I have tried my hand at reskinning an engine for RT3, and am now ready to announce it.
I took the basic Northern 4-8-4 and reworked it to represent the Norfolk & Western's renowned Class J. The engine model in the game is based on the SP Daylight, so this is not an accurate model, but by using the alpha channel I was able to "reshape" the side skirt a bit to match the J's lines. Also, I alpha'ed out the dual headlights on the front, painting in a single light centered on the bullet nose. However, at night, the light rays still emanate from the two locations.
If you want to take a look at a screenshot, and download the PK4.zip file for yourself, browse on over to my website:
http://wpandp.com/RRtycoon.html
N&W Class J Loco Skin
N&W Class J Loco Skin
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bombardiere
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Really nice one. 
Actually your work is great. And you have mastered the secrets of Alpha channel.
Now that you have done the hard work, do you want that I make a new engine out of it? Hexediting don't take that long and you have most ingredients ready.
Class J has been an interesting engine to me (as much as any American engine can interest me
) And I have noted that is has some similarity to game's Northern. I have been thinking to make one, but there is so many engines to do and so little time :(
P.S. one minus though. My game crashed when I tried to access beauty shot. This is unusual as the game has a fail safe for engines without beauty shot.
Actually your work is great. And you have mastered the secrets of Alpha channel. Now that you have done the hard work, do you want that I make a new engine out of it? Hexediting don't take that long and you have most ingredients ready.
Class J has been an interesting engine to me (as much as any American engine can interest me
) And I have noted that is has some similarity to game's Northern. I have been thinking to make one, but there is so many engines to do and so little time :(P.S. one minus though. My game crashed when I tried to access beauty shot. This is unusual as the game has a fail safe for engines without beauty shot.
I think you did a good job on that. The U-1 boiler might be another one to experiment with as well. Bomber, I'm pleased to know you like the J Class Northerns. They are really superb locomotives. I was fortunate enough to get to work on the No 611, the last J in existance when it was in service back in the 80's and early 90's. It has the most beautiful cab in the world. The throttle and fittings are all nickel plated and interior is varnished tongue and groove hardwood. It was a real pleasure to be on this engine at high speeds, I'll never forget it. They develop 6,000 horsepower and have a top speed of 110 MPH. That is as fast as they ever ran it, but it is said that it had more speed if the track could take it.
bombardiere -
I wouldn't mind at all if you wanted to make it into a "real" class J, by which I assume you mean that you would edit the stats, and not the actual 3D model. To be a more accurate model, some shape changes ought to be made, but I don't know how possible that would even be. And, if it were done, then my skin would no longer fit it... so best thing to do is just edit stats.
I was hoping someone might offer to bundle this into a unique engine, and not just a skin in the game, so that I could actually make it available to my N&W in the scenario I am working on and see them use it. As a skin, the AI will always just go with the default grey.
One stat that should definitely change is that it shouldn't be available until 1941 - '26 is too early. I'd probably give it better reliability and faster speed than the stock northern, but what do I know? I just think it ought to be worth the wait and outperform F3's.
As for the Beauty Shot, I don't know what is happening there, but I can try repacking it. Maybe my source TGA file isn't the right format or lacks an alpha channel or something; I'll have to check.
wsherrick -
I looked at the U1 briefly to consider whether a class K was possible, since the scenario I am doing is on the Shenandoah Division, where K's ran far more often than J's. But it lacks any shrouding; I think what you'd have to do is swap the trailing truck of the northern to create a streamlined K 4-8-2. My skin would work for that too, with minor modifications.
I wouldn't mind at all if you wanted to make it into a "real" class J, by which I assume you mean that you would edit the stats, and not the actual 3D model. To be a more accurate model, some shape changes ought to be made, but I don't know how possible that would even be. And, if it were done, then my skin would no longer fit it... so best thing to do is just edit stats.
I was hoping someone might offer to bundle this into a unique engine, and not just a skin in the game, so that I could actually make it available to my N&W in the scenario I am working on and see them use it. As a skin, the AI will always just go with the default grey.
One stat that should definitely change is that it shouldn't be available until 1941 - '26 is too early. I'd probably give it better reliability and faster speed than the stock northern, but what do I know? I just think it ought to be worth the wait and outperform F3's.
As for the Beauty Shot, I don't know what is happening there, but I can try repacking it. Maybe my source TGA file isn't the right format or lacks an alpha channel or something; I'll have to check.
wsherrick -
I looked at the U1 briefly to consider whether a class K was possible, since the scenario I am doing is on the Shenandoah Division, where K's ran far more often than J's. But it lacks any shrouding; I think what you'd have to do is swap the trailing truck of the northern to create a streamlined K 4-8-2. My skin would work for that too, with minor modifications.
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bombardiere
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3D editing is not possible. Sadly :( It is a long story but couple of us have looked into that. (Still, Milo thanks for all your efforts)
It is possible to swap wheels between engines. Steam with new set of wheels can make all the difference. Some of the bogie wheels can be changed, but not all. And swapping trucks is too hard, I am afraid.
Ok, Class J. Here is what I proposal as specs. Just my ideas and please feel free to comment.
Top speed 90 MPH (I have an article, which say that Class J could do better, but this was typical operating speed.
Date 1941-1965 (same article says that it was withdrawn in 1960, but perhaps couple extra years for steam enthuastics.)
#1 (free weight) 140
#2(grade climbing) 25 (I claculated this using with Chris formula. I understand that Class J was good in rugged terrain)
Accel. Fast
Appeal. Look Sharp
Reliability: Very Good
Cost: 250 000
Fuel Economy: Very Good
Maintenance: 17 000
What do you think?
It is possible to swap wheels between engines. Steam with new set of wheels can make all the difference. Some of the bogie wheels can be changed, but not all. And swapping trucks is too hard, I am afraid.
Ok, Class J. Here is what I proposal as specs. Just my ideas and please feel free to comment.
Top speed 90 MPH (I have an article, which say that Class J could do better, but this was typical operating speed.
Date 1941-1965 (same article says that it was withdrawn in 1960, but perhaps couple extra years for steam enthuastics.)
#1 (free weight) 140
#2(grade climbing) 25 (I claculated this using with Chris formula. I understand that Class J was good in rugged terrain)
Accel. Fast
Appeal. Look Sharp
Reliability: Very Good
Cost: 250 000
Fuel Economy: Very Good
Maintenance: 17 000
What do you think?
I think a top speed of 100 would be better; they operated at 90 mph while they were pulling sizable passenger trains! Running light they could top 110 easily.
Maybe make maintenance a little higher, because they were treated to extra care in terms of getting nice baths at both ends of their runs, that kind of thing. Maybe 25k.
Basically, the choice between F3 and J would come down to a trade-off of pulling power versus maintenance cost, in this scenario. Of course, the J is available a few years earlier, which is in its favor. I like the '41 to '65 range, but it wouldn't bug me to stick with '41 to '60 - I'd buy a J in 1959 and happily run it up into the 70's. Since there's bound to be nitpickers out there, it's probably better to limit it to '60.
Maybe make maintenance a little higher, because they were treated to extra care in terms of getting nice baths at both ends of their runs, that kind of thing. Maybe 25k.
Basically, the choice between F3 and J would come down to a trade-off of pulling power versus maintenance cost, in this scenario. Of course, the J is available a few years earlier, which is in its favor. I like the '41 to '65 range, but it wouldn't bug me to stick with '41 to '60 - I'd buy a J in 1959 and happily run it up into the 70's. Since there's bound to be nitpickers out there, it's probably better to limit it to '60.
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You all are almost there. I think the appeal should be ultra cool. Any modern steam locomotive will blow any diesel out of the park in providing higher power and pulling ability at any speed above 10 MPH, and the J class being the best of the best should be able to pull any passenger train at speed way better than the F unit. The only advantage the diesel has over the steam engine is starting tractive effort, and that is only in theory not actual practice as has been stated elsewhere here. I don't know how this translates into RRT3 formulations though. I think the P-2 specs are pretty close except for acceleration and top speed. I can tell you from experience that a J class can accelerate a train fast enough to pin your ears back.
Or maybe I should have taken a look at the engine specs of others in the game before making my suggestions!
I was just going off of memory, and my memory is faulty. I've looked at the specs again, and I guess I don't have as many issues with your specs as I thought.
I still think '41 to '60 is better because we are representing a specific loco and not an entire class.
I was wrong in that the F3 is actually available earlier; for some reason I was thinkin the F3 came around in '44. Still, I think I like it more that there is a reward for bypassing the F3's and waiting around for steam to fully mature, into a premium engine like the J.
Maybe 100 mph is too high; I don't think so, but it definitely outpaces the F3's. And since it pulls much better too, it would make the F3's almost always a worse choice. So, maybe 95 or 93. I still think 25k maint. is fair.
I was just going off of memory, and my memory is faulty. I've looked at the specs again, and I guess I don't have as many issues with your specs as I thought.
I still think '41 to '60 is better because we are representing a specific loco and not an entire class.
I was wrong in that the F3 is actually available earlier; for some reason I was thinkin the F3 came around in '44. Still, I think I like it more that there is a reward for bypassing the F3's and waiting around for steam to fully mature, into a premium engine like the J.
Maybe 100 mph is too high; I don't think so, but it definitely outpaces the F3's. And since it pulls much better too, it would make the F3's almost always a worse choice. So, maybe 95 or 93. I still think 25k maint. is fair.
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bombardiere
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25K maintenance is good, I like it. The article I have say that these engines received special care. So high maintenance, but very reliable engine. However I have been thinking that Very Good fuel economy is too high. May be Good. 
End date 1960, sure no worries.
Speed hhhmm. The reason I chose 90 MPH was to differentiate it from recently made Daylight 4-8-4. That one was fast, but not exceptionally good in grades. So I thought that Class J would be better grade climber. I have no objection to give higher to speed, but then I feel that grade climbing should be slightly lower.
If we forget Challenger and Big Boy, then the best steam performer in the game is French A1 242. Its vital stats are 95 MPH, pulling power 175 and grade climbing 22. May be Class J should be NA equivalent of this….
I will make a test version tonight, and then you can test how it feels.
P.S. when I opened the PK file I found out what was the problem with beautyshot. The packed file miss the picture file, but contain the header file. This is very strange as it should have automatically be converted. Even if you have not made a beautyshot yourself.
End date 1960, sure no worries.
Speed hhhmm. The reason I chose 90 MPH was to differentiate it from recently made Daylight 4-8-4. That one was fast, but not exceptionally good in grades. So I thought that Class J would be better grade climber. I have no objection to give higher to speed, but then I feel that grade climbing should be slightly lower.
If we forget Challenger and Big Boy, then the best steam performer in the game is French A1 242. Its vital stats are 95 MPH, pulling power 175 and grade climbing 22. May be Class J should be NA equivalent of this….
I will make a test version tonight, and then you can test how it feels.
P.S. when I opened the PK file I found out what was the problem with beautyshot. The packed file miss the picture file, but contain the header file. This is very strange as it should have automatically be converted. Even if you have not made a beautyshot yourself.