Milwaukee EP-2 not displaying

[bandorr2000]

Running Miwaukee RMD West, the activity Milw 08 Extra Troops is powered by the EP2 Bi-polar engine. The engine shape is not displaying in the activity. The shape is there, cabview is there but the body isn't visible. Log file attached.

[rdayt]

From the log.
Warning: Couldn't load shape D:\1MSTS\trains\trainset\Milw_EP-2_Bi-Polar\Milw_EP2_E2.s file may be corrupt

You might try another copy or maybe redownload.

Randy

[bandorr2000]

Fresh download, same result

[oper190]

I have the same engine set, so did a quick test. Shows up on my install, so I'd suspect your copy is corrupted.

Open Rails 2025-06-26 03-36-12.jpg

Fresh download, same result

If you have Conbuilder, run the shape through it's Shape Fixer, might fix it. Had this set for ages so I don't recall if I had to do anything with them to make them work.

Edit - Just for S&Gs downloaded the set from the Library, and replaced my install with the fresh one. All a-okay working fine.

[wmuzeke]

I'm running Open Rails T1.5.1-1783-g77a649f09 and I get the same result. I ran that same activity a few years ago with 1.5.1 and the locomotive was normal. Here is my screenshot from the beginning of the activity. I get the same error - Warning: Couldn't load shape .......file may be corrupt.

Open Rails 2025-06-26 02-29-22.png

[bandorr2000]

Thats what I was thinking, I''m running the same version. There was a fix on Elvas Tower, but what they referenced isn't in this shape file.

[geepster775]

Wasn't there a similar problem involving some moldy oldie spine cars recently? Some single digit change in the uncompressed shape fixed it. Sounds like another sleuth job for the resident paleontologists.

[bandorr2000]

I'm giving up on that activity. 1.5.1 did the same thing. I also think the activity has a problem with OR because it insists the train isn't on its original route.

[pschlik]

Yep, this is the same sort of problem as those spine cars, a data point in the file tells the parser to expect some amount of data, but the actual data given is not that amount. The more up-to-date but pickier shape file reader has found a mistake that MSTS and old OR would ignore. At line 96579 of the uncompressed shape file, an animation is defined as having 0 controllers...despite having a rotation controller clearly spelled out.

                anim_node ROD01 (
                    controllers ( 0
                        tcb_rot ( 13
                            slerp_rot ( 0 0 0 0 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 1 0.087156 -4.87661E-16 -3.8097E-9 0.996195 )
                            slerp_rot ( 2 0.21644 -1.2195E-15 -9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 3 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 4 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 5 0.34202 -1.94303E-15 -1.49502E-8 0.939693 )
                            slerp_rot ( 6 0.21644 -1.35545E-15 -9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 7 3.0743E-8 -3.71688E-16 -3.3447E-16 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 8 -0.21644 6.29699E-16 9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 9 -0.34202 1.21988E-15 1.49502E-8 0.939693 )
                            slerp_rot ( 10 -0.382683 1.42219E-15 1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 11 -0.258819 7.78797E-16 1.13133E-8 0.965926 )
                            slerp_rot ( 12 4.62805E-8 -6.4656E-16 -1.84974E-15 1 )
                        )
                    )
                )

And is repeated again at line 96699...

                anim_node ROD02 (
                    controllers ( 0
                        tcb_rot ( 13
                            slerp_rot ( 0 0 0 0 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 1 0.087156 -4.87661E-16 -3.8097E-9 0.996195 )
                            slerp_rot ( 2 0.21644 -1.2195E-15 -9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 3 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 4 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 5 0.258819 -1.90095E-15 -1.13133E-8 0.965926 )
                            slerp_rot ( 6 0.087156 -1.49268E-15 -3.8097E-9 0.996195 )
                            slerp_rot ( 7 2.22667E-8 -1.29014E-15 -1.44278E-15 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 8 -0.173648 -8.57233E-16 7.5904E-9 0.984808 )
                            slerp_rot ( 9 -0.300706 -4.56881E-16 1.31443E-8 0.953717 )
                            slerp_rot ( 10 -0.382683 -1.47766E-16 1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 11 -0.21644 -7.832E-16 9.46087E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 12 1.45479E-8 -1.60411E-15 -2.34235E-15 1 )
                        )
                    )
                )​

Unsurprisingly, being told 'there is no data here' when there very much is data present is not good. Even ShapeViewer will crash if you try to run the animations on this shape by using Tools -> Animate.

Changing both of those "controllers ( 0" lines to read "controllers ( 1" resolves the crash, but reveals why those animations were disabled; ROD01 and ROD02 are the locomotive bells. Implementing anything as a ROD causes the animation to run in sync with the wheels rotating, meaning the bells don't swing when the bell is enabled but swing as the wheels spin. That doesn't look right.

The animation controller could be removed for both of these...

                anim_node ROD01 (
                    controllers ( 0 )
                )​

                anim_node ROD02 (
                    controllers ( 0 )
                )​

Or could be replaced with a proper bell animation since OR supports that, which is a tiny bit more complex.

To convert to a bell animation, the ROD01 and SMOKE (yes, the matrix name of the second bell is called "SMOKE" don't ask me why) matrices must be renamed to ORTSBELL01 and ORTSBELL02, the matrices are named starting at line 21861 of the uncompressed shape file:

    matrices ( 31
        matrix MAIN ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 )
        matrix PantographBottom1A ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.015 4.606 -4.888 )
        matrix PantographMiddle1A ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.001 0.208 -1.488 )
        matrix PantographTop1 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.004 0.353 2.214 )
        matrix PantographBottom1B ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.015 4.61 -2.993 )
        matrix PantographMiddle1B ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.001 0.278 1.375 )
        matrix PantographBottom2B ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.015 4.616 2.978 )
        matrix PantographMiddle2B ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.001 0.269 -1.36 )
        matrix PantographBottom2A ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.015 4.605 4.889 )
        matrix PantographMiddle2A ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.001 0.201 1.475 )
        matrix PantographTop2 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.004 0.342 -2.202 )
        matrix Wheels3 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.002 0.603 -2.547 )
        matrix Wheels4 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.002 0.603 -1.105 )
        matrix WHEELS1 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.002 0.603 1.177 )
        matrix WHEELS2 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.002 0.603 2.609 )
        matrix Bogie1 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.01 2.273 -4.083 )
        matrix Wheels11 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.797 -6.304 )
        matrix Wheels12 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 -4.788 )
        matrix Wheels13 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 -3.365 )
        matrix Wheels1 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 -1.372 )
        matrix Wheels2 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 0.081 )
        matrix Freight2 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.017 -0.073 -3.124 )
        matrix ORTSBELL01 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.005 2.161 -0.387 )
        matrix Bogie2 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.01 2.273 3.972 )
        matrix Wheels21 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 3.551 )
        matrix Wheels22 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 4.974 )
        matrix Wheels23 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.797 6.479 )
        matrix WHEELS3 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 0.092 )
        matrix WHEELS4 ( 1 0 0 0 1 8.429E-8 0 -8.429E-8 1 0.012 -1.67 1.556 )
        matrix Freight1 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.017 -0.073 3.213 )
        matrix ORTSBELL02 ( 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 -0.033 2.161 0.374 )
    )​

Then do the fix described above where "controllers ( 0" is changed to "controllers ( 1" on the two "anim_node RODxx (" blocks. (Note that the name of the matrix given in the anim_node doesn't actually matter, the order of the list of anim_nodes tells OR which animation is attached to which matrix.

                anim_node ROD01 (
                    controllers ( 1
                        tcb_rot ( 13
                            slerp_rot ( 0 0 0 0 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 1 0.087156 -4.87661E-16 -3.8097E-9 0.996195 )
                            slerp_rot ( 2 0.21644 -1.2195E-15 -9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 3 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 4 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 5 0.34202 -1.94303E-15 -1.49502E-8 0.939693 )
                            slerp_rot ( 6 0.21644 -1.35545E-15 -9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 7 3.0743E-8 -3.71688E-16 -3.3447E-16 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 8 -0.21644 6.29699E-16 9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 9 -0.34202 1.21988E-15 1.49502E-8 0.939693 )
                            slerp_rot ( 10 -0.382683 1.42219E-15 1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 11 -0.258819 7.78797E-16 1.13133E-8 0.965926 )
                            slerp_rot ( 12 4.62805E-8 -6.4656E-16 -1.84974E-15 1 )
                        )
                    )
                )​

                anim_node ROD02 (
                    controllers ( 1
                        tcb_rot ( 13
                            slerp_rot ( 0 0 0 0 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 1 0.087156 -4.87661E-16 -3.8097E-9 0.996195 )
                            slerp_rot ( 2 0.21644 -1.2195E-15 -9.46088E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 3 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 4 0.382683 -2.19364E-15 -1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 5 0.258819 -1.90095E-15 -1.13133E-8 0.965926 )
                            slerp_rot ( 6 0.087156 -1.49268E-15 -3.8097E-9 0.996195 )
                            slerp_rot ( 7 2.22667E-8 -1.29014E-15 -1.44278E-15 1 )
                            slerp_rot ( 8 -0.173648 -8.57233E-16 7.5904E-9 0.984808 )
                            slerp_rot ( 9 -0.300706 -4.56881E-16 1.31443E-8 0.953717 )
                            slerp_rot ( 10 -0.382683 -1.47766E-16 1.67276E-8 0.92388 )
                            slerp_rot ( 11 -0.21644 -7.832E-16 9.46087E-9 0.976296 )
                            slerp_rot ( 12 1.45479E-8 -1.60411E-15 -2.34235E-15 1 )
                        )
                    )
                )​

Though that will cause both bells to animate. If you want only the front bell to animate, then remove the animation for ROD02 as shown earlier in the post.

The next step is to sync the bell animation with the bell sound. The bell animation effectively has 12 frames (13 frames are defined, but for looping animations the last frame effectively doesn't count as it should be the same as the first frame) and the x_steambell2.wav audio file for the bell is 0.826 seconds long. The sound file has only one 'ding' but we want the bell to 'ding' twice per animation (once on the swing forward, once on the swing backwards), so the total animation time should be 0.826 seconds x 2, or 1.652 seconds. The frame rate is then 12 / 1.652 = 7.264... fps.

Going into the .sd file, the bell framerate can be defined with ESD_ORTSBellAnimationFPS:

SIMISA@@@@@@@@@@JINX0t1t______

shape ( Milw_EP2_E2.s
    ESD_Detail_Level ( 0 )
    ESD_Software_DLev ( 3 )
    ESD_Alternative_Texture ( 0 )
    ESD_Bounding_Box ( -1.517 0.10  -11.61 1.517 5.257 11.61 )
    
    ESD_ORTSBellAnimationFPS ( 7.264 )
)

So, the shape can be fixed, and a modern feature can be added.

[bandorr2000]

The file for the EP2 I have is from the library here, File ID 66992, and the shape file doesn't look like what you have listed above. Is there another file somewhere. I am using shape file manager to edit the shape files.

[geepster775]

A MILW RMD mega rolling stock pack, File 85011, dated 2019, supersedes all the earlier individual uploads

[eric]

I've flagged the earlier file with the updated one mentioned above. If you find other packs for the MILW that were superceded by the Mega pack, please PM me with the file ID's and I'll get them flagged as well.

Flagging as updated won't stop people from downloading the other file, but it will at least point them towards a better version...

[landnrailroader]

I haven't had the issue and I am using a bi-polar object that has been on my system for more than ten years. I will warn you though that the Westinghouse electric that is also on the library somewhere has a similar issue and it was solved 10 years or so ago by changing 1 character in one line of the .eng file. Don't remember the specifics now as I haven't used the Westinghouse (also called a quill motor) in years.

Jerry

[burgerbern]

So, the shape can be fixed, and a modern feature can be added.

Many thanks for that fix, those bells have annoyed me for years and have tried many times to find a way of stopping them acting like beserkers at speed, the fix was so simple to accomplish, many thanks for the explanation of how to accomplish it

[geepster775]

The shape file mentioned in the fix is from library FileID 56063 "ep2_v10.zip" from the year 2002

The shape files in the other packs are different.