Watford Junction to Milton Keynes Demo (as far as Apsley) - BVE route

About the (demo) route:

PLEASE NOTE: This demo includes detail levels which may be discontinued due to performacne problems - new versions will be written to replace these routes, and will appear in the finished route. The XLD route will certainly be replaced with a different version.

This is a demo of the Watford Junction to Milton Keynes BVE route. This demo runs from Watford Jcn station to the signal after Apsley

• Route Length: 5.6 miles
• Max. line speed: 110mph (inc. 20 mph TSR)
• Stations (Non-stop Watford Jcn to 'End of line'): Watford Junction, Kings Langley, Apsley, 'End of Line'
• Steepest climbing gradient: 1 in 335
• Time to complete: approx. 8 minutes

As this route is highly detailed, it will place very heavy demands on the processor and graphics card. If detail is what you want, then this route will not disappoint! If you can't tolerate any route without 100% silky smooth framerates of 30fps then this route may not be for you. In an effort to solve this problem, the route is available at several detail levels.

The different versions are:

'Xtra Low Detail' - Simplifed mk1 catenary, no overlaps or tension lengths, very few trees

'Low OLE Detail' - Simplified mk1 catenary, no overlaps or tension lengths, full scenery detail - RECOMMENDED FOR MOST PEOPLE

'Medium OLE Detail' - More detailed mk1 catenary, but no overlaps or tension lengths, full scenery detail - ALSO RECOMMENDED

'High OLE Detail' - Highly detailed mk1 catenary, with overlaps and tension lengths, full scenery detail

The following alternative routes will also be available for those who can't use BVE's transparency system, i.e. the catenary doesn't display correctly. While these versions will display the catenary properly, performance isn't as good:

'Compatibility Version' - Visually identical to the 'Low Detail' version, but the catenary doesn't use BVE's transparency

'Japanese Catenary Version' - If the mk1 catenary just won't work, then the default Japanese catenary might

Recommended Hardware

Although the low detail levels should work adequately on a PII 400 provided it has a top notch 3D accellerator and 128 MB RAM accompanying it, to be completely honest, a PIII 800 or better with a good 3D accellerator and 128 MB RAM is recommended to run the route at it's best.

Installation

After the object files and at least one rw pack have been downloaded, run each self-extracting file. Simply select the main BVE folder (where BVE.exe is located) and click 'Extract'. All files will be extracted to the correct folders.

The Route Files

Depending on the rw files that were downloaded, you should find some or all of the following routes in the BVE route list. Once the route(s) which offer the best balance between performance and detail have been chosen, feel free to delete those which won't be used:

Filename format: 'From Initial'-'Destination Initial'_'Detail Level'_'Weather'.rw

• W-A_LD_Snow.rw - 'Low OLE Detail'; Winter, snow
• W-A_LD_Sun.rw - 'Low OLE Detail'; Summer, sunny
• W-A_MD_Snow.rw - 'Medium OLE Detail'; Winter, snow
• W-A_MD_Sun.rw - 'Medium OLE Detail'; Summer, sunny
• W-A_HD_Snow.rw - 'High OLE Detail'; Winter, snow
• W-A_HD_Sun.rw - 'High OLE Detail'; Summer, sunny
• W-A_XLD_Snow.rw - 'Xtra Low Detail'; Winter, snow
• W-A_XLD_Sun.rw - 'Xtra Low Detail'; Summer, sunny

Other files that may appear in the list:

• W-A_CV_Snow.rw - 'Compatibility Version'; Winter, snow
• W-A_CV_Sun.rw - 'Compatibility Version'; Summer, sunny
• W-A_JC_Snow.rw - 'Japanese Catenary'; Winter, snow
• W-A_JC_Sun.rw - 'Japanese Catenary'; Summer, sunny

ONLY USE THE COMPATIBILITY VERSION IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!

It's recommended that the 'Low OLE Detail' route be tried first, and then depending on the performance of that, try the others out until an acceptable balance between performance and detail is achieved. Once this is decided, feel free to delete any rw files that will not be used, to 'de-clutter' the route list.

Starting and Using a Route; Driving the 87

Firstly, all credit must go to Paul Robins for working on the excellent class 87's performance and traction motor sounds. Here is a brief set of guidelines for getting the best out of the route and loco:

Key commands:

• Release brakes: '.'
• Apply brakes: '/'
• 'Notch' power handle up: 'z'
• 'Notch' power handle down: 'a'
• Master Switch 'Forward', 'Off', 'Reverse': 'Up/Down Arrow'
• Sound horn: 'Enter'
• Cancel driver vigilance device: 'Delete'
• Pause simulation: 'Alt'

For this demo, you MUST select 'Free Running' mode from the BVE route selection dialog.

• Once the rw file is loading, don't forget to turn up the volume on the speakers/headphones.
• Once in the cab of the 87, press the '.' key once to select brake position 8, and this 'initialises' the brake gauges, and forces them to display the correct pressure readings.
• Press the 'Up Arrow' key to move the 'Master Switch' to the forward position
• Then, press 'F2' once to bring up the BVE clock. The train is scheduled to depart at 12:00. Listen for the guard's first whistle, and depart after hearing the second whistle.

To get a more realistic driving experience from the 87, follow these steps:

• First, release the brakes ('.' key) until 5 bar is indicated on the brake pipe gauge (the largest pressure gauge). The bogie brake gauge should also read '0'
• Next, 'notch' up the power handle one step at a time, by pressing the 'z' key once at a time, leaving a few seconds pause between each increment. Each 'z' key press is like moving the power handle in the real 87 between the 'One Up' and 'Hold' position several times in a row. Repeat this until maximum power is applied.
• Should the Driver's Vigilance Device sound ('EB' in BVE), hit the 'Delete' key within 5 seconds, otherwise an emergency brake application will be made. Should this happen, once the train has come to a standstill, press the 'End' key to isolate the cab safety systems and press 'End' again to re-acivate them. This has the effect of 'resetting' them.
• Sound the horn with the 'Enter' key when entering and leaving tunnels, and also when permanent way workers can be seen by the trackside
• To apply the brakes, first 'notch' down slowly with the 'a' key. Then, apply the brakes using the '/' key, but don't apply the brakes too heavily
• When accelerating away from a speed restriction of any kind, remember that there are 8x mk3 coaches and a DVT behind you - don't accelerate too early
• When slowing or stopping, remember to plan the decceleration carefully; the 87 is not as easy to stop accurately as the ubiquitous Japanese EMUs.
• You will know that you've stopped at a station or the end of the line in the correct place when the distance information appears in the status bar on the bottom of the BVE screen

The remainder of the route is currently being built, and will be made available once it is ready. Check the site for new updates and progress monitoring.

Tips for improving performance:

1. The routes use a lot of RAM - restart Windows, and close all non-essential programs before starting BVE. Close all programs running in the Taskbar as well.
2. After trying one of the WJ-MKC routes, quit and restart BVE to free up memory, before loading another route. It is been observed that failing to do this can cut 1-2 fps from the performance of subsequent WJ-MKC routes opened in the same BVE session.
3. Set Windows to use a 16-bit colour depth.

Troubleshooting:

If BVE crashes soon after loading the route, with a Windows 'blue screen' error:

This can be fixed using the DirectX7 or later DXDiag utility. Try the following:

1. Run C:\Windows\System\DXDiag.exe. If you can't find it, go to Start Menu, Find, Files or Folders and search for DXDiag.exe.
2. Go to the 'Display' tab, and where it says 'AGP Support', click the 'Disable' button. Ensure that AGP Support: Disabled appears next to the button.
3. Exit DXDiag.
4. Run BVE again, and hopefully the route will now work.

If the Mk1 catenary doesn't display correctly - i.e. gantries are 'invisible', odd coloured edges surround the OLE structures, or solid grey rectangles appear above the track:

Your video card and/or it's drivers don't implement BVE's transparency system correctly. Try the following:

1. Download the set of replacement catenary textures and try the route again.
2. Try downloading the very latest drivers for your video hardware. Newer drivers can make a difference. Keep your existing drivers handy in case the new ones don't work!
3. Try the latest version of DirectX. There's a possibility that this may help.
4. If these steps don't help, then the lower performance 'Compatibility Version' or 'Japanese Catenary Version' will have to be used instead.

Enjoy the route!