More to come soon as we head out of the UK...
Builder of Digital Trains and other Add Ons for the Train Simulator series
Thursday, 21 January 2016
USATC S160: Liveries, Part 3
Another quick update showing the British Railways livery as sometimes run on S160 No. 5820 "Big Jim" under preservation in the UK. Although never applied at the time this livery could very well have happened had the UK kept any of the S160's and put them into regular service in the 1950's.
More to come soon as we head out of the UK...
More to come soon as we head out of the UK...
Friday, 15 January 2016
USATC S160: Liveries, Part 2
Just a quick update today showing off the Longmoor Military Railway livery with FDR nameplate.
More liveries to follow...
More liveries to follow...
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
USATC S160: Liveries, Part 1
Happy New Year!
It's finally 2016, and this is definitely the year that the S160 will be released! It's been a very long road to create this locomotive with the level of authenticity that we desire in our add-ons. We've spoken to people from all over the world gathering information and it's been quite a chase to make sure the details are just so.
But after spending many more hours than normal creating the alternative components and set ups we are now in a position to start making the chosen liveries and over the next couple of weeks we will reveal them all in a few blog posts.
Following on from the last images of the preserved USATC Grey livery here is a picture of 4 versions of the same livery.
From left to right the coupling/brake types are: Buckeye/Air (USA), Willison/Air (USSR), Hook/Vacuum (UK) and Hook/Air (Anywhere!). Each one of these has numerous options and the Hook/Air version has a specific option for Polish dials.
Next up is a static loco and tender (non-drivable) that represents the S160 as they were shipped from the USA. Covered with wooden packing and loaded aboard ships (usually on top) all of the markings were painted out to deny easy identification from enemy shipping and submarines.
Can you guess at how long the working life of an S160 was intended to be?
Just 90 days! The locos were produced en-mass and expected to be disposable and used for a single purpose, to help the Allies to move equipment, supplies and troops all over the world. It's remarkable that so many survive to this day on preserved lines - and even more remarkable that some were still in daily service up until the 1990's!
Below is the typical S160 as seen all over the world during World War 2, worn and very well used.
This livery will also be available in all 4 set ups as listed above.
Some tenders had additional lettering..
.. and as with anything in WW2, US soldiers liked to add graffiti when given the chance.
UK troops had their own message for "Uncle Sam" which appeared on a few S160 tenders as well, but you'll have to wait and buy the add-on to see that one ;-)
It's finally 2016, and this is definitely the year that the S160 will be released! It's been a very long road to create this locomotive with the level of authenticity that we desire in our add-ons. We've spoken to people from all over the world gathering information and it's been quite a chase to make sure the details are just so.
But after spending many more hours than normal creating the alternative components and set ups we are now in a position to start making the chosen liveries and over the next couple of weeks we will reveal them all in a few blog posts.
Following on from the last images of the preserved USATC Grey livery here is a picture of 4 versions of the same livery.
From left to right the coupling/brake types are: Buckeye/Air (USA), Willison/Air (USSR), Hook/Vacuum (UK) and Hook/Air (Anywhere!). Each one of these has numerous options and the Hook/Air version has a specific option for Polish dials.
Next up is a static loco and tender (non-drivable) that represents the S160 as they were shipped from the USA. Covered with wooden packing and loaded aboard ships (usually on top) all of the markings were painted out to deny easy identification from enemy shipping and submarines.
Can you guess at how long the working life of an S160 was intended to be?
Just 90 days! The locos were produced en-mass and expected to be disposable and used for a single purpose, to help the Allies to move equipment, supplies and troops all over the world. It's remarkable that so many survive to this day on preserved lines - and even more remarkable that some were still in daily service up until the 1990's!
Below is the typical S160 as seen all over the world during World War 2, worn and very well used.
This livery will also be available in all 4 set ups as listed above.
Some tenders had additional lettering..
.. and as with anything in WW2, US soldiers liked to add graffiti when given the chance.
UK troops had their own message for "Uncle Sam" which appeared on a few S160 tenders as well, but you'll have to wait and buy the add-on to see that one ;-)
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
USATC S160: First in-game pictures
Well it's been quite some time since the last blog post about the S160 but we have been hard at work on the first livery - which has involved a lot of set up work for the numerous options that will be available but which will make all the other liveries (currently planned at 9!) much quicker to create.
Also each variation where relevant will be available in one or more of 4 combinations of coupling and brakes: Hook/Vacuum, Hook/Air, Buckeye/Air, Wilson(USSR)/Air. All come with country appropriate lighting.
USSR versions will also be available as standard gauge and 1520mm gauge.
We had hoped to bring you these pictures sooner but then the team at Steam Sounds Supreme dropped the first set of sound files on our desk in the middle of last week and we had a great time integrating those, and I have to say they sound fantastic. They include 2 sound sets to differentiate the different set-ups some of the preserved locomotives have from the originals, and SSS have done it again with their dynamic whistle which sounds incredible. We've also brain stormed with them on a way to make the dynamic whistle operable without requiring the whistle cord meaning you can operate it from outside the cab now as well!
So the first version we present today is the livery seen on preserved loco 5820 "Big Jim" which will be available using all 4 coupling/brake options.
We'll be bringing many more blog posts to you in the new year with regular updates as we create each livery and we'll try to show some of the components and set ups that you can select for each loco, but they are literally into the thousands of combinations!
Until then we'd like to thank you all for your amazing support in 2015 and to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Also each variation where relevant will be available in one or more of 4 combinations of coupling and brakes: Hook/Vacuum, Hook/Air, Buckeye/Air, Wilson(USSR)/Air. All come with country appropriate lighting.
USSR versions will also be available as standard gauge and 1520mm gauge.
We had hoped to bring you these pictures sooner but then the team at Steam Sounds Supreme dropped the first set of sound files on our desk in the middle of last week and we had a great time integrating those, and I have to say they sound fantastic. They include 2 sound sets to differentiate the different set-ups some of the preserved locomotives have from the originals, and SSS have done it again with their dynamic whistle which sounds incredible. We've also brain stormed with them on a way to make the dynamic whistle operable without requiring the whistle cord meaning you can operate it from outside the cab now as well!
So the first version we present today is the livery seen on preserved loco 5820 "Big Jim" which will be available using all 4 coupling/brake options.
We'll be bringing many more blog posts to you in the new year with regular updates as we create each livery and we'll try to show some of the components and set ups that you can select for each loco, but they are literally into the thousands of combinations!
Until then we'd like to thank you all for your amazing support in 2015 and to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Tuesday, 22 December 2015
DLC Christmas Sale
It's Christmas! And that can mean lots of things - one of which is the annual Steam Christmas sale.
Everything from Victory Works is included at a great 55% off so grab yourself some bargains for the festive period.
Click on any picture below to go directly to the Steam page, or click here to see all of Victory Works DLC on Steam.
We are also pleased to announce that tomorrow we will be posting our first images of one of the USATC S160 liveries in the game, so keep an eye out for that.
Everything from Victory Works is included at a great 55% off so grab yourself some bargains for the festive period.
Click on any picture below to go directly to the Steam page, or click here to see all of Victory Works DLC on Steam.
We are also pleased to announce that tomorrow we will be posting our first images of one of the USATC S160 liveries in the game, so keep an eye out for that.
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Thanksgiving Sale!
It's time for that all important US holiday, Thanksgiving. And so everyone can benefit from it all Train Simulator add-ons on Steam are a huge 55% off!
Everything from Victory Works is included so grab yourself a bargain or two.. or three.. or four!
Click on any picture below to go directly to the Steam page, or click here to see all Victory Works DLC on Steam.
Friday, 6 November 2015
USATC S160: Cab, Part 2
After this we built the regulator which is unusual compared to a standard UK style lever that rotates in a clock fashion. The S160 regulator is fixed at a slightly tilted angle, and is pulled/pushed to open and close the regulator valve. It also has a locking lever as it was not uncommon for the steam pressure to open the regulator by itself.
Next up were the different brake types, and of course some more optional components as well.
Westinghouse brake control.
Squeezing in a UK vacuum brake - much as the original engineers had to!
A Matrosov brake control, as used in Russia and Poland. Also seen here is the screw reverser as opposed to the more common lever reverser.
And finally an alternate firebox door and a conversion of the regulator to place the operating lever above the drivers head - and presumably close enough to use while seated!
So ahead now lies the infamous task of unwrapping everything we've shown so far (and probably some parts we've forgotten) and starting to arrange them into order and apply textures.
We'll end this section with a render of the whole loco in a reasonably original state, set up as it would have been for use in the UK in the early 1940's.
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