Russian website possibly pirated

Frank_Dean

Well-known member
The whole argument that follows is because they have threatened me with a possible expulsion from the forum and 20 others belonging to the forum doing the same thing that I previously have not been told anything.

For those who do not know me, I am not a millennial child, I am 60 years old and have a lot of gray hair and I have been with trainz since 2005 and I have a total of 1708 assets in the DLS.

A few days ago with a question about the search for kuids I put a link to a Russian page where those kuids were.

https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...ng-Kuids-Post-them-here&p=1880368#post1880368

Another Trainz user reprimanded me and called my attention that I can be banned and expelled for linking to a pirate website that offers trainz content without the knowledge or permission of the creators.
I do not know whether or not they are legal or pirate, they are in a public site that is not hidden and easy to locate. If this user has that information that they are pirates, it seems correct to me that they call my attention and notify me with an expulsion, that information should be more public so that everyone knows it and they are warned.
Immediately delete that information to the "pirate" website, as well as about 4 or 5 more links that I had put in the last months in other threads.
If I were a link to this website, it is because since 2020 I often see that link in this forum in different threads and posted by some famous Trainz users.

I did a search for the posts that mention that Russian site, and the users who have mentioned that site at least once are more than 20 including me.

A link to the posts that mention the Russian site:

https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...are-external-asset-list&p=1820744#post1820744
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...are-external-asset-list&p=1820746#post1820746
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...Ridge-and-Uintah-routes&p=1815987#post1815987
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...Ridge-and-Uintah-routes&p=1816728#post1816728
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...Ridge-and-Uintah-routes&p=1817976#post1817976
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...Ridge-and-Uintah-routes&p=1817977#post1817977
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...std-gauge-2021-freeware&p=1873765#post1873765
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...std-gauge-2021-freeware&p=1873777#post1873777
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...std-gauge-2021-freeware&p=1874101#post1874101
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...stern-Pacific-King-2020&p=1821447#post1821447
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...sed-for-your-inspection&p=1855264#post1855264
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...ipment-items-and-photos&p=1859562#post1859562
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...ate-new-version-problem&p=1861896#post1861896
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?162623-kuid2-45324-54001&p=1859399#post1859399
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...erze-Gorzynskie-Upgrade&p=1850906#post1850906
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...erze-Gorzynskie-Upgrade&p=1851201#post1851201
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?163958-Need-help-with-a-kuid&p=1876055#post1876055
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?161447-quot-Unknown-Assets-quot&p=1845703#post1845703
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...sing-Boogies-and-Sounds&p=1838109#post1838109
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...n-premi%E8res-questions&p=1843693#post1843693
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...t-kuid-668654-100463-gt&p=1832329#post1832329
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?160350-help-unknow-kuid&p=1831404#post1831404
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...older-cantilever-styles&p=1828781#post1828781
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...ee-Haven-Model-Railroad&p=1828010#post1828010
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?159888-Ozark-Valley-Route&p=1826311#post1826311
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...S2019-Platinum-(and-up)&p=1824767#post1824767
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?158089-Route-Romania-now-on-DLS&p=1808194#post1808194
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...evated-Railroad-Session&p=1821555#post1821555
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...or-further-Auran-Assets&p=1819394#post1819394
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...-A-Small-Model-Railroad&p=1816994#post1816994
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?158906-Does-anyone-know&p=1815481#post1815481
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?87020-sd70m-2-faulty&p=1815145#post1815145
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...-lt-kuid-38408-28025-gt&p=1813884#post1813884
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...ssing-Kuids-PLease-help&p=1781480#post1781480

I suppose that other users will be warned of expulsion so that they remove that link to the Russian web, as I did, for those who work in the forum as police and judges.

Sorry if I disturbed someone.
 
Hi everyone,
I'm the infamous other user. And like Frank, I'm not a spring chicken. In fact, I'm older than he is. The site in question is a dynamic website where members are able to upload ANYTHING they want whether they created it or just bought it and decided to share with the world. I followed the link and had a look around. I believe my conclusion that it is a pirate site is correct based upon finding items that clearly have no business being available there. A good chunk of the DLS is there as well as content from third party websites. I strongly encourage all creators to have a look around to see if they like their items being available for download. Now seeing that it is a Russian site and the people that run it hide behind numerous disclaimers saying they are not responsible for the items hosted on their site there isn't a lot that can be done.

Piracy is a major problem for N3V and always has been a problem for users wanting to make money from the items they create.
 
Hmmm, just had a look and there is 14 pages of my stuff, which is clearly illegally hosted and it's on the DLS anyway so no need to provide alternative downloads for registered users!, Also I'm pretty sure Peter as in Narrowgauge would not be impressed that the DHR is on there and all his locos.

At a guess this was originally found using that kuid Index site which has links to basically anywhere there are Trainz assets, I stopped using due to the number of dodgy sites.
 
I don't deny that they are pirates, I don't really know, it's not my job to prove it. My main complaint is that about 20 other trainers (some very famous) have linked to the website during the last two years and have not received any complaints or notice of possible punishment and that their behavior was wrong.
Not all users have been warned in the forum that it is a pirate page and the problem, we cannot guess what really happens.
It is easier to try to publicly scare the last Spanish fool who mentions the pirate page.
 
One does wonder why someone hasn't spotted this before and said something?

people refer to sites such as this because so many items that feature in many routes ( often legacy routes such as the timber ridge) used items From now defunct websites . When the routes are updated, older users have those assets from years when the legacy sites were functioning. Now we face the issue to many items that are needed to run those old routes not being available , in many cases the only place to get those items are these unofficial sites. If people don't want their assets pirated then they really should try to make them available on the DLS or host them online . I myself posted links to that site because so many people moaned about not being able to find 30 inch rolling stock for the revamped timber ridge , I must admit I had no idea I was breaking a forum rule.
This is a problem that is not going away , you aren't going to remove those sites , people will put stuff online and we have no control over it , others want assets that the creators were happy be online online as long as they could host or have some control over them, but the internet defies rules , once something is out there , people will find a way to distribute it , I have no idea what the solution is , but if I do ever finish any more routes for public use, they won't contain anything that isn't on the dls, this may well of course mean I never again release a public route , but if the rules are such I guess we have to stick to them.

I have a huge problem with the Uintah , I used a few dozen items available from trains Italia , they are free, but now, none of that stuff is available anymore as their downloads section seems to have evaporated , so now I have to change it all over , and quite honestly I just cannot psych myself up to do so and go through the same rigamarole I went though on the last two routes I placed on the DLS . No doubt the items are online somewhere else, but the rules say I can't post a link to that , so the way we've set up this game is to make it a frustrating and annoying minefield where everyone is constantly running around looking for content instead of playing the game.we aren't allowed to link to content that's not authorised , so it's really not surprising that people throw up their hands in despair after a while and leave , it's a really crazy situation and there is no way to fix it.
 
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I didn't know this! I've been getting missing content form there for a long time, as its easier and faster then via the DLS without a FCT. Thanks for making us aware of this, as I know now to stay away from that site.

That also explains why a thread I made reporting illegal and payware content on it awhile ago got moved/deleted for no apparent reason.
 
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I guess the point is that it would be an appropriate / nice / courteous thing to do, to warn users about posting references to this site, instead of singling them out and dropping the boom on someone who didn't know and start threatening them. ....along with removing posts without giving a reason.
 
people refer to sites such as this because so many items that feature in many routes ( often legacy routes such as the timber ridge) used items From now defunct websites . When the routes are updated, older users have those assets from years when the legacy sites were functioning. Now we face the issue to many items that are needed to run those old routes not being available , in many cases the only place to get those items are these unofficial sites. If people don't want their assets pirated then they really should try to make them available on the DLS or host them online . I myself posted links to that site because so many people moaned about not being able to find 30 inch rolling stock for the revamped timber ridge , I must admit I had no idea I was breaking a forum rule.
This is a problem that is not going away , you aren't going to remove those sites , people will put stuff online and we have no control over it , others want assets that the creators were happy be online online as long as they could host or have some control over them, but the internet defies rules , once something is out there , people will find a way to distribute it , I have no idea what the solution is , but if I do ever finish any more routes for public use, they won't contain anything that isn't on the dls, this may well of course mean I never again release a public route , but if the rules are such I guess we have to stick to them.

I have a huge problem with the Uintah , I used a few dozen items available from trains Italia , they are free, but now, none of that stuff is available anymore as their downloads section seems to have evaporated , so now I have to change it all over , and quite honestly I just cannot psych myself up to do so and go through the same rigamarole I went though on the last two routes I placed on the DLS . No doubt the items are online somewhere else, but the rules say I can't post a link to that , so the way we've set up this game is to make it a frustrating and annoying minefield where everyone is constantly running around looking for content instead of playing the game.we aren't allowed to link to content that's not authorised , so it's really not surprising that people throw up their hands in despair after a while and leave , it's a really crazy situation and there is no way to fix it.

Yes well I wasn't impressed at 14 pages of my assets appearing on that site or the fact that the DHR is also on there all my stuff is 100% on the DLS as is the DHR. Its because of sites like that that we lost ftp access to the DLS when a Russian site downloaded the whole DLS for non registered users to get the assets. Just checked and there are 2 pages of your assets on there as well.

Pretty sure Trainz Italia is just reorganising things at the moment moving stuff from old site to new due to be done by August 21 according to the forum.

Most of the Trains Italia stuff I think is in their routes. I've never had to look for any assets having got a few of their routes.
 
Yes well I wasn't impressed at 14 pages of my assets appearing on that site or the fact that the DHR is also on there all my stuff is 100% on the DLS as is the DHR. Its because of sites like that that we lost ftp access to the DLS when a Russian site downloaded the whole DLS for non registered users to get the assets. Just checked and there are 2 pages of your assets on there as well.

Pretty sure Trainz Italia is just reorganising things at the moment moving stuff from old site to new due to be done by August 21 according to the forum.

Most of the Trains Italia stuff I think is in their routes. I've never had to look for any assets having got a few of their routes.

It doesnt bother me particularly if my assets are elsewhere, as long as its not infected by malware etc , but as most are reskins I expect the original creators may do so. The problem is its impossible to stop this, and the best way to discourage it is to make sure as many assets are on the DLS as possible and to make sure they can easily be found , I think the big issue is , so many items not being easily available anymore, and thatS almost entirely due to websites disappearing and no one bothering to make sure their work was on the DLC after the sites vanished, if there wasn't this problem, most of us would just come here for the items.

I paid $50 to trainz italia and their content has not been available for many months, I could not see anything on the site to say when it would be restored, good news they may get it all back online eventually but they could at least have emailed members to tell them that. Possibly covid situation has made things tricky for them......
 
Looks like some of Trainzitalia is working now! just logged in and where there was nothing there is now downloads, not all of them but looks like something is happening, least my password still works!


And this from a post about the New forum

The downloads of the Free section that have not yet been transferred to the new platform, will be accessible for download from the old one without the need for registration.

The trainzitalia.com website will be permanently abandoned in August 2021. Until then, links will be present in the header of this platform, to allow retrieving the assets not yet moved.

Can't find any links though.
 
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I admit to having told someone looking for an asset at least once that it was on this site, but I always add that I am not sure if the site is legit. I have been with Trainz for several years now, and this is the first time anyone has raised this issue. I thought it was a well known site, and with no previous outcry I admit I was hoping it was OK. I think we need some kind of ruling, but who is to be the authority?
 
I usually only use that site as a last resort. I agree with much of sentiment that its getting increasingly difficult to find old legacy assets, especially with so many sites that are no longer around. I think the moderators may have taken the wrong the approach, you shouldnt have been threatened with expulsion, I am sure a simple warning was all that was needed. Even if the site wasnt advertise on the forums a lot of the searches on tki and google reference the site anyways.
 
I usually only use that site as a last resort. I agree with much of sentiment that its getting increasingly difficult to find old legacy assets, especially with so many sites that are no longer around. I think the moderators may have taken the wrong the approach, you shouldnt have been threatened with expulsion, I am sure a simple warning was all that was needed. Even if the site wasnt advertise on the forums a lot of the searches on tki and google reference the site anyways.

If one enters the kuid the site appears, its not hard to find , unfortunately its shutting the door after the horse has bolted.....:-(
 
Please, do NOT download anything from piracy websites, the chance of downloading a virus or ransomware is massive.

Ron
 
I can't download directly from the DLS anymore, since my Firefox browser blocks it as of a couple months ago. What's the best alternative ?
 
I can't download directly from the DLS anymore, since my Firefox browser blocks it as of a couple months ago. What's the best alternative ?
Maybe try finding a browser that still supports FTP links or download an older version of Firefox. Or get a dedicated FTP client such as FileZilla. I've never used FileZilla myself so I don't know how easy it is to set up.
 
Maybe try finding a browser that still supports FTP links or download an older version of Firefox. Or get a dedicated FTP client such as FileZilla. I've never used FileZilla myself so I don't know how easy it is to set up.

WinScP, install it and if you click an ftp link the browser will ask you if you want to download with WinSCP, it's also a file manager. It's free

https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

Alternatively and not quite so intuitive is FileZilla, browser will still ask if you want to download with it, also free.

I have both so it asks which one or gives me the option to use the same one all the time.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions. Much appreciated. I'll research them and see what's a good fit.
 
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