In December 2019 I created a series of 3 lots to make a Christmas train for the BnS Challenge #221. Some folks liked the idea of adding additional lots to expand the train. Then I had an idea... how about the community collaborating to create The Orient Express (‘murder mystery’ train)? With the support from many talented simmers, this idea developed into reality. Inspired by actual photos, participants created and decorated cars for this train, as well as others. The Alpine train is fictional so designers had more creative freedom. See the destination posts below for details and links to all the creations.
I also hoped to have a special world to showcase the trains. Due to the interest received, and with the CAW talent of Jessabeans, this became a much larger project. We created a world built around the journey of the OE from London - Paris - Venice. Each destination has a station to showcase the train cars decorated by community participants. Players can have their sims 'travel' around the world by moving their sims to the destination train engine cars (or other residential lots) as desired. Each destination also includes a wonderful mix of residential and community lots reflecting popular landmarks and architecture for that city. A great backdrop world for story-tellers as well.
Over a year later we were still building and coping with the impact of the Covid pandemic. Jessabeans, world builder, bowed out to take care of her family and eventually only a few participants remained active. This project was put on hold until March 2024 when KarilynMonroe2 offered to help finish off the world base. A few remaining TS3 creators came on board behind the scenes and we diligently worked on wrapping up unfinished builds and abandoned claims while the world was being tweaked.
NOTES for anyone downloading and installing the train cars!
If adding train lots to a different world (already included in The Orient Express)....
For the best train effect, before placing the lots for the train in your world, simply add several 24 x 15 custom lots in a row using the “Add Any Lot Size” mod available from ModTheSims. The train engine at the head goes on a bit larger 30 x 15 lot.
Paris: British Pullman Orient Express ***** More info here and here and here. Engine + 7 multi-use = 8 cars Each car features plush armchairs in open-plan saloons, arranged as intimate tables for two each side of the aisle. At one or both ends of each Pullman car is an enclosed 4-seat compartment or 'coupé'.
Paris Gare de L’est station — soocoolsim (completed)Download / Pictures
British Pullman base car shell — Romagi1 & Sandraelle (completed) Download
WORLD BUILDS by destination (NEW! = released July - Aug 2024)
LONDON (entertainment area) - COMPLETE! ✅
Plant list: Chinese Elm, Slippery Elm, Oak Chestnut, Oak, Red Poppies (monte vista), Ranch Weeds, Cherry tree, Chinese Lantern plant, Bamboo used on lots (near Battersea Park area)
Oz Big Show Venue 64x64 (rabbithole) by Jessabeans — Placed in world base
Koko’s Music Machine 30x30 (live show venue) by Hidehi — Download / Pictures
NEW! Tower of London 64x64 by Sandraelle — Download
NEW! Tower Bridge of London 64x35 (OE version) by soocoolsim — Download
Tower Bridge of London 64x35 (Any world version) by soocoolsim — TBC
NEW! Trafalgar Square Tube Station 10x10 by Sandraelle — Download
NEW! Docklands Tube Station 10x10 by Sandraelle—Download
—————————————————————— PARIS (shopping area) - COMPLETE! ✅ Plant list: Red Oak, Oak Chestnut, WA Lavender, Red Maple, Chestnut Tree, Cinnamon trees on the outskirts, WA Olive Tree
NEW! Paris Outskirts Metro Station 10x10 by Sandraelle — Download
NEW! Champ de Mars Metro 15x10 by Sandraelle — Download
—————————————————————— VENICE - COMPLETE! ✅ Plant list: Italian Cypress, Chestnut Tree (Monte Vista), Juniper Tree (Monte Vista), Olive Tree (Monte Vista), WA Olive Tree, Red Poppies (monte vista)
Yay, so glad you’re participating @ciane. The interior design would be entirely up to you. The cars will be 6 x 26 on 20 x 30 lots. I’m in the early stages so can tweak the size before doing the CFE for the roof. Is that enough width to work with? I could go to 8 x 26 if that would work better.
@Sandraelle , I think you’re considering this too. Preferred size from your perspective?
Wow! That's much bigger than I was anticipating. I was thinking the lot size would be much smaller and thinking it would be possible to do a 4 width, so 6 or 8 wide would give a lot more maneuver room. Are you sure you want such big lots? Realistically, of course, the train cars are much longer than they are wide. So, if it's 8 wide, the 26 length would be good. I just wonder if the lots should be narrower, but I'm a fan of making lots as small as possible so they'll fit anywhere. Whatever you think works best!
Hi All! Great start you have going already for your project Paula!!
I will definitely do at least one dining car and one sleeping car.
I like the 26 length but I think 8 is too big of a width, was thinking more like 5 (maybe 6), otherwise the furniture placement will be too out of proportion. For a 5 deep dining car you could have 2 grid dining tables on each side with a 1 grid walkway between tables, which would be more realistic to a real train. And for sleeping cars, you could have a 1 space hallway and each bedroom could be 4 deep. Picture if it's 8 wide, you would have a 4 grid walkway between tables and that wouldn't be so much like a train. 6 would give you a 2 grid walkway which would be ok too if you guys liked this size better. And thinking about where the entrance doors would go, maybe the 6 deep might work better to fit in doors (unless the doors will be on the ends? Just my opinion though. :)
As far as lot size, we would definitely need the 30 long to accommodate a long train car, but I don't think you can get any narrower of a lot going with the 30 length.
Look forward to your thoughts.
P.S. I'm a bit confused on the French restaurant names, isn't this a Venice train? :)
Never mind, I just rewatched the video on the train and I see now that the restaurant cars are named that, lol. My bad!
And looking at the real train again, the dining cars have a 2-seater table on one side and a 4-seat table on the other with a narrow aisle. So we could even go with a 4-tile width!! haha lol
Hi, I'm back again! Just thinking ahead . . . Will you be placing the windows and the car colors or will we be customizing the outside of our own train? And I'm assuming we can use store content? :)
Yay, glad to see you here also @suzes and @Sandraelle . Yes, I would prefer to go with smaller lots while keeping as much to scale as possible. Heading in game now to play around with a 4 width and will circle back.
Sandy, I'll be providing the 2 version of the exterior patterns for consistency and place windows and doors. However, based on your car and design, you can customize to delete / move / add more windows. For the exterior, it would also be more consistent if I provide the base landscaping (trees, platform, terrain paint) but everyone can add objects as desired.
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