V-scale, Vscale, or V scale (with ''V'' standing for ''

virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), e ...

'') is a scale of

model railroading Railway modelling (UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland) or model railroading (US and Canada) is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale. The scale models include locomotives, rolling stock, streetcars, t ...

utilizing self-defining three-dimensional models and a compatible graphics engine to create an alternative modeled world. Though it has not been classified or recognized by either the

NMRA The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) is a non-profit organization for those involved in the hobby or business of model railroading. It was founded in the United States in 1935, and is also active in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom ...

MOROP MOROP is a European association that federates national associations of railroad and model railroad enthusiasts. MOROP was founded in Genoa, Italy by Italo Briano in 1954, and now has its headquarters in Bern, Switzerland. In 2006, MOROP federate ...

, the term Vscale has gradually taken on widescale de facto use in

railfan A railfan, rail buff or train buff (American English), railway enthusiast, railway buff or trainspotter ( Australian/British English), or ferroequinologist is a person who is recreationally interested in trains and rail transport systems. Rai ...

and

model railroad Railway modelling (UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland) or model railroading (US and Canada) is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale. The scale models include locomotives, rolling stock, streetcars, t ...

ing circles. V-scale model railroading was created when Japanese game developer

Artdink is a Japanese developer of video games, based in Tsukishima, Tokyo. By far Artdink's biggest international success was the award-winning ''A-Train'' (known in Japan as '' A Ressha de Ikou'', or "Take the A-Train") strategy game released for th ...

released

A-Train is a series of business simulation video games developed and published by Japanese game developer Artdink in Japan. The first game in the series was published in 1985. The first release in the United States was ''Take the A-Train II'', published ...

in 1985, but it was not widely popularized until

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...

released ''

Microsoft Train Simulator ''Microsoft Train Simulator'' is a 2001 train simulator developed for Microsoft Windows. It was released on May 31, 2001, and developed by the UK-based company Kuju Entertainment. It sold one million units worldwide by 2005. Features Microsoft ...

'' (sometimes referred to as ''MSTS'') and Australia's Auran/N3V Games released the successful family of

Trainz ''Trainz'' is a series of 3D train simulator video games. The Australian studio Auran (since 2007 N3V Games) released the first game in 2001. The simulators consist of route and session editors called ''Surveyor'', and the ''Driver'' module, ...

railroad simulators, both in 2001. With the ability to enter into the cab of a modeled train consist in a modeled landscape and track system, the 'play' modes of the two simulators gradually established a following among rail enthusiasts.

Scale and scope

Unlike other scales, it is not a real world scale in the physical sense, but rather a representation of

railroading Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

in the virtual computing world, wherein dimensional constraints are mapped one-to-one with a virtual representation of the real world object. A centimeter is a centimeter, a meter maps to a metre, and a mile is a mile, unless the world builder decides to add an arbitrary scaling of his own. Because there are no physical aspects to this scale, there are no limits (apart from those set by the program) as to the content that can be created. A V-scale railroad can literally be hundreds (and, in some cases, thousands) of simulated miles. Individual graphics objects (Track segment, a building, tree, fence, etc.) in such schemes are self-defining collections of source files grouped into a data-set interpretable by the graphics engine. Assigned an 'attachment' point in a virtual surface, graphics software enables three dimensional interaction such as walking around, climbing over top, and animation effects such as driving and watching passing virtual terrain. The computer operator becomes immersed in a virtual world modeled by the creator.

Software

Currently, there are a number of programs that are used for 3-D model railroading. Among them are the aforementioned ''MSTS'', ''Open Rails'' (which currently uses the routes and rolling stock from MSTS), '' Auran's'' ''

'', ''

Rail Simulator ''Rail Simulator'' is a train simulation published by Electronic Arts (EA). It was produced by Kuju Entertainment. After release of the EU version, EA's support and further development of the title was taken over by Rail Simulator Developments Ltd ...

'', published by

Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the ...

in partnership with

Kuju Entertainment Kuju Entertainment Ltd. is a British video game developer. The original company was Simis, formed in 1989 and purchased by Eidos Interactive in 1995. Kuju was formed in 1998 in Shalford, Surrey, England, after a management buyout of Simis from E ...

, and its successor ''

Railworks ''Train Simulator Classic'' (originally ''RailWorks'' and ''Train Simulator'') is a train simulation game developed by Dovetail Games. It is the successor to ''Rail Simulator'', and was released online on 12 June 2009 and in stores on 3 July ...

'', published by Rail Simulator Developments Ltd. With these programs, virtually any type of locomotive (whether it is powered by

diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...

, steam, or

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

) or piece of

rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can ...

can be created to run in any combination of train-cars (

consist In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives (often know ...

s) (unless limited by the software). Likewise, routes (or layouts) can be created allowing the virtual consists to be run as closely as possible to real world train operations. One such program, ''Train Player'', allows one to build virtual track layouts as though they were built in real life.

Operating systems

V-scale railroading is not limited to Windows based platforms. N3V Games has released versions for smartphones and tablets, and Trainz Simulator: Mac for the

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...

. A second Macintosh computer program, ''TrainPlayer-TrackLayer'', allows one to build a virtual modem layout in conjunction with ''RailModeller''. However, virtual model railroading is not embraced by all in a story covered by ''

PRWEB Cision Ltd. is a public relations and earned media software company and services provider. The company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; with clients worldwide. The company went public via reverse merg ...

'' which focuses on a mega-spender who has dedicated thousands of man-hours to first building and then touring a large model railroad as an exhibit. Many users of V-scale railroading run virtual railroading organizations as if it were a real world corporation, complete with timeslips and engineer applications. Examples of such are sites like the ''Pacific & American Railroad'' and the ''North Eastern Railroad''.

References

External links

At The Railyard
a virtual railroading review site
Train Sim
forum and downloads {{Scale models Model railroad scales Scale model scales

Scale and scope

Software

Operating systems

See also

Further reading

References

External links