Preview of future Club TA Rolling Stock

A new friend of ours, Adrian van Oss, has been modeling like a mad man! He, VR Horton, and Chris Lee have teamed up to create a whole catalog of new rolling stock with emphasis on the 1950's as a future release for our Club TA members.

What you are seeing is only a small sampling....they are still working on more pieces!!!!

Keep an eye on Train Artisan for more news about the release of these great items!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

We've taken a nice relaxing break, but now we're back and ready to start releasing some new trains for the new year!

This week, we have the Northern Pacific "North Coast Limited". This is a full trainset that includes:

a highly detailed F9A and F9B unit with Specular Lighting

85' Baggage car

3 Coach cars

Baggage Cafe

Compartment Sleeper

Diner

Dome - Snack

Sleeper

Observation car

This trainset was painted by VR Horton and also features Gaétan Bélanger's passenger cars. Also included is a custom F cabview and passenger view in the dome car.

Club TA members, come on in and get yours now!

Ahhh! What's a steam engine without some nice smoke?

Lately, we've been experimenting with improving the default effects that came with MSTS. What you are seeing is a preview of one of these effects....

Our biggest goal was to add more realism, volume and dimension to the smoke.

Many of these effects will be included with future releases of Train Artisan!

Below is a comparison between MSTS's default smoke and Train Artisan's new smoke effect on our GS4 (we'll start releasing more information about this loco add-on along with info on the Coast Line route in the near future).....

Happy Holidays from Train Artisan!!

A Trainset for Under Your Christmas Tree!

The Backshop elves at Train Artisan wish you all a happy and joyous holiday season! In the spirit of spreading joy, we're giving out a new trainset to everyone.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Express Trainset for Microsoft Train Simulator

This add-on features:

· Driveable GE AC4400CW locomotive

· Five 48' spine-type container cars

· Single 60' boxcar

· Single "stage" car (converted 50' boxcar)

· Single four-bay cylindrical hopper car

· Two heavyweight observation cars

· All models employ Christmas lighting effects

· Heads-out view

· Realistic physics and train handling based upon prototypical data.

· Employs improved texture rendering and compression methods and space-saving file aliasing for sound/cabview

· Includes consist files so you can start using the add-on immediately!!!!

ABOUT THE CANADIAN PACIFIC HOLIDAY EXPRESS

2002 marks the fourth year for Canadian Pacific Railway's annual Holiday Express program. In early December of each year, two specially-decorated trains cross southern Canada and the northern United States, collecting food and donations for Canadian and U.S. food banks.

Since its inception, the Holiday Express program has collected over 73 tons of food and $900,000 (Cdn) in donations. The trains visit over 70 communities, providing holiday entertainment and raising awareness for the issue of hunger.

The trains are powered by a GE AC4400CW locomotive, and consist of several freight cars, and a specially-modified "stage" car (a converted 50-foot boxcar with a stage and concert speakers for musical entertainment at scheduled stops). Two preserved heavyweight business cars from Canadian Pacific's Royal Canadian car fleet bring up the rear, to provide quarters for the train's crew and entertainers.

The locomotive and all the cars are covered in thousands of multi-colored Christmas lights.

For more information about Canadian Pacific's Holiday Train program, including a gallery of images from over the years, visit Canadian Pacific's website at http://www.cpr.ca/.

The consist provided in this add-on represents the U.S. holiday train for the 2002 season.

Development Team:

Cameron Lashley - Lead Developer (3D Modeling, texturing, lighting effects)

Conn McCarthy

Chris Lee (Engine physics)

Verne Horton (Texturing)

Download this add-on here!

And for our ClubTA Members

Train Artisan's Pacific Steam Pack!

Oh Yeah! And for our ClubTA members, a very special gift!

It's been awhile since we released a new steamer and now the wait is over!

Conn McCarthy and VR Horton have really outdone themselves this time - Just take a look at the photorealistic quality and detail of these locomotive models.

This set comes complete with our standard custom 3D cab and steam sounds. Also included are two model and livery variations.

This add-on features:

· Driveable 4-6-2 Pacific class steam locomotive with tender

· 3 Model variations and 3 liveries ( B&O, Southern, CMSTP )

· Heads-out view

· Realistic physics and train handling based upon prototypical data.

· Employs improved texture rendering and compression methods and space-saving file aliasing for sound/cabview

· Includes consist files so you can start using the add-on immediately!!!!

Club TA members, come on in and get yours now!

Gifts for the Holidays from the Train Artisan Backshop Elves!

The Atlantic Coast Line E7 "Champion" Trainset

Yes, Train Artisan has caught the holiday spirit and to celebrate, we'll be giving out Train Sim gifts throughout December!

To start, we're releasing the Atlantic Coast Line's "Champion" E7 trainset this week!

You'll get a marvelously detailed E7 A and B unit, a 3D custom E7 cabview, authentic custom E7 sounds, a highly detailed 6 car passenger set, and a custom passenger view with animated people!

Club TA members, come on in and get yours now!

Preview of Gifts Coming Around the Bend for December.....

USRA Pacific Locomotive pack...

Conn McCarthy, and VR Horton have been very busy in the Backshop these days!

Take a look at the new Steam Locomotive pack featuring the USRA Pacific. Tons of detail and a photorealistic paint job to boot!

This is a special gift to the members of ClubTA. Look for it in the ClubTA download stocking in the next week or so!

Preview of Gifts Coming Around the Bend for December.....

E7 Northern Pacific Trainset....

Fresh from the paint shop, is the new Northern Pacific trainset!

VR Horton's best work to date! Photo realistic textures really do make this another exciting add-on.

This is another special gift to the members of ClubTA and should be ready very very soon!.

Don't want to miss out? Click here to find out how you can join ClubTA

The Train Artisan elves also have a special surprise gift to give to everyone - for both members and non-members!

It's been in the works for awhile and we're very excited about getting this one out to the community!

Keep checking back here during December to find out more - you won't be disappointed!