Open Rails... Switching After Dark.

[charland]

Hi All,

I'm sure I've seen this before but now can't find it here, in ET, or in the Open Rails manual. When you are switching in OR after the sunset, I'm sure there was a light at the end of your cut you could turn on, like a crew member with a light hanging off the end of your cut. Without it, how do you switch in the dark?

Paul :-)

[Shawmut]

Hi Paul,

I know of no "light" in ORTS that can be turned on at the end of a cut of cars. I do remember over on Elvas Tower that Dave Nelson opined that he'd like to see the ability of the brakeman view to give hand signals as in this BNSF advert, and that the brakeman could have a lantern at night. But I don't recall any action having been taken on that idea/request.

Cheers,

Dave

[charland]

I can't remember the who pointed this out to me, that would have been about 5 years ago around the start of the Conn River route. I did test it out on the DAR to see how it worked and was happy the night switching problem was solved. I can't remember if this was something someone was testing for OR at the time and just never got implemented but I do remember it.

Yesterday someone from OR suggested that I fill out a "suggestion card" and submit it. I'm not holding my breath on this, a few weeks ago I received notice that one of the bug reports I submitted was finally being dealt with, that bug report was from 2013.

I can't believe that OR has been out all this time and no one has asked why there is no way to do switching after dark.

Paul

[NorthernWarrior]

It would actually be nice to have a feature to make the night time a bit less dark. It's nice to drive at night and see the hills silhouetted against the sky and the outlines of trees and buildings, bathed in moon or starlight. I thought that driving the Coals To Newcastle on an overnight run, it's just a tad too dark and could do with a bit more ambient light.

[geepster775]

Don't know how useful lighting could be achieved without breaking the "one cone of light" rule needed for MSTS compatibility. Maybe someday, when we need not worry about MSTS compatibility

[charland]

I never had a problem switching at night in MSTS, like Vern says, it's just black out there in OR at night.

The activity I was running started out around 6 PM, summer clear and was dark by 7:20. I live close to the same latitude as I model in Nova Scotia where I once lived, you could go out at 9 and read a newspaper and it would be close to 10 by the time the light was actually gone. I brought this up not too long after Open Rails first came out and nobody replied.

The need for compatibility with MSTS is quickly fading, this will be the last route I would on that I care if it's compatible or not. Even now, the route works fine in both but not the activities, or some of the rolling stock I've created for the route.

Paul :-)

[rdayt]

It's dark out there in the middle of nowhere at night.
Would be nice to have a sphere of light for a old style lantern or a cone of light for for a more modern style of lantern.
When does ORTS start moving forward and stop trying to support MSTS and how does adding features to ORTS negatively affect MSTS?

Love you guys
Randy

[NorthernWarrior]

It's dark out there in the middle of nowhere at night.

Not if the full moon is shining bright!