtrees have a library file which increases FPS performance, which is why I can get a consistent 30FPS with a 12.5km draw and draw behind off with reduced shadows, on a route containing almost a million trees. East Kentucky looks magnificent in TRS19 with all speedtrees and PBR textures and PBR Protrack as does the EVWR. Maybe I should upload those?
EK3 features in this video of mine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSGV_CTS9PY&t=414s
cheers
Graeme

Nice bi of trainspotting on that second link John.

grazlash said:

The only disadvantage with v6 speedtrees in both TANE and TRS19 is that there are not enough of them. Speedtrees perform much better than billboards, in both FPS and visually. Spline trees are abhorrent visually and spline vegetation can be just as bad. Some are performance hogs, particularly some grasses, even on a great mid range graphics card. (1660ti) Speedtrees have a library file which increases FPS performance, which is why I can get a consistent 30FPS with a 12.5km draw and draw behind off with reduced shadows, on a route containing almost a million trees. East Kentucky looks magnificent in TRS19 with all speedtrees and PBR textures and PBR Protrack as does the EVWR. Maybe I should upload those?
EK3 features in this video of mine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSGV_CTS9PY&t=414s
cheers
Graeme

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Nice video! I recognized that stretch of track right away. I recently cut in a wye there to allow through freights from Tilford to head in and out of my East Kentucky portals. On the Tilford end, I added in a "mainline" past the mines on the opposite side of the river and a couple of portals after passing through a tunnel. This adds some extra traffic on the lines even though it's not prototypical. On the Tilford side, I had to do some creative engineering to get the trains up the steep grade and off the map on that end. Those hollows, as they're called down there, are quite steep.

I have the 1080 TI and I turn up my shadows a bit and keep my draw distance the same. I agree this allows for decent performance and since we're in the hills mostly, even on my own routes, there's no need to see past the hills.

I agree that Speed Trees are the way to go and yes there's not enough of them of the right size. The problem I have with Speed Trees is their uniform shape and size even with the trees scaled down for saplings. If you look at the Google Earth pictures, you'll notice the tangled tree mess. This is due to years of clear cutting and removal of the old growth wood for construction and firewood. Where I live in the Northeastern US, we have the same issue. In my area in particular, the land was cleared for farms and once the farms played out, and generations of families no longer wanted to farm the very rocky soil, the land was allowed to go fallow and the trees moved back in. The oldest trees now are probably 80 to 100 years old except for those found in parks, around big estate homes, and in towns. The rest are small, a meter or so across in diameter, or maybe a bit more. In my area, being a bit farther north, we have birch, beech, ash, oak, maple, catalpa, willows, locust, black cherry, and a whole lot more. Kentucky has similar species as well.

Well, interesting google stuff! Only single track mainline near Hazard, who knows what it was like last century. Anyway, I found a spline point not joined, so it you went through switch DS_11 you would have derailed and noted it had double red arrows, now fixed. Also found some odd road bridges with traffic on them, but not the road. Cause was the bridge were traffic enabled, but road had been laid on top causing the error. I noticed a lack on conifers on the hills, so I may have to reduce it even further. It's certainly a beautiful area, and I'm enjoying giving it a few tweaks.

The wayward sleepers seem to have vanished, so fingers crossed.

Forester1 said:

I have trouble with screenshot uploads as well, with uploads being registered in game, but not showing up in the gallery, and then I can't upload them again. I have no idea what happens.

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I find this occurs to about 1 in 3 uploads. I click on the 'Click here to dismiss message', and am then able to upload again.

Alikiwi said:

Well, interesting google stuff! Only single track mainline near Hazard, who knows what it was like last century. Anyway, I found a spline point not joined, so it you went through switch DS_11 you would have derailed and noted it had double red arrows, now fixed. Also found some odd road bridges with traffic on them, but not the road. Cause was the bridge were traffic enabled, but road had been laid on top causing the error. I noticed a lack on conifers on the hills, so I may have to reduce it even further. It's certainly a beautiful area, and I'm enjoying giving it a few tweaks.

The wayward sleepers seem to have vanished, so fingers crossed.

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The line was once double-tracked. I noticed the very wide roadbed and grading which indicates that. CSX has done a lot of consolidating and rationalizing as they call it to their lines.

I agree it's pretty down there and pretty much like the western part of my state located 850 miles north located in the Berkshires and this is the Appalachian Mountains at their best. Yeah the pines and spruce disappeared a century ago just like western Mass where the paper and lumber industry took their toll.

I found that by adding in an extra spline point, those wayward sleepers will disappear.

Thanks for the tip FootplatePhil!

As for the screenshot failure to upload, that was the first time it ever happened to me! Well, something has to go right once in a while.

Hi! I have downloaded the 4.5 version <kuid:850934:102400> East Kentucky 4 v1.0 of this route and have 28 missing assets. Does anyone know whether/where Dermmy's assets can be obtained? also several from Neoklai75 and others. also missing one or two from each session. Thanks for any help!

I completely converted this route to operate in 2019. Indeed a great Eastern USA coal/mountains production. I messed up the tunnel to the EKy power-plant and just used modern tools to make a big cut. Lots of trees are needed, as noted. I used Ultra trees and ran the route without issues. Yes, a Google trip through the area reveals a very reduced railway. However, Trainz allows you to create a fictional era with space ships or to go back to the Golden Years.

kuid:850934

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That isn't Andy's kuid so where did you download version 4 of EK from please ?.
Mick.

It's on the DLS, Mick. East Kentucky 4 by Alikiwi.

Oh ok thanks Graeme.
Mick.

First apologies for being away for awhile, real life issues tend to take priority. I did (obviously) get round to uploading the updated version, although I noted reference to missing traffic assets. I've sorted that out and a "with Traffic" version is already on my website and will be available here in a day. When I was working on the route, I updated all Yarn roads to Yarnish and most intersections. Unfortunately the latter can only be done one at a time, so I've missed a couple. There was also weird white stop lines that generated traffic at 90 degrees across the roads! I guess some old traffic control system that no longer works, so I sorted all (I hope) of those.

I've also uploaded two sessions so far and working on a third, between everything else that is happening. First one is <kuid:850934:102410> East Kentucky 4 Session 1, Coal Haul and the second <kuid:850934:102459> EK4 Session 2, Lumber.

I've only had a quick look at it in TRS19 (cough), and only one faulty item (EK3).
Meanwhile Windows 10 tells me my version is outdated and they want to force a new version on me?? Didn't know there was anything newer than Win 10, so who knows what will happen.