US Set available [Trains v0.87.4d released 27 April 2008]

[Sanchimaru]

More stations! great! I like a lot the new ones too.
Fine job, people.

[goalie]

will there be a new release in the near future

[The Irish]

When ever they are ready with it.

[DanMacK]

We're currently ironing out the bugs, so there will be a new release in the near future... can't give a definite "when" however.

[Oracle]

It's been a long time coming, but version 0.85 of the US Set is now here!
The skipped version number indicates that there have been a lot of changes, most notably a large number of new liveries, bug fixes and even an animated steam locomotive (with thanks to DaleStan)!
Alpha 47 or higher is now required (although you should all be using alpha 48 anyway) and there are many updated sprites and general gameplay improvements, including early retirement to reduce the locomotive list problems that many people have experienced.

A new version of the stations is also available, with a few new designs (but no Grand Central Terminal).

This will be the last version before major changes are introduced to notably differentiate the three climates.

Changes in version 0.85:

• Set now requires alpha 47 or higher in all cases.
• Fixed incorrect cargos/refitting possibilities for gondola.
• Made stainless steel passenger/mail cars appear in 1940 rather than 1946.
• Updated 20th Century Limited (NYC Hudson) sprites.
• Added new bay window caboose.
• Updated Doodlebug sprites, including mail refit version.
• Added new iron ore car sprites.
• Added new C&NW liveries for bi-level cars, GP9 and E8 but not in Tropical.
• Slightly modified names of many wagons (to be more American).
• Added D&RGW PA-1 livery to Arctic instead of NYNH&H.
• Restricted SD40-2 Chessie livery to Temperate and Tropical and BN to Arctic.
• Corrected very slight positioning error with E8 UP livery.
• Added C&NW random livery for AC6000CW in Arctic.
• Replaced Conrail C30-7 livery with BN livery in Arctic.
• Updated BN SD70MAC sprites again.
• Added H8 Allegheny to Temperate climate instead of Big Boy.
• Replaced E8 UP livery in Arctic with GN "Empire Builder".
• Changed GE44 livery.
• Added new C&O GP9 and modified livery arrangements for different climates.
• Updated Mikado sprites.
• Added UP and CSX livery SD70MAC variants; restricted each livery to one climate only (CSX - temperate; BN - arctic; UP - sub-tropical)
• Changed ETD introduction date to 1970 (plus random amount).
• Many other minor positioning changes too small to note.
• Added S2 'Northern' as replacement for GS-4 Daylight in Arctic.
• Added Class J 'Northern' as replacement for GS-4 Daylight in Temperate, with matching passenger and mail carriages.
• Added express reefer to replace reefer graphics 1921-65 where reefers are in the same train as passenger cars.
• Updated Sharknose sprites and corrected erroneous sprite ordering.
• Modified F7 liveries with replacement sprites - now only ATSF in Temperate, UP in Arctic and both in Tropical.
• Added non-streamlined Hudson as replacement in all three climates - 20th Century Limited livery now available only in temperate and not until 1938.
• Slightly altered many goods capacities.
• Fixed slight bug with Sunset bi-levels at back of train with parameter bit 5 set.
• Changed steel coil car introduction date to 1965; updated coil car sprites with new alternate livery for 1965-1990 and a new livery for 1991 onwards.
• Updated Challenger sprites.
• Added two new tanker designs (one all cargos in early years, one modern goods and food) and updated sprites for one other.
• Added new FP45 locomotive (SD45 passenger version) in Arctic or Tropical.
• Changed name of SD70M to SD70MAC and reduced running cost.
• Added two new SOO line cabooses.
• Added new C&NW random livery for SD45 in temperate.
• Updated C636 sprites.
• Updated Hi-Cube boxcar sprites.
• Changed wood car in Arctic to use both log cars and woodchip gondolas.
• Changed capacities of various freight wagons (mainly for goods).
• Added Y6b as replacement for AC-6 in temperate.
• Prevented some passenger locomotives from hauling freight wagons. (See readme for more details.)
• Prevented some passenger locomotives from hauling bi-levels. (See readme for more details.)
• Added non-BN woodchip hopper for use until 1970.
• Added Class C 'Shay' specialised hill-climbing steam locomotive in Temperate and Tropical climates.
• Increased GE44T horsepower slightly to make it a bit more usable.
• Added Amtrak stainless coaches as livery change for existing stainless coaches in 1970, including Budd Slumbercoach (6th vehicle from front in trains with at least 9 vehicles).
• Increased tractive effort of RF16 'Sharknose'.
• Reduced AEM7 power to 6000 hp.
• Added new set of boxcars to carry grain and New York Central 'Pacemaker' boxcar for 1945-70.
• Added 2-8-0 'Consolidation' as a cheap steamer from the start of the game.
• Added EP-5 as commuter electric locomotive in mid-game (not Tropical climate).
• Updated Big Boy sprites.
• Added Budd "Big Dome" as possible stainless passenger carriage in Tropical climate.
• Added new set of intermodals as a replacement for the originals.
• Updated F59PHI Metra sprites and bi-level carriages.
• Added open autoracks as Autorack livery 1950-1969.
• Limited all multiple units with powered wagons to length 8 ("engine" plus seven passenger or mail carriages).
• Changed H24-66 'Trainmaster' to a Universal engine and updated sprites.
• Updated F40PH2 sprites and added new NJT commuter livery with matching passenger and mail cars.
• Improved AI use of locomotives, wagons and track types.
• Updated all masses of articulated locomotives to take into account that additional pieces do not contribute mass.
• Changed some vehicle introduction dates and reorganised purchase list slightly.
• Changed Genesis to 4000 hp (and name to P40).
• Allowed covered hoppers to be refitted to goods and used some liveries specifically for each cargo.
• Removed original PA-1/PB-1 livery.
• Completely changed model availability dates and model lives using new "early retirement" feature of TTDPatch.
• Added new C40-8 locomotive.
• Updated Budd RDC sprites and added MBTA versions as GP9 passenger carriages in some circumstances.
• Changed locomotive purchase cost base to give more variation within purchase costs.
• Modified many wagon masses and loading speeds.
• Added animated Berkshire.
• Changed refittability of some freight cars.

[Oracle]

Here is version 0.85 of the US Stations set.

Changes in stations version 0.85:

• Set now requires alpha 46 or higher in all cases.
• Added concrete version of country station as new construction option.
• Allowed asphalt stations to be built from 1950.
• Reworked asphalt stations to (hopefully) eliminate some glitches and added new island platform option.
• Added high-level concrete platform in both dual and island options.
• Allowed AI to use some stations in certain cases.
• Made country stations (not Alderson) appear with snowy or desert ground tiles in these areas.

[Sanchimaru]

Downloaded! to test them! Whooo!! ((8;o.====== /(^.^)/

[wallyweb]

Changes in version 0.85:

• Set now requires alpha 47 or higher in all cases.
  ~
• Changed refittability of some freight cars.

Yep ... I think you got all of it!
Fantastic job guys!
See you next year ... gotta go play with this awhile

[Thade]

Great work!

Oracle, you need to update your signature!

[Sanchimaru]

I'm loving the animated sprtes for locomotives!!

[The Irish]

sexy

But bad news for all the other things in my life. no more time for anything else...

[wallyweb]

But bad news for all the other things in my life. no more time for anything else...
and
No time. Big change coming up in my professional life, so very little left for ttd

Uhoh!

[Sanchimaru]

I find a problem with the stations... it's just a slight detail, but...
They are very eclectic. I mean that each one is different from another. Mostly, the platforms. There is a new pair of platforms I think I'll never use; the reason being that those are high, and the platform of the rest of the stations isn't. I'd use platforms to add them to a existing station, or to compose station parts, as Michael Blunck's "platforms" station set. But I wouldn't build a station formed just of empty platforms.

The stations and platforms are very nice individually; but there is no way to make them look ok if used together, there has been a problem of artistic coordination. I don't mind having high or low platforms, lighter or darker grey; but I think that an uniform look is needed for the "US set" GRF. Otherwise I feel it as wasted job and time (for example in drawing and coding those platforms mentioned above)

Other than that they work well, and I like how they are done. But I recommend to give them unity

[Villem]

Im getting lots of clipping with the copper ore cars in Tropics..

[krtaylor]

The station set is not anywhere near done; there are many more stations intended to be added. Eventually it will be properly well-rounded.

[Oracle]

Thank you for the comments!

They are very eclectic. I mean that each one is different from another. Mostly, the platforms. There is a new pair of platforms I think I'll never use; the reason being that those are high, and the platform of the rest of the stations isn't. I'd use platforms to add them to a existing station, or to compose station parts, as Michael Blunck's "platforms" station set. But I wouldn't build a station formed just of empty platforms.
[...]
Other than that they work well, and I like how they are done. But I recommend to give them unity

I think you're right there, Sanchimaru. I put those platforms in because there seemed to be demand at the time; now, with better stations and MB's appearing, they're not really that needed. The problem with variation is fairly unavoidable, I think, because they're not drawn by one artist for one specific set, which is partly why MB's work appears so good. Of course, cornelius' art is excellent, but, especially when some of Oz's stations start to be included, there will be variation and it's difficult to fix it without unnecessarily redrawing many of the sprites. There is some consistency at the moment, though: the asphalt is common to the Alderson, Amshack and plain asphalt stations, as the same base sprites were used.

Im getting lots of clipping with the copper ore cars in Tropics..

What exactly do you mean? I can't see any problems here.

[Villem]

well im only using Consolidations atm, but when their loading on a platform, the wagons look like their clipping on each other.

[orudge]

Great stuff, looking forward to testing this soon!

[Monty]

The set is very nice, I only have one slight problem, that is the Allegheny's side view has a huge gap in the middle of the engine ...sort of allignement problem I think.

[Oracle]

well im only using Consolidations atm, but when their loading on a platform, the wagons look like their clipping on each other.

They are supposed to be very close together, but I wouldn't call that "clipping".

The set is very nice, I only have one slight problem, that is the Allegheny's side view has a huge gap in the middle of the engine ...sort of allignement problem I think.

Is this in an existing game? It looks fine to me. If you are in an existing game, try pressing "Apply" in the New Graphics Status window and sending the train to a depot.