Ts Crashes Have Me Buying And Running Trainz

Several weeks ago now, TS, which had been running without problems for years on my system, crashed a few seconds after displaying the initial TS2021 splash screen and showing the preliminary message about the scenario database. This happened with the 64-bit version, which I prefer, but I also tried launching the 32-bit version with the same result. TSW 2020, by the way, still runs as it should.
These crashes occurred well over a month since I used the proper Steam-based tool to move the bulk of TS and TSW files to my E: drive so as to make space on my nearly full C: drive. The move caused no immediate problems.
I quickly employed the following remedies: verifying files integrity (no problems reported) and the much longer process of uninstalling and re-installing TS -- the reinstall took the better part of 2 days. None of this helped.
Next step: send a support ticket to DTG, which I did on December 9th. Their reply, which arrived yesterday, December 23rd, provided a very long and complex list of tasks that I must accomplish before any real help can be provided. I'm working on that list, but do not expect to complete it anytime soon. Nor, to be honest, do I expect DTG to really help me solve this problem, given the simple fact that they have obviously not updated their instructions for dealing with technical problems to include TS2021, including very recent changes to its "Properties" dialog box on Steam.

In the meantime, I received an email from Auran, from whom I had bought a version of Trainz years ago -- a product that I removed from my computer after a few months. Given the impossibility of using my extensive collection of TS DLC (320 items) and the bargain basement cost of the latest version (2019 Platinum) of Trainz, I decided to give it another try. Without going in to a lengthy review here, I'll just say that I'm basically satisfied; certainly more so than with the absolute impossibility of enjoying TS.

So, Auran is now the recipient of my train simulator expenditures, not DTG, a situation that seems likely to last well in to the coming new year.

 

Several weeks ago now, TS, which had been running without problems for years on my system, crashed a few seconds after displaying the initial TS2013 splash screen and showing the preliminary message about the scenario database. This happened with the 64-bit version, which I prefer, but I also tried launching the 32-bit version with the same result. TSW 2020, by the way, still runs as it should.

That usually means that you have a/some "corrupted" workshop scenario(s), it/they need to be unsubscribed and removed from your PC.
How are you still running TS2013 - if you are connected to steam you should be at TS2021?

 

There was also no 64bit version until TS2019. It's not a jewel case version as Steam and verifying and such are mentioned, I would suggest a typo but it was mentioned twice as 2013, so who knows.

I is non the wiser.

 

Thanks for the correction -- just edited my OP. I have unsubscribed from all workshop scenarios. Doesn't that remove them from my computer?

 

Unfortunately no, you have to remove them manually too.

Go into *Your Drive letter (commonly C)*:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\Content\Routes and look for the the scenario folders in each route.
To show the names of the routes as they are written in hexadecimal you'll need to open the "NameMyRoute.exe" found in the root (main) RailWorks folder, this when double clicked will put a name to the routes so you can tell which folders to open in the Routes folder.

Once in the correct routes folder you then need to open the Scenario folders located within each Route folder and find the steam workshop ones (Guess what these are named in Hex too) you can proceed two ways here..
1) Open each scenario and double click on ScenarioProperties.xml this will open the file probably in Internet explorer or some other linked web browser, from there you will see the name of the scenario like this..

Code:

<DisplayName>
        <Localisation-cUserLocalisedString>
            <English d:type="cDeltaString">A Penny Change</English>
            <French d:type="cDeltaString"></French>
            <Italian d:type="cDeltaString"></Italian>
            <German d:type="cDeltaString"></German>
            <Spanish d:type="cDeltaString"></Spanish>
            <Dutch d:type="cDeltaString"></Dutch>
            <Polish d:type="cDeltaString"></Polish>
            <Russian d:type="cDeltaString"></Russian>
            <Other/>

As you can see this scenario is called "A Penny Change"
When you find a workshop scenario you can then delete it at the scenario folder level (i.e folder name 0b41bcd4-290f-4c3e-bb1c-c54e7b3a7204) within the Scenarios folder of the selected route.

Potchy huh.

The simple(r) way..
2) Follow the first steps of above as in the NameMyRoute.exe and finding and opening the Route folder and delete ALL scenarios within that Scenario folder, you can even just delete the Scenario folder itself if you wish.
When you are satisfied that you have removed all Scenarios that contained workshop ones then Open steam and then verify all files, this will reintroduce all the genuine Scenarios back to your game. (It's advised to run Verify file integrity a few times until it returns no missing files)

Good luck.

There is another way using TS Tools (formerly RS Tools) but if you are not versed in using that I advise you do one of the two methods I explained above.

If you're still unsure because of my bad instruction then please feel free to ask which bit you're stuck on, I or someone else will try and explain it better.

 

To definitely Unsubscribe and delete Workshop Items

· If it is to do with workshop scenarios and/or a corrupt scenario database try this:
· This is for errors that occur where TS20XX is loading, checking, verifying the scenario database on start – up.
NB: Verifying the game files won't fix a WS scenario problem.

1. Open Steam and highlight Train Simulator.
2. Click on The Workshop Tab
3. Click Browse then Subscribed items.
4. Individually unsubscribe each scenario or choose Unsubscribe all to get rid of the lot.

TS-Tools (RW-Tools) Option:
· Just because you have unsubscribed WS scenarios via STEAM does not mean that they have been removed from your computer.
· Invest in the FREE TS-Tools and remove them route by route - they are colour coded - blue.


Additional method to check:
1. To delete all WS scenarios from your computer, navigate to \STEAM\steamapps\workshop\content\24010 and delete every file and sub-folder in that folder.
2. DO NOT DELETE the \24010 folder itself
3. (If you want to keep any or all scenarios then copy the contents first to a safe place before deleting the files and then reinstall once your error is fixed.

Rebuilding the Scenario Database
Even after removing all WS Scenarios you may have a "corrupt" scenario database and that can easily be rebuilt:
Close TS and navigate to: \STEAM\steamapps\common\RailWorks\Content and delete/rename the following 4 files:
· SDBCache.bin;
· SDBCache.bin.MD5;
· RVDBCache.bin;
· RVDBCache.bin.MD5;
Restart steam and TS

 

Many thanks to Reef and Peter Hayes for taking the time to type in so much advice. As I write this, I'm waiting for a file integrity verification to complete after having renamed the files noted by Peter (SDBCache.bin.MD5, etc.). If this doesn't work, I've noticed that within Steam it's possible to completely uninstall TS (at least, that's offered as an option. What I'm not sure about is whether it is then possible to perform a (presumably? possibly?) clean install. Certainly this should be possible, but at this point I'm not feeling a lot of trust in DTG and would appreciate a response from either Peter of Reef or both.

 

I honestly don't think completely re-installing TS is either necessary or actually the answer, the extra WS scenarios will still be there.

When Steam removes and re-installs a game it only removes and replaces what's in it's database, therefore any additional content (that was not a direct replacement i.e. a reskin using the exact same file name as the original to just replace the original) is left in place.

An easy test and to prove my point is if you have another small unmodded game on Steam navigate to it's files and add another file in and call it "test1" if you like, now uninstall that game via Steam and then look in the file and test1 will remain, now re-install the game and all the game files will reappear but also test1 is still there.

The best advice has already been given, I forgot about the 24010 folder that Peter Hayes mentioned and he is completely correct about that, I'm also sure that TS (weirdly) places a scenario into the file structure RailWorks/Content/Routes that I pointed out in my first post once you've played that WS scenario, I have that with Danny's SWC & WM merge anyway, so even after doing everything Peter said the scenarios will still exist, you need to do what BOTH of us said to be completely rid of the WS scenarios.

Of course you could completely delete any TS related leftover files AFTER a Steam uninstall (inc the contents of 42010) and then reinstall but this seems like overkill and a waste of time, Peter's (74906) adage of "would you remove the engine if your car wouldn't start" springs to mind.

At the end of the day it's your time so if you feel happy to use that time reinstalling everything after a complete removal then that is of course your choice, just bare in mind any non Steam third party free or paid content will have to be reinstalled again also, It would take me a few hours just to reinstall all my AP stuff inc all the branding patches and extra stock patches, a thought that fills me with horror, and I haven't even started on my JT content UKTS content and of course my own modded content backups.

 

Reef is correct - a reinstall unless it is a fresh install (Delete the entire Railworks folder - drastic) will not fix this issue, neither will verifying the game files as WS scenarios are NOT checked during the verification.
If you followed my method you should have fixed this issue!

 

I have followed your method, with one exception: the 24010 folder you warned me not to delete did not even exist in my steamapps\workshop\common folder [I created a 24010 folder there, but, of course, it's empty. Having completed everything else you suggested, I'm still without a working version of TS2021.

If I do delete the entire Railworks folder from \STEAM\steamapps\common, how do I then reinstall Railworks. My guess is that this can be done from Steam, but I know that it will take a long time and would rather not go through it twice. Thanks for your patience!

 

You can do a fresh install of DTG/RSC DLC via steam as you say.
If you save the current Assets and Content Folder you could then just copy back installed 3rd party Assets, Routes and Scenarios (one to say five at a time to make sure they do not affect your fresh install.
If you have ever subscribed to a WS item then there should have been a 24010 folder.

 

Thanks again to those who provided advice and expressed concern. Yes, I finally decided to delete and re-install TS 2021 (which, by the way, is still identified as TS 2020 on the opening splash screen). And ......... it worked! Reinstalling the basic game files plus my 320 DLCs took a bit more than 2 days, but that's in the suburbs with ATT internet "service". I'm hoping that Todd Clark won't mind my adding today's apropos Lola cartoon!

 

And ... there ii happened again! TS2021 32-bit continues to run as it should. TS202_ 64-bit, however, which before recent inexplicable crashes opened and ran as it should, continues to crash to the desktop with the usual meaningless "Out of Memory" excuse. Oh, and, lest I forget, ironically advises me to try running the 64-bit version. Is this supposed to be a joke at the user's (and, of course, buyer's) expense? Caveat emptor, indeed!

 

You are doing the Caveat emptor, Let the Buyer Beware thing but I would think that as it runs on most people computers could the problem be on your system.
When you reinstalled your system did you just copy what you had before back in place - and the problem with it?
Are you sure you don't have a 24010 folder in \steamapps\workshop\content\
And if you go on to the Workshop via the Steam Client do you have anything Subscribed?

I had a very similar problem to you and it was down to just one scenario I Subscribed to on the Workshop

Peter

 

Additionally, when you uninstalled TS, did you then unsubscribe from all workshop content before re-installing it? Otherwise, it'll have just re-installed all your workshop stuff including the potentially dodgy thing that may be causing the crash.

 

"749006" & "Cameron's Gaming" --- you're both w-a-y off the tracks.

 

LTTC
Is there anything listed in "View Reliability History" on any of the 64-bit crashes?
Likewise have you run Logmate then TS 64-bit - any errors?
Think about running the Windows diagnostics.

 

Why - we both asked a question?