COMMENTS APPLYING TO ALPENTRANSIT LIGHT VERSION V1.03a

The Copyright holders of the Full version of Alpentransit have expressely agreed with the release of this compacted Light Version as Freeware.

SINCERE THANKS TO ALL OF THEM !

This Light Version was produced with the well known utility RouteRiter (by Mike Simpson). 
It is a strongly compressed form of the 130MB full version. Some files were removed or overwritten. As a consequence a perfect identity of all files cannot be ascertained.

The installation is performed at users' own risks. We do not assume liability for any hardware or software damage.

COPYRIGHT REMAINS EXPRESSELY WITH THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR(S).

Non-commercial (Freeware) propagation of both Full and Light versions in a non-altered form is allowed, but must contain the present document.
ANY commercial propagation/distribution in any form is NOT permitted. In case of infringement the Copyright holders reserve the right to engage legal actions.

For those who wish to modify the data for their private use, it is strongly recommended to obtain the current Full Version and or the original objects. Developpers should not build on this Light Version.
Copyright conditions of the Full Version apply.

INSTALLATION :

Please copy the unzipped Alpentransit folder into your MSTS  folder named ROUTES. 
The directory is usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\Routes.

Thereafter you NEED to run the included Installme.bat program, which requires all 6 basic MSTS-routes installed in a non altered form.

SUPPORT FOR THIS LIGHT VERSION WILL NOT BE PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR.
USERS SHOULD REFER TO THE KNOWN FORUM AREAS.
Visitors at www.TheTrain.de will find a friendly help there, but with no guarantee of efficiency nor involved liability.
In other words, as usual for Freeware !

ORIGINAL TEXT FOR THE FULL VERSION:

Idea 

For some people, Railroading is a technical experience which they love to magnify in modelling. For others it is the meticulous recording of engine series and train schedules. To me it has always been a scenic visual experience. It fascinates me to see massive engines winding painfully on man-laid tracks through mountainous landscapes, crossing valleys, rivers and gorges, offering passengers the breathtaking beauty of alpine nature. Who had a chance to ride the Glacier-Express or the Bernina-Express knows what I mean. 

Alpentransit is an attempt to catch this rail experience and/or to picture it. Alpentransit thus raises fewer claims on fidelity to a model, than on my free memories and fantasies about railways and mountains.

As any commencement is hard (particularly with the MSTS editor...), and I liked the Gotthard route of Edi Kuhr, I have taken it as starting canvas. Alpentransit is based on his version Gotthard 2.0, meaning 95 % of track was laid by Edi Kuhr taking the real Gotthard line as a pattern. So my work could immediately start with what I wanted to focus on: rendering the scenic experience of rail and mountains. 

Imagination and Reality 

I have entirely reworked terrain, shortened many tunnels, placed rivers, dug deep and wider valleys. Alpentransit is now densely populated with vegetation and objects. The route leads over impressive viaducts and past spectacular buildings: power plants, a cement factory, supermarkets, a papermill, warehouses, an airport, highway interchanges, railway utilities, reservoirs etc. But I should not unveal everything right now, - part of the enjoyment of Alpentransit consists of surprises which you will discover at their best when leaving your cabview.

The name Alpentransit underlines that it deals with a typical Alps transversal, which as reflected in place-names and rough route layout corresponds to the Gotthard line, but as already stated does no pretend to absolute conformity. It should realistically mirror the scenic impression remaining in my memories from train rides across Switzerland's railways - a country, to whose engineering performances I herewith pay homage to. 

As not only local names but also flags, signals and gantry clearly evoke Switzerland, rolling stock of the Swiss Federal Railways is pertinently suggested as the most adequate for Alpentransit. Websites like www.gotthardbahn.ch and www.gotthardbahn.de supply good references to which compositions are or were operating on swiss transalpine routes. However as Alpentransit doesn't slavishly orient itself at the prototype, any material providing fun should be given a chance, according to one's mood, as long it can overcome the ramps.

Tips and Tricks

For a perfect enjoyment of Alpentransit I recommend to limit the visibility to 1.500 m. According to performance it is advisable to switch off dynamic shadows, distant mountains, light reflections and high detail shadows.

Edi Kuhr had installed numerous speed limits on Gotthard2 which, along with enabled derailment option, prevented the train from derailing at critical passages. Driving Alpentransit has too often spoiled my relaxed pleasure with mercyless emergency stops triggered by overspeed. I have thus deleted all limits between stations, so that the route should now be run with disabled derailment option! Regardless, I was told that on the Gotthard route like on most of Swiss main lines a general maximum of 120 km/h applies. 

As here in Hamburg we see through the course of the year more fall than genuine summers and winters, I have striven exclusively at an optimal representation of Alpentransit for summers and winters. This gives me better chances to enjoy blue sky and/or a thick snow cover. I have paid little if no attention to spring and fall textures. Other details may have escaped my attention. Who likes can add his personal touch, or wait for on a future version of Alpentransit. 

Thanks and Legal Aspects 

Alpentransit would not have been possible without the base work of Edi Kuhr with his Gotthard route. Thus my special thanks to him at this point for his support and endorsement. Further thanks go at the originators of numerous objects which I have installed. As far as it was possible and identifiable, I have asked them for permission prior to publication. Should someone recognize an object of his within Alpentransit without having been contacted earlier, I beg already at this point for understanding and indulgence. In some cases contact attempts failed due to undeliverable e-mail . The known originators are: 

romerails@onedoor.com - 4 large industries
rpicardi1@chartermi.net - silos, high voltage power poles and bridge sections
red-alliance@planet.nl - dutch roadtraffic signs
Hagen.Knop@t-online.de - german level crossing
b101uk@btinternet.com - tower crane
evensteve@oregontrail.net - logs stumps
johnmilligan@optusnet.com.au - city blocks
jtackett@bellsouth.net - 40ft containers
jchamb@ix.netcom.com - intermodal crane
okrasaghia@yahoo.com - barrels
ChooChoo@maleposer.com - rocks, boulders and animated flying blimps
niallarab@hotmail.com - flag set
lightbg@bellatlantic.net - bell helicopter
AL1OA@t-online.de - ICE tunnel
enocell@hotmail.com - industrial building super pack and bridges
patm41@vvm.com - jet3
mstrain.stopcom@skynet.be - piper arrow
ian@trainsimfiles.com - Iveco 4 axle rigid dumper truck, Scania 2 axle rigid lorry, DAF 2 axle rigid lorry, Daf 2 axle delivery truck Mercedes Benz town bus, Ford Transit van and minibus, Setra Coach, Mercedes Benz refrigerated delivery van and UK Southern Railway concrete platelayer's hut
bjorn.centergran@telia.com - North Fork bridge
j.zander@vr-web.de - Swiss RhB viaduct set
wase.k@telia.com - OK service station, Shell station and 4-family house
nfitzsimmons@earthlink.net - Holcim cement plant
Madeleine.SMEKTALA@wanadoo.fr - Sous-station 25Kv
quill2000@hotmail.com - hospital complex and modern glass & steel commercial building
ow@meincken.de - tennis court
ruben geerling ruben - deep snow terrain
OldieDaddy - snowy track

All rights remain with the authors. Because of the origin the rights for the track pattern and rough topography of Alpentransit belong to Edi Kuhr. Many thanks also to Kami Kiafar, who created swiss gentry sets specially for Alpentransit. We conceive Alpentransit as Freeware i.e. the route can be used free of charge. Any commercial use is prohibited. Any modification and/or distribution is not allowed without our agreement. 
We would be happy and supportive about third parties activity engineering. 
The installation and use of Alpentransit are performed at your own risk. We decline any responsibility particularly for resulting damages at hardware and software as well as for data losses.

Support and Contact 

For temporal and organizational reasons I can provide support only for those who downloaded Alpentransit from the original site www.alpentransit.net. There you will find updates, further informations and as well my address. 

Final Word 

I have worked at building Alpentransit for countless hours, the period of time covers about a year. In light of this investment I have asked myself to whom I could dedicate my work? I thought of my wife who saw me mostly from behind and showed much understanding. And my closest friend, without whose enabling and support I could not have invested so much time: Jesus Christ. 
Thank you!



Hamburg, february 18th, 2003 
Dirk Maass 































