Train Sim Modeler

Hi All,
Oh dear, another useful program bitten the dust (Thanks Abacus!)

The use of TSM has been referred to elsewhere in this Forum, hence this post.

If anyone wants a copy I suggest they do it quickly!
There are two available via Amazon.co.uk; one in "Very Good" condition for £9.99 and one "Like New" for £24.99. There are also 4 copies at Amazon.com - three "Like New" from $39.99 and one "Like New" for $35.99.

Cheers,
Ged

Ged
The demise of this and Michael Vone's guides has a degree of inevitability about it, bearing in mind the recent commercial history for MSTS et al; e.g. EB.
My hope is that between those of us who care about MSTS we will work together to maintain a half decent repository of available documents, etc.
I will be backing my reference stuff up on a third source, as I would be "gutted" to be without much of it. In addition I will be looking to download any MSTS reference material that is not currently in my data base.
Alec

Hi Alec,
Yes, I agree!
I was fortunate to get my copy last year
I am now regularly scouring various sites for anything MSTS in readiness for judgement day - not mine, but that of MSTS !!

Cheers,
Ged

I would suggest, and no doubt several people here are doing so already, but along with backups on your PC & DVD drives etc; cloud based backup is worth considering for those items that you feel are indespensible.

Hi Geoffrey,
I know using Cloud is the "in" thing, but call me old-fashioned, because I don't trust it as much as local off-line backups!
You don't know where your data is stored, whether it's safe or not and you don't know if it'll suddenly disappear if the server it's on goes down, is cyber-attacked, or the company just goes bust!
On the other hand, I can see the benefit of using Cloud based software

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,

Fair points; but remember that most people simply backup either onto another partition on their hard drive; another internal hard drive; a USB hard drive; or a set of DVDs that are kept locked in a drawer.

Unlikely in most cases to be stored in a fire-resistant safe & so not much good if your house should unfortunately go up in flames.

With the increase in availability of FTTC/P broadband and the improved speeds that brings; I would then possibly consider setting up a backup regime using other family members as a store - is secure enough for me.

In theory; with cloud based backups; the data is stored in multiple locations as I understand it - thus if one server goes down; the software automatically re-locates to another one & continues to function as it did before.

I backed up all my WIP MSTS projects to what I had assumed was a second HD in my computer, when drive C: went down I thought all my work was safe on drive D:, it was only after the failure that I found out that both C: and D: were partitions on the same (now broken) drive hence the lot was gone, a computer engineer friend of mine is going to see what he can recover for me.

My registered copy of TSM is on there too, but he recons he can recover the program or the backed up install.exe and the product key for TSM again for me.

If nothing else this thread should serve as a timely reminder about the value of backing up, and in particulat "off computer" so to speak. I have a number of external HDs all with various bits and pieces, and this has stimulated me yet again not to put off another round of back ups!
Alec

PS
Here's a link to an article on Wikipedia that addresses the subject - not sure whether it includes this cloud based option - that may may be worth reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup#Storage_media

Hi There,

I know that TSM was the oroginal default MSTS modelling tool but it is not the only such tool.

3DCrafter from Amabilis is an excellent 3d modelling tool which seems to allow greater detail with higher poly counts which MSTS will accept before failure to load. If you are new to or would like to try to do some modelling for MSTS, I would highly recommend going down the 3DC path.

Hi Everyone,

I have kept this topic in the back of my mind for a while, but I have only just got around to looking into it.

Having followed a link from UKTS to Ben Vincer's website (http://www.bubblesrailways.co.uk/) I found that he had an add up for TSM, as well as a link to the Abacus site (http://www.abacuspub.com/ts/). So I followed this link and low and behold...
Abacus is still offering TSM for sale as download and packaged versions. Now I didn't buy a copy (I already have one), but it would be interesting to see if it was still buyable.

Justin

Interesting find Justin - if it works....noticed that Michael Vone's Routebuilding Guide is there too.

Hi,
Sorry to disappoint you, but if you follow the links to : http://www.abacuspub.com/ts/ you'll see that it's no longer available. Unfortunately, the abacuspub.com/ts page is still 'live' and gives the impression the software is still being sold. The new site address is http://www.abacuspub.com/shop/index.php and makes no reference to Train Simulator

I have contacted Michael Vone and he said he was considering re-issuing his tutorial, possibly as freeware - if I learn any more, I post it here!

Cheers,
Ged

Oh well, so close yet so far.
I'll go back into my cave now before I frighten the locals too much.

Justin

Hi Gentlemen,
I hope there's no rule about resurrecting old threads on this Forum   

I've been in touch with Louis Sinclair, the creator of Train Sim Modeler.
He is talking with Abacus with a view to getting TSM available again. He is also aware of the problem caused by the 16 bit installer under 64 bit Operating Systems, so I hope this may be resolved.

As, and when, I get any more information, I'll post it here, as well as on UKTS and trainsim.com

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged.

No problem re: resurrecting old threads as long as the post is useful, interesting or relevant.  

Thanks for the update, lets hope that Louis can make it available again.  

Hi,
Starting another of my investigations, I've found a simpler way of installing TSM into a 64 bit OS - well, I think it's simpler - it takes longer to write down than to do!!

I obtained the details from this site : http://www.reactos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10988 and it does seem to work OK - TSM installed and let me enter my registration key.
1. Create a temporary folder on your hard drive - maybe called TSM.
2. Create a folder within TSM called TSM-CD - ensure it is NOT read-only.
3. Copy all the files off the TSM CD into folder TSM-CD.
4. Go to the website linked above and download Is3engine.zip (about 1/3rd way down page) into folder TSM.
5. Unpack Is3engine.zip to end up with a folder called Is3engine which contains a file setup32.exe.
6. Copy setup32.exe into folder TSM-CD. This folder already contains setup.exe, which may be deleted, to avoid confusion.
7. To install TSM, run setup32.exe.

The folders may have whatever name/s you wish and all files can be stored in one instead of two. I used two in an attempt to make the procedure clear. It goes without saying (but I will!) that all folders, including where TSM is finally installed, should NOT be in Program Files or Program Files (x86).

You may also have other Abacus TSM files, v1.1 Update, TSM Help and TSM Library. The Help file may not be required as the main program includes a Help function; also, the v1.1 update appears to be the complete updated program. Unfortunately, this procedure doesn't work for those files, but I'm still investigating  

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All,
This is an update on my previous post.
I'm having quite a good day today  
I mentioned the three files which also use a 16-bit installer : AbacusTSMHelp.exe, AbacusTSMLibrary.exe and AbacusTSM.exe; these are all downloads, the last one being the complete v1.1 of TSM which was available directly from Abacus. The Help and Library files are, I believe, updates for the original v1.0 (CD) version of TSM.
I have now discovered how to install these into a 64-bit OS - and it doesn't involve a 32-bit OS installation!!

1. Run the .exe file and when you get the message box "Unsupported 16-Bit Application" displayed - STOP - DO NOT click OK
2. Go to C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Temp
3. Find a folder that's just been created - it'll have an odd name (mine is ~EXB0000) and in it you'll find a folder called DISK1
4. Copy DISK1 to a safe place; if you have more than one .exe file to be installed, I suggest you rename it to reflect its contents.
5. Now click OK on the "Unsupported...." message box and you'll see the original DISK1 folder disappear (but you've saved it, haven't you??!). Click to remove the subsequent boxes.
6. Go to where you saved the new DISK1 folder and add setup32.exe (see my previous post) into it.
7. Open the folder and run setup32.exe, as Administrator - the installation should continue normally.

There are two, relatively small, things which don't work - first is that when the installation is progressing, the message "Setup is creating icons" is displayed, but they aren't! Secondly, if you try to uninstall TSM or a part of TSM, it may not always work.

Cheers,
Ged

slipperman12 wrote:It goes without saying (but I will!) that all folders, including where TSM is finally installed, should NOT be in Program Files or Program Files (x86).

Mmmm . . .

My TSM is installed in Program Files\Abacus\TS Modeler and works, although I have yet to attempt an export. Can someone say whether I will have potential problems when I start TSM proper in November?

Hi Alec,
My TSM is installed in Program Files (x86) on W7 with no problems although I think I may have had to go through the 'giving myself permission' Windows fiasco as I used each folder..
Obviously my MSTS is well away from the dreaded Windows Program Files.

Cheers
Clive

Clive

Thanks for the reply, and I did "fiddle" with permissions, etc.

Hi Gentlemen,
As you've pointed out, permissions have to be amended if C:\Program Files, etc., is used.  By installing elsewhere you avoid that hassle!  I install any programs associated with MSTS/Open Rails/TS 2014 away from Program Files; the same goes for several graphics programs!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi All,
I'm very pleased to announce that Louis Sinclair has succombed to my pestering and made Train Sim Modeler available again, only this time as freeware  It's the same as the final version which was available from Abacus (v1.1) and installs without problem on XP, Win 7 and Win 8 / 8.1, both 32- and 64-bit.  The default installation folder is C:\TrainSim Modeler, but may be changed to any other location you wish, but I don't recommend the Program Files / Program Files (x86) duo!! May I ask that you read the various screens which display while installing, because Louis hasn't been able to remove all the Abacus references.  Also, if Help > About is selected, it shows as a Demonstration version - it isn't!!

This completes my self-imposed trilogy of tasks to get the ex-Abacus MSTS tutorials back "on the market".  I'd like to thank the respective authors, on behalf of the MSTS Community, for their help in making their very valuable documents available again :

Michael Vone for "Step-by-Step Guide to Building Routes for Microsoft Train Simulator" - available from trainsim.com (MSTS-RBG.zip) and UKTS (File ID 31574)
Rich Garber for  "Step by Step Guide to Train Sim Activities" - available on his website :  http://allaboardrails.com/  for $10
and, of course, Louis for "Train Sim Modeler"  - available on his website :  http://www.rundiomusic.com/SimDownloads

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks Ged. That's brilliant news.

I have got it downloading now, was dreading going through that rigmarole of installing the disk version onto Win 7.

It's installed perfectly on win 7 no problems or fiddling around at all.

Ged
I believe I speak for many simmers when I say Thank You for all your efforts in getting these three invaluable resources made available again.

PS
I have TSM installed in Program Files and so far I haven't had any problems! However, it is my intention to relocate it to your suggested location.

Hi Alec,

I have TSM installed in Program Files and so far I haven't had any problems!

When I was testing for Louis, I tried TSM in Program Files (x86); it worked OK until exporting to MSTS when it reported an error as "no error"!!  It wasn't exported.  It might be because I haven't set up my permissions correctly for the Program Files folders to be used that way, but since I keep everything TrainSim-wise away from them, I wasn't worried.  If you find it works, that's fine by me

Incidentally, Louis has said he might consider enhancing TSM to take account of more modern graphics techniques, obviously with a eye on its use for Open Rails (my interpretation, but whether it'll remain as freeware is anybody's guess!)

Cheers,
Ged

slipperman12 wrote:

Incidentally, Louis has said he might consider enhancing TSM to take account of more modern graphics techniques, obviously with a eye on its use for Open Rails (my interpretation, but whether it'll remain as freeware is anybody's guess!)

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
That is fantastic news if he does go down this Route...... After all if anyone can this guy can as a Software Developer..... I'm going to download this also and see how it installs....
Hopefully this will work perfectly when Windows 9 Comes out??
Cheers
Andy