Cardinal route from Charlottesville to Chicago

[Cardinal51]

Ok, thanks

Why would one on purpose damage excisting rollingstock files, why not make new ones under a different name ?

I was hoping this terrible system would have been improved after MSTS

Anyway, gonna try to install it tomorrow. Will keep you all posted

[Cardinal51]

Aafter a couple of minutes the graphics (all set on low) start stuttering.

I made a second Win7 install on my system. No ballast (like skype, virusscan, java, voip stuff, dropbox, etcetera) on that install.

Thought it would be good to get the basics right first and after that install the recommended add-ons. So I fired up a free roaming San Bernardino.

I had big hopes, BUT . . . . still laggy after a couple of minutes.

This is my system according to Speccy from Piriform:

Speccy.jpg

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

2 GB of RAM is low and probably below the minimum specification.

Your best investment is an extra 2 GB of RAM.

Many large routes come with large numbers of assets and have lots of AI trains, all of this requires computing power and memory. Most freeware routes require huge numbers of assets, COARW uses 74 families even. With more RAM any program on your computer can have more of its own and there is less need for the page file to be used.

Ben je Nederlander trouwens?

[arizonachris]

Whew, that CPU is running at 170f! Probably on the edge of thermal throttling, which slows the CPU speed to cool it down.

If this is a laptop, get a cooling pad to put underneath. if this is a desktop and hasn't been dusted out in a while, grab a can of compressed air and clean the CPU heat sink. My quad core Phenom II never gets over 60c at full load. Cooler Master Hyper 212 cooler.

[Cardinal51]

Thansk all,

The PC was running idle, no idea what causes the hight temp. I vac cleam the inside of the PC about twice a year

[arizonachris]

Could be the software isn't reading the right sensor. Happens sometimes. 82c at idle? That's dangerous. Any load at all and you will be into thermal throttling very quickly. Sure the cooling fan is running?

[Cardinal51]

Is 92C / 198F now. I have noticed that for eons the fan is running at high rpm a lot.

- - - few hrs later - - -

I noticed while doing nothing (just ahd one browser window open) sometimes the CPU is running at 90 percent !. So I took your advice, crawled under the desk, noticed that about 50% of the air in/outtake was blocked, cleaned it up, removed cover, cleaned inside, left cover off

After reboot I only had 51C / 124F

The I closed all active pogramms and firewall, dropbox, skype etcetera and fired up TS2012.

I only tested it for 10 minutes, but the scenario ran ok on lowest settings, only 1 stutter of about 0.1 second. Definitely 100% improvement. It has changed from unplayable to playable.

I also noticed that the CPU was about 62C / 144F

It is too early to yell YEEHAAAAAAAAAAA, but it certainly looks good, now lets hope it was not a coincidence !





PS: And yes, I read and write Dutch too

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Now you've got your computer cleaned and performing better I think you should still look into buying an extra 2 GB of RAM.
Unfortunately for all of us, Railworks is not programmed the best of all simulators, and more CPU or Graphics power will only make a small difference in fps.
You will notice a marked increase with that extra RAM!

Judging by the components, yours is a somewhat older system and DDR2 RAM is getting harder and more expensive to find.
I have a simiar system still in use and it continues to serve me fine. Though I did exchange my 8600 for a 560 last year and that made a difference.

A better alternative is buying a new computer, but I am not the one to spend your money of course
My newer Black systems perform only marginally better in RW but produce more noise and heat. Both consume over 400 Watts under full load, the price you have to pay for computing power.

These are my specs from my sig over at COARW board http://www.coarw.com, that btw is also a good place to discuss Tori's Alleghany Sub.

PS: how come you read and write Dutch, are you from AUS or RSA given the high temperatures you posted?

Edwin K. aka
_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha, even though he is from the Netherlands.

TS'12 on three rigs:
AMD FX8150, 4 GHz Oct, 16 GB, 2xATI 6870 1 GHz, 1 GB X-fire
AMD FX4100, 4 GHz Quad, 8 GB, ATI 6970 1 GHz, 2 GB
Intel 2.4 GHz Quad, 4 GB, nVidia 560GTX 1 GB + nVidia 9400 512 MB (PhysX)
decommisioned
decommisioned

[Cardinal51]

I think I am gonna stay with this quad core for a while, even managed to use medium graphics settings.

But I will look into some additional RAM

I also started installing the COA add on, but the readme is very complicated and confusing.

Unzip the downloaded files into a temporary folder. Look in the unzipped C&O Alleghany folder for the file RW_AssetSetup.exe.

But in that folder I only have the exe file RW_RouteSetup.exe but I did find the file RW_AssetSetup.exe in the COA RollingStock folder. I am gonna try that one now

PS: how come you read and write Dutch, are you from AUS or RSA given the high temperatures you posted?

Learned it from my parents and learned it in school. Nope, I am not from AUS or RSA

Next, using the Railworks Package Manager, click on the “Install” button and look in . . .

6. Once in the World Editor, under SMMDigital in the Object Filter, make sure that "RailNetwork" and "Scenery" have been checked.

No idea what this is and where to find it I am sure I will figure it out later, but I do know there is definitely a market out there for a decent railworks add on installer.

[Cardinal51]

I think I figured it all out. Took me about 2 1/2 hrs

I did not find out what the World Editor is though

Did a small test drive with low graphics passed White Sulphur Springs Station (it did look different from the photos I have seen), Really liked the scenery. Thanks for the community and Toripony for making this possible and available

Next I will try to find a genesis to run on these routes. I noticed the P42DC Genesis Add-On on the official website, but that has Super-Liner Passenger Cars, and those are not used on the Cardinal.

I also have been looking for more RAM, my DDR2 is available for a good price. I now have two time 1GB, and two free slots, could I add one additional 2GB, or can I only add another 1GB ?

[DonR]

By the way... don't use a vacuum on your pc innards! It can cause static electricity that can cause damage. Blow it out with a can of air instead.

Thanks,
Don.

[Cardinal51]

Thanks for the warning but those cans of air are way too expensive overhere. And, be aware, even the manufacturers Material Safety Data Sheets normally not even tell you what is inside the can.

I just hope me and my Dyson will stay lucky like the last 30 years

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Regarding the RAM: your motherboard uses a dual channel architecture to adress the memory.

You best put in a pair of equal capacity and quality sticks of 1 GB each. That gives you 4 GB total which is all a 32 bit operating system can adress.

[arizonachris]

I would recommend 2x2Gb sticks and keep the existing sticks for another project or E Bay them. Getting two new sticks that closely match the existing sticks can be problematic, and if they don't match close enough, you will have an unstable system. But, yes, whatever you do, do it in pairs.

Oh, Dan is right about the static, but you would have known by now if any damage was done.

[Cardinal51]

Hi All,

Just did some more free roaming test drives. I LOVE IT , except sometimes the building look kind of European.

But I am also human so I have some Q and remarks:

- - - - What is the World Editor ? In one of the readme files it is written "6. Once in the World Editor, under SMMDigital in the Object Filter, make sure that "RailNetwork" and "Scenery" have been checked."

- - - - I am trying to find a AMTRAK Genesis (current paint scheme) to run on these routes. I noticed the P42DC Genesis Add-On on the official website, but that has Super-Liner Passenger Cars, and those are not used on the Cardinal. Any suggestions ?

- - - - When pulling a 100 coal cars the couplings looked like this. Way too spacey

Screenshot_C&O Alleghany_37.72137--80.67069_08-04-06.jpg

- - - - First Tunnel in the "From the Top"" free roam scenario, just after Alleghany, looks like this:

Screenshot_C&O Alleghany_37.74771--80.25043_12-01-36.jpg

Screenshot_C&O Alleghany_37.74804--80.25234_12-02-11.jpg

Screenshot_C&O Alleghany_37.75036--80.26708_12-03-17.jpg

Any idea what is wrong ?

- - - - The second tunnel looks mighty fine:

Screenshot_C&O Alleghany_37.78954--80.29236_12-06-40.jpg

Thanks guys, and gals, for all your kind help and advice !