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News from S I A M - Autumn 1996 |
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News from S I A M - Autumn 1996 |
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Progress
The main news is that we have a new North American simulation, the first one to rate Silver status, with four route screens. It covers the Union Pacific main line across Missouri from Kansas City to St. Louis, formerly a part of the Missouri Pacific system.
There is also a second new Silver Series simulation, Crewe 1971, set in the middle period, as well as a more recent version of Edinburgh set in 1994. We also have another two drivers, Penzance to Plymouth and Bristol to Weymouth, again with a wide choice of schedule and motive power; our other Driver simulations have now been updated to the standard of these and those released in April, and now include an option to cut short long station stops. Finally, here at last is another small steam simulation, Hunstanton 1952, with a choice of schedules for weekday, Saturday and Sunday. A "quiet Sunday" subset of this will soon be added to out sample disk.
Thank you for all your suggestions. We still have enough projects to last us for several years!
Our full list has now become so long that it is no longer practicable to maintain it in paper form. It will continue to be available on our World Wide Web site, but when asked for a list we will now be sending a full price list without details, plus full details of simulations announced in the last year. We are also looking into the possibility of making these two documents available for fax-on-demand.
Tim Bourne.
Order delays
Due to continued pressure of consultancy work, we regret that we are occasionally likely to slip from our target of despatch within 24 hours of receipt. Please do not phone or fax to ask about the progress of an order until at least a week has elapsed from the time we should have received it.
Due to absence abroad on business there will be longer delays at the end of January 1997.
World Wide Web
Our World Wide Web page always contains our latest complete list of simulations and price list, any recent news, and a pointer to a site from which our sample simulations can be downloaded. The URL is:
This will be the first place to find any new announcements. It also contains pointers to other sites of railway interest I have found. It is just possible that at some date it will become necessary to change the address of this page; if this happens and you can't find it, please check our alternative page at
We have also had suggestions for expanding this newsletter with contributions from customers. Rather than do this, we are planning to add such items as occasional features on our WWW site.
Amiga and Atari ST support
Most of our existing programs are still available for the ST, except that the Driver series (some only) and Aller Junction Signal Box are available in text mode only, without graphics. Due to very low orders over the last year, no future simulations will be available for the ST. ST support is dependent on the continuing good health of our existing machine. Amiga orders are declining slowly, but at present there are still sufficient to justify keeping the complete range available where technically possible. If the Amiga market continues to shrink as the Atari market has done, this situation may change, of course. We regret, though, that any future Windows-based programs will be PC-only.
PC operating system support
All our programs run satisfactorily as DOS applications under Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, and also as DOS applications directly under OS/2 Warp, as well as on DOS-based machines without any form of Windows support. We expect to produce Windows-based programs in the future.
Simulation speed on PC
All our programs should run on any PC processor. If you have problems with simulations running too fast, please check the program date (file date on the original disk) - if it is older than 1994 and you are using a 486 or faster processor, you need an update, provided free on return of your original disks, or with a new order.
PC Disk Size
Due to price changes and the growing size of our programs, we are now using high density 3½" PC disks (holding 1.44Mb each). If you have an older machine that can not accept these disks, please ask for the 720k variety.
Price rise
It is now over five years since we last increased prices, and I'm afraid the time has come to respond to the constant increases in costs. We have set a the new prices at a level that should again enable us to hold them for several years, assuming there are no major cost increases beyond inflation. From 1st January 1997, the following prices will apply:
| Price Band | Examples | Price to 31 December 1996 | Price from January 1997 |
| U | Upgrade |  | |
| S | Sample Disk |  | |
| A | Shedmaster, Fleet Manager, etc. | .html){kind=small} |  |
| B | Most Traffic Control | .html){kind=small} |  |
| C | Silver Series | .html){kind=small} |  |
| D | Gold Series | .html){kind=small} |  |
| E | Platinum Series | .html){kind=small} |  |
As you will see above, upgrades are held at the existing price. The same applies to the prices previously quoted for upgrading from a previous similar simulation; for example, the upgrade from the old Reading 1987 to the newer Reading 1989 will continue to cost £8.
NEW since our last Newsletter!
The following new simulations will be available from Monday 28th October for the PC, and from Monday 4th November for the Amiga. They will not be available for the Atari ST.
NEW Traffic Control programs
NEW! Silver Series Line Control - MoPac: Kansas City to St. Louis - Similar to our existing US simulations, this covers the former MoPac routes between Kansas City and St Louis, a distance of over 280 miles, with alternative routes between Kansas City and Jefferson City. The line is used by both Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, as well as Amtrak passenger trains and occasional MKT services (now absorbed into UP). (Difficulty ####)
NEW! Silver Series - Crewe 1971 - An interesting comparison with our Crewe 1985 and 1992, as well as the steam era one we hope to produce one day, this is set in the middle diesel/electric period, with the station layout much as in steam days, and much engine changing between diesel and electric. At this time the lines to London, Liverpool and Manchester were electrified, but not that to Preston and Glasgow, or of course the North Wales line. (Difficulty ####)
NEW! Edinburgh 1994 - A modernised version of the 1985 version introduced last year, with mostly second generation multiple units on local services, and Inter-City 125 and 225 on long distance services, though some loco-hauled cross-country services do remain. Double use of some platforms is necessary to maintain the schedule. (Difficulty ##)
NEW! Hunstanton 1952 - At last, another fairly simple steam era simulation to get you started - just one track screen. Those with more experience may also find it a challenge, though: four schedules are provided, ranging from a quiet autumn Sunday to a busy summer Saturday. The local shed is included, used mainly for servicing engines off visiting excursions. (Difficulty ##)
NEW Driver Simulations
Like the April ones, these feature improved scoring, with scores at intermediate stops, and recovery time taken into account. They also have semaphore signals where appropriate, and other display improvements. All previous Driver simulations (graphics version only) are now available in this upgraded form for our usual upgrade charge.
NEW! Driver : Penzance to Plymouth - You are in charge of your selected train (from a choice of nine) on this hilly Cornish section of the Great Western line. You have a choice of schedules for InterCity 125, or loco-hauled, or the more recent class 158 or the older "Heritage" multiple units. For loco-hauled services, a variety of classes are available. (Difficulty ##)
NEW! Driver : Bristol to Weymouth - You are in charge of your selected train ,again from a wide choice, on this secondary cross-country route. Again you have a choice of schedules for loco-hauled or multiple units trains. For loco-hauled services, a variety of classes are available. (Difficulty ##)
Other Recent Releases
The following new simulations will be available from Monday 28th October for the PC, and from Monday 4th November for the Amiga. They will not be available for the Atari ST.
Traffic Control Simulations
Platinum Series - Lincoln 1952 - This has eight track screens, and includes both Central and St Marks stations, and both the ER and LMR locomotive depots. There are several freight yards and industrial sidings, and no less than seven routes into the Lincoln area. Many of the through freights on the GN/GE Joint Line require an engine change at Lincoln. Thanks to Brian Hornsey for this one, which I'm still learning (Difficulty #####)
Traffic Control Simulations
Platinum Series - Lincoln 1952 - This has eight track screens, and includes both Central and St Marks stations, and both the ER and LMR locomotive depots. There are several freight yards and industrial sidings, and no less than seven routes into the Lincoln area. Many of the through freights on the GN/GE Joint Line require an engine change at Lincoln. Thanks to Brian Hornsey for this one, which I'm still learning (Difficulty #####)
Traffic Control Simulations
Silver Series - Cambridge 1981 - An interesting comparison with our Cambridge 1952, on which it is based, this is set before major remodelling at Cambridge, and shows most of the old layout in use by diesel-hauled passenger and freight traffic and diesel multiple units. For loco-hauled services, a variety of classes are available. (Difficulty ##)
Driver Simulations
Driver : Highland Line (Perth to Inverness) - You are in charge of your selected train (from a choice of nine) on this mountainous section of the former Highland Railway. You have a choice of schedules for InterCity 125, or loco-hauled, or the more recent class 158 multiple units. For loco-hauled services, a variety of classes are available. (Difficulty ##)
Driver : Crewe to Holyhead - You are in charge of your selected train (from a choice of nine) on this seaside run. Again you have a choice of schedules for InterCity 125, or loco-hauled, or the class 158 multiple units. For loco-hauled services, a variety of classes are available. (Difficulty ##)
