Hi All,

I read yesterday that part of the 5,000 - person layoffs that Microsoft announced included most of the team that was working on both MS Flight Simulator and the long-awaited update to MSTS 1. For more info, click here.

Hopefully, if the economy ever gets back on track, MS will reconsider.

Regards,

Greg

I must say I didn't find the video very interesting after the first couple minutes.

One time I had a chance to operate the BNSF training simulators in Kansas City. I got to drive a SD-70 and a SD40-2. With varying speed limits, whistle blowing for grade crossings and grades changing all the time, I felt busier than a one armed paper hanger.  The MS TS video did not convey that feeling to me.

I have to admit wasting hundreds of hours playing Forza 2 and Project Gotham on my Xbox 360.  I'd probably have my layout done by now if it weren't for those games :(

Bernard Kempinski

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 www.alkemscalemodels.biz

 

Personal Layout Blog: http://usmrr.blogspot.com/

 

... real railroading is pretty booring. Miles and miles of just running through the countryside. Think of a long car road trip and you get the idea.

Our layouts selectively compress out most of that so we just have the more exciting stuff.

I played with MSTS for a few days, and then it was back to layout. Somehow, the physical models grab me more than images on a glowing screen.

I agree.  Trainz was great when I lived where I had no space for a layout but now that I have space I want to have the real thing.  Trainz isn't even installed at the moment.

I saw the whole package of Trainz for $30 - every version - at a store and bought it.  I installed it, ran it to see if it worked, and haven't touched it since.  Maybe should have saved my $30.

I saw the whole package of Trainz for $30 - every version - at a store and bought it.  I installed it, ran it to see if it worked, and haven't touched it since.  Maybe should have saved my $30.

Dave

Hey Dave,

It's not for everybody that's for sure.

Long before Trainz I was playing Railroad Tycoon, other Railroad games and SIMs like SimCity too.  Having terraformed and played the railroad games etc. I wanted to check out Trainz when it appeared.  I didn't become obsessed with it or anything but it is pretty cool, IMO.  No substitute for the real thing of course.

Boy if I had your job I would sure want to have a laptop and some train sims etc.

Just saw in the March MR that there is a 2009 version of Trainz by Auran out there.

If you are into virtual railroading (haven't tried it myself), I hope you'll reward the Trainz folks for hanging in there where Microsoft won't.

I do hope that Rick Selby and Keith Thompson land on their feet in this.

Gotta love railroad tycoon. I still play the old DOS railroad tycoon deluxe. Its my "solitaire" and has the added benefit of running on just about anything! I just wish someone would make a flash or shockwave version of it... and fix the bug with modern cars stretching too far off the page..

 I joke with my friends that after 15+ years and thousands of dollars of upgrades, I still spend most of my time playing a game that ran just fine on my 286..

Chris

I have a laptop up at work for my downtime, and what do I have on there?  Railroad Tycoon, I, II, II SC, and III.  Love them.  I've just been trying lately to go the gym most nights and do some reading of all my new (and old) model railroad books.  I'm sure I'd like the Trainz if I got at it, but after a 12 hour day, I don't feel like learning a new game on the computer.

RRTIIP does it for me too.

I tried Railroads and hated it.

is RRTIII any good?