Engine choices

[HawkDawg]

Take one scenario starting in 2005. Add to that your choice of motive power at the beginning of the game; electric, steam, or diesel.
Throw in this mix, all engines will be older models, nothing new, and there will be only 6 or 7 models of each class available.

I could use some recommendations from those more familiar with power than I as to which engines should be made available for each class. What I'm looking at right now is:

Diesel:
F3
GP7 Double
V200
GP-35
GP40-2
HST 125
SD-90 MAC

Steam:
Eight Wheeler 4-4-0
Class A1
Northern 4-8-4
Mallard 4-6-2
V2 Class
GS-3 4-8-4 SP Daylight
U1

Electric:
GG1
Class EF 66
Sm2 EMU
Class 103
E60CP
BR E111
ET22

I do plan to offer 'considerations' because they're older power; Reduced purchase price, cheaper maintenance, etc. depending on the model, and I may reduce some things such as speed, or something.
My idea for doing this is to try and make the scenario a little harder by offering older models.
Any ideas, suggestions, opinions, etc. about this would be much appreciated.

Also, what exactly does the power plant do, and can it be used in relation to electric locos?

[nedfumpkin]

The power plant just produces electricity. There is a condition for electricity produced so you can in fact use it to affect your electric trains. If I remember correctly, it's a bit tricky.

[WPandP]

I suppose it depends on whether or not you want to include mod or patch content as part of your choices. The U1 is a C-to-C addition, the Daylight is a 1.06 patch engine, and there are many viable options from user-created types.

I'd suggest the following:

Diesel-
+ FP-45 (to represent all the second-generation 6-axle diesel power that it still out there and operational)
+ GP-7
- F-3
- GP-7 double (patch/mod content)

Steam-
+ Atlantic 4-4-2
- Eight Wheeler
+ H10 2-8-2
- U1 (patch content, also too superior)
+ Kriegslok 2-10-0 or Class QJ
- GS-3 Daylight (patch/mod content, too superior)

Electric-
+ Re 6/6
- Sm2 EMU (patch/mod content)

It might be useful for you to think in terms of having 2 options for each of three types: slow but sure footed freight, fast but bad on hills express, and general purpose. You can have a cheap and an expensive option for each. Consult the steam engine charts you've got on your site. Nothing wrong with including patch engines, it'll just mean you need to document which ones you have included.

[HawkDawg]

The power plant just produces electricity. There is a condition for electricity produced so you can in fact use it to affect your electric trains. If I remember correctly, it's a bit tricky.

Thanks Ned. I'll look into that.

Greatly appreciate your suggestions WP. Since the U1 and the GS-3 are superior engines I think I'll not include them.

Maybe I should go back to 1.05 for this so players don't have to install any mods or the 1.06, since the 1.06 doesn't work for everybody. I didn't think of that earlier.

Hmmm? More to think about.

[HawkDawg]

WP - Just out of curiosity, why did you suggest dropping the Eight Wheeler? It's top speed is 120 MPH.
Same with the F3. Top speed: 85

[WPandP]

Mostly those suggestions were in order to get a more narrow sampling, of similar-era choices; your initial picks run the gamut from earliest to latest models of each type, pretty much, and there's little comparison between an eight wheeler and a northern, for instance. But, maybe it is your intention to show development over time; it's all up to you!

[HawkDawg]

Actually I'm not going for development over time. Instead I'm going for whatever engines can be scrounged up from other sources, hopefully to get better engines each time.
My thinking is that you get one engine (GG1) at the start of the scenario. Then 6 months later another is added to the roster (Class EF 66).
Then you have to wait about 2 years for 2 more to show up (Re 6/6 and E60CP).
Then about another 2 years for 2 more (E18 and ET22).
Then finally after about 3 years the last, and the best joins the team (Class 103).

[coruscate]

Well I know that you can set up timed events by how much time has passed in the game, and match those events to release the trains for use. In my San Diego I did something similar, but I tied them to connecting cities. From what I have personally done so far I have found the trains need to be normally avaiable by whatever year it is, you can keep a train on after it is discontinued, but I didn't get any to show up before their time.

[Hawk]

I'm in the process of the final selection of the engines. I'm starting the scenario in 1995, which will give me access to all the engines I want to use, plus the year has another specific meaning.
As for timed events, that's what I'm using for the availability of the engines.

[coruscate]

I take it you are both user IDs then?

[Hawk]

Yes! I use HawkDawg as a regular member in which I don't have admin permissions in the forums. It comes in handy for testing and other things.

[EPH]

I used electric power generation to modify the price of electric engines in 'Farewell to Steam'. You can also use electric power to control speed, acceleration and/or pulling power, by event. The game will also let you decide to choose by ALL power generated, or only by power generated at plants you control.

For electric production you need coal and oil, and lots of it (or nuclear plants and uranium); I don't think you are allowed to set up 'warehouses' to represent hydro-electric power.

[Hawk]

Thanks EP. That may be helpful.