Train / Consist / Locomotive for Surfliner

[cp747]

hi all, just got the Surfliner route but a surprised to jump into the default Dash-9.

what would be a good locomotive or train set to use? the 3dts model seems to be relatively dated... would the Amtrak from the Trainsimulations Seligman be a good alternative?

Thanks!

[EricF]

The 3D Trains sets are still the most accurate/detailed versions of dedicated Surfliner equipment for Amtrak. Surfliner bi-level cars are different from Amtrak's regular Superliner cars. That being said, if you search the Microsoft Train Simulator: Passenger Cars section of the File Library for "Surfliner", you'll find a few options. Take your pick of what looks most acceptable to you.

There aren't any freeware F59PHIs that I can find. There is a repaint of the freeware F40PH from NALW, which includes links to the original locomotive and patch files required.

Don't bother with any repaints requiring the "FPM" or "Facing Point" Surfliner. Those relay on the ancient and far less detailed payware route which isn't available. Many of those repaints can also work with the 3D Trains payware equipment -- but of course they still depend on the payware sets.

There are other Metrolink locomotives and trainsets in the forum, although some may be repaints of other things, so there can be dependencies to deal with.

Like many freeware routes, activities included with the Surfliner route use default equipment so that users can jump in and try the activities without having to hunt down freeware or purchase payware equipment.

[slipperman]

Hi Eric,

There aren't any freeware F59PHIs that I can find

I may be barking up the completely wrong tree, but how about Paul Burton's F59PHI - f59phiv1.zip I know it was created many years ago, but there are several re-skins of it in the library.

Cheers,
Ged

[cp747]

Thanks for the help will take a look!

[R. Steele]

Free your spirit, throw off the shackles of mundane reality, it's your own railroad, run whatever feels good to you!! For pete's sake, it's a virtual world, who's gonna know any different.

I know, I know, not helpful ( at least not in the normal sense of the word ) but actually very good advice, -- IIDSSM*

(* If I Do Say So Myself)

[EricF]

I should have said Surfliner painted F59PHIs...

And nowadays, There's probably all kinds of Amtrak power running on that line by now. And the Cascades train runs on that line, too.

I think the OP was looking for equivalents/substitutions to the 3D Trains original Surfliner set -- which comes up a little scarce. But there's lots of other Amtrak, and over here on the "Right Coast" I'm a little out of touch as to what's running out on the "Left Coast"...

[crstagg]

…………………….

I think the OP was looking for equivalents/substitutions to the 3D Trains original Surfliner set -- which comes up a little scarce. ...………………………………………

The Surfliner locos and cars are available here http://www.3dtrains.com/products/ts/...urfliner.shtml

[Don6218]

I am also away from that West Coast, here in central Canada, so when I need or want something that is out there, I use You-Tube and search what I am looking for, eg: Surfliner - Los Angeles and get enough info on what is running and what the time-line is.

I found it interesting to the variety of equipment used on any given train, almost like the PC/NYC/CR Transition era with differing paint jobs as well as equipment, on a much smaller scale however. They even had a portion of our GO Transit Fleet running out there. Take a look CP747 and you may be surprised and pleased. Then use some of the equipment in the F/L to fill out a couple of trainsets.

[cp747]

Appreciate the pointers from everyone.
Yes was looking for an alternative to the 3dts model since it seemed quite old. For now I have just substituted trains from the Trainsimulations Amtrak Chief. I just learned about the Surfliner route and it's been quite fun for the hour or so I've gone through so far.

[crstagg]

Appreciate the pointers from everyone.
Yes was looking for an alternative to the 3dts model since it seemed quite old. For now I have just substituted trains from the Trainsimulations Amtrak Chief. I just learned about the Surfliner route and it's been quite fun for the hour or so I've gone through so far.

The Surfliner trainsets were created by 3DTrains NOT 3dts (3dTrainStuff).

Yes, the trainsets were crested in 2007 BUT their quality was years ahead of what was being created in 2007.

[amtrak115]

New to OpenRails and have downloaded Surfliner 2.3

I, too, have downloaded the Surfliner route. I have gotten back into Train sims and have loaded Open Rails (both standard and monogame) as I can't find the original disks for msts. Current version of OR works great as far as I'm concerned. As I said I downloaded Surfliner 2.2 then the upgrade for 2.3. There was another file called Surf_pack, which had a number of activities defined including a list of other downloads required to run the activities. In that list was a Surfliner F-59phi with some surfliner coaches. I was able to get the activities running. I also found my original downloads of the pre-release and v1.0 version of Facing Point Media's Surfliner equipment. These are the 3dtrains version. They are highly detailed and work great. I found TSRE5 which includes a easy to use consist editor which allowed me to change the consists of the Amtrak Surfliner's in the activity to the 3dTrains version. and it work fine. Open Rails appears to be a viable Train-sim that utilized a lot of the content and equipment that free to download here off Trainsim.

[mikeebb]

Curmudgeon here. Consist editors are great. I love them. But also note that consist files etc. are text files. It's quite easy to change equipment with a text editor.

The 3DTrains (also FPM for those few of us that succeeded in getting the route) Surfliner equipment (Surfliner, Metrolink, and Coaster) are still excellent models. I do find that in OR a lot of things happen kind of slowly (throttling up, braking, etc.) compared to how they worked in MSTS, to the point of being perhaps a bit unrealistic. So a bit of .eng file tweaking is probably needed. Has anybody done that?

FPM also issued an equipment set that was painted in older Cal-Amtrak colors using the 3DTrains shapes; is that still available?

Amtrak is now using some Siemens Charger locomotives on the Surfliner. A payware model (very well done) is available. Metrolink has a couple of F125 locomotives running (they're being phased in very very slowly); afaik there's no model of them. Some Surfliners use other Amtrak cars when not enough California Cars (the double-deckers with 2 sets of doors) are available, so trains using Amfleet, Superliners, or even (in older eras) Horizon cars would be appropriate.

For 1950s era (just close your eyes and pretend that the Redondo Flyover isn't there), the Santa Fe RDCs in the f/l fit well as bobtail San Diegans. They actually ran the route until they overturned at Redondo Junction (way before there was a flyover) one evening, greatly exceeding the 15mph speed limit for the turn.

Metrolink also uses (still, a little) F59's (not PHI). They're gradually being retired, but in the timeframe of most activities they're still active on commuter trains. A long time ago, I found a F59 model (not just a repainted F40 - they're similar but not identical - among other things, F59s have a front walkway) that fits with Metrolink, but can't remember where. Possibly in the f/l - happy searching.

For those who don't have documentation handy, Metrolink has a LOSSAN timetable that's a really good introduction to the region.

[R. Steele]

Obstreperous reply to Curmudgeon post:

.... I do find that in OR a lot of things happen kind of slowly (throttling up, braking, etc.) compared to how they worked in MSTS, to the point of being perhaps a bit unrealistic....

The MSTS engine files are a tangled conglomeration of good data, totally unrealistic data, hacks, mistakes, outright errors, and strange data needed to make them work in the unfinished poorly coded MSTS. So it is a wonder that OR can be backward compatible to the legacy equipment --- that it is, is a credit to the hard work of all the users and developers that have stuck with it since the beginning.

....So a bit of .eng file tweaking is probably needed. Has anybody done that?...

Yep, plenty of users, more than you might suppose.

Actually taking the time to test out engine and wagon files, using the Common.inc and OpenRails folders with OR physics ( Davis numbers for friction, CurtiusKniffler values for Adhesion, and the ORTS Diesel Engine Definition...new brake parameters, couplers, etc ) you'll find OR is very capable of simulating real train physics.

If you don't prefer the realistically slow charging of brakes, a few adjustments to the brake parameters will speed things up considerably. There's also using Shift+/ to "initialize" the brakes.

Quite a few threads with information about all of this here and at other forums.

Regards, Gerry