A New Look at LARS, Continued
ProtoLARS. The ProtoLARS Industries were created to take the idea a step further. They function just as in real. For example, in real life the train arrives at the industry, picks up the cars that are ready and sets out empty cars or cars loaded with material that the industry needs. Then the train departs while the industry loads and unloads the cars that were set out.
The ProtoLARS industries, or PLs as they are called, work in the same way. You place a consist of cars at the PL and leave it there. While you continue doing other tasks the PL unloads and loads all the cars in the consist, as long as the cars� products match the products for which the particular PL is configured. Later, when you return with your train, the cars are already loaded or unloaded. John�s Fish Factory is shown below using ProtoLARS.
Object menu showing PL Food.
ProtoLARS track section (red arrows) placed alongside the building.
Load Time property sheet.
ProtoLARS Food Loading property sheet showing the Fish choice.
There are several things to configure, which you do by selecting the question mark button on the Objects menu and entering amounts in the subsequent Properties sheets. For example, you can determine:
- - Whether to load/unload one car at a time or all cars simultaneously
- - How much to load with each load cycle
- - How much cycle time for each load cycle
By adjusting the cycle time and the load amount per cycle, the total time for loading a car can be set, so it can take a long time just like some cars do in real life.
The PLs have been made shorter than the BIs and BI2s in order to make them easier to fit into curves. That makes it a little harder to know where you�ve actually placed your consist at the PL. To identify the PL location, ,just place ProtoLARS Marker Poles around the PL. The marker poles look like they belong to the railroad. An idea that John uses is to place a person, such as a flagman, to show the loading point.
PL_Intermodal. There is a special PL, called PL_Intermodal, that handles containers and trailers. PL_Intermodal does not have all the configuration alternatives that the normal PLs have, but is specially designed to load containers, doublestack containers, and trailers on flatcars. If used together with the wellcars, container cars and flat cars made by CNR, it loads and unloads prototypically.
Intermodal cars.
Developer Kit. To help you create ProtoLARS industries, there is a ProtoLARS Creators Developer Kit. The PL CDK consists of the PL industry script, a template for an industry and a manual that describes how to set up a new PL industry.
Where to get the PLs? The PLs, the PL CDK and the rolling stock by CNR are available free of charge from TrainzProRoutes.
Summary. Use of ProtoLARS is not the best choice for unit trains that �flood load� (i.e. a train moves as it is loaded, such as a string of hopper cars that you pull under a coal loader.) Use the BIs or CDKs for this type of operation.
ProtoLARS gives you the possibility to operate in a more prototypical manner by not requiring you to stand by while loading or unloading your train. It also makes the loading and unloading take longer, as in real life. Thus you have an opportunity to do switching or other tasks while waiting for your train to load.
John:
Thank you Lars. There is one thing I do need to point out. When you go to the TrainzProRoutes website, the LARS material is not located in the Downloads section. The LARS material is located in the Forum, and you will need to register with TrainzProRoutes to access the files there. This is a simple and free process.
Once you are in the Forum, you will need to locate separate files for download, as the LARS material is not packed in a single file. For the ProtoLARS material, you will need to download:
- - ProtoLARS Manual (Zip File)
- - ProtoLARS Megapack 1.1 (CDP)
- - ProtoLARS Marker Poles (CDP)
- - Products Pack 4 (CDP)
- - Products Pack 5(CDP)
- - Container Packs(CDP)
You will need to use LARS-capable freight cars, which can be found at TrainsProRoutes, the Trainz Download Station (DLS), and other websites. Additional products for the PLs can be gotten from the DLS.
Adding LARS and ProtoLARS to your route will greatly enhance your operating experience.
John
[While you�re at it, why not have a look at the LARS Interchange track, which lets you set out or pick up cars on an interchange track. While you�re away doing something else, the cars you set out will be replaced by others. � Ed.]
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