"Modern Boxcar/Gondola" TS2012 Update: How Do You Prefer It?

[GreatNortherner]

Hi,

As many of you are aware, I have been dragging my feet a bit about the TS2012 update of the Modern Boxcars/Gondolas pack.

These are my oldest Railworks models, and it really shows too! Updating them turns out to be a bit of a nightmare, plus I still have not figured out a way of how to create a fully up to date model that will look as good as my other models AND work with the dozens of repaints that are out there for these cars.

As I don't even know how many of you still use these, and if you are rather interested in the main models or the vast amount of repaints, I'd like to ask a few questions. I'd appreciate it if you could take a minute or two to answer the poll question above. I really need some more input to figure out what the general direction should be with this pack's update.


Thanks for your help!

Cheers,
Michael

[PapaXpress]

Hi Michael,

The repaints I have done (which are not many) are from the RWA donationware pack. I am not sure if these came from your modern pack or not.

Edit...

Just saw your poll. You need one more option which combines both 1 and 2.

4) Fluff and buff (ie do the bare minimum) the original pack and make it freeware, but spend the majority of time on a new updated set of modern rolling stock (payware).

[tdwolf]

The only thing that bothers me with the 52 ft Gondolas and 50 ft Highcube and Modern Boxcars are the missing shadows
Outside of that i see no other problems

for whatever reason when 2012 came out it screwed up these cars

This what i see in the game

[micaelcorleone]

Scrap the pack and do some modern frieght cars instead, please.
What's in the "TTX" fleet for example.

[thecanadianrail]

i say scrap the old stuff and make a bigger better modern freight pack that includes similar stuff as this one plus extra stuff like spine cars, new autoracks, and various flatcars.

[Csxgp38-2]

I agree with scrapping it and creating a new pack. Perhaps gondolas, boxcars,flats, spines, maybe a new caboose/shoving platform, some better tank cars would be nice.

[NDORFN]

But I'm still waiting for the update so I can download the ones I paid for

[GreatNortherner]

Hi,

Thanks for the many replies and votes! This is helping a lot, and the result so far is also a bit surprising to me.

But I'm still waiting for the update so I can download the ones I paid for

You have a PM. This one scared me! Everybody who ordered the pack before I disabled it should (in theory) have gotten the RWP, by Paypal redirect or by email from me. I hope this hasn't happened to more people -- but if it did, please contact me so I can send you the old package file or a refund of your payment, whichever you prefer!

The only thing that bothers me with the 52 ft Gondolas and 50 ft Highcube and Modern Boxcars are the missing shadows
Outside of that i see no other problems

There are other issues that were caused by the unlucky combination of some of my model and texture settings and the TS2012 update effects. This missing shadow is quite strange though -- but I see Dick fixed it on his models, so I'm pretty sure it will be corrected by a re-export here too.

Just saw your poll. You need one more option which combines both 1 and 2.
4) Fluff and buff (ie do the bare minimum) the original pack and make it freeware, but spend the majority of time on a new updated set of modern rolling stock (payware).

I had thought about that but decided against it, more or less. For two main reasons: the gondolas are already available in a few other packs (including the RWA donationware pack!), so I don't see a reason for releasing them yet again in a new pack. When the RWA pack gets updated the newest versions of the gondolas will become part of it too. Putting some similar modern boxcars into an all new modern freight pack is however a good idea, thanks!

By the way -- some ideas for the new pack (or other new releases) are already floating around, or have already turned into "currently still vaporware" projects. Stuff I have started but not finished: 60' double door hi-cube boxcar (PS), a long (3bay equivalent) 100t ballast hopper, and an airslide hopper.

Cheers,
Michael

[micaelcorleone]

By the way -- some ideas for the new pack (or other new releases) are already floating around, or have already turned into "currently still vaporware" projects. Stuff I have started but not finished: 60' double door hi-cube boxcar (PS), a long (3bay equivalent) 100t ballast hopper, and an airslide hopper.

Very cool!

What about sth. we haven't seen for TS2012 so far: Articulated Cars

On both types of multiple-unit cars, the units are typically distinguished by letters, with the unit on one end being the "A" unit, and the unit on the other end being the "B" unit. Middle units are labeled starting with "C", and going up to "E" for five-unit cars.

Articulated Well Car:


Articulated Spine Car - TOFC/COFC:


(would make a perfect counterpart to your classic TOFC packs)
The TTX site provides specifications of these: http://www.ttx.com/services/railcars-for-sale/Flatcar-articulated-spine-car-TOFC-COFC.aspx

Would be great and something new. Could be made either as one unit or in single parts for assembly.

[Chacal]

Not sure such a thing is even possible in RW

[Samwolf]

Not sure such a thing is even possible in RW

Someone has done it for at least 2 cars.

http://www.inplainview.co.uk/storeprod.html#SGGRSS

[Chacal]

That's great! Beats me how they do it.

[GreatNortherner]

Hi,

Cool, thanks for all the input! Looks like option 1 is the one that is favored. It's also the one which I'm beginning to I like most.

Articulated cars. What a great idea! I could imagine something like this could be done with having invisible or ultra-small trucks on one end of the car (so that it still follows the rails correctly), and then arranging the rest by carefully setting up the blueprints so that everything matches up.

Cheers,
Michael