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Scripting Query

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2026 4:46 pm
by PullmanCar
Hello, Another E unit query, this one relating to scripting. I know many developers pride themselves on scripting, something they are fiercely protective of (for good reason).

The old TruRail Simulations CNW E8 had a script that removed the EMD "Hamburger" Builder's plates from the side of the Amtrak E8, I would like to include that in a great many of my E8s and E9s as many no longer have plates. I know very little of scripting, and am unsure how much of a script I see when I open the scripts in Notepad++, I do see a line in the script marked "Plates" however on the TRS CNW E8, would this likely be it?
TSC TRS CNW E8 Plates.JPG


Or have I opened something I should not be, and found a partially packaged, or encrypted, .OUT file?

Thank you,

-Jacob
'PullmanCar'

Re: Scripting Query

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2026 6:01 pm
by cnwfan
You're looking at a compiled script file. A uncompiled, and human readable version, would have a .lua file extension. If you can figure out where the script is called from, you can try to incorporate the .out file into your repaints. There are some decompilers out there for lua scripts, but from what I've read its not very successful and requires some advanced skills. Just to confirm though, the EMD builders plate is not part of the main locomotive texture? Maybe it's a child object in the bin file. Sounds like a lot of work to hide a builders plate.

Re: Scripting Query

Unread postPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2026 6:06 pm
by buzz456
Why are you using the Tru-rail version of the E-8?

Re: Scripting Query

Unread postPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2026 4:07 pm
by PullmanCar
buzz456 wrote:Why are you using the Tru-rail version of the E-8?

I found the CNW version to be quite authentic to the CNW Commuter E8Aus with the blocked over numberboards, and some fine exhaust, audio files, and the missing numberboards. I skinned it into an RTA and Metra livery since those units were ex-CNW.

It was only recently when I thought, I wonder how it was done to remove the EMD builder's plates, and as many surviving E units lack the plates, I would love to apply that to my own skins, but this is something I have not been able to undertake. Nothing major, just a minor detail regarding which I was curious.

-Jacob
'PullmanCar'

Re: Scripting Query

Unread postPosted: Mon Aug 10, 2026 4:09 pm
by PullmanCar
cnwfan wrote:You're looking at a compiled script file. A uncompiled, and human readable version, would have a .lua file extension. If you can figure out where the script is called from, you can try to incorporate the .out file into your repaints. There are some decompilers out there for lua scripts, but from what I've read its not very successful and requires some advanced skills. Just to confirm though, the EMD builders plate is not part of the main locomotive texture? Maybe it's a child object in the bin file. Sounds like a lot of work to hide a builders plate.



Thank you for the background information, I have found exact .OUT file, but it calls for many other things too, which seems to cause serious issues in other places. The plate was part of the main locomotive, and was somehow "turned off" or "hidden" via the script. I think you probably are correct that it is more effort than such would be worth. I could just paint it to match the body, as many roads did in later years rather than masking them off.

-Jacob
'PullmanCar'