NWE V3,1

Slight delay regarding the release folks (sorry!)
I reported elsewhere that I'd had PC problems.... This was identified as a complete failure of my SSD Primary C: Drive! Apparently this is a relatively rare occurrence, doubly so as the drive was only 2.5 years old. Unfortunately no data could be extracted from the drive (where everything trainsim-wise was stored)  as it completely locked up any system it was attempted to connect to.
The good news is that I had a system image backup from 6 days prior to the failure, which was successfully loaded up, together with a file history backup from about 30 mins prior to the fault. However no msts files are included in the latter.
The up shot is that I've lost 6 days of work on the route, and I'd been busy during that time.....! 2 activities and a raft of error corrections will need to be re-done from scratch
Other than that I consider myself to be very fortunate for having those backups... things would have been catastrophic otherwise. It's not hit me in the pocket either... the drive and labour both were still within warranty....
I decided to buy a lottery ticket!
Cheers
T

Hi Terry,
No worries, mate
Any hard drive, be it SSD or mechanical, can fail at any time.  That is why I have nothing on my C: drive other than the OS and a few programs which insist on installing in Program Files.
Everything else is on other internal drives, which are regularly backed up to external drives.  An image of the C: drive is taken occasionally, the last time was yesterday!

I've been running this home-built PC since 2016 and (I may be tempting providence here!!), have never had a disk drive failure.

Good luck with the Lottery!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Terry

As a veteran of many computer mishaps I know that sinking feeling you must have had. But it's not all bad news - since you only lost the last six days' work it will still be fresh in your mind, and having experienced this in the past I find that redoing the work results in a better product in the end. Having done the first iteration one finds better ways the second time around.

I would dearly love to see you poke a stick at Beeching and reinstate the branch from Ulverston to Lakeside on Lake Windermere. Perhaps the Latimers could take the steamer from Lakeside to Bowness or Ambleside instead of going to Morecambe?

In any event I'm looking forward to the next generation of NWE.

I really appreciate the huge amount of work done in building this monumental route.

Regards

Tony

Now available for download.

https://tsshonline.weebly.com/terrycunliffes-uploads.html

I would recommend that the installation instructions be downloaded, read and digested before deciding whether or not you wish to download everything.

A big thanks to Bob, Ged and Justin for their help and encouragement

T

Thanks for this latest update Terry, Downloaded in a flash with no "C" ups, no mean feat for me.
Act 1 completed and ran as sweet as a Nut (one errant tree at Runcorn).
From light Engine to two run arounds and plenty of AI traffic, so plenty to keep us interested.
I look forward to doing the rest of the Acts.....Neanderthal

Thanks Roger,
From your comments I'm assuming that you ran the route in OR? I'm actually surprised and pleased that the activity (Arpley to Folly Lane?) was completed satisfactorily, but probably minus the extensive AI interaction which I tend to utilise in my activities.
Cheers
T

Hello All

I've downloaded and installed NWE V3.1 and like Roger experienced no problems - the instructions are very clear. As mentioned in the instructions some activities work, and some not in OR (more's the pity). Leeds to Lancaster works, at least over the section I tried, as far as Hellifield. Manchester Airport to Preston generates a fatal error and dismisses the program (OR).

I explored from Lancaster to Carnforth in a pristine Brush Falcon in an immaculate 3D cab (thanks Geoff), and was delighted to see an order of magnitude improvement in the scenery. Lancaster station was much improved and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Carnforth main station building has been "preserved". Fantastic! Coaling plant still there but no ash plant. However it seems that I shall have to add my Nan's house by myself (just joking )

Quite soon I plan to drive 10000/10001 plus full load up Shap, see if they perform as they did in real life.

What was an excellent route is now a magnificent one. Many thanks to Terry, Ged and Bob (Bob I haven't had a chance to drive the Latimers to Morecambe yet). This is a masterpiece and a "magnum opus". It can't be praised highly enough. Terry - very glad you came through your SSD disaster. To have lost this route is unthinkable.

Regards

Tony

PS What a superb collection of rolling stock, and while I think of it the additional documents are very useful.

Hi Tony,
Regarding the Manchester Airport to Preston Activity ...
MSTS also crashes on starting the activity!
I have found several errors in the 'Description' section which would cause a crash but even after corrected those, Open Rails still crashes.
I'm still working on it!

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks for bringing this to my attention...
This is weird...
I ran every activity from start to finish in msts prior to release, (the 1p38 Manchester Airport Preston activity included) without problems.
I've loaded it up in msts, and I concur with Ged, it did crash on start up!    I restarted msts, tried again, and this time the activity started a-ok.
I've since loaded it several times, both 'direct' and also via Trainstore without issue.
As I said 'weird!
T

Hi Ged and Terry

It probably isn't worth spending a lot of time on, since Terry seems to have it working on MSTS. (I only use OR). I was interested because it is a journey I've made, albeit a long time ago (there were actual coaches and a loco!) and in the other direction. But there are plenty of other interesting activities to do I'm really enjoying the route I have the beginnings of an activity D10000 and D10001 Lancaster to Carlisle, so I'm having fun!

Regards

Tony

Hi Tony,
Of course it's worth spending time on, mate

I've advised Terry by PM, but if you're interested, the causes of the crashes are the following consists :

1. expb_brb47552+7mk2mix(rr-tp-br.con
2. expb_ice47406+7mk2mix(br-rr-tp.con
3. expb_ics43195+7icmk3+43071(s15.con
4. expb_icsdvt+8mk3+ics90001(slow.con
5. expb_rr-mt150211(2.con
6. expb_rr150272(2.con
7. expb_rr158737(2.con

Each contains a close bracket within their name.  This means that the name, entered in the TrainCfg entry, must be enclosed within double-quotes.  Item 5 already has a leading double-quotes but required the addition of a trailing double-quotes.

The errors in the 'Description' entries of some .eng files, which I mentioned in my previous post, are still present, but don't seem to have any detrimental effect, except for adding to the 'Warning' messages shown in the OR log !!
Just thinking about that, maybe that's the reason for MSTS sometimes failing to run?  

PLEASE NOTE :  This type of error is not reported by the current version of MSTS_ActMan, but WILL BE in the upcoming v4.1 !!

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks for the info Ged, not that I understand what I would need to do !

BUT, will Actman 4.1 have a fix option for this or will I have to go in  (so to speak) to find these files.
Sorry to be a pain  Roger

IP38 Man Airport to Preston on NWE v3 runs fine, in OR  I've only logged it for poor Brakes and my being 5 mins: late at Preston ?..

Hi Roger,
Sorry, mate, but MSTS_ActMan v4.1 will only report that error, not fix it!

I don't think it'd be too difficult for you to fix it!
The error report will show the error like this :

Invalid Consist File Name - Invalid character/s in value not enclosed within quotes
File : expb_rr150272(2.con
NOTE : The error may be on a line following that indicated.
Line Number : 4  -   TrainCfg ( expb_rr150272(2)

Open the file specified in 'File' in an editor like NotePad; on line 4, add double quotes around  the value after  TrainCfg ( (ie before 'expb' and after '(2)' ) so that the line looks like TrainCfg ( "expb_rr150272(2)"

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged
I'm just in the process of setting up this route and your reference to the TrainCfg errors has enabled me to amend them accordingly.
Many thanks. Alec

Hi All

When I saw the cause of the problem my reaction was "of course   " - just about all problems, especially in OR, are from typos. Terry is in the course of updating the files - he will send copies to me for testing, and if OK he will upload to TSSH - so Roger you probably won't need to hack any files . Ged, good detective work. Adding a check to Actman will be a blessing - I do use Actman a LOT! I look forward to V4.1 being published.

Regards

Tony

Many thanks Ged and Tony, I will await a fix, but in the first place I may well try the fix from Ged,what can go wrong LOL, and I can always reinstall the Route If needs be.

Hi Roger and Tony,
MSTS_ActMan v4.1 is currently with one of my testers. If it gets a clean bill of health it shouldn't be too long before I can release it!

I'm always on the look out to make improvements/enhancements to it, or any of my other utilities, so if you have any ideas, please send me details

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All

Just tested the Manchester Airport to Preston activity and it appears to be incompatible with OR. The result is that although the activity starts the train cannot leave the station because it is prevented from doing so by a signal at danger 15 m ahead of the train. This signal does not change. There is no signal visible so I assume that it is buried, and is there to carry out some action which MSTS can understand, but not OR. I have seen this in the Bernina Route (This was discussed in the TSSH thread "Ferrovie Della Sila / Sila Narrow Gauge Railway" dated 23 Oct 2023). All the above is guesswork on my part of course.

I've PM'd Terry with illustrations of the problem. Included as an attachment.

My view is that if this is not fixable it is not a train crash (deliberate pun) because the route includes so many other attractive and interesting activities - enough to keep anyone happy and busy.

The problem with punctuation is fixed.

Regards

Tony

Attachment didn't upload. Too big (only 600 k?)

Tony

Hi Tony,
If you switch to Manual and back again, the signal will clear - press CTRL+M twice.

Cheers,
Ged

Hello All

Thanks Ged, worked a treat! Of course it did

I successfully (?) completed the activity, 11 minutes late at Preston and within a whisker of over-running the bay buffers. I found it quite difficult, but found things easier after leaving Manchester Piccadilly when I discovered that the throttle also acts as a brake.  There were also surprises still to come.

Terry this was a great activity, I still have a long way to go before I can do it satisfactorily though.

Regards

Tony

Today is Armistice Day (Remembrance Day here in Australia). Lest we forget.

Yes, and done the Liverpool Exchange to Manchester Victoria activity. No problems except my driving. Interesting to find one driving a class 31 and corridor stcck along a single line.
This was in OR.
Am about to try some more activities.
Jonathan

tonya37 wrote:Hello All

Thanks Ged, worked a treat! Of course it did

I successfully (?) completed the activity, 11 minutes late at Preston and within a whisker of over-running the bay buffers. I found it quite difficult, but found things easier after leaving Manchester Piccadilly when I discovered that the throttle also acts as a brake.  There were also surprises still to come.

Terry this was a great activity, I still have a long way to go before I can do it satisfactorily though.

Regards

Tony

Today is Armistice Day (Remembrance Day here in Australia). Lest we forget.

Thanks Tony,
Alas this wasn't one of my activities!
It was probably written way back in early 2012 by Simon (expressboy) This is an example of the issues faced in OR where the stock hasn't been amended to run on that platform, and also the way the physics are handled differently. It's really pot luck whether they run with any sort of resemblance to what was intended by the author.
I'm really pleased that folk are enjoying things 'as is' as I certainly don't have the skill nor the horsepower to make all the amendments that are probably required.
T

Hi Ged, I printed out the page where you listed the Consists that causes MSTS to crash.
I haven't installed it yet but copied the SERVICE and CONSISTS Folders so that I could make
the necessary changes to various files away from the ZIP File.
I've added the leading and trailing quotes where necessary but noted that the Consists 5-7 already
have a closing bracket after the number 2 as they match the TrainCfg entry in the SERVICE
Files
I was puzzled why the first four consists are missing the closing bracket in the File name and
therefore the corresponding TrainCfg line, I am sure the Activity Analyser would report this
as an error and so I added the closing bracket where necessary and found the 4 SERVICES that
used these Consists and amended the TrainCfg line to match the new name.

Cheers
Bob

Hi All,
The corrected files have been uploaded as a patch
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/l16qssm6t2dvk7i7snzpv/NWE_V3-1_Patch-1.zip?rlkey=xn9hxewcflw4365y7wett9xos&dl=0
As an aside, the activities listed on the site under my name are all for V3.0, and shouldn't be used as they've since been upgraded and included in V3,1. I'm hoping that Justin will delete them when he's got a minute
T

Hi Bob and Terry,
@Bob : You must NOT add a close bracket anywhere. If you're not using Terry's patch, you only add quotes around the TrainCfg entry.
The original files did not have quotes around the TrainCfg entries; where those entries include a close bracket MSTS and Open Rails take that close bracket as the end of the TrainCfg section thus omitting all the following lines. The correct close bracket for the TrainCfg entry is second to last one at the end of the file.
Some of the original consists contained an open bracket in the TrainCfg entry, that is taken as an unknown entry within the consist file and may not cause a problem except that the entry doesn't match the file name!

@Terry. Thanks mate - I have downloaded the patch. I have not run the route with the modified files but HAVE compared the files in the patch with the same files in my tested route installation and they all match

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged, thanks for correcting my thoughts about the 2nd opening bracket in the TrainCfg entry line, I've installed the corrected
files in your patch and looking forward to running these Activities on the new version of North West England on MSTS.

Bob

I've just run "6F 66 Harrison Quarry - Hanson Aggregates in OR, it ran lovely (I took 8 mins longer than I should have)..

Good to hear that it ran ok
Quick question?
Has anyone run any of the 2 "binliner" activities yet, either in msts or OR?
Just looking for a bit of feedback.....
Cheers
T

I ran a Binliner act ages ago in OR, not sure if it was one of these two, or an earlier version, but it ran perfectly in OR and was enjoyable to run.

Hi Terry, I have just run "Binliners to Knowesley",It ran perfectly well and was very enjoyable.The  Class 66 runs nicely, no problems with getting it going and up to speed, as there was also no problem in stopping it.
The only problem appears to be a faulty horn on thr Loco, and that's it.
I did have problems with the 2mph shunt, but that's down to me.
Thanks for this upgrade (loved Salford and Man Vic.) So far I have had no problem in any Act running through OR 1.5.1. Neanderthal

Hello Terry, re;Bin liners from Knowesley,

I have found a problem (which could of course could be down to me !
At Wigan keeping to the 30 mph limit I failed to get up the gradient

On a second attempt I did indeed get up the Gradient though dropping to 6mph by the time I was back on the level.
I am sure though this could be down to my Driving style.

Hi

I've missed the thread on this updated route. I have version 3, but what extra is in version 3.1?

Thanks

coolhand101 wrote:Hi

I've missed the thread on this updated route. I have version 3, but what extra is in version 3.1?

Thanks

Here's a snippet from the Route information..

"Version 3,1 is an upgrade to V3.0 mainly in the form of scenery, however some minor trackwork modifications have been made, together with the construction of the Knowsley Freight Terminal in order to support the ‘Binliners’ activities.
Please note that activities for the earlier versions will NOT work on V3,1, although the activities included in V3.0 have been amended so that they will run in this version, (A big Thanks to Bob Latimer) and as such are included as .apk files. Several new activities have also been created.
WARNING If you are planning to unpack the older activities you will need to have TrainStore installed.
It would be advisable to delete V3.0 before installing V3,1"

Cheers
T

Ok Terry, Thanks for the Information. Looking forward to using this newer version!

Thanks