Second Life Railway Commission

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Revision as of 17:30, 31 December 2009 by Jer Straaf (talk | contribs) (→‎SLRR)
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Description

The Second Life Railway Commission (the "good SLRC") is composed entirely of SLRR-gauge train builders, train sellers and others who are materially involved with personal railroading on the Second Life Railroad.

If you have a nice SLRR-gauge personal train, you either made it yourself or you purchased it from one of us. We are the train builders in Second Life and we have joined together for the purpose of delivering a unified message to Michael Linden and the LDPW. Our message is that we support the existing SLRR standards and the freedoms we enjoy today on the SLRR Atoll railroad tracks. We do not take either of these things for granted, nor should you.

Second Life Railway Commission charter:
1) We are all independent SLRR train builders and endorse these ideas.
2) We represent a thriving personal train industry that is good for SL.
3) Our focus is the SLRR Atoll railway tracks, not GLSR, ONSR or trolleys.
4) The current track specification is excellent, expansion is encouraged.
5) The LL TOS is sufficient, we oppose any signaling control system.
6) Resources should be applied to expansion, not automated trains.
7) We will take this message to the Lindens regularly.

The message we bring to Michael and the LDPW is clear, positive and public. The long distances covered by the SLRR Atoll railroad tracks make them a unique feature in SL and unrestricted access should continue to be provided for all residents. The current SLRR-gauge track standard supports five distinctly different types of trains, enabling residents of all skill levels to participate. The SLRR standard should be adhered to and the track system should be completed. We consider automated train systems to be completely problematic in SL, a hazard to railroading on the Atoll and a misdirection of LDPW resources.

Bartek Jewell
Borst Borst
Damion Goodman
Dougie Flossberg
Elvira Wuyts
followmeimthe Piedpiper
Jer Straaf
Letshava Goodnight
Mick Huet
Moggio Morigi

Myuki Mills
Nesto Quatro
Nish Mip
Nookie Babenco
Parrish Ashbourne
Raindrop Difference
Rainey Halderman
Solonia Stenvaag
Twisted Laws
Yevad Doobie


Long live the SLRR and personal railroading in Second Life!
The Second Life Railway Commission

SLRR

NOTE: This section is under development, citations are coming soon...

In the beginning...
Linden Labs decided to build a railroad in Second Life. They laid out tracks on the Atoll. They had a design contest for stations and put up stations. They set up an automated train. They set up sensors along the tracks to monitor the progress of their train. The ANWR oil rig was used as a monitoring station. Unfortunately none of this worked. The Linden train did not stay on the tracks. Very few people rode the train. Linden Labs discontinued the automated train "service" in 2007 and essentially abandoned the tracks. There was limited success with an automated train on the short-line GSLR tracks, however, due to the introduction of Havock4 in early 2008, automated train "service" was abandoned there as well.

Meanwhile...
Private residents began riding Arcadia Asylum hobo-trains on the abandoned SLRR tracks. Several residents built their own locomotives. By 2008 there was a nascent personal train industry in Second Life, with several builders and several very different approaches to train building. This rise in popularity did not go unnoticed by the "super-automated train" proponents and there was a clandestine attempt to have the Lindens remove SLRR's solid center rail. By destroying the SLRR track standards, the "super-automated train" proponents would have destroyed the personal railroading industry. Several train builders successfully fought the effort and the SLRR's solid center rail remains as a vital part of the SLRR's track standard. No new SLRR tracks were built during this time as the "super-automated train" proponents continued to cloud the entire issue of future SLRR track standards.

The current state of affairs...
By 2009 there was a thriving personal railroading industry in Second Life with a dozen or more active train builders. Michael Linden and the LDPW, now free from the burden of placating the "super-automated train" proponents, began improving and expanding the SLRR track system. The Spini Gap was completed and more recently, the line from Crumbi to Spangle has been completed. This may well represent a new "golden age" in the story of the SLRR. Once again, however, this has not escaped the attention of the "super-automated train" proponents. The Consortium is now trying to field control systems on the SLRR, presumably in preparation to convince the Lindens to re-introduce a "super-automated train" to the SLRR.

SLRR Stations

Other Railway initiatives

Source

This information was gathered from various sources throughout SL by Jer Straaf and other members of the Second Life Railway Commission.