Routes to Open Rails

[m10bob]

Hello..Love the features of Open Rails but having been gone from train simming for some time, I have a lot to learn.

I have failed several attempts to add a commercial copy of SANDPATCH ROUTE to Open Rails.
It is recognized in Conbuilder and in Route Riter as being in my system, and even shows within the route folder of the MSTS folder, but the route itself is not on the list of routes within Open Rails?

Using win10, HP Pavilion and I have tried it with my security off and on...Thank you...Bob

[crstagg]

Hello..Love the features of Open Rails but having been gone from train simming for some time, I have a lot to learn.

I have failed several attempts to add a commercial copy of SANDPATCH ROUTE to Open Rails.
It is recognized in Conbuilder and in Route Riter as being in my system, and even shows within the route folder of the MSTS folder, but the route itself is not on the list of routes within Open Rails?

Using win10, HP Pavilion and I have tried it with my security off and on...Thank you...Bob

Two possible reasons:

You are not looking for the right name?
Open the install where you installed Sandpatch, go to the folder ...(install)..\Routes\Sandpatch and open the file Sandpatch.trk
Locate the Name line (about the 5th line in the file). Mine is as below because I added the RR to each route name, yours may be different.
Name ( "Chessie Sandpatch MLT" )

Have you told ORTS to use the install that contains Sandpatch?
ORTS opening Menu - Options button - Content Tab:
Is the path to the install listed? If not, add it.
If it is listed, back to main menu. In the top left have you selected the install containing Sandpatch form the Installation Profile pulldown?


One point to note. You say "I have failed several attempts to add a commercial copy of SANDPATCH ROUTE to Open Rails."
You do not install routes into OpenRails. You point Open Rails to MSTS content. DO NOT install routes etc. into the Open Rails folder.

[m10bob]

Thank you for yet another life line!..
If I were a rich man I would feel compelled to send you royalty checks, LOL

[m10bob]

Two possible reasons:

You are not looking for the right name?
Open the install where you installed Sandpatch, go to the folder ...(install)..\Routes\Sandpatch and open the file Sandpatch.trk
Locate the Name line (about the 5th line in the file). Mine is as below because I added the RR to each route name, yours may be different.
Name ( "Chessie Sandpatch MLT" )

Have you told ORTS to use the install that contains Sandpatch?
ORTS opening Menu - Options button - Content Tab:
Is the path to the install listed? If not, add it.
If it is listed, back to main menu. In the top left have you selected the install containing Sandpatch form the Installation Profile pulldown?


One point to note. You say "I have failed several attempts to add a commercial copy of SANDPATCH ROUTE to Open Rails."
You do not install routes into OpenRails. You point Open Rails to MSTS content. DO NOT install routes etc. into the Open Rails folder.

I looked in the routes folder on c drive and it does not show a Sandpatch.trk ?
It has Sandpatch.rdb
.rit
.tdb
.tit
but no .trk
There is no 5th line for it and the 4 shown are followed by "speedpost.dat"

The name of the route is Sandpatch (of course) and it is detectable when Open Rails is in "Options" and I am seeking to add the install line...but I do not see it.

I am installing the route from a CD which I purchased when it first came out..BTW..I have even installed an "upgrade" which I located on their current site.

[slipperman]

Hi,
Are you sure you've not installed the "upgrade" as a separate route? That is quite likely why the .trk file is missing - it's in the full installation of this route!

Cheers,
Ged

[crstagg]

Look and see if the Full install from the CD went to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\ROUTES

[m10bob]

After stripping the entire sim from my 'puter and starting from scratch all over again, I started reloading everything..This is how I learn things the best, though never the "easiest" way.
I have Sandpatch running in this wonderful Open Rails environment now, and am convinced I had been installing it one folder too many when I manually installed it into the Program Files "X86" folder....

My next question is this...Now, when I load the program, it shows the different consists contained in Open Rails but at least ten linesare locomotives or rolling stock which it sez is missing..
Are these units I have failed to "reload" from my prior Open Rails" application, (which I had stripped when I stripped everything else), or are these perhaps files which activities require which I have not added to the "trainset" folder yet?

At any rate...it might be nice if the player had the option to right mouseclick on those so-called "missing" units to remove them from the inventory, in case I do not need them, when I populate the "trainset" folder.

An example...I have installed the commercial MONON BL2's from BLW which (IMHO) are better than those found in the trainsim.com downloads...Thank you for your help and never feel I do not take your time nor help for granted....Bob

[conductorchris]

It sounds like you are saying there are activities listed by openrails for which it warns rolling stock is missing. Right?

That means a particular required locomotive or car is not found in the TRAINSET folder inside the TRAINS folder. For me, that usually means that (like what happened with the route), I have accidentally put it somewhere else (most often it is one folder further down). A search might locate these missing files on your system. I downloaded a great little free search program called "everything" which makes this sort of search easier: https://www.voidtools.com/. It could also be that you never dowloaded those items or didn't reinstall them, but my hunch is if you put the route in, you probably also have the rolling stock that goes with it and is probably what is being called for by the activities and consists. Unless you downloaded additional activities that have their own download lists.

Christopher

[crstagg]

Bob,

When OR shows <missing engine filename> it means that there is an activity with that engine as the lead in a player consist or a consist with that engine as the lead that are not in your Trainset. To get rid of that indication you need to run both of ConBuilder's Consist test and Activity Tests. Once the ACT and/or CON files containing the missing engine have been identified then you can move them to a "holding" folder to not get the error or locate the missing item an add to your Trainset or you can edit the consist to replace the missing item. Personally I prefer to leave the "Missing" message there to remind me that I cannot use it and choose a different consist or activity until I can update my Trainset.

FYI if you are missing an engine that is NOT the lead engine (or a wagon) in a consist whether a player consist or an AI consist or a static consist or even just a consist not used in any activity, OR will run the sim without the item. No there will not be a blank space. OR will just create the consist without the ENG/WAG. It will however create a warning in the Log file.

[Don6218]

I have occasionally got that same message, I have traced it to a problem with the "Lead Engine" eng. file. At that point I will open the offending Eng. file, and search to near the bottom. Most often it will be missing part of the "Braking Section", an anomaly on my own computer system. I have learned to live with it, I have a "BackUp" of all my good Eng. files on an external drive.. If that is not the case I use ConBuilder to substitute a known proper locomotive.

If it turns out that it is a rolling stock issue, again ConBuilder comes to the rescue by subbing in known good rolling stock. It will check all the locos and rolling stock for that particular Activity and tell you where the problem lies. I could not do without it!

Thank you Charles!

[m10bob]

Chris, Charles and Don!...Thank you all for the fast responses...
I have already downloaded scads of great files and have not yet placed them into the trainset folders.
I do know that some of the custom activities told me to acquire certain files.
Henceforth...I will NOT add activities till AFTER I acquire the needed files.
(Told ya' I learn things the hard way)..
Good thing I'm retired and have the time, LOL...


FYI...The original MSTS desktop icon would no longer open the stock program, even when I tried to open it with "admin permissions", and suspect my win10 does not recognize this particular AMD driver..
I then re-installed OR and all my problems went away...so your fantastic program cures all the ills concerning compatibility with this 15 year old program!

[conductorchris]

I think you don't actually need to do anything because the activities that DO work will even if others do not. (another nice thing about open rails vs. MSS) You can find the missing stock at your leisure. Or when you are itching to run one of those activities . . .
Christopher