Related: US Set (trains and station) released (version 0.85)

Hi all,

The new version of the US Set (both trains and stations) is now available,
for those of you who don't read the forums!

I haven't posted about this set on this list before but I will be doing so
from now on.  It's a set of related US-themed items for TTDPatch, including
both a complete trainset (in the same manner as the DB Set XL) and a station
set still undergoing expansion, developed by a team of members of the
TT-Forums.

Version 0.85 makes substantial changes to the set, with a huge variety of
locomotives and liveries now available.  We have new graphics for large
numbers of vehicles and even an animated steam engine!  Hopefully gameplay
should improve too, with better balancing, reasonable AI support and the new
"early retirement" feature implemented.
There are also slight modifications to the stations, although with more to
come fairly soon.

The US Set can be downloaded from its web site at
http://www.as-st.com/ttd/newusa/ or from the release thread
http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8754 on the forums, where bugs
should be reported.

There are still plans for future development but we hope you enjoy playing
with what the team have to offer at the moment.  Comments and suggestions
are always appreciated in the development thread at the forums
(<http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6236>).

Summary of changes in version 0.85 (20 April 2005):
Trains:
- Set now requires alpha 47 or higher in all cases.
- Updated sprites for 20th Century Limited (NYC Hudson), Doodlebug, iron and
copper ore cars, GE44, SD70MAC, Mikado, C636, Hi-Cube boxcar, Challenger,
F40PH2, Big Boy, Sharknose, tankers,  H24-66 "Trainmaster", Budd RDC DMU,
F59PHI Metra, Metra bi-level carriages and intermodals.
- Added new liveries for bi-level cars, GP9, SD45 and E8 (C&NW; not
Tropical); C30-7 (Arctic); E8 "Empire Builder" (Arctic); GP9 (C&O); F7;
steel coil cars; tankers; boxcars; cabooses; Autoracks (open versions);
passenger coaches (Amtrak stainless); F40PH2 (NJT; temperate); SD70MAC;
PA-1; woodchip hopper; and NYC Hudson (freight; now 20th Century Limited
livery restricted).
- Added express reefer to replace reefer graphics 1921-65 where reefers are
in the same train as passenger cars.
- Changed name of SD70M to SD70MAC and reduced running cost.
- Changed wood car in Arctic to use both log cars and woodchip gondolas.
- Prevented some passenger locomotives from hauling freight wagons and/or
bi-levels. (See readme for more details.)
- Added Y6b as replacement for AC-6 in temperate.
- Added S2 'Northern' as replacement for GS-4 Daylight in Arctic and Class J
'Northern' as replacement in Temperate
- Added Class C 'Shay' specialised hill-climbing steam locomotive in
Temperate and Tropical climates.
- Added H8 Allegheny to Temperate climate instead of Big Boy.
- Added new FP45 locomotive (SD45 passenger version) in Arctic or Tropical.
- Added 2-8-0 'Consolidation' as a cheap steamer from the start of the game.
- Added new C40-8 locomotive.
- Added EP-5 as commuter electric locomotive in mid-game (not Tropical
climate).
- Added Budd "Big Dome" as possible stainless passenger carriage in Tropical
climate.
- Added animated Berkshire.
- Limited all multiple units with powered wagons to length 8 ("engine" plus
seven passenger or mail carriages).
- Improved AI use of locomotives, wagons and track types.
- Completely changed model availability dates and model lives using new
"early retirement" feature of TTDPatch.
- Slightly modified names of many wagons (to be more American).
- Changed locomotive purchase cost base to give more variation within
purchase costs.
- Modified many wagon masses, capacities and loading speeds.
- Modified many engine specifications very slightly.
- Changed refittability of some freight cars.
- Changed many introduction dates and reorganised purchase list slightly.
- Many minor positioning changes too small to note.

Stations:
- Set now requires alpha 46 or higher in all cases.
- Added concrete version of country station as new construction option.
- Allowed asphalt stations to be built from 1950.
- Reworked asphalt stations to (hopefully) eliminate some glitches and added
new island platform option.
- Added high-level concrete platform in both dual and island options.
- Allowed AI to use some stations in certain cases.
- Made country stations (not Alderson) appear with snowy or desert ground
tiles in these areas.



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