Sessions

Three sessions accompany the route: Sticks and Chips, Sticks, and Chips. All three are similar with the principal differences being startup conditions. I recommend beginning with the Sticks and Chips session. You have four empty flatcars and six empty hopper cars to move to the mill for loading. This will give you something to do while waiting for the first train to come along. Since that might turn out to be a passenger train, you might find yourself waiting for the second train. Before long you will have more than enough trains and cars to deal with and you can become selective about which trains to take control of.


Action on the siding (left). The two right-hand tracks are the mainline.

The Sticks session begins on a clear day at 4:00 in the afternoon. You have only 10 empty flatcars to begin with. Remember that the mill needs a supply of logs and removal of lumber and woodchips.

The Chips session begins on a variably drizzly day at 6:30 in the morning. You have only six empty hopper cars to begin with, though there are some extra flats at the mill. Again, remember that all three aspects of the mill need attending to.


Alco FPA units leading a local freight. GE 44-tonner is in background.

Roll Your Own

You can create your own session from scratch or by modifying (and saving as) one of the sessions already provided. You can modify or change the trains leaving the portals, or their frequency. You can also change the starting conditions as to weather and available rolling stock. If you don’t like the mill settings, you can change those as well. Refer to "Automating the M-Line" and "Operations on the Rockbottom & Beatte 2007 Railroad" articles at the VR Reading Room for instructions on how to modify portals and industries.


Mainline action.

Availability

The Bearpaw Lumber Company route and its three sessions are available free as a single zipped package of CDPs at my Downloads page. Just unzip the package and import the CDPs via CMP.

I've also created a CD-ROM with the complete package for those who prefer not to download. The CD is available at my Proshop page for a nominal fee plus shipping.

The Bearpaw Lumber Company route requires TRS 2006 and service pack SP-1 be fully installed. If you don't have SP-1, there are ways around it by modifying the route's config file. Search the Trainz forum for an explanation of how to do this.

PS - Don't blame me if your spouse or significant other or parent starts complaining about the time you are spending at your computer. Bearpaw Lumber Company is helping keep your mind nimble by planning your moves.

Cheers,

Al

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Article and screen shots �2007 Alfred Barten. All rights reserved.

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