New tracks for download at Vias3D.net

[raildumper]

Hi all,

Concrete and twinblock tracks, levers, point motors, buffers and track rules are available at Vias3D (http://www.vias3d.net/web/?ver=Descargas&s=2&t=210&c=1&o=2)
Created in standard gauge (1435mm) and Iberian gauge (1668mm).

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/marmita2708.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/motor2708.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/topera1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/topera2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/topera3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/RS_VIA_1435.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/RS_VIA_1435_B.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/RS_VIA_1668_BI.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/RS_VIA_1668_B5.jpg


A readme.txt for those who are not familiar with RS is included in the zip file.
For registering (necessary for downloading), those of you who don't understand Spanish can follow the next steps:

Go to http://www.vias3d.net
Click on the image to enter the site.
If you get a blue screen (possibly with Internet Explorer) refresh screen or hit the F5 key
In the next screen, click where it says "Iniciar sesión" (above in the yellow rectangle)
Next screen, click on "aquí" above in the yellow rectangle

Fill in the next:

Nombre de usuario (mínimo seis carácteres) ---> nick (6 characters least)
Nombre completo (No obligatorio) ---> complete name (not mandatory)
Dirección de email válida ---> valid e-mail
Repetir dirección de email ---> retype e-mail
Contraseña (mínimo seis carácteres) ---> password (6 characters least)
Repetir contraseña ---> retype password
Recibir novedades via email ---> receive news by e-mail

Finally click on the button "Registrarse" to finish. You'll receive notification by e-mail, usually a couple of minutes after registering.
Click on the link provided in your e-mail, this will bring you to a page where you must click on "Identificarse", next type in your nick and password and you're done.

For most recent files, click on "Descargas" --> "Novedades"

Greetings

Manuel

P.S. Track rules are for turnouts to the right. I'm considering creating another set of rules so there's no need to rotate levers and point motors when the turnouts are to the left.

[nikos1]

Awesome! I loved your tracks in trainz, and they are even better in RailSim!
Thanks for bringing us this great work, and i hope to see more from you in the future :)

[NoMoreTrains]

That is stunning track you've created. Fabulous job!

[OTTODAD]

What took you so long, Manuel ! ;)

They are indeed the best looking tracks, switch stands and motorised ones for automatic switches I have seen in Train Simulators to date ! I presume that the motorised are dummy ones to be placed next to automatic switches ?

Your detailes download instructions are also a first, others who offer add-on downloads from non-english web sites should take note of ! ;)

Being a tracks and switches fan, your tracks are better than a X-Mas or Birthday present and will replace all tracks in my RS routes ! :D

Thanks, O t t o.

[tdwolf]

Have had no luck in creating an account

i will wait

[seaboardairline]

Downloaded the new tracks and also noticed and downloaded "Renfe serie 10.000" coach set. Looking over the files for the coaches I can't figure how to add them to Rail Sim. The file names (type) seem strange.
Arthur

[Capt_Scarlet]

Downloaded the new tracks and also noticed and downloaded "Renfe serie 10.000" coach set. Looking over the files for the coaches I can't figure how to add them to Rail Sim. The file names (type) seem strange.
Arthur

They are made for Trainz and not Rail Simulator.

John

[OTTODAD]

Registering and download worked alright following Manuel's precise instructions ! ;)

Make sure that the web site wanting to download it's cookie is not being blocked by your Firewall or IE settings, etc.

To help with translations, open another browser window and open this web site: http://www.google.com/language_tools
Mike Simpson has kindly provided a link for.

It's default for translating web pages is Spanish to English, probably because it is the second official language in the US ? ;)

All you have to do is to paste the URL of a web page into it's Translate a web page box and there it is in English. Not always word perfect or grammatically correct, but good enough to understand what it says !

I am now looking forward to having an enjoyable weekend changing all my RS route's tracks to these.

How can that be done ? Look at my posts in this thread:
http://forums.flightsim.com/vbts/showthread.php?t=274116

Take care, O t t o.
O t t o

[OTTODAD]

Hi Manuel !

Checking your tracks in on of my tracks routes there I have a few questions and noticed a number of things you will have to look into to make your otherwise excellent tracks perfect.

Questions first.

The LP/MP/HP refer to "Profiles" and how much gravel covers the ties ?

There is no BROWN option for the Twinblock tracks and their LP version shows no ties at all, their tracks shown on the right in the first screenshot below. Intended ?

There is no GRAY option for the Conc 1435 tracks.

Both manual switch levers and motorized ones can be used with AUTOMATIC switches by default, the latter ones obviously not being prototypical and should not be used ! ;)

The tie bars of the motorized AUTOMATIC switches do not move with the blades. But then one can not have everything ! :D

Here are some observations:

Could the switch lever and motorized ones be placed near the end of the blades, like shown below and can something be done about using the same ties within switches as elsewhere in the tracks ?

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-tracks.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

While checking the proximity of the switch levers to locos, I noticed that the tracks gauge is incorrect, the wheels of locos not running on the rails ! :o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-loco-not-on-tracks-a.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

Did not realize until later that this 1668 gauge is the Iberian one as used in parts of Spain ! ;)

Take care, O t t o.

[OTTODAD]

Did not think that the running surfaces of the rails were bright enough for busy main lines like in the Hagen-Siegen or Oxford-Paddington routes, so I polished them up a bit ! :D

O t t o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/carmen-rails-bright.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[OTTODAD]

I don't know what did it, but after deleting the 1668 gauge track rules and starting afresh placing these excellent tracks in this tracks test route, I now have near perfection ! :D

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-perfect.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

The darker shade tracks at the back are caused by the way RS displays graphics and change to the proper colors as the train drives along. :mad:

Perhaps you can do something about that ? The tracks on the right I have used to change from BATH to B-SB and back are not being affected !

Can we please have concrete 1435 gauge grey gravel ones ! ;)

It will help users of these tracks to remember that the switch lever assemblies point the opposite way to how the switch has been set.

O t t o

[nikos1]

Otto i believe that is because you are seeing the ends of the ties, not the ballast, a similar problem happened in TRS with 3D ties. The default tracks are 2d so they dont have the problem.

[OTTODAD]

So I had a go at replacing the Hagen-Siegen tracks with Manuel's, this gravel being the only choice for 1435 gauge tracks at the moment:

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-hagen.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

Had to improvise to use other than his buffers, the Newcastle tracks having a similar trackbed width. Could not find the *.TgPcDx textures his buffers use. Doing that I noticed that his trackbed edges are not scattered like the Newcastle's tracks.

Had not used the "Snap to Terrain" option and when I did, this is what the tracks now look like, the best trackbed edges I have seen to date ! ;)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-trackbed-edges.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

These rail tops are his original ones before I "Polished" them. ;)

Perhaps the default placement height of these tracks can be adjusted so that they look the same without "Snap to Terrain" having been selected and test what the "Snap Terrain to Tracks" function will do, to make sure that it does not hide the scattered trackbed edges again ?

Doing this with existing routes tracks is not done easily and RS_Tools_TMB which can do it summarily in large route's Tracks.bin files, "Find and Replace" existing tracks with replacements has a problem saving the changes ! :(

Unless new and improved tracks are being released, designed so that they do not show this dark trackbed shading in mid-distance and can be used to easily replace other tracks they might benefit new routes.

Well, it was worth a try, but until we get better than default tracks which are easily exchangeable am happy with my polished rail tops tracks for the Hagen and B-SB routes ! :D

www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa
O t t o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/hagen-siegen-otto-rails.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[Kristian]

but I am not able to find all the twinblocks and tracks as given, wherever I look :( I followed the instructions all right.

[OTTODAD]

but I am not able to find all the twinblocks and tracks as given, wherever I look :( I followed the instructions all right.

Having installed the track you should have a camber folder in the Rail Simulator\Assets folder.

Rename it to Camber so that it appears at the top of the Assets Filter list and then follow my instructions below.

O t t o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-tracks-select.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[Dan1]

The original rail tops look much better than the 'polished versions'

[Kristian]

Thanks Otto, was easier than I thought, although replacing the existing tracks and twinblocks with the ones in this package seems not as simple as replacing existing rolling stock with new ones, considering your earlier post.

[OTTODAD]

Thanks Otto, was easier than I thought, although replacing the existing tracks and twinblocks with the ones in this package seems not as simple as replacing existing rolling stock with new ones, considering your earlier post.

Following my suggestion, Mike Simpson is working on an enhanced Find and Replace All function in his RS_Tools_TMB which should make it easier to replace tracks in routes Tracks.bin files, he successfully did in the Hagen-Siegen, but I found a few problems trying it on the DENMARK 2000 which also uses Hagen-Siegen tracks.

All will be revealed soon ! :D

Hagen-Siegen, B-SB and the Denmark 2000 can already use my optional polished mainline rail tops, which look the way I see them when traveling on high speed mainlines here in the UK, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and in Germany !

Will also supply similar for Manuel's tracks like shown above.

Take care, O t t o.

[raildumper]

Hi all, thanks for your comments. I'm sorry for not showing up earlier, it's just that i've been very busy with other matters the last two weeks.

Hi Otto, here i answer some questions:


The LP/MP/HP refer to "Profiles" and how much gravel covers the ties ?


Yes, it's low, half and high polygon count.



There is no BROWN option for the Twinblock tracks and their LP version shows no ties at all, their tracks shown on the right in the first screenshot below. Intended ?


I will include brown gravel for twinblocks in an upgrade pack. Their LP version indeed is intended, being twinblocks totally covered by ballast.



There is no GRAY option for the Conc 1435 tracks.


Will include it in the pack too.



Both manual switch levers and motorized ones can be used with AUTOMATIC switches by default, the latter ones obviously not being prototypical and should not be used ! ;)


I know, but i thought it's more practical for the player if all switches can be moved manually. Anyway i can make it so the automatic ones be controlled only by the AI (let us pray)



The tie bars of the motorized AUTOMATIC switches do not move with the blades. But then one can not have everything ! :D


Strange. They move in my RS. Obviously not as visible as the levers.



Could the switch lever and motorized ones be placed near the end of the blades, like shown below and can something be done about using the same ties within switches as elsewhere in the tracks ?


They fall in place at minimum curve radius of 150 degrees. On higher radius they have to be moved. Of course creating hundreds or even thousands of meshes for each and every possible curve radius would be insane :)

As for the shiny surface of the rails, i like it how you've done it, but i guess it's a "static" shinyness? If you look at my screenshots, you'll observe they shine more or less depending on the circumstances (time of day, sunny/cloudy, position of the camera...)

Besides, i will include 12 more track rules, so the levers and point motors will appear on the left or right, depending on which rule is applied, and also the winter textures that were left out of the pack. I couldn't find photographs suiting my needs, so they're CCG's with PSP.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/Manuelchu/RS/siegen_nieve.jpg

Regards

Manuel

[rjdiii]

Hi all, thanks for your comments. I'm sorry for not showing up earlier, it's just that i've been very busy with other matters the last two weeks.


They fall in place at minimum curve radius of 150 degrees. On higher radius they have to be moved. Of course creating hundreds or even thousands of meshes for each and every possible curve radius would be insane :)

Regards

Manuel

Hi Manuel,

Do you think it would be possible to reduce the minimum radius? I tried recreating some Y's and loops and they don't fit in the "prototypical" space at 150.

Thanks

Richard

[OTTODAD]

Phew, I thought that you had given up working on them, Manuel ! I am running out of RS things to do ! :(

Thought it's more practical for the player if all switches can be moved manually. Anyway i can make it so the automatic ones be controlled only by the AI (let us pray)

The IOW Automatic switches can also be thrown in Freeroam mode when clicking on their motor housings, just like the manual ones, but can not be moved in Standard Scenarios.

I would not lose any sleep over that, Standard player scenarios having other limitations I do not like and guess that others also do not !

Switch blades tie bars. They move in my RS. Obviously not as visible as the levers.

Sorry, Manuel, I was looking at Pere's Renfe tie-bars ! Your's look and move perfectly !

Being a nit-picker where tracks and switches are concerned, ;) I noticed this gap between the switches blades and stock rails on both sides.

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-switch-blades.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

I wonder whether it would be possible to have rail chair clips on the outside of tracks in switches ? All RS switches look a bit bare without them. But your's look better even without them ! ;)

As for the shiny surface of the rails, i like it how you've done it, but i guess it's a "static" shininess? If you look at my screenshots, you'll observe they shine more or less depending on the circumstances (time of day, sunny/cloudy, position of the camera...)

Changing tracks of one trackrule type with another is done easily, providing that their graphics have been designed the same way.

I am doing that with my RS-TRACKS-CHANGER which replaces forinstance the B-SB tracks with the Hagen-Siegen ones by simply swapping some of their *.TgPcDx files, not touching the manual switches levers. Changing your rails to my version and back again is then simply a case of running 2 Batch files ! ;)

But changing tracks of one design with a different one can not be done by just changing textures with Batch files.

That's what made Mike Simpson create his RS_Tools_TMB Tracks Changer function, which replaces all references of existing tracks in a route's Tracks.bin file with another non compatible one, again not touching the existing switch levers and it does not matter whether some of the existing curves have a less than 150° radius. Neither does it matter whether the original tracks are electrified or not, the DENMARK-2000 route we tried that with having both. ;)

Replacing default tracks with your's that way their trackbed seems to be a little bit lower, their good looking scattered track bed edges sinking into the terrain, which is not the case when placed for the first time in a scenario, with or without Snap to Terrain having been selected.

The reason for that probably being that your track bed edges go down further than those of default tracks ?

There is also this dark Shadow on the tracks, which moves along as the view gets closer, keeping the same distance ahead of the train.

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-darker-tracks-shade.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

Something to do with a distant viewing range setting, which is noticeable on these hacked by Mike from brown to gray gravel trackbeds as well as the original brown ones ?

Besides, I will include 12 more track rules, so the levers and point motors will appear on the left or right, depending on which rule is applied, and also the winter textures that were left out of the pack. I couldn't find photographs suiting my needs, so they're CCG's with PSP.

This is already perfection we have become used to from you in other train simulators and can only get better ! :D

Using Mike Simpon's method of changing tracks in existing routes of course means that your excellent tracks can be applied to all routes, existing as well as new !

Looking forward to their next release before applying them to another version of OTTO's DENMARK-2000 FREEROAM route ! ;)

Take care, O t t o.

[OTTODAD]

Hi Manuel !

Realized something else you may want to pencil into your TO-DO list when creating left and right of tracks switch levers.

Rotating this switch lever and moving it to the other side of the tracks, it's tie-road now moves contrary to the movement of the blades.

Can't wait to use the final version of your CAMBER tracks ! ;)

Take care, O t t o.

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/camber-tie-bar-b.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[OTTODAD]

Hi Manuel !

You have a PM.

Take care, O t t o.