Train Sim Modeler
                                                                    Version 1.1 now available

Train Sim Modeler Create Engines, Rolling Stock & 3D Scenery Easily

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Train Sim Modeler

What's Waiting 'Round the Bend? In just two months since it was first released, Train Sim Modeler the tool of choice for making new trains, rolling stock and 3D scenery. Based on feedback for many early users, developer Louis Sinclair added new features and made Train Sim Modeler even easier to use. The new Version 1.1 lets users get their models running with MSTS even faster. To find out about these new Version 1.1 features, click here. Train Sim Modeler is ready to serve you when you're ready to start creating new worlds for Train Simulator.

4-Views for easier design Train Sim Modeler brings you a 4-view display. TSM lets you see these different views of your model simultaneously. As you design the top of your model for example, changes are instantly reflected in front, side and perspective views.

Click for Enlargement

A Simple Boxcar Let's see how you can build a boxcar:     You can set the preliminary dimensions. This boxcar is 3.7 meters wide x 4.8 meters high x 15 meter long.   Presto. A box appears on the screen in the four different views. You can now "edit" the box to ajust the boxcar shape, size, shape and characteristics. Backdrops - A Visual Design Aid Many designers use charts and diagrams for reference. If you have a diagram of the boxcar, you can easily scan the illustration and use the image as a "backdrop". To the right is a sample backrop. Using the backdrop, you "draw" your new design on top of the various parts of the picture. Here, designer Stewart Clark has used backdrops to fashion a colorful boxcar. The light blue lines represent his drawing of the boxcar while the black lines are part of the backdrop. Using a backdrop can significantly reduce the time to completion. The next step is to paint the box. Train Sim Modeler has a very flexible way to apply textures to the differing surfaces. After previewing the texture, you can select the portion of that texture to be painted onto one or more of a part's surfaces.   Stewart's boxcar is ready for its first run with Train Simulator.

More Detailed Designs Of course, we skipped over a few steps in the above boxcar example. It' really quite simple to turn a box into the boxcar. But it may not be as obvious how you'd make the wheel assembly.
Again Stewart uses backdrops of the wheel assembly as a guide in the design process. The assembly is made from various parts found on the parts toolbar: tubes, disks and ovals. This backdrop includes the dimensions for the assembly. Train Sim Modeler lets you set an exact scale for the backrop. By doing this, a wheel drawn in any windows is made to the correct measurements.
Parts - You can reuse previous designs Instead of designing an entire boxcar, you can design the wheel assembly first and save it separately as its own part. Later, you can use the wheel assembly on the boxcar or on any other rolling stock that uses similar wheels. This eliminates the need to duplicate your efforts with each new design.

Other Features to Make Designing Even Easier

When you use a word processor, you can use the Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete commands to speed up your handling of words. When you use Train Sim Modeler these same commands speed up your handling of parts. You can also operate on several parts at once using Train Sim Modeler's multiple selection capabilities. Parts can be designed separately and saved in a library. As you add parts to your project, you can easily scale and position them.    UNIQUE TIME SAVING FEATURES: When you're ready to send your design to Train Simulator, it's a snap. Train Sim Modeler automatically converts all of your design elements including textures into the proper format for Train Simulator and the places you in the EDITOR. You're ready to see the new train in action! You don't have the tedious task of manually converting your design to the various formats. Train Sim Modeler lets you use Train Simulator's multiple 'level of detail' models. In Train Sim Modeler, a complete model is an 'object.' Train Sim Modeler allows you to woork with multiple 'objects' at once. Each 'object' represents a single level of detail. Only one 'object' is active and visible, but all 'objects' are saved and loaded as one project. Each 'object' has a name and visibility distance as properties. Train Sim Modeler later creates a separate .3ds file for each 'object' (level of detail) in the project. These are then combined into one .s file during the conversion. Here's all of the processes that Train Sim Modeler is automating: Generates a shape file directly (saving you from running the 'Conv3ds' program). Creates an .sd file, automatically inserting detail level and special texture flags. Converts .s file to unicode with the txt2uni.exe TrainSim utility. Converts .sd file to unicode with the txt2uni.exe TrainSim utility. Runs MakeAce.exe TrainSim utility for each texture to convert to .ace format. Convert the .s file to binary format with the ffeditc_unicode.exe TrainSim utility. Copies .s, .sd, and .ace files to proper TrainSim route sub folders. Scans the route .ref file and adds a reference to the new object if it's not already there. Keep in mind that Train Sim Modeler handles the conversion for you. You no longer have to use the TrainSim utilities to convert textures or unicode, for example.

Photorealistic 3D scenery It's easy to make 3D scenery. This scale model of the famous Exacibur Casino in Las Vegas was made from a few 'boxes' and 'tubes', added to our route and was up and running in Train Simulator in less than two hours. The outside of the casino was "painted" with a texture made from a photograph. The sign was made similary paintd with a photorealistic texture.	Click to enlarge the Excalibur Casino
Locomotive Matthew Peddlesden has completed his Class 66 engine. After designing the locomotive, TSM converts it into the proper files for Train Simulator. Click to enlarge.
Virtual Cab Matthew Peddlesden has also demonstrated how to build a virtual cab with TSM. Click to enlarge.    Click here to see more designs

Title	Platform	Item #	ISBN #	S.R.P.	Media	Available
Train Sim Modeler	Train Simulator and Win95/98/2000/XP	S465	1-55755-465-X	$39	Download	Now
Train Sim Modeler	Train Simulator and Win95/98/2000/XP	S461	1-55755-461-7	$49.95	Packaged retail box	Now
Train Sim Modeler Commercial	Train Simulator and Win95/98/2000/XP	S462	1-55755-462-5	$395*	Download	Now
Please Note: Train Sim Modeler may be used to make trains for personal, non-commercial use only. Train Sim Modeler Commercial is required to make objects and trains which are offered for sale. If you are a developer and would like to use this powerful design software to make trains and 3D objects for sale and/or barder, please click here. *$100 discount available.

New Features in Version 1.1 New: Edit | Part Properties - use Reference Part Names for enhanced object creation. For example, a Reference Part Name starting with 'light_' creates a light in a locomotive or carriage object. After conversion to MSTS, you can edit the light parameters in the respective .eng or .wag files. You can also create effects such as steam nozzles.   New: File | Project Properties - choose the Target Type to specify the type of Train Sim object. When you later choose File | Create TS Object File, the support files (*.eng, *.s, textures, etc) are automatically created in the respective Train Simulator folders.   New: Texture file dialog now lists both tga and bmp formatted files.   New: Textures 1024 x 1024   New: Size of grid is retained from one session to another.   New: TSM Library - set of professionally designed objects that you can use as a starting point for making your own new projects.   Improved: frame animation and rotation animation   Fixed: Problem when using certain textures smaller than 256 x 256.   Removed: Warning message when using 24-bit textures.   Improved: numerous usability features   Commercial Version: Printing a view. Right click any of the four view and select 'Print' or 'Print Preview'. The perspective view prints a wireframe rendering.   Commercial Version: Export image. Right click and slect 'Export Image' to save a bmp image of the perspective view.   Commercial Version: File | Import menu includes an option to import 3ds files as well as FS Design Studio files.   Commercial Version: File | Save As menu includes an option to export FS Design Studio formatted files   If you are already a registered user of Train Sim Modeler you can get a FREE upgrade to Version 1.1. To install this upgrade, you will have to enter your personalized registration key. Click here for the Version 1.1 update.

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