Diesel Smoke is bogus

[eric]

One solution is to stop buying content that was long ago built for MSTS from vendors who refuse to pivot over to OR-only content.

"Refuse to pivot?" That's a bit harsh, no?

Since the topic of this is BLW locomotives..... there's nobody else producing great 1940's-1960's content other than BLW catalog. I've bought a couple sets from them in the past few years, and just bought another this past Monday. Their newer sets (e.g. the Illinois Central City of New Orleans) have settings which reflect where ORTS was at the time they were released, and are far more reasonable and less mushroom cloud-ish when it comes to exhaust...

Do some settings on the older packs need adjustment or benefit from new functionality? Absolutely, and we know what they are thanks to the forums. I don't think it's reasonable to expect them to go back and retrofit/repackage the other 40+ sets they've produced.

[ftldave]

I don't think it's reasonable to expect them to go back and retrofit/repackage the other 40+ sets they've produced.

It would be very reasonable, considering how the hobby has changed. I love BLW, have been a loyal customer, but I know all the time and work to update the older models would just not be economical for them to undertake.

Though it may be impossible to find now - don't know - 3DTrains Diesel Smoke Replacement utility is the tool I've used for years to minimize the excessive black smoke on older locos. Its backup function never seemed to work but I've always been pleased with the minimum smoke for EMD and ALCO models.

[R. Steele]

Ohhh Dave, if I am reading your post correctly, you are parsing the difference between reasonable & economical? 🤪 You are a zany guy.

[eric]

I don't think it's reasonable to expect anyone to update the Legacy installers. It's certainly not economical.

Perhaps Rick or Chris can check with Gaetan to see if it might be possible to release some updated ENG/WAG files for customers to use. I suspect many of us have already done the modifications we wanted to do years ago, but not everybody knows what and where to modify, as this thread has pointed out.

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[crstagg]

.............

Though it may be impossible to find now - don't know - 3DTrains Diesel Smoke Replacement utility is the tool I've used for years to minimize the excessive black smoke on older locos. Its backup function never seemed to work but I've always been pleased with the minimum smoke for EMD and ALCO models.

WayBack Machine
3DTrains - Add-ons for Microsoft Train Simulator® (archive.org)

[rfranzosa]

I don't think it's reasonable to expect anyone to update the Legacy installers. It's certainly not economical.

Perhaps Rick or Chris can check with Gaetan to see if it might be possible to release some updated ENG/WAG files for customers to use. I suspect many of us have already done the modifications we wanted to do years ago, but not everybody knows what and where to modify, as this thread has pointed out.

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It is a daunting task. There are probably north of 1,000 locomotive models that we have produced over the years.

Example: With Gerry's extraordinary help, we released OR specific Eng files for the ConnRiver set, but they are now obsolete.

Each new set going forward (last release was IC) includes OR specific ENG files including updated exhaust, as well as updated, detailed shapes

Over time, I will be upgrading older sets with new shape files and Eng files to make better use of OR capabilities. I will provide a list of what I have completed to date in this thread.


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[ftldave]

Ohhh Dave, if I am reading your post correctly, you are parsing the difference between reasonable & economical? 🤪 You are a zany guy.

The USSR railroads come to mind, and their extensive electrification on a massive scale. Am amazing feat. Reasonable? For them with their lousy roads and geography, sure. Economical? Cost effective? Forget it.

[kasik]

There is

https://www.trainsim.com/forums/filelib-search-fileid?fid=80509

it doesn't do the trick ?

[lvlender]

WayBack Machine
3DTrains - Add-ons for Microsoft Train Simulator® (archive.org)

Thanks so much for sharing this site. I will CERTAINLY test these utilities.

[R. Steele]

There is

https://www.trainsim.com/forums/filelib-search-fileid?fid=80509

it doesn't do the trick ?

No, not really, has some quirks, was developed by Marcus 10 years ago -- kinda outdated -- best to use the 3DTrains diesel smoke ace files (Wayback Machine link in Post #20), and to make adjustments to the engine files using an Search & Replace utility or the search-replace function found in some editors.

[eric]

using an Search & Replace utility or the search-replace function found in some editors

I've long been a fan of GrepWin, which can search and replace text across an entire folder structure.... it's based on a Unix command that does the same thing across an entire server if needed.

[R. Steele]

GrepWin which can search and replace text across an entire folder structure

Heard&read nothing but good comments about this tool, but I'm so familiar with Search&Replace, now ( after using it for 7-8 yrs ) and it does all I require...don't want to spend time on a new learning curve.

SearchReplace will function across an entire folder structure or folder structures in different drives, one thing I noticed looking at GrepWin...a lot of the functions/s&r functions are placed on the front panel....not so with S&R...they are buried in the menu tabs...View/Options Edit, etc.

Some sort of search&replace utility should be in everyone's toolkit....a necessity to make wholesale changes and edits, which is a given in this hobby.

[rfranzosa]

As time permits, I will add OR files for all of my existing BLW/ZT sets.... Starting now!

BLW/ZT Open Rails engine and wagon files for New Haven set 1

This update provides Open Rails engine and wagon files for the BLW/ZT New Haven pack (the first pack offered by BLW/ZT in 2005).

THIS UPDATE REQUIRES that you have Gerry Storey's Open Rails "Common.inc" files installed

Engine/Wagon files included

• Cabooses #507, 524, 533, 542, 566
• Alco FA1 #0400, 0429, 0432. 0428
• Alco FB1 #0453, 0455
• Alco FB2 #467, 468
• Alco PA1 #0760, 0762, 0770, 0774, 0776, 0785
• Alco RS1 #0660
• Alco RS2 #0512
• Alco RS3 #525, 529, 543, 559
• Alco S1 #0953, 0988
• Alco S2 #0603
• Alco RS11 (Bonus) #1404, 1409, 1414

The link below does not require a password:

https://www.valleypass.ca/Rick/BLWZT_NH1_OpenRails_Update.zip

Thanks,

Rick & Gaetan

(C) BLW 2024