New MSTS Forum...Please Join! - Train simulation software - Trains.com

The other day I received my new Train Master Simulator Version 4.3.I intall the cd that came with it and set my display on my computer to the number 16 rather than 32. My computer Computer is a Dell Dimension 2400 Series. It is a Pentium 4,with 640Mb of Ram and the hard drive is 40GB. I loaded up the Amtrak FP40 type of locomotive pulling about 6 or 8 Amfleet coaches across the plains of Utah. Ok, then the next day I tried to swich to another railroad like the B&0 in the Eastern part of the United States. Well, I tried to load that train and I got an error pop up saying "failed to open DIB File". What am I doing wrong? Or do I need to send this simulator back where I ordered it from. I using XP Home Edition as the Microsoft Platform. I notice on the second page of the manual it states that Microsoft 95,98,2000,ME,but not the XP,could that be the problem? I appreciate any help I can get this simulator working properly as it should. Thank you.

QUOTE: Originally posted by ldolby

The other day I received my new Train Master Simulator Version 4.3.I intall the cd that came with it and set my display on my computer to the number 16 rather than 32. My computer Computer is a Dell Dimension 2400 Series. It is a Pentium 4,with 640Mb of Ram and the hard drive is 40GB. I loaded up the Amtrak FP40 type of locomotive pulling about 6 or 8 Amfleet coaches across the plains of Utah. Ok, then the next day I tried to swich to another railroad like the B&0 in the Eastern part of the United States. Well, I tried to load that train and I got an error pop up saying "failed to open DIB File". What am I doing wrong? Or do I need to send this simulator back where I ordered it from. I using XP Home Edition as the Microsoft Platform. I notice on the second page of the manual it states that Microsoft 95,98,2000,ME,but not the XP,could that be the problem? I appreciate any help I can get this simulator working properly as it should. Thank you.

Let me see if I can make a feeble attempt to solve your problem or at least get you on the right track:

Without ever seeing or trying a Train Master simulator of any kind I think I know what general area your problem comes from

1) You mention your error message says “cannot open DIB file” in relation to a certain train on a certain route. If this is anything like MSTS there’s either an absent or corrupt file in your train files. IF your train is an add-on you might try to reinstall the train (not the whole game). Or if you know how to tinker and explore train files you might look into those file folders to find the problem. TIP: when that error message pops up write down the exact file name and extension verbatim and then do a search to find out exactly where that file is located on your computer. IF the train your trying came with the game try other trains on the same place your having difficulty. You might want to try calling a customer service/troubleshooter representative. If it is a bad CD-ROM hopefully they’ll exchange it.

2) You mention your train worked on one route but not another. Try going back to that first route with your problem train again. If it works there and not another route maybe the problem lies within your route? (I’m just guessing.) Maybe you could try starting at a different point on your route and see if that works.

3) Compatibility: just because the game’s requirement section doesn’t mention XP doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a problem. I’ve had many games that don’t mention XP but still work fine. Those requirements are just for optimal performance, usually.

4) Try going over to the forums Mousy linked here on this thread. There’s usually a faster response and more knowledgeable people using that forum.

I can tell you from personal experience that there have been many instances I’ve downloaded a free locomotive or piece of rolling stock for Microsoft Trainsim from Train-sim.com made by private individuals that sometimes “accidentally” leave out critical files therefore rendering the whole unit useless. I don’t know how to fix or create the missing or bad files so I usually discard it and look for something else similar or forget it all together.

It’s starting sounds like no matter what kind train simulator people have there seems to be the same kind of problems. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Don’t get discouraged, keep experimenting with the system until you figure it out. A small problem like that doesn’t call for sending the whole game back (yet, anyway). These train simulator games can sort of force a novice computer user into learning about and tinkering a great deal with their computers they normally wouldn’t do (actually all you would doing is tinkering with are the game’s files).

It’s like model railroading, you buy all the ready-to-run stuff, throw it all together, and watch the trains go around with little work, until the simple stuff gets boring so you start to build a little, arrange scenery more neatly, add a spot of paint, glue some structures, rig some wiring, next thing you know you’re doing bench-work and detailing locos and trees. In train-simming you can install and play all the default stuff but after a while you want something different so you buy and add-on. And then maybe you download some freeware. Next thing you know you’re changing cabview interiors, altering the loco sounds and horn chimes, adding structures to your routes and finally even building routes and rolling stock from scratch. And in both modeling and simulators you can pound your head against the darn thing after making what seems to be mistake after endless mistake until you finally get it right and you have something you can be proud of and enjoy.

Okay, enough rambling from me, time to get back to trains.

Good luck on your game and don’t give up.