Railworks America

For some reason, in the past few years, I have found the concept of committing to a route project in TS difficult and almost burdensome. I don't know what it is about the game, but I have started over a dozen routes, and yet they haven't got to the stage where I've started placing scenery items. With one route I was working not long ago, I got to the stage of placing roads, before I thought it was too long to model, and virtually abandoned the project.

At the moment, I've just finished laying track in a fictional branch line set somewhere in Australia, but now comes the task of placing roads and fences etc.

In the last 20 minutes or so, I've had a glance at an actual existing line and thought of modelling it, but am not that tempted to do it, due to being more interested in the current project. The next stage of placing roads/fences etc seems to me like I'm really jumping the fence.

The thing is, I'll probably end up abandoning the next project, and coming back to this one, and then asking myself the same question, whilst making no progress. The current route is around 40-45 kms long, which is ideal for me.

Has anyone else been in this situation where they felt right at home with MSTS, and then taken a shot at onto RW/TS and not had much success at committing to a route?

Actually I am just the opposite. I couldnever get comfortable or even good at MSTS route building. I spent 2 years with several other guys on the NERW route and now me and another bunch of guys are just about ready to release our 2 years of work on the Lafayette route. I could never complete anything in MSTS due to bad saves that crushed all my work and just trying to place itmes, was very hard for me. I got the hang of RW in a few weeks and haven ot stopped since. Placeing the scenery is a cumbersome job though, so if you can't commit to the time, try making shorter routes. Like 10 or 15 km instead of 50. Just do a small section to completion then if you desire add more.

Old time route builder here. I have created routes for MTS and RW although I never released / have yet to release anything - getting closer though... Anyways. I think the reason alot of people are abandoning their projects are simple. They lay down too much track ( all of the track for the entire project ). Then they head way back to the original starting point of their route and start adding scenery - that in my opinion is when they abandon their project. Placing scenery is a chore nothing more , laying track is the fun part! Atleast this is what I have come to know as the reason that so many route projects never gets finished! I have been in this virtual rail hobby since way back in 1999 when I first signed up over at trainsim.com, and in all those years I have seen so many route announcements that never gets finished due to the fact that scenery is so time consuming.

I found the MTS route editor easy to use but the RW route builder is better.

Note, ( off topic perhaps ) My route is almost done, scenery is done! The only thing missing are signals and speed signs, ( someone else will have to put them in I think ) 99.56 miles end to end, all done finally! Its taken me four years Have taken alot of breaks during the process, the longest break was three months.

Good luck on your future projects, and remember, do scenery as you go!

Imnew, I've been looking over your shoulder for the past 4 years. Its in my neighborhood. When your ready, your ready.
I'll keep an eye out for it.

dejoh wrote:Imnew, I've been looking over your shoulder for the past 4 years. Its in my neighborhood. When your ready, your ready.
I'll keep an eye out for it.

Thanks dejoh!

I find laying down scenery entertaining and rewarding and enjoy it a lot. When someone starts nit picking it to death is annoying but the reward of seeing the route come to life is enough for me.