Monorail and maglev sets

[Wotan]

I don't like using the original engines in the game - they are boring compared to the creativity and realism one sees in many sets. However I miss something - as the title of this topic suggests monorail and maglev stock are virtually non-existing. The only train set I've found so far is the Transrapid in the DBset.

I can understand why there are few maglevs to find since it is a relatively new and experimental technology. However monorail has been around for a long time albeit only as a curiosity. It could be fun to have some of the pre-WWI gyroscopic monorails or some of the monorails used for mass transit in Kuala Lumpur in the game.

Is there any monorail/maglev sets out there or is this something that doesn't have the interest of the graphics community?

[Dave]

Well, the lack of monorails is mainly because people go for MagLev technology, and the lack of that is for the reason you state (originally one could only use one or the other due to the other option being taken up by Electric Rails - I think OTTD has removed this issue.

I will say that I think Monorail has always been suited to light rail technology - the only instances I've ever seen of Monorail technology are:

- at my local shopping centre, which was removed due to spiralling costs. The track was sold to a French shopping centre and the trains were sold to an Australian shopping centre (theme developing here?).

- Alton Towers has a monorail between the hotel and the theme park.

- Birmingham Airport actually used to have a small MagLev system, but I think this was replaced by a monorail system.

I think some of the more recently developed sets might take advantage of the two systems but I'm unaware to what extent this might be.

[DJ Nekkid]

to continue on daves bits here.

the 2cc set use the monorail system for a new metro system. and there will eventually be some maglevs as well, but only for pax use.

[Purno]

There aren't many monorail and maglev trains coded, but I'm sure there's some graphics drawn posted somewhere on these forums. Easiest would be is to find these graphics, ask permission to use them, and start up coding (either with NFO-coding or GRF-maker). The fastest way to get the set you want is by making it yourself

[JapyDooge]

Good question, i want them also
How are these coded? I searched for it but was'nt able to find any examples

[Purno]

The manual NFO-coding is explained at the wiki at http://www.ttdpatch.net . (Link in my sig too)
Coding with GRFMaker isn't really explained AFAIK, though I have seen a tutorial a while ago by jvassie, I think it's somewhere around the wiki too. GRFMaker itself got a topic in this exact forum

[DonRazzi]

There is a simple reason why Maglev- and Monorail are rarely used in new sets: Nearly no real examples exist. Monorails today are mainly used as very local transport systems at theme parks, fairgrounds and airports. Only one Maglev-project ever turned into commercial use till now, which is the Transrapid used in Shanghai and developed by Siemens in Germany. The other project, the Japanese Maglev, has been cancelled few years ago. The future of Transrapid is quite questionable because all plans to establish a commercial route in Germany have been cancelled, while normal highspeed-trains like TGV, ICE and Shinkansen have proofed their safety and reliability at higher speeds than 300 km/h (ca. 190 mph).

If you ask me, developers of the big sets would rather give up monorail and maglev than develop new, futuristic rolling stock.

CU,

Don