Newbie looking for 'idiot' guide to running Trainz

Hi Guys,
be gentle with me ~~~ a refugee from Flight Simulation ~~~ only just come to Trainz and having some 'difficulties' running the system.

I purchased the Trainz 2019 Platinum package a few weeks ago and have only managed to dabble but VERY impressed with the scenery in the Canadian Rockies ~~~ exactly as I remember it!

Question: is it possible to 'plan' a route from A to B (say, for example, York to Exeter) or is it only possible to travel/play the inbuilt routes?

My previous experience has been exclusively with FS where departure and destination points are input and a flight plan is created utilising radio navigation and air-routes from within the programme ~~~ is Trainz run in a similar manner.

Tutorials: where are these?
Despite trawling the forum pages I do not see any!

Looking forward to making some progress with your help.

Best - stay healthy...

Ken

Welcome to Trainz!

Basically you create sessions in which you can set your routes and AI etc.


Basics here however be aware its for TANE so some screens will look different not TRS19 basics are the same though. http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/HowTo/Create_your_first_Session

Tutorial videos:

http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Tutorial_Videos

More stuff here:
http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Tutorials some of it may be a bit out of date.

How to..
http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/HowTo

FAQs:
http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

Some on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trainz+tutorials

Note I have never actually used a tutorial! I learned by looking at what others had done!

Ganpixie, the tutorials are the bottom selection when you Start Trainz - "Learn to Drive - Sessions to help you become a train driver". They start you on the very basic views and go and stop, and work up from there with several short sessions. HOWEVER, I need to warn you that some Tutorials do NOT work in TS2019. I hope they are fixing these in SP2:

Tutorial 05 - Signals - The tracks are slewed at the first tunnel, and you cannot get through the tunnel. This should only take a couple of spline points for N3V to fix, but not fixed yet.
Tutorial 07 - Realistic Mode - This may be fixed. You used to have to hold the "D" key to drain the brake pressure, otherwise you could not get started. When I recently tested it, it worked though. I did have trouble with the train brake lever though, it did not want to work well with the mouse, but the key command works.
Tutorial 08 - Train Brake - again, the tracks are broken at the first tunnel. Not slewed this time, just not connected correctly to the tunnel track, so you derail. Again a simple fix for N3V
Tutorial 09 - Dynamic Brake - This appears to still have the problem with the brake pressure. I had to constantly hold the "D" key to even get the train started, and keep holding it to be able to gain any speed. Letting up at all and I would grind to a halt, even if I pressed the key again. And when I got around the first corner, it says to apply the Dynamic brake to slow, well that ground me to a halt as well. Something in the brake algorithms definitely needs fixed.
Tutorial 10 - Steam - I still need to try this again. I don't recall anything wrong, but just a tip, don't hope to shovel all the coal and water in on the hill, that will be too late and you will run out of steam. Then it is very hard to get going again!

Best of luck with these tutorials and welcome to Trainz! There is always help here on the forums.
EDIT: Also, if you want to view a couple of screenshots from the tutorials, I have placed one in each of the last three Screenshot competition threads. Not to compete, but just to try some creative lighting and positioning, so you can see what kinds of effects are also possible regarding environment.

Newbie ~~~ thanks.

Hi Malc and Forester1 ~~~ thanks for your input and for pointing me in the 'right' direction...

Plenty to go at there!

Cheshire and Idaho ~~~ don't you just love computers and the internet

Ken

Hello, when I installed TRS19 I had no idea of the large sandbox I was getting into. You buy TRS19 but users and 3rd parties make almost all the content. Learn to use the Content Manager well. Expand the columns to show all columns (click column headers to add) and valuable information. The free (Freeware) content is often better than the Store content (Payware), but there is some fantastic store content. I'd say most of the Store content is made by 3rd party who is selling in agreement with Auran/N3V (the developer) and some are for Tane and the sessions may not work perfectly in TRS19. Most people (I think) don't care about this as they do their own thing and don't depend on the supplied sessions. The create their own or just "drive."

Because of the different versions (Legacy, Platinum, Regional Editions, etc) and different subscriptions memberships (Plus, Silver, Gold) things can get confusing so learn these if only for future/general knowledge.

Because of the thousands of add-on items made by users (Content Manger and 3rd part websites, etc) conflicts and problems when you change versions/updates can occur. So it helps a lot to read the forums to keep up on this aspect also.

As for the game, you can Drive, Setup "AI" drivers to run routes automatically, Create a Route (Map), create Sessions for routes, beta test (if you choose and get Plus) so this is a "wide" or "deep" game. Many aspect to it. You can also create content.

As for routes/sessions. Some create and like prototypical, some like visually stunning routes, and some like like fictional routes. Then there is also "Model Railroad" route in which the creators make Model Railroad routes. They model the model!

There are prototypical routes that model the real thing down to much detail. You can run the BNSF: Clovis to Lubbock route and compare it to Google street view and you will even see things like satellite dishes in the right places. Some people spend years on a route.

In short, with TRS19 you'll find that there's plenty to do. Keeping up in the forums will help you stay abreast.

Have fun. Enjoy.

Hi there!
thanks for your verrrrry comprehensive response ~~~ lots and lots to chew over there!

I guess that having been embroiled in flight simulation for 20+ years this is a 'major' step into the unknown

The 'more relaxed' mode of transport (50 mph - vs - 500 mph) should (in theory) allow more thinking time:hehe:

Taking it one step at a time should get me there in due course...

Forum reading required in fairly large chunks!

Thanks again.

Ken

I had an early flight sim but that was years ago. Around 1996 I took actual flight lessons and got up to taking my long solo cross county but then I quit my corporate job and opened a hobby store and could not afford to fly any more. I had located my fathers old WWII "Taylorcraft" L-2 and was in the process of buying it from it from the owner. My dad had restored it but he had heart problems and lost his medical.

A train sim can be slow and long! Especially some of the long protoypical routes. But then you find yourself immersed in the creator's work and you are admiring the route and no so much running a train.