What Would Cause This? Floating Cars

[crabby541]

What would be the cause of these parked consists that appear to float above the ground? I have only found this problem in the lower section on the curve of the Keddie Yard in 3D Train's Feather River Route. It shows up in the NCE Mill Run activity as well as the Quincy Switching activity. I have not seen this in any of the other locations of the route nor other routes.

Screenshot 2025-03-10 170405.png

[oper190]

I would say you need to ask the developer of the Activity, might just well be a bad choice of cars for the static stock at that location.

Edit: By look it could be this carstring that came with the Route but it doesn't quite fit the curve and grade there.
carstring.jpg

[geepster775]

My guess is there is a discrepancy between how MSTS and OR uses scenery strings of cars as loose consists. Clearly the location coordinates of the loose consists are not being interpreted the same.

Using low poly dummy car strings as either scenery items (placed via RE) or loose consist trainset items (placed via AE) is now an obsolete practice.

I couldn't even get the activity to run in the current testing version. I think the trouble is related to superelevation and how it is now hard coded in the current testing versions. Had to use stable 1.5.1. or 1.4 just to confirm it happens and the car string location is a product of loose consist placement.

Activity is now 18 years old, written in 2007. Clearly some updates are needed to keep it playable.

[CSRX]

Those aren't static cars in an activity. They are actually objects in place on the route itself. I've noticed this in a few places. Eventually I'll go through and delete them off from my version of the route.

[geepster775]

There are both types. Low poly strings placed in the route (mostly the cars that are in a straight line) and the files are in the routes shapes folder. The curved strings are not placed in the route, but are placed by the activity as loose consists (they are located in the Trainset folder). Each loose consist in the ACT file contains location data, and that data is getting interpreted differently.

Just another extreme MSTS 'accommodation' and OR dont play that game.

[oper190]

There are 6 carstings as .wag's that came with the Route, two are curved, and by looks of the cars they seem to match the string I pictured. In a side note I made the mistake of using one of them myself, and when I ran the activity I wondered why the static cars were hanging over onto the track I was using. On viewing the string in Shape Viewer I saw it was one of these curved strings where I needed a straight. Trying to use the curved ones would be hit or miss if they actually match the track and grade.

[crabby541]

Thank you all for your inputs. After reviewing your replies, using TSRE5 Route Viewer, I removed the objects that appear over the curved section of track. After testing, it looks like a solution. Later, I'm going to make up some static consists in Consist Editor and place on the now empty curved section.

Thanks again!

[R. Steele]

Those aren't static cars in an activity. They are actually objects in place on the route itself. I've noticed this in a few places. Eventually I'll go through and delete them off from my version of the route.

About 3 years ago I did just what Shawn suggested, replacing the string with individual cars, or not anything at all, depending upon the circumstances. The route itself it still very good looking in OR....just has some older MSTS practices...low poly car strings for one.

[geepster775]

I have far fewer issues when running the SLI equipment pack on this route. Many of the original rolling stock items have issues, some incomplete brakes, some with no triple valves, etc. Problems seem fewer by simply zapping the original WP 1960s era rolling stock. I also deleted the car strings and telltales at the tunnel portals as they are out of place in the 1980s or later.