Cresston V4 Update - Railworks 3

Just a few recent shots showing the latest development on the route.

Titanic - Birth Of A Legend

Yes, more Titanic, but enormously interesting with some fantastic CGI to try and paint a picture of what life was like when Titanic was being built.

Settle to Carlisle Line - Railworks 3

The iconic Settle to Carlisle line has now been released for Railworks 3 and has been met with very positive reaction. The following is taken from the Steam page, where the route can be purchased.

About the Game

The Settle-Carlisle Expansion Pack is a superb modern recreation of this famous and beautiful British route, complete with 5 locomotives and rolling stock.

Famous for its Ribblehead Viaduct and stunning scenery, the Settle-Carlisle line has long been a favourite amongst rail fans – especially since it famously escaped closure in the late 1980s. It is also well-known as a triumph of engineering against the odds, as a huge workforce was assembled to work in extremely tough conditions. The line is home to some dramatic constructions, such as the Ribblehead Viaduct and Blea Moor Tunnel, and rises to the highest point on the British main line at 1,169 feet (356m) above sea level. The line endured and won a five-year battle against closure in the late 1980s, and has since remained a favourite with enthusiasts who come from far and wide to ride on the line every year.

Now you can drive trains along this inspiring stretch of line, battling the gradients through the ‘three peaks’ and admiring the views as you drive over (and sometimes beneath) this wonderful landscape. With modern and preserved locomotives to drive, there is something for everyone on the Settle-Carlisle.

Key Features

Highly detailed route from Settle, North Yorkshire to Carlisle, Cumbria including the Ribblehead Viaduct, Carlisle Station and all stations and landmarks along the line.

Class 66 locomotive in EWS livery
Class 37 locomotive in EWS livery
Class 158 DMU
‘Leander’ Jubilee Class 4-6-0 steam locomotive
Preserved LMS 4F 0-6-0 steam locomotive
Rolling stock including HAA and HTA hoppers, PCA tankers and Crimson Mk1 coaches

Scenarios:

Learning the Ropes Pt1 (Class 66 EWS)
Learning the Ropes Pt2 (Class 66 EWS)
Learning the Ropes Pt3 (Class 66 EWS)
The Final Run Pt1 (Class 158 DMU)
The Final Run Pt2 (Class 158 DMU)
A Fair Return (Class 158 DMU)
Waking Up the Neighbours (Class 37 EWS)
Left Behind (Class 66 EWS)
Midwinter Rescue (Class 37 EWS)
Settle Down (Class 158 DMU)
An Uphill Struggle (Class 37 EWS)
Taking Stock (LMS Jubilee ‘Leander’)
The Ribble Run Around (preserved LMS 4F)
Contingency Measures (Class 158 DMU)
Plus 3 free roams

Titanic - Ghosts Of The Abyss

Isn't a blog supposed to be about general thoughts and ramblings of the author as well? Yes, it is!

With the 100th anniversary of the maiden voyage and subsequent sinking of Titanic rapidly approaching, this sets someone like me into overdrive simply because I am an avid "sponge", a person that loves history and likes to soak up as much information as possible.

Many will know that the most successful (and quite accurate but not quite!) movie about that fateful voyage was the 1997 release from James Cameron. Some may also know that Cameron is also a quite successful deep sea explorer and has visited the wreck on many occasions, both before and after the release of the film.

What some may not know is that several years after the release of the film, he returned to the wreck with new technology to explore as had never been done before, taking a rather sceptical (and scared!) Bill Paxton, an actor from the film.

What resulted was a marvellous unscripted documentary which I have linked to below and can be viewed in full 1080p HD. It really is a masterpiece of film making and some of the underwater photography is mind blowing.

It's also due out for release on Blu-Ray shortly as well, certainly a purchase I want to make to add to the growing collection.

Class 105 In Development - Railworks 3

It has just been brought to my attention that IHH are now developing a DMU, the Class 105 built by Cravens Ltd between 1956 and 1959.

More information about this class can be found here.

Batten Down The Hatches! - Railworks 3

Tomorrow evening at roughly 19:00 UK time, there will be a core software update to Railworks 3. It is important that you back up any of your work to be on the safe side. The following is taken from the RailSimulator.com website.

Train Simulator 2012 will be updated on Steam around 19:00 (UK time) on 8 February. This will be an automatic update for all TS2012 users as soon as you next go online.

We have worked hard to ensure that this is a trouble-free migration with full backwards compatibility - however, if you make content, make sure you have backed up before the upgrade starts. (See below for details of how to backup)

This update fixes a number of reported problems with TS2012 and should improve the performance for many of you.

We hope you will continue to enjoy Train Simulator 2012. Thanks from everybody at RailSimulator.com.

Content creators - hints for backing up

1) Backup your source assets: In the TS2012 Launch Window, click on “Tools & Docs”. Click on “Open the Source Folder”. Copy everything to a backup drive or directory

2) Backup Content: Use the Package Manager to create packages (*.RWPs) of all of your key routes, scenarios etc. Save this to a backup drive or directory.

Key change list-

Fix for floating grills

Digital Clocks illuminate at night

Less GPU stalling at high frame rates

FXAA replaces MLAA

Brake pipe pressure gauge fully working in HUD

Fix for mixed double head steam running out of fuel

Fix for facing double head steam fighting

Particle optimisations (e.g. exhaust effects)

Multicore improvements

Superelevation works on 3D track

Smoothed ‘dirty network building’ to stop stutters

FXAA less blurry when SSAA enabled

Electric power on 3rd rail with no pantograph

Scenery decals are correctly lit

Seasonal lighting up times

Anti-Aliasing issues with precipitation fixed

Smoothness improvements in scenery streaming