Caboose without Cupola

[email4butch]

I've been looking through the Files for a caboose without a cupola without much success. The B&M had several of these "transfer" caboose units. For the most part, from what I can tell, they used the off-set caboose body with the cupola removed. Although I've had really good luck in reskinning/redressing models, I lack the skill in using blender. Does anyone know of a model that is available that doesn't have the cupola? ( I tried redressing Larry Goss's caboose units by removing the graphic for that area, but the model still appears with the cupola being white/grey. ) < I also did try to redress Tim Muir's Transfer caboose but the model has window shades as well as an older brake wheel set up.> C118.jpg C-16.jpg C48.jpg C96.jpg C-116.jpg C166.jpg

[pwillard]

https://www.trainsim.com/forums/file...leid?fid=59449


N7A?

Sorry, this is done using ancient modeling standards.

[dcarleton]

Look in dh_fjg_cabeese.zip in the library here.
That's File ID 88202

[email4butch]

Thanks 😀 I missed that one in DH. I'll work on that one.

[email4butch]

TRANSFER CAB2.jpg That D&H Caboose without a cupola has some strange graphic selections. While it has numerous individual graphic selections throughout the caboose, (brass end of air hose and then a separate graphic for the hose) , it uses one graphic selection for the roof trim, middle boards, and entire end railing cages. This caboose also uses the side section of another caboose for the underside for the ceiling. I wasn't able to redress it in the "Bluebird" colors, so I applied the "Blue Dip" scheme.

TRANSFER CAB1.jpg TRANSFER CAB4.jpg TRANSFER CAB5.jpg

[pwillard]

Older models (Or early modelers) were making interesting choices on texture mapping. I know that Scott and I would often lament about how bad, sad, poor, and inaccurate mapping was in the 3D Canvas product from Amabilis. Sometimes you just had to try stuff... and if it was close enough... You left it that way. This often means it would be super difficult for others to reskin the model in the future.

I'm pretty sure Paul uses Train Sim Modeler to create content (willing to be wrong about that), but I have noticed he tends to create many small, single-color files that get applied to larger areas, sort of like using "color" fills, or in other words, like a paint bucket. This method often works for generic paint jobs, but it can make other paint schemes impossible to do.

You would probably need an entirely different model (or ask Paul for some help) to apply the more colorful bluebird scheme.

[email4butch]

Hey Pete;
Thank you for the background info. I'm a noob on the block so some of this information is new to me. I've been diving into many of the posts to try and understand how and why some of the models were made. It's taken me a while to locate and then learn how to use some of the tools to unpack the ace. graphics and view what graphic files are attached to the models. And of course, I have no experience in blender or Train Sim Modeler, so I yield and tip my hat to those who can do these models.
Again, thank you for the information.
~Butch

[charland]

You're right Pete, still using TS Modeler for building models. I'm using Corel for making textures. Normally when I make a texture I draw it to scale then put it in with the rest of the textures for the car. Handrails and stanchions are separate and use a separate texture. Do you use TS Modeler Butch? I could send you the raw drawing but if you are using something else it wouldn't open for you.
Paul :-)

[email4butch]

Hi Paul;
I'm not using any model program as I'm still very new to this. I'm going to download TS Modeler and Blender later on, but I'm sure it'll be greek to me for quite a while.

I've been doing mostly repainting/redressing graphics on existing models. It took a while to figure out I needed the TGATool2 to see the .ace graphics. I'm using the ShapeView widget so I can run with the .dds graphics. So I export the .tga graphic, then resize it from 512 to 1024 and save it as a .png graphic. Then I import that into ulead gif animator, (my relic from the 90's), and export back after. Then I convert it to the .dds graphic.
(I've got my Open Rails running on a separate 1T Drive so I'm increasing the graphics so they're cleaner before I repaint them.)

I was looking for a New England Caboose that didn't have the cupola so I could decorate one for the B&M. I even tried just cutting out the graphics for the cupola, much like is done with some of the box cars with the roof walks, but you still see the "shape". That's how I came to the D&H one. It's the wrong style that I was hoping for as I wanted the "lne580" or "B&M C-17 Buggy" without the cupola. But beggars can't be choosers.

Of course I don't want to be the "new-bie guy" asking the wrong questions, so I've spent a lot of time combing through posts and trying to understand how things are being done. So I was hoping I just missed a model that someone had modified before.

PS-
I love the WN&P Route as I was raised in Lancaster, Mass which is next door to Clinton. As a kid in the late 60's early 70's walking those rails, I was very happy to see that route.

~Butch

[charland]

The TS Modeler program was at least let you open a model and find the measurements for creating textures to fit the model instead of what could be a lot of trial and error. The C-17 that I reskinned for the B&M over a decade ago was my first ever reskin. Back then the way it was done was to take the texture into something like Corel Draw and pretty much trace the sides and place your new side over what was there and save it. Seeing as you couldn't alter the model you had to alter your textures. Not the greatest.

Paul :-)

[pwillard]

Blender lets you export the UV layout as a set of outlines in a PNG file that you can load into your favorite editor to paint "the model shapes", eliminating a lot of guesswork.

For reference, I grew up along the Boston Albany route, and the big yard in downtown Framingham was a place I liked to hang out when I was in High School.

[email4butch]

OK guys, I'm sliding down the rabbit hole. :-)
I downloaded TS Modeler and Blender yesterday afternoon. I'm figuring I'll need one or both of these to alter a model in the future and one or both will be helpful when it comes time for re-decorating a model. Not that I'm going to be able to do that from the start, but, at least I'll have it.
I then was wondering how can a model be loaded into one of these programs. So I went searching for how to convert an "S" file into a model and found an add on to Blender.....Blendar_MSTS_ORTS.

~Butch
And Pete I'm jealous as I never got to explore any of the B&A tracks. I did explore many of the routes that were left behind. The Fitchburg Yard was probably the biggest yard area I got to visit.

[eric]

Today, there isn't a public add-on to take a compiled .S model directly into Blender or TSM. Having the source object from Paul would be a huge leg up.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[email4butch]

Thank you Eric. I'm definitely slipping into that rabbit hole now.

Paul and/or Pete;
Do either of you have the model object for either "lne580" or "B&M C-17 Buggy" ?
But I guess the big question is, is it possible to modify and/or change a "model", without going back to school and getting a degree? :-)
Originally I was looking for one of these caboose units without a cupola, but I'm getting the sense this is going to require a lot of effort.
My "newness" to this group is probably starting to show through, and I apologize if this topic has been hashed over long ago.

~Butch

[pwillard]

I think the LNE580 is the same as a Conrail / Pennsy N4 Caboose.

The original N4 was done by Larry Goss; here is the Conrail version. https://www.trainsim.com/forums/file...leid?fid=66472

Note: The original N4-compatible shape was modeled by Larry Goss (see the above link; it's a bit old). It was later reskinned by Paul Charland to B&M C17, and is available for download on the Elvas Tower site.

Also, the Amabilis 3DCrafter software can load TSM files and export them to various formats, such as the Autodesk 3DS format, so it is possible to convert DST files into a format that Blender can import.