Blue Comet 2 loco problem

Most of the route and stock are fine but when I try to run the Blue Comet express I get this a red, then yellow flashing area which starts from the cab and spreads across the screen. I can't work out how to include a screenshot here but you can download it at
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qo5gci7i3cid5xb2uez25/Blue-Comet.doc?rlkey=iybpu7w48yqfq5pu7ao6j62xp&dl=0
Any suggestions? Something to do with firebox glow?
Otherwise it is a nice route, even if not very fast (expresses doing 40 mph a lot of the time).
Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,
I don't, currently, have this route installed.
I seem to have seen something similar a long time ago which, I believe, was something to do with the signal lights. This especially affected routes built for MSTS. I think the textures need to be changed when running Open Rails.

I'll see if I can get the route installed and check it out.  In the meantime, somebody else may come up with the definitive solution (hopefully!!).

Please confirm which version of Open Rails you are running.

Cheers,
Ged

EDIT : I've now got the route installed!
Can you please tell me which activity, or which consist and path, you were using when you took that screenshot?

There are two activities called BlueComet4203 and BlueComet4206, one in each direction. The same happens with both. The locos are in the folder ZTC_CNJ_Pacific - there are three.
I am using the latest stable version of Open Rails.
Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,
Thanks, mate

I set the route up as an Open Rails installation. Using activity BlueComet4203, under Open Rails Stable version 1.5.1, I ran 831 for about 5 and a half miles from Jersey City Terminal and didn't have the problem shown in your screenshot. The only addition I had to make was to copy smokemain.ace from MSTS default into the GLOBAL/TEXTURES folder to avoid the 'blocky' smoke.

When you say you're using the 'latest stable version', I hope you mean v1.5.1!!

Previously, I said I suspected the signal lights texture but that isn't so - the MSTS lightglow.ace file is NOT in my Open Rails GLOBAL/TEXTURES folder. As a test, I added that file and drove past the first two sets of signals, again without any problem.

Do you have any other routes in the same installation as Blue Comet Lines? If so, do they have the same problem? If not it's caused by something in the BCL route.
If BCL is in its own installation, do you have the same problem with other installations? If so, then it could be due to one of your Open Rails or graphic card settings
Whichever it is, if you could upload the OR log file (or, probably, make it available using something like Google Drive) we may be able to spot something.

Sorry this isn't much use to you, but it's all I can come up with at the moment!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Both
Although I do not have this route or loco on my system I did come across a similar situation whilst editing an engine file.
I traced the offending light source to an electric shoe pick up on a class 442.
MT_DB_442/MT_DB_442_DTS.
This was showing a BLACK wall of light when viewed from behind the loco, similar to your example, because of the following setting:-
Light (
comment( 3rd Rail shoe )
Type ( 0 )
Conditions (
Headlight ( 0 )
Service ( 0 )
Weather ( 0 )
Unit ( 0 )
)
FadeIn ( 0.5 )
FadeOut ( 0.5 )
Cycle ( 0 )
States ( 4
State (
Duration ( 0.3 )
LightColour ( ff00ccff )
Position ( -1.20 0.15 6.4 )
Azimuth ( -180 -180 -180 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 4 )
)
State (
Duration ( 0.1 )
LightColour ( 80000000 )
Position ( -1.20 0.15 6.4 )
Azimuth ( -180 -180 -180 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 4 ) Changed to 0
)
State (
Duration ( 0.2 )
LightColour ( 8000ccff )
Position ( -1.20 0.15 6.4 )
Azimuth ( -180 -180 -180 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 3 )
)
State (
Duration ( 55 )
LightColour ( 80000000 )
Position ( -1.20 0.15 6.4 )
Azimuth ( -180 -180 -180 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 100 ) Changed to 0
)
)
)
By changing the radius vales to to 0 on the states with a light colour 80000000, the black wall of light disappeared.
By the position of your wall of light it looks as though it could be related perhaps to a light source for a flickering firebox glow.
I’m not sure if this will help or give you direction for further investigation but fingers crossed anyway
Cheers both
Terry W.

Hi Terry,
I think that all you've done is to turn that 'light' off!!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi again both,
Yes you are quite right Ged. My “black wall” I needed to turn off completely.
As I do not have Jonathan’s loco installed I thought that I would experiment with one that used a flickering firebox….. CCW_BR_O1_31064/ ccw_br_o1_31064.
By changing the flickering firebox radius entries from their original settings to 100 I was able to generate the image shown here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QWYwax6AAoBnc7PIML1OyVifsBlfo43w/view?usp=sharing

The changes within the engine file light section are as below…Just radius entries.

Light (
comment( Flickering firebox )
Type ( 0 )
Conditions (
Headlight ( 0 )
Unit ( 0 )
)
FadeIn ( 0.5 )
FadeOut ( 0.5 )
Cycle ( 0 )
States ( 2
State (
Duration ( 0.5 )
LightColour ( eeff8800 )
Position ( 0 2.1 -3.0 )
Azimuth ( -180 -180 -180 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 100 ) Originally was 1.3
)
State (
Duration ( 0.3 )
LightColour ( eeff8800 )
Position ( 0 2.1 -3.0 )
Azimuth ( -180 -180 -180 )
Transition ( 0 )
Radius ( 100 ) Originally was 1.1
)
)
)

The result seems to be the same as Jonathan's issue however as I do not have his original loco .eng file to hand I can't be 100% sure.

Cheers again
TW

Thanks. Yes, firebox glow makes sense. I'll experiment, but not today as it is our model railway club day.
Jonathan

Hi Terry,
While I agree that what you suggest is a possibility, I wonder why I don't have the same problem with the same route, same loco and same location when using the same version of Open Rails?
It's a bit of a puzzle!!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged
To pass an hour I thought I would download the offending route and stock which are the subject of this thread and see if I could replicate the issue that Jonathan has encountered but if I understand correctly, not yourself!!

I have downloaded the route ok but do not seem to be able to obtain the loco file ZTC_CNJ_Pacific. Any ideas where I could try please? a search on Trainsim.co proved fruitless.

Cheers
TW

Hi Terry,
When the route is installed, there a file named BCLreqd2.txt. This gives a full list of the required stock.
The second on the list is ztbcall.zip - MSTS CNJ Blue Comet Complete Set, File ID 75489 - this contains the loco you're looking for!

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks Ged . I have them now but will have to leave things for the time being. May get chance to have a look tomorrow, domestic chores permitting.

Terry

Good Morning both,

I have had a look at the .eng file for ZTC_CNJ_Pacific /831-Heavy-Pacific but could not see any problems with the lighting block that would cause Jonathans "wall of fire".
So I put a problem in....by changing the radius values for the lighting firebox section all to 100. This caused a result as shown in the linked screenshots.
It would seem as though somehow Jonathans lighting block has a problem. If you were able to post the firebox section of the lights we may be able to see what that problem may be ....if any.
I have enclosed also a re-written .eng file that works ok on my system both with MSTS and OR. Comparison with the other two pacific .eng file will show the changes.
One other issue that I found was an extra bracket ) between the two injector blocks of text in the engine section. This I removed.
I will have to leave it for today now but would be interested to know, Jonathan, if you are able to get to the source of this lighting issue.

Link to files:- https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PGu6DRBSFaOATZ4AUhHWtfI40FlDysjY?usp=drive_link

Cheers both

Terry W.