SP&S 700 for MSTS

Installation

An automated installation utility is furnished. UnZIP the download file to a temporary folder. Open this folder and double-click on Setup.exe. The usual setup program will start. Follow the simple on-screen instructions and the SP&S 700 files will be automatically installed for you.

In addition to the files that are placed in your Train Simulator folders, two icons will be placed on your desktop. One icon is used to access an information file; the other will run a utility program called SP&S 700 Tools. See below for more information about this utility. You may delete the desktop icons at any time you decide you no longer need them.

About SP&S 700

In 1938 The SP&S took delivery of three 4-8-4 Northerns numbered 700, 701 and 702 from Baldwin Locomotive Works. Locomotive 700 was used mainly for passenger service and continued to pull passenger trains, including the Empire Builder and the North Coast Limited, into the early 1950s. In 1956, the SP&S spruced up the 700 and sent it out for one last run. The "farewell to steam" excursion attracted hundreds of passengers. But this event marked a new beginning.

Today, SP&S 700 is the third largest operating steam locomotive in North America. It is owned by the City of Portland, Oregon, and it is maintained and operated by the dedicated men and women of the Pacific Railroad Preservation Association, or PRPA. SP&S 700 has its own web site at http://www.sps700.org. There you will find more information about the locomotive, including its history and its physical properties. The site also has numerous photo galleries featuring various SP&S 700 railfan excursions, and depicting ongoing maintenance activities.

About the Models

There are three locomotive models in the download package. The primary model is fully detailed and has a poly count that's on a par with most other well detailed MSTS steam locomotives. The second model is less detailed and is intended for less powerful PC systems, but it's still very presentable. The third model is the detailed version with the addition of two crew figures.

All models have multiple LODs for conserving your computer resources in distant views.

Three cab views are provided. One is the customary engineer’s view which you will use most of the time. Only the engineer's controls are accessible in this view, although you can access the fireman's controls using the usual MSTS shortcut keys. The second view is an overall one with access to both the engineer's and the fireman's controls. The third view is again from the engineer's vantage point, but it is lit the way the cab would be during night-time running.

Custom sounds are included. Whistle, bell and steam-exhaust sounds, the latter synchronized with the driver motion, are recorded from the prototype.

Physical properties in the file SPS_700.ENG reflect the prototype wherever possible. This includes such parameters as mass, cylinder dimensions, tractive effort, fuel and water capacity and so forth. The fact that the 700 is fired with heavy oil poses an interesting problem since MSTS is programmed as if all steam locomotives were fired with coal. To compensate, all coal-related parameters are converted to reflect the equivalent energy content and mass of fuel oil.

SP&S 700 Tools - an Added Bonus

Also included in the package is SP&S 700 Tools, a Windows application that makes it convenient for you to expand the flexibility of the model. The program consists of four modules.

--  Options – lets you select among the different versions of the models and cab. 
--  Create a Consist – make a new consist for SP&S 700 using your existing rolling stock, without having to use the MSTS Activity Editor. 
--  Clone a Consist – make a copy of an existing consist and substitute SP&S 700 into the copy. 
--  Clone an Activity – make a copy of an existing activity and substitute SP&S 700 into the copy.

Your Help is Needed!

PRPA needs your financial support to keep the real-life SP&S 700 running. The download version of this package is offered as "conscienceware." This means that if you acquire it you do so with the clear intention of supporting PRPA's preservation efforts (won't you!!). You can help PRPA by becoming a member of the organization itself, or by purchasing 700-theme books, videos, clothing and other items from their on-line concession stand. All contributions and purchases are fully tax deductible. For details, see http://www.sps700.org/help.html.

Legal

As a condition of your acquisition of the SP&S 700 model package ("the models"), you understand and agree to the following.

The models and software in this package are supplied as is. Everything works fine on my system; that may not be the case with yours. A basic knowledge of the commands and organization of Train Simulator and of the Windows operating system is assumed. Should a problem occur, the author will provide limited support on a case-by-case basis. Be prepared to fully describe the circumstances under which the problem occurred, as well as a detailed description of the problem itself and the events that led to the problem. First priority will be given to those who have extended their financial support to the PRPA. Any program bugs that are found in SP&S 700 Tools will be corrected and the program will be re-issued via download. 

Under no circumstances will the author be responsible for direct or consequential damages due to corrupted files, loss of data or other calamities caused by misuse or proper use, whether intentional or otherwise, of the models and program files.

The SP&S 700 files, meshes, texture bitmaps, and excerpts from these items as well, shall not sold, bartered, traded, posted on a web site or be otherwise made available for download or distribution, either for sale or for free, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the author. You may post images of the models on public web sites provided that you receive no monetary gain from doing so.

The entire contents of this package is the intellectual property of the author and is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America.

Credits

Author (models, textures, lighting, physics, cabs and custom sounds):
  Rick Grout
SP&S 700 Tools:
  Rick Grout
Beta Testing, Review and Comments:
  NALW
    Harold Clitheroe
    John Fowlis
  PRPA
    Matt Baccitich
    John Sirrine
    Terry Thompson
    Jim Vanderbeck

Please enjoy SP&S 700 for MSTS and support the continued preservation of its prototype.

Rick Grout
Portland, Oregon
March,2003