North Staffs Elevation

Sorry it's been a little quiet on the blog front just lately, lots of file editing doesn't really make for a blog post with eye candy!

However, I do have a WIP screenshot for North Staffs Minerals showing the newly re-laid mainline complete with a class 86 leaning into the super elevated curves, sorry that there's not much else going on in the picture.

In quite a bold move our route builder took a look at the new features in RailWorks 3 and decided he wanted to restart the track laying to ensure the route was to Train Simulator 2012 standards.

What has been created so far is definitely impressive and I'm confident that we made the correct choice on this one.

Brakes and Lights GUV?

It's been a surprisingly hard slog today to get the under frame and equipment underneath the generic GUV shape.

Sometimes you can have too much information and there even came a point where Pythagoras had to be used.

The under frame itself is complete now and all the equipment bits are there with the exception of the air tank, distributor and actuators to add.

Just bogies and the buffer beam detailing to add after that.

Mystery Parts of a New Model

Here's a bit of a guessing game.

We've always hinted that there would be more to the 'Night Capitals' stock pack than the Newton Chambers Car Carrier and the GUV but we've never said what.

I started work on one of the other items today, can you guess what it is yet ...?

Painted Urchin

The majority of time since the release of the VDA vans has been spent (other than taking a bit of a break) getting the ZCA Sea Urchin completed and ready for master shapes to be given the once over by the testers.

The model shown is just about ready for a final check before the different versions are created, all that's needed is the magic to make that tail lamp flash!

Speaking of tail lamps, this is now the fourth different model we've created and all by chance for this one. An offhand comment from one of the team following the preview of the original lamp modelled set in motion a fortunate series of events. 

The original comment was along the lines of "I hope we're going to include the BR flashing tail lamp" and received a reply of "That's what I've done". "Oh no", comes the reply, "They were bigger". Not a popular comment to make after the difficulty of finding enough references for (what's turned out to be) a mark 3 lamp!

By total chance in less than 24 hours an email arrived from the same team member that he'd got pictures and measurements of a BR lamp and everything that was needed to create the lamp in the screenshot. Now all that's needed is simulate the weight of the thing as he remarked "It was just as heavy as I remember them!"

Now, should we track down a mark 2 lamp just to complete the set ...?

It's good to talk

We've been having a look at the kinds of people who make contact with us and that we 'talk' to on a regular basis and it's thrown up a few gaps. As a result of this we've started to trial a couple of extra features to see if people want to take advantage of them to generally interact a bit more with us and each other.

We now have a (trial) forum which can be found at www.fastline-simulation.co.uk/forum it's all very quiet and empty at the moment as we'd really like you to be the people that form what you see there and how you use it - within all the usual boundaries!

The tone of the forum should really be about our products, RailWorks or Train Simulator 2012 (anyone get the feeling a subtle change of name is taking place?) and railways in general. Please do come along, sign up, make comment on what we've done so far, throw in your own suggestions and start a thread or two about something you want to get off your chest or fancy a discussion about.

As a companion or perhaps alternative to Facebook we're also having a look at Google+. If you've signed up you can track us down with a search or this link might even work: https://plus.google.com/117573473996055619592

Good luck with the big update that comes screaming through the ether tonight and don't forget to backup! We'll be checking out the bogie tanks in the morning and subjecting the VDAs to a final to test to make sure they're ok in the new version before building the installer.

Nice Body GUV

The last couple of days have seen some time put in on the generic GUV shape.

The body is just about complete now, some solebar area detail to add then it's under-frame and bogies time.

NVX Car Carrier - The Final Bits

With the VDA vans out of bounds while the testers put the scenarios through their paces and the Sea Urchin shapes out for test too there's been time to put some finishing touches to the Newton Chambers Car Carrier that will feature in our Night Capitals addon for Railworks.

The master shape has now gained all the final fitments to allow the creation of the NVV version (Vacuum braked with through steam pipe) and the NVX version (as the NVV, plus air brakes and through ETH).

Next up is the NXV to keep these company ...

Temporary Slow Down

Just a quick glimpse of a little something I've been playing with on and off this week. It's all flat textures at the moment so not looking too good but you get the idea

Brake Van Variety

The dia. 1/507 brake vans included in the VDA vans stock pack for Railworks were completed today and sent off to the testers.

This monster post shows all four variations to be included: bauxite and yellow clean; bauxite and yellow weathered; Railfreight red and grey clean and Railfreight red and grey weathered.

Each of these variants comes with 3 tail lamps (unfitted trains), 1 tail lamp (fully fitted trains) and without any lamps plus smoking and non smoking versions of the above.

Cool Van

The last of the lot 3890 VDA vans for RailWorks have been completed.

In this case it's the unique white painted van 200987 so painted for Rowntrees' chocolate traffic instead of just having a white roof like other vans in this traffic.

Slightly Worn

To finish off this little series of screen shots and almost complete the feel of what our VDA pack for RailWorks will contain, here's a flame red and grey van after it's seen a little bit of use.

There's still one more livery to show once we get the lot 3890 vans sorted and each of the variants of the other two lots to complete. The heavy work is done now though so they shouldn't be too much trouble ...

Red, Grey and a bit of Grime

Another lot 3855 version of the VDA van - this time a little later in life with some fairly recently applied Flame Red and grey paint.

You dirty old van!

After a slightly used example yesterday lets get downright filthy!

A once maroon VDA to lot 3855 - I might let you see the Flame Red and grey ones later ...

One slightly used van.

A busy day has been spent giving those pristine VDAs we've come to know a bit of a dirt.

This is the 'clean' version - well as clean as you're likely to see in the case of a VDA, unless you're sat by the doors of the paintshop at Ashford in 1976.

Time to get really dirty tomorrow.

Northern Lights?

A quick walk out at dusk last night found this standard dia 1/507 20T brake van with a full set of lamps for an unfittted train on the rear of a local trip working.

Taking a Railfreight Brake

Ok, the plan was to get Railfreight flame red and grey livery on the dia. 1/507 brake van for RailWorks and then get the models out to the testers.

What actually happened was the livery was applied and in the final stages of tweaking when an idea popped into my head - 'It might be a good idea to add side lamps for working trains without continuous brake'. The results can be seen above!

At the present time the side lamps have holding textures in place so the flat appearance and red lens will disappear in future along with the test coupling. The next modelling session should see the lamps baked and given proper textures and the coupling sorted too so these can go off to the testers while final versions of the VDAs are compiled.

Basically Bauxite Brake

Ok with a bit of yellow too!

The base textured dia 1/507 brake van with through air and vacuum pipes (TOPS code CAR) in bauxite livery with yellow patches is ready for a trip to the testers before a bit of dirtying up.

One thing that has become apparent while applying these textures is that no two examples were quite the same. What we see here is an aggregate version that captures the spirit of the vans.

First Coats of paint for the Brake Van

After a couple of entertaining sessions tweaking mapping and realising that no two prototypes are painted the same this freshly painted dia. 1/507 brake van was spotted slipping past Darlington.

The texture is still a layout version at the moment with generally flat colours and some needing a bit more tweaking, but it's always nice to see the model coming to life.

Car Carrier in game

With both the VDA vans and the CAR brake van off with the testers and out of bounds, the last couple of sessions have been devoted to making some more progress with the Newton Chambers Car Carrier which is now into RailWorks and being taken for a first spin.

Chocolate Box

A fairly large number of VDA vans gained white painted roofs when assigned to chocolate traffic for Rowntrees between their factories and depots. It's thought the coat of pain was applied to reflect some of the heat away in a similar way to refrigerated containers and meat vans in the past.

In this shot we can see a maroon liveried van from the lot fitted with experimental suspension. What has become apparent is the wide variations in the way each livery was applied to different vans, the maroon buffers being quite surprising.

This is still a quite flat textured version ready for testing to check everything is where it should be before the grime brushes come out!

Baked Brake

By request here's a screenshot of the baked dia 1/507 Brake Van in game.

There are a few issues in evidence at the moment that need to be sorted along with the high vis coupling!

We're back ...

Sorry about the quiet spell - an ISP issue has meant no internet access for over three weeks and there's only so much you can get away with at work ;-)

Anyway, one of the jobs that's been done while I lurked in the stone age was getting the master textures on to the VDA vans. The maroon versions still need some tweaks but this virtually ex-works version was spotted at Darlington a few moments ago.

It looks like the van has already carried a couple of interesting loads judging by the warning diamond and remains of another that's been removed. Once you have them in your possession you'll be able to choose which warnings are shown along with a Carlisle Currock sticker if the mood takes you.

Out of the oven - VDA version 4

And the last one - complete with tail lamp as a check.

The last batch of VDA vans built returned basically to the design of the original batch with notable exceptions of revised hinges for the outward opening pairs of doors at the ends and longer hand brake levers.

Now it's time for the 20T brake van to receive the same treatment.

Out of the oven - VDA version 3

Third VDA van for RailWorks is now out of the oven.

This version is from the batch fitted with experimental FAT13 suspension, to my eye it looks surprisingly spindly compared to running gear we're used to seeing. FAT13 suspension was successful in improving the ride quality of the wagon and reducing damage to the load but was not widely adopted due to the high manufacturing cost.

Out of the oven - VDA version 2

Second VDA for RailWorks out of the oven.

This time it's one of the batch of twenty wagons built with experimental clasp brakes.

Out of the oven - VDA version 1

After what seems like an age of tinkering because I just wasn't happy with the results the first version of the VDA is baked and in RailWorks.

With the bake setup now settled the next three shouldn't take anywhere near as long!

VDA - The Final Version

The last few days have seen the final master versions of the VDA vans for RailWorks created and a start made on unwrapping ready for pre-shading and texturing. The last things have been a few niggles spotted by the beta testers along with adding some missing brake gear to the disc braked versions and creating the experimental clasp braked version.

The two renders (using a different set up than usual) show an original van built as lot 3855 with disc brakes and the lower one shows the experimental lot 3890 clasp braked version. The differences are subtle from this angle but just about discernible.

Easter Brake

With the high poly version of the dia 1/507 brake van for RailWorks complete and ready to join the unwrapping and baking line it's time to take a couple of days off for Easter.

Getting Warmer

Looks like the guard has got the stove lit to keep the chills at bay.

Breaking the game?

It's always satisfying to see the completed shape in game, even if this one has been in and out a few times with holes that needed plugging. It's strange how a shape that appears simple suddenly throws some deceptive problems.

With the basic shape complete it will be off to the testers for a bit of a critique while the interior is created and hopefully a bit more of the VDA unwrapping can take place.

Getting a hand hold

After a week where other matters have had to take priority over the modelling I've found some time to add some more of the detail to the dia 1/507 brake van that will be included in our VDA stock pack for RailWorks.

All that remains now are a few brackets and angle pieces and the myriad of bolt heads and rivets to bake onto the final texture.

Gone a bit Airfix

This is all a bit reminiscent of making the Airfix wagons for the wagons for the model railway. You get it together and then just can't wait to give it a run before painting it months later, sound familiar?

Seriously though, here's a picture of 7S66 Tees-Stranraer complete with grey plastic VDAs passing through Durham in the third scenario being developed for the RailWorks VDA stock pack.

Can't quite get the brakes off ...

Just a quick end of the day render of the dia 1/507 brake van for RailWorks. Not quite so much progress tonight as desired, but that's sometimes the way things go.

As usual the render has thrown up a few areas for a bit more attention next time. Most noticeable are the rain-strip and vents which need to be a bit finer and subtle and the coupling and buffers aren't quite right.

The next session should see the items above tweaked along with the hand rails and lamp irons added before embarking on the finer details.

dia 1/507 Brake Van Progress

Have sent some more time on the dia 1/507 brake van that will accompany our VDA vans for RailWorks.

The model starts to resemble a brake van now and the next session should see the majority of the big bits completed.

As is always the case with WIP renders they show the bits that need a little refinement. In those super chunky foot boards need a bit of attention along with a couple of other small things.

Take a Brake?

A little earlier than planned we've started work on a dia 1/507 brake van for RailWorks. So far there's just the basic body but worth a quick render anyway.

Although the original plans had seen a brake van making an appearance in a supporting role with a future stock pack the need has arisen to pop one into the VDA van pack. This has been prompted by the arrival of the initial test version of the first scenario, a service which was diagrammed for a brake van  due to the hazardous nature of some of the commodities carried and it just didn't look right with the default van.

The completed brake van included in the VDA van pack will be a CAR version with both through vacuum and air pipes in brown and yellow livery and the Railfreight grey and red colours.

And they're off ...

So there we are, our first stock pack for RailWorks is out there.

It's all a bit like being a dad again as it sets off into the world after all the development and challenges. The release itself seems to have been tantalisingly close for nearly a month with little issues that needed to be sorted and illness preventing the final clicks to let everyone play. Just in case you missed it, here's the link.

For good measure the website started throwing some errors over the weekend so the pack was held back while we traced what was going on there. If anyone is looking for a webhost we've used www.servage.net from the start and can't fault them when it comes to support, truely 24/7, always polite and speedy and more than willing to experiment to trace a problem. If you click the link above you'll even get a bit of extra webspace for good measure over the standard package!

What really makes release day great is when something like this appears in the inbox;

"Great product and the Masborough- Grangemouth activity is spot on with plenty of traffic and chasing yellows to keep you awake. Just wanted to add the detail you've incorporated into the Tankers is fantastic and the research to include the correct style tail lamp the icing on the cake. Great work and look forward to your future releases" Simon Barnes, Satisfied Customer.

Right, now where did those VDAs go ...?

Going on a demo?

With the final versions of the tankers and scenarios with the testers we've created a demo version so potential customers can take a look before they buy the full pack.

With any luck the demo should be available by the end of the week.

Period Paperwork?

Been working on the template for the stock pack manuals this afternoon with the help of a couple of documents that were on the shelf.

Here's a peek at the cover, the inside is a lot less exciting at the moment!

Dirty Talk

The nice clean ex works pictures have all been very good, but lets face it wagons don't stay that way for long.

As a result here's a dirty version to make the clean one feels cleaner.

Safety First

After a bit of a struggle to find any suitable references we finally have a rear lamp that doesn't turn the entire train into a potential time bomb!

70t+ of petrol or diesel in a tank wagon and a lit oil lamp are probably not the best of combinations, especially when there's a large warning sign on the side of the wagon about naked flames.

The first solution to this issue was to use a barrier wagon to carry the tail lamp, therefore keeping the flame away from the volatile load in the wagon but this is neither practical or cost effective. As a result battery lamps were developed and deployed where required. Eventually the flashing versions we know today replaced the oil tail lamp across the network.

To accompany the 102t tankers we've modelled one if the earlier versions of rechargeable battery tail lamp manufactured by Chloride Bardic the well known maker of the hand lamp used by countless railway workers.

No Nakedness!

One of the beta testers has just emailed and reminded me about something I'd thought about a while ago, and then forgotten!

We have a very nice model of an oil tail lamp on the back of the tank wagons and a very large sign on the side, like the one in the picture. I did have a bit of a worry about how the two went together!

The esteemed beta tester has reminded me about the bardic and electric tail lamps that were developed to go on these wagons rather than using a barrier wagon to carry an oil tail lamp.

However, I can't for the life of me find a picture or drawing of either to sort this little problem. If any of you could help with a picture from your collection or a link to a picture that would be a great help.

Please leave a comment to this post with a link or contact us at http://www.fastline-simulation.co.uk/contact.html and we'll let you know where to send any pictures.

Thanks in anticipation for any help!

Death by Numbers

Just three of the eight instances of the number on each wagon!

It's been a few days of tinkering and changing since the start of the New Year. Still lots of little jobs to do, possibly making the Private Owner plate numbers dynamic may be going a bit too far?