Deano's Trainz Thread

[UP SD40-2]

Steven Glad you got the United engine working!

nutbar, DOH!, i thought you had that TrainMaster as 3000, ooops, my bad :oops: . I really like your pic too! :mrgreen:

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**As i did two routes today, i done some thinking about some stuff pertaining to my current situation, and Trainz.

Like i mentioned before, between the uncertainty of work, and just being flat out depressed with having a space so small to put a layout up, espessially since its been that way for what seems now like an eternity , i am finding more and more that Trainz is really just what i needed at this point of time.
Dont get me wrong, i still enjoy modeling, i at the very least do it every Saturday at dads, though he has been gone for the last two weekends, and will be at my sisters next weekend, so the modeling there has been None for a bit. I enjoy all my models, heck, i have over 130 engines, and countless freight and passenger cars, literally THOUSANDS of dollars worth of stuff, and not a place right npw to do anything with it except run some of it at dads on the weekends...kinda depressing till i can move.

As i was running two routes today i got a chance to realize some of the real pluses Trainz is bringing me , not a permanent replacement to modeling by anymeans, but a really great thing for me at this time, in this real small apartment.

Some positive things that came to mind:

1- I now have just about every kind of engine i could possibly ever want in Trainz, engines i couldnt even begin to get in HO scale, and more engines then i have in models.

2- The TOTAL cost of the game, plus the money i have spent to get the HUGE UP EMPIRE i now have HAS COME OUT TO $70.00 LESS THEN the cost of JUST ONE of my average run of the mill HO engines with a sound decoder , that was a real mind blower, THOUSANDS, i mean literally THOUSANDS of dollars i have tied up in models, compared to having more stuff in Trainz then models i have for less then the cost of just ONE simple engine.

3- Layout size in Trainz can be as HUGE as i wish, and can constantly change for FREE! i have made a route that took me over four hours to run through it, and thats without seeing the same spot twice. try running a Big Boy on an 8'x 30'' table

4- NO sound decoder expenses, EVERY engine has sound, lights horn, bell, and i can even ride in the cab if i wish. (those engines really thunder through the routes with my 5.0 surround sound )

5- I run in ANY real life type enviroment, rain, snow, sun, clowdy, heck the clouds even move across the sky as your running.

6- NO mess, no lost parts while trying to put a model together, those are big problems in a small apartment .

7- When pulling into an industry NO PRETENDING that your tankers, Hoppers or what ever are getting loaded or unloaded, THEY ARE, AND YOU SEE IT!

8- cars, trucks, ALL move on the layout, they stop at lights, stop signs, and crossings, oh yea, the crossing lights flash and the bell rings on them too.

9- Way bills, signals, speed zones, warnings come across the wire, horn/bell usage, etc. all are done in Trainz, just like with our models, only you can do it all from inside the cab.

I guess my biggest thing is size, cripes, dads layout is pretty big, but if i took just the UP yard and engine facility i have created in Trainz, it would take 3 layouts the size of dads to make it in HO. Yep, size, here i sit in my small room and yet because of Trainz i can run routes that are virtually limitless without seeing the same spot twice.
Good therapy to tide me over till things can stabilize and i can move to a place where i will have enough room to run my HO Big Boy, cab forwards, SD90/43MAC's etc. once again.

So here i sit, now taking a small space here at The Gauge once again showing i as usual, march just a little off beat but hope some might find some of this interresting for a bit.

**Like i mentioned, i made two runs today since dad wasnt home, the first one was a frieght run, took just over four hours to complete, the second run was an excursion run on the Rock Valley sub with a Hiawatha Hudson :mrgreen: . below is a couple shots from both runs, mostly wanted to show off a few diesels on the freight run.