TC1
Experience New York's Harlem Line, realistically represented in a 3D virtual world. Rule the rails with a fast express train or stop at stations and help to convey commuters along the route.
Accurately representing 40 miles of the former NYC empire; the Trainz Classics Harlem Line project is a carefully researched and convincing railroad simulation experience.
The Harlem Line edition takes advantage features newly added to the ever evolving Trainz platform to realistically model Metro North's operations over the busy line.
Packaged Versions
TC1 was packaged along with TC2 and TRS2006 in the United States by Merscom as "Trainz Railways"
New Features since TRS2006
A number of new functions have been introduced in TC1 relevant to content creators. The following list summarises the new features:
Removal of legacy content
Much of the legacy content from TRS2006 was removed in an effort to streamline the program.
New Freeways feature supporting and including one way and multi-lane roads
There is one kind that support the creation of freeway model, KIND Track. The KIND Track is used to specify a road freeway asset. For example, a two lane road mesh is used for the lanes of the freeway and tags in the config.txt file specify lane configuration.
The example below is for a freeway with 2 lanes; both travelling in the same direction. This would also be used for a one-way road.
username “Road_Freeway_01” grounded 0.4 region “Britain” length 5 width 7.9 bendy 1 kind track type "Roads" uncached_alphas 1 carrate 25 asset-filename “road” kuid <kuid:523:100082> istrack 0 isroad 1 isfreeway 1 numlanes 2
For a freeway with multiple lanes flowing in both directions, a bridge track has to be used. This asset calls up a freeway road model by kuid to be used on the bridge.
The following example uses a bridge track to generate a four lane road (two lanes in each direction), calling up the two lane freeway asset in the previous example.
username “Road_Freeway_02” grounded 0.4 region “Britain” length 5 width 7.9 bendy 1 kind track type "Roads" uncached_alphas 1 carrate 25 asset-filename “road” kuid <kuid:-22:1003> trackoffsets -3.5,3.5 trackdirections 0,1 height 0 rgb 255,200,0 istrack 0 isroad 1 isfreeway 1 numlanes 4 bridgetrack <kuid:523:100082>
Flashing ditch-lights
Operating ditch lights now function for locomotives. The usual attachment point conventions apply for a point placed in the mesh in 3dsmax or gmax.
a.ditch0, a.ditch1 etc
The odd numbered light points flash together, alternating with the even numbered light points.
The flashing rate can be changed in the traincar config.txt file by adding the flash-scale tag.
Ditch lights are toggled in Driver using the ; key
Headlight dimmer system
Locomotives can run with normal or dimmed lights (normal or low beam), use the Shift + L key in Driver.
The intensity of the light may be varied by adding the low-beam-value tag to the traincar config.txt file.
Remodelled roadway traffic featuring working head lights
Cars driving on roads can have operating head and tail lights. Use the nightmode tag in the config.txt file for a car and in the mesh table, include the default-night tag and night mesh file that you create for the vehicle.
The following tags show the entries in the config.txt file.
nightmode "none" mesh-table { default { auto-create 1 mesh “hilux_blue.im” } default-night { mesh “night/gondwana_night.im” night-mesh-base “default” } }
Specifically, the nightmode tag has been updated to support lights that are on for vehicles used as traffic, but off when not moving.
New sound functions for better representation of electric traction
New functions to better represent electric locomotive sounds have been implemented. The options are set in the config.txt file for the KIND Enginesound.
For an electric locomotive, the sound may be considered a speeding up of one wave form, different from diesel or steam locomotives where different sound files are used in “steps”.
The sound used is a single .wav file called engine_loop.wav and must be placed in the directory with the config.txt file. Trainz automatically loads the file of this name.
In non-electric engines, the .wav file used is the base sound (the sound used at zero km per hour). With electric engines there should be no sound at zero speed, and the use of the isfading tag scales the volume, reducing the sound as the speed reduces to zero.
Example:
kind enginesound asset-filename "MN M7 enginesound" kuid <kuid:523:100052> username "MN M7 enginesound" isspeed 4 isfading 1 isramping 0
New interior features
Fonts
TC1 added the ability to define the fonts to be used for the text, alternative to the default font.
Surveyor - Height Control
Holding down the LMB while moving the mouse forward will now raise objects that are height adjustable in increments of 1.0 units. Conversely, moving the mouse backwards will lower the object in the same way. Holding the Ctrl key in conjuction with this move will adjust the objects height in increments of 0.1 units and holding the Shift key will change the height by units of 0.05.
Train controlled sounds, lights and boom gates at build-in road crossings
Add a level crossing road/rail junction from the Scenery Objects Tab in Surveyor, e.g. XING 1 US
Use the Edit Properties dialogue in the Scenery panel to uniquely name the crossing, e.g. Hobotown
Add the crossing lights to both sides of the crossing and name those in accordance with the name given to the crossing,e.g. Hobotownsig1 and Hobotownsig2.
Flexible Cab Signalling system
Add the object “MN Trackside Cabsignal” from the Track Panel / Trackside Objects. This signal controls the states that will be shown by the in cab signalling and is only visible in Surveyor.
Computerised in-cab displays
The computerised M7 cab digitally displays various technical and safeworking data. It can also display the next station name. Add a trigger at the point along the track where you would like the next station name to light up in the cab. The naming convention is simple. If the next station is “Hobotown” then name the trigger as:
xxHobotown
The name will be displayed until the train passes another station-name trigger.
To blank the display add another trigger named xx_
Automatic Train Protection options
Add the “speed_rule” to a session using Surveyor’s “edit session” dialogue. This limits your train’s speed to within the limit as imposed by both the trackside speedboards and the cab signalling system.
Driver - Odometer Trip Meter Display
Add the “Display Custom HUD” rule to a session using Surveyor’s “edit session” dialogue. A new “Trip Meter” field will be added to the Custom Heads Up Display (HUD) which can be reset at anytime by pressing the T key on the keyboard.
New scripting commands
This document does not cover scripting functions and coding in detail, but may refer to necessary scripts for correct functionality. Some of the new scripting functions that have been included in TC1 include:
setgoodfog, setbadfog
To set the density of fog to be used - can use values larger than 1.
setdrawdistance
Sets the drawdistance for the ground and scenery items.
worldplaysound
This is a looping waveform to play a sound in a map.
World Day, World Night
Specifies a function may play during daytime or at night.
playvideo
This is a rule to play a video clip.
locomotive and cabin scripts
These have been developed for each individual locomotive and associated cab, for the in-built models. Each individual script may not use all the available new tags for cab displays.
Users would need to modify these scripts for other uses. Refer to included scripts for the M7, FL9 and P32 locomotives for information. Useful examples are:
- signalinterior.gs
- acmu.gs
- fl9.gs
- p32.gs
- m7.gs
Station.gs There is a new station script used in TC1 to load and unload passengers. The file is Station.gs, found in a number of the MN station assets in TC1. This script operates two platforms. A second script, Station3track.gs will operate three platforms on one station. By comparing the script differences, modified scripts may be created to operate more than three platforms.
The script makes the stopping points of trains more predictable and accurate, provided the following is used to set trigger points on the station tracks in 3dsmax or gmax.
Trigger points in 3dsmax/gmax
A track trigger point should be placed at each end of the platform, and another on the track near the centre of the platform length, for example a.trig1a, a.trig1d and a.trigmain.
Trigger radii are defined in the config.txt file for the station, and 10 metres is suggested for these three trigger points.
Additional trigger points need to be placed in between these three, so the trigger diameters touch along the full length of the track. Place the a.trig1b and a.trig1c points equidistant between the already placed points. Calculate a radius X or Y to suit and enter in the config.txt file for the station.
A maximum value for X or Y should be 75 metres for consistent operation. If larger, place additional intermediate trigger points with reduced radii.
While track attachment points called up in the config.txt file can be used as triggers, it is often more convienient to specify separate trigger points in the 3dsmax/gmax mesh in order to have the trigger diameters touch - track attachment points, particularly for curved stations, are not always in the best locations required for trigger points.
Content Manager functions
New functions of interest to Creators are included in the Miscellaneous screen of Content Manager.
Suppress Asset Warning in Trainz
This allows you to disable the “Missing Asset Screen” displayed when launching a route.
Suppress Asset Database Update at Startup
This allows you to disable the DLS update process every time you start Content Manager or return to it from Trainz. For creators this should speed up the process of creating content when you do not wish to keep checking with the Download Station updates. Note this does not suppress the update of the local assets.tdx file when Content Manager is loaded.
Built-in Objects - Color Display in Driver
Adding the line -showkuids to the Trainzclassicoptions.txt file will show the kuid number of any object selected in Surveyor, in the bottom right of the Surveyor screen. A built-in object will show the kuid in yellow and a custom objects will be shown in red.
Automatic Commit
Modified and imported assets will be committed automatically when launching Trainz from within Content Manager.
