MSTS Route - First Route MV3a

A fictional route accompanying the 
Step-by-Step Guide to Building Routes 
for Microsoft Train Simulator 
by Michael Vone


Overview

This fictional route for Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS) stretches for about 3 miles with two stations, a yard, two spurs, a wye and a loop.  Its main purpose is to illustrate route building techniques:  it follows very closely the route building project included in the Route Building Tutorial for MSTS by Michael Vone.  This route is not designed for the pleasure of driving trains.

Provided are:  complete route;  simple activities.

Version 2 of First Route added objects and scenery, and made a minor change to tracks.

Version 3 of First Route adds 12 different environments (seasonal weather patterns), and load screens.

Version 3a is identical to Version 3, but it accompanies the new version 3 of Michael Vone's "Step-by-Step Guide to Building Routes for Microsoft Train Simulator".  If you have installed Version 3, there is no need to install Version 3a of First Route.


Included files

This document:  
MSTS First Route MV3a.pdf and .txt
Batch file for installation:
	FirstRouteMV3.bat
MSTS Route:
folder "First Route MV3"
Activities:
	A few simple activities (with paths and services), and an Introductory Train Ride
Route map:
	Map - First Route.gif


Installation

To install the First Route into Train Simulator (MSTS), do the following:

- you may delete any previous version of my First Route (this is not necessary, but saves hard disk space):  to do this, delete the entire folder of the previous version (using Windows Explorer or My Computer).

- copy the TEMPLATE folder of MSTS into the ROUTES folder of MSTS:  this copy of the TEMPLATE folder should be at the same level as the default MSTS route folders (EUROPE1, etc.);

- rename that copy of the TEMPLATE folder to "First Route MV3":  so the folder "First Route MV3" will be at the same level as the default MSTS route folders (EUROPE1, etc.);  at this stage, your folder structure should look something like this (if you look at it with Windows Explorer or My Computer):

Train Simulator
... 1033
... FONTS
... ...
... ROUTES
...... EUROPE1
...... EUROPE2
...... ...
...... First Route MV3 <-- copy of TEMPLATE folder renamed to First Route MV3
...... ...
...... USA2
... SAMPLES
... ...
... TEMPLATE <--- source TEMPLATE folder
... TRAINS
... UTILS

- unzip the files from the zipped package into the new "First Route MV3" folder:  make sure to unzip the packaged files into this new "First Route MV3" folder using path names (allow overwriting of files);

- move the batch file FirstRouteMV3.bat from the Docs subfolder of "First Route MV3" to the ROUTES folder of MSTS;

- in Windows Explorer or My Computer, double-click on the batch file FirstRouteMV3.bat to execute it:  it will copy a number of files into the First Route folder;

- close the MS-DOS window when it says "Finished - FirstRouteMV3".

Now you can start MSTS and find the route named "First Route MV3".

NOTES:  

- if you have not installed all default routes of MSTS, you may need to copy files from the MSTS CD's;  open FirstRouteMV3.bat with an editor and check the path of all source files:  if you see files coming from default routes that you have not installed, get those files from the MSTS CD's and place them in the destination folders indicated in FirstRouteMV3.bat;

- to completely uninstall First Route, simply delete the entire "First Route MV3" subfolder from the MSTS Routes folder (using Windows Explorer or My Computer).

_______________________________________________________________________________
Michael Vone
_______________________________________________________________________________
