CTA in Train Simulator

[briman94]

So my pet project recently has been recreating the entire CTA in the game Train Simulator by Dovetail Games. I have completed part of the route but decided to restart from scratch using my own assets. Both the old route and new route are included in the download below. The new route includes the entire Brown Line, the entire Orange Line, the Kimball yard, the Skokie Shops, and a small segment of the State Street Subway (highly WIP; don't expect it to look nice). The old route includes the entire Brown line, Orange line, and parts of the Red and Green lines.  Included with both routes are three types of vehicles: the Bombardier-built CTA 5000-series railcar, the Morrison-Knudsen-built 3200-series railcar, and a fictional "Automatic People Mover 400" vehicle (just for the fun of it). All the content is a work-in-progress, so keep that in mind!

 

Videos

New 5000-series Model and Texture Demo

NEW Brownage (Brown/Orange Lines) Midway - Kimball (3200-series, new route)

NEW Brownage (Brown/Orange Lines) Kimball - Midway (5000-series, new route)

Brown Line Kimball - Loop (5000-series)

Orange Line Loop - Midway (5000-series)

Brownage (Brown/Orange Lines) Kimball - Midway (5000-series, old route, narrated)

(OLD) Brown Line through State Street Subway*

*This happened during a reroute due to a fire. Brown Lines went through the subway to 35th/Bronzeville-IIT

Source Files/Contributing

The project source files are available on GitHub, which is a project collaboration site. The files are split up into two repositories, along with my side projects. I have a master project located here: https://github.com/users/briman0094/projects/1. In this project are several repositories containing my RailWorks source files, including the CTA assets (track/train/scenery models, textures, etc), the CTA routes, and some other side projects. Keep in mind that the project files are very large and the first time cloning (downloading) the repository will take a long time.

Anybody is welcome to offer contributions to the project as I haven't had much time at all to work on it. However, contributions aren't guaranteed to be accepted into the official project. It will depend on how well the contributions fit with the rest of the project as a whole. Contributors should be at least somewhat familiar with how GitHub collaboration works; there is a plethora of excellent documentation on the internet for working with a GitHub project.

Installation

Currently, the project is not available in a "compiled" or "ready-to-install" form. Anyone who wishes to use the project will need to download the source files and compile them using the RailWorks authoring tools.

Installation instructions:

All routes require the New York - New Haven route. The old routes require the London - Brighton route. The new route requires the "Racetrack - Metra BNSF" route. Some of these routes should both be included in Train Simulator 2015 by default, and some are available in the Train Simulator DLC shop.

Automatic Installation

• Download the "Automated Installer" archive from the link above
  • Requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or higher
• Extract the installer and all other files from the archive to their own folder
• Run the installer and follow the prompts
  • The installation can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on your internet speed. The installer should properly update previous installations and fix broke installations.

Manual Installation

• Download the ZIP archive from the link above
• Extract the archive to a folder of your choice
• Copy the "Assets" and "Content" folders to your RailWorks root directory so that they merge with the ones already there
  • For Steam installations, the folder should be at: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\RailWorks\
  • For non-Steam installations, the location may vary, but should be in the C:\Program Files (x86)\ directory.

Route Details:

There should be one route named CTA and one route named CTA (Old) included in the package. The one titled CTA is a new route on which I am using a lot more my own models, textures, etc and less third-party content. The old route has more of the Red Line, however, it is of lesser quality and is not being maintained any longer.

The rolling stock used for the Red Line is a a custom-built rail vehicle modeled after the real CTA 5000-series railcars. The sounds should be very familiar to a regular CTA Red-, Purple-, Yellow-, Green-, or Pink-line rider and the physics should be nearly identical to those of a real CTA 5000-series train. The rolling stock used for the Brown and Orange lines is also custom-built, modeled after the CTA 3200-series railcars. Again, the sounds and physics behavior should be very familiar to any regular Brown- or Orange-line rider.

Usage Information:

The main CTA vehicles are driven like most standard Train Simulator vehicles. The controls are listed below. All CTA trains have a "track brake" which is a form of emergency brake, and this can be activated by holding the "E" button. CTA trains also have a safety feature called ATC, or Automatic Train Control. ATC ensures that the driver is following a safe speed but does not have direct control over the train. If you hear a high-pitched constant beep, ATC is regulating your speed and you are required to apply full brakes. It will then beep every four seconds until you are below the speed limit set by ATC. If you don't apply the brakes within 2.5 seconds, ATC will stop the train and you will have to apply full brakes before being allowed to move again.

If you must pass an at-danger signal or move the train in another situation where the ATC restricted speed is 0, you can enable "Rule 6.4 mode" by pressing Ctrl+C. This mode restricts your max speed to 15 MPH and the system will sound a short reminder beep every 4 seconds while the train is moving. The term "Rule 6.4" is a reference to the CTA motorman's handbook section 6.4, which illustrates "operation on-sight" rules, such as when the cab signalling system is unable to be used.

The 5000-series vehicles also feature what the CTA calls "ATO," or "Automatic Train Operation." This is a common term in the rail industry, however it normally implies fully automated control of the vehicle, whereas the CTA's ATO system does not actually control the vehicle. This feature is more of a cruise control feature. If you hold the throttle at 100%, the train will automatically coast once you reach the speed limit so that it does not accelerate past the speed limit, and will resume acceleration automatically once the speed limit increases without the driver needing to move the throttle. This feature can only be disabled by disabling the entire ATC system (Ctrl+D).

 

Controls:

• W/S - Reverser Lever
• A/D - Throttle Lever
• E - Track Brake (hold) Note: disables CBTC when pressed
• Space - Horn (hold)
• J/Shift+J - LED Destination Sign/Class Lights
• U - Enable/Disable CBTC
• Ctrl+D - Enable/Disable ATC
• Ctrl+C - Enable/Disable Rule 6.4 mode (operation on-sight; max speed 15MPH; used to pass at-danger signals)
  • Note: The train must be completely stopped to enable or disable ACT or R6.4
• T - Open Doors
• Z - Turn 600V system on/off (complete power cutoff/shutdown)

The APM400 vehicle drives like a normal train and does not have most of the features of the 5000-series, as it is meant to be driven in CBTC mode exclusively (but can be controlled manually if you desire).

All of the vehicles (CTA and fictional) are equipped with Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) which, on the new "CTA" route, will drive the train automatically obeying speed limits and stopping at all stations. Turn this on or off by pressing the "U" button. Note: the real CTA trains do not have this feature, and cannot operate automatically. This is simply a proof-of-concept for the simulator.

 

Credits

A big thanks goes out to Dovetail Games and their amazing simulator and content, and especially for their new developer documentation which helped me actually get this stuff in the game.

 

Thanks also to the members of this awesome forum for providing information to make the project more accurate and enjoyable!

[briman94]

Also, I assume this is in the right subforum as it pertains to CTA Rail, but if a moderator feels it should be moved elsewhere, feel free.

[Kevin]

Nice work! Looking forward to updates.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

You have my full support! I'm really excited to see where this goes. The only problem is getting a train car short enough to navigate the L curves. The Class 377 is pretty long, but you still did a good job. Also, I can't for the life of me make routes. Don't let it make you crazy!

I have 249 hours in that game.

[sw4400]

I am currently watching it, and given the resources Train Simulator has, this isn't half bad. Hopefully, you can get our 'L' Cars into the game and maybe work on infrastructure in the future, but as is... it's pretty good. On a 10 scale, I'd grade it as such...

• Effort: 10
• Creativity: 7
• Mods: 6
• Sounds: 5
• Overall: 7.5

There is room for improvement, but this is a work in progress, and given what you've done up to this point just to make the simulator is outstanding. Some sound touch-ups that might be able to be added soon are

• Mr. CTA: I noticed you are using him announce the closing of the doors with the 5000-Series beeps as the door closes. What would help the simulator more is if you can have him announce the stops as you depart "(Next Stop) is next. Doors open on the (side doors open on) at (Next Stop). The additional CTA propaganda about eating/drinking, etc... is here nor there IMO. And when you arrive he should say "This is (Next Stop). Transfer points should have his voice too.
• Train Whistle: 'L' Cars just aren't 'L' Cars without this. If you can modify this train car to have that whistle, it would be sweet!
• Wheel grinds: Around some curves, you can hear the wheels grinding on the rails. This might be something that can be easily added.
• Doors: If the sounds of our railcar doors sliding open and closed could be incorporated into this simulator, it would make it sound more like a 'L' car.

I know you're still working on the 'L' Fleet and the map layouts in general, and am eager to see more.... take me on one 'L' of an experience and show me the rail lines, briman94! I'd love to see you give us a demo run of the other lines too...

Red Line-Howard to 95th

Blue Line-O'Hare to Forest Park

Green Line-Harlem to 63rd/Cottage Grove

Purple Line-Howard to Linden

Pink Line-Loop to 54th/Cermak

Orange Line-Midway to Loop

Yellow Line-Howard to Skokie

Look forward to these map mods being played soon. The interesting ones will be the Milwaukee-Dearborn(Blue) and State St.(Red) Subways, because you have to gauge how long to make the tunnels between stations based on travel alone, as it's hard to really say between North and Clybourn and Clark/Divison is a half mile, and also does the tunnel curve in-between stations at times.

If you can get the maps updated one day to look like the CTA rail system and get those 'L' cars modified to our fleet and incorporate the sounds I mentioned above, then you sir will have a run at a 10 out of 10 on the scale! Overall, great effort given what you have to work with at this time.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

• Mr. CTA: I noticed you are using him announce the closing of the doors with the 5000-Series beeps as the door closes. What would help the simulator more is if you can have him announce the stops as you depart "(Next Stop) is next. Doors open on the (side doors open on) at (Next Stop). The additional CTA propaganda about eating/drinking, etc... is here nor there IMO. And when you arrive he should say "This is (Next Stop). Transfer points should have his voice too.

Back when Microsoft Train Simulator was popular, someone created an incomplete but detailed CTA route for that with Mr. CTA. However, the sounds only played in scenarios and not free roam because they were tied to the scenario and not the train. I'm assuming Train Sim 2015 is the same in that aspect.

TS2015 is different because unlike Microsoft's Train Simulator, trains can now load and unload realistically, with sounds and animations included. These sounds are tied to the train, and are played in both free roam and scenarios as a result. So if Briman94 is using free roam to demo his route, these are the only sounds you'll hear for now.

Hope that makes sense!

[briman94]

You have my full support! I'm really excited to see where this goes. The only problem is getting a train car short enough to navigate the L curves. The Class 377 is pretty long, but you still did a good job. Also, I can't for the life of me make routes. Don't let it make you crazy!

I have 249 hours in that game.

Hehe, I'm closing in on that myself. And I definitely know what you mean about the length of the 377...you should see it trying to navigate the crossovers at Kimball. It looks like somebody took a chainsaw to the coupler. I'm learning how to model for the game so hopefully I can get a real 5000 in soon, and maybe even some older series too!

Back when Microsoft Train Simulator was popular, someone created an incomplete but detailed CTA route for that with Mr. CTA. However, the sounds only played in scenarios and not free roam because they were tied to the scenario and not the train. I'm assuming Train Sim 2015 is the same in that aspect.

TS2015 is different because unlike Microsoft's Train Simulator, trains can now load and unload realistically, with sounds and animations included. These sounds are tied to the train, and are played in both free roam and scenarios as a result. So if Briman94 is using free roam to demo his route, these are the only sounds you'll hear for now.

Hope that makes sense!

I believe you can actually have triggers in Free Roam in TS2015. You can also tie the sounds to the train, but holy cow that would be a lot of soundscript entries. The nice thing about Train Simulator is that it has full scripting so I could probably break it up (presumably like the real system does) into the station names, "is next", "This is", "Doors open on the", "Left" and "Right", etc. and play them in sequence.

[briman94]

I am currently watching it, and given the resources Train Simulator has, this isn't half bad. Hopefully, you can get our 'L' Cars into the game and maybe work on infrastructure in the future, but as is... it's pretty good. On a 10 scale, I'd grade it as such...

--snip!--

Thanks for the feedback! A lot of what you mentioned are things I have planned, but as one would expect, it will take a while to get there. I'm working on the State Street Subway next, which will be tricky because of the splitting tunnels south of Roosevelt. A three-view map would be nice if anybody has one!

[sw4400]

Thanks for the feedback! A lot of what you mentioned are things I have planned, but as one would expect, it will take a while to get there

Perfectly understandable. Those Subways will be tricky the whole way through, I'm sure. It would be interesting to one day see links from you for each of the lines, even if it's in the current setup like above... that's the groundwork, all that'll be needed after that will be filling in the details of the 'L' stations, infrastructure, railcars and sounds when and if you can. I think eventually you'll be able to get the sounds into the game. It'll take some trial and error, but I have faith in you, briman94. If you can pull off a pretty decent Brown Line system run like you did, the rest will come in time.

[briman94]

I just uploaded the Loop - Kimball video and put it in the OP. It's, as expected, essentially the same as the first video, but I also have the loop itself in the second one. My driving's also better because I had my joystick attached ( ) but somehow I still overshot Western...

[MetroShadow]

So far , so good. Keep it up!

[Busjack]

I read the comments on your YouTube page. I suppose, besides what you mentioned, you have to construct the whole Albany Park and Ravenswood neighborhoods, as well as conveniently have a cawp car or moving van on the tracks at Kedzie.

[sw4400]

I just uploaded the Loop - Kimball video and put it in the OP. It's, as expected, essentially the same as the first video, but I also have the loop itself in the second one. My driving's also better because I had my joystick attached ( ) but somehow I still overshot Western...

Map here seems a bit incomplete in a big way on the grade level, or perhaps the game glitched out.... As you approach Kedzie, there should be a grade crossing and depart the other side another grade crossing at Spaulding.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

...as well as conveniently have a cawp car or moving van on the tracks at Kedzie.

Sometimes it happens anyways, even if the route creators didn't intend so. I have driven a train right on through a UK bus even though the gates were down.

...I'm learning how to model for the game so hopefully I can get a real 5000 in soon, and maybe even some older series too!...

Sounds like a plan! Hopefully you can make them Raildriver compatible (a lot of good trains in the game actually aren't). We'll cross that bridge when we get there.

I believe you can actually have triggers in Free Roam in TS2015. You can also tie the sounds to the train, but holy cow that would be a lot of soundscript entries. The nice thing about Train Simulator is that it has full scripting so I could probably break it up (presumably like the real system does) into the station names, "is next", "This is", "Doors open on the", "Left" and "Right", etc. and play them in sequence.

Cool! Sounds like a good improvement.

[Busjack]

Sometimes it happens anyways, even if the route creators didn't intend so. I have driven a train right on through a UK bus even though the gates were down.

...

Double decker? That must have been fun.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Double decker? That must have been fun.

Yep! I was heading into London.

[TripleTransit1]

:D :D

[briman94]

I read the comments on your YouTube page. I suppose, besides what you mentioned, you have to construct the whole Albany Park and Ravenswood neighborhoods, as well as conveniently have a cawp car or moving van on the tracks at Kedzie.

Map here seems a bit incomplete in a big way on the grade level, or perhaps the game glitched out.... As you approach Kedzie, there should be a grade crossing and depart the other side another grade crossing at Spaulding.

I consider the grade crossings a type of "scenery" so I'll be doing those later. The one between Rockwell and Western was a bit of an experiment to see how easy it was to set up, so I did it first.

Sounds like a plan! Hopefully you can make them Raildriver compatible (a lot of good trains in the game actually aren't).

I know, right? The Class 365 won't work with my custom joystick plugin I wrote (which hacks into the RailDriver interface). It looks like it's actually listening for keypresses instead of using the throttle value which is really strange. I'm going to base the CTA cars off of the 377 (like I've sort of done already) so they should work fine.

Sometimes it happens anyways, even if the route creators didn't intend so. I have driven a train right on through a UK bus even though the gates were down.

I've driven right through pedestrians walking off the platform! I had non-train-fans watching me too, they got quite a laugh. One has to wonder how they managed to oversee that minor flaw in the AI. It's even better when they float above the tracks to the other platform.

[trainman8119]

Looks great so far...I tried doing some stuff on the Microsoft sim a long time ago, and I can attest it is a bitch. You can be proud of the work so far, and I can imagine the patience you have. This will be fun to watch, and please keep us up to date.

[Busjack]

.... I've sort of done already) so they should work fine.I've driven right through pedestrians walking off the platform! I had non-train-fans watching me too, they got quite a laugh. One has to wonder how they managed to oversee that minor flaw in the AI. It's even better when they float above the tracks to the other platform.

A Metra simulation would have to have that.

[Busjack]

Hey Briman, one thing I've noticed is that you started the third track between Western and Damen east of Western Station. That track ends about 3/4 of the station on the west end (fully across the street). The east end is on Leavitt Street. The outbound switch track is on Lincoln Avenue and the inbound switch track is on Leavitt Street. I'll review your video again to help you out if I see some more discrepancies. Other than that, you have a hell of a simulator going on for yourself!

Although I see Briman responded elsewhere...

Maybe he is just setting stuff up for Mayor Daley's airport express. The consultants indicated that the Blue Line would need a bypass track.

[briman94]

Although I see Briman responded elsewhere...

Maybe he is just setting stuff up for Mayor Daley's airport express. The consultants indicated that the Blue Line would need a bypass track.

How'd you know? I wasn't actually planning the airport express itself as I don't know enough about the plans, but I do plan on putting in some fictional or "future" routes (such as a Circle Line around the west suburbs, or the airport express if somebody can give me an idea of what the route would be like) once I'm done with most of the main system.

[Busjack]

How'd you know? I wasn't actually planning the airport express itself as I don't know enough about the plans, but I do plan on putting in some fictional or "future" routes (such as a Circle Line around the west suburbs, or the airport express if somebody can give me an idea of what the route would be like) once I'm done with most of the main system.

Although I just realized I might have just confused the Blue and Brown lines.

[BusHunter]

Railsimulator was discussing bringing out a "L" loop version on it's simulator, but the talk died down. Maybe as this gets more completed, someone will want to take it and expand on it and make it better yet. That's what happens in my other hobby with pinball simulation, someone will bring something out that's cool and someone adds to it that makes it truly awesome.

[briman94]

Railsimulator was discussing bringing out a "L" loop version on it's simulator, but the talk died down. Maybe as this gets more completed, someone will want to take it and expand on it and make it better yet. That's what happens in my other hobby with pinball simulation, someone will bring something out that's cool and someone adds to it that makes it truly awesome.

I'm almost hoping that they'll see this and want to take it off my hands and finish it. I'd really like to see an official 'L' route as they could do a MUCH better job at it than I, especially given how undocumented the simulator is! But until then, I'm having fun making it so far so I'll keep going until I feel it's done or I can't do any more with the extent of my abilities.