Maps and Trains Window

The Maps and Trains Window, as the name suggests, is the main window used to manage information about maps in the game, and trains on the server and a player's local hard drive. Important activities include the upload and download of trains, opening maps to run trains on them, and accessing the YM Control screen to find and apply for open maps.

Overview

The Maps and Trains window has four main panels:

Top left

List of maps in the game

Bottom left

Information on the currently selected map

Top right (red)

List of trains on the server

Bottom right (green)

List of trains on your computer

List of Maps

This panel lists all maps in the game. Maps are ordered alphabetically, first by province abbreviation, and then by name. Canadian provinces (AB, BC, MB, NS, ON, QC, and SK) are placed at the top of the list.

Selecting any map here will display further information in the bottom left panel. Double clicking a map will open it.

The four-digit ID of each map is displayed after the name. This ID is used throughout the game - for example, train files for IN:Roanoke, 1381 begin with Y1381.

Three asterisks (***) following a map name indicate that it has not yet been downloaded.

A child map is a secondary identity of another map. Many maps have more than one identity, to handle situations where multiple railroads serve the same location, or maps with multiple panels. Most actions that can be performed on the parent map can also be done with the child identity (e.g. downloading the map, opening the map).

Find Map

This text box allows you to search for any map by name, state, and/or ID. Partial names are supported, and the order and capitalisation of words does not matter. Clear the text in the box to remove the filter. If a train is selected for a map that is filtered out, or similarly an entry in My Maps for a filtered out yard is picked, the filter will be unset and the yard selected.

My Maps

This dropdown provides a quick way to access maps of interest - most typically, the maps that you are YM of. The "Update My Maps List" button can be used to automatically populate this with the list of maps you are YM of. Alternatively, maps can be selected manually using "Edit My Maps", at the bottom of the window.

Selecting a map from the drop down list can either open the map immediately, or select it in the maps list; an option in the Options window configures this.

Update My Maps List

This button automatically updates the My Maps list to contain the yards that you are YM of.

Map Information

This panel displays some information on the current map, including the current Yardmaster, the railroads present on the map (primary railroad first), and connections between this map and others. Note that information on child maps is not displayed on the parent map - other railroads and connections may be listed there.

Enter Map

Enters the selected map. If a map is already open, it is saved and the new map opened. If the map is open but minimised, it is made full screen.

Map Info

Displays a short piece of text about the selected map. The length of the description is variable, depending on the age of the map and the verbosity of the map author!

Map U/L

Displays a list of cars handled by the selected map, grouped by Unload and Load.

On that list, the "Compare" button will check the capabilities of the local map data, if it exists. If this does not match, the local file is likely outdated or modified. FYM will automatically display a warning about outdated maps, or mis-matching car load/unload capabilities.

Map List

Displays a separate list of maps, ordered by numeric ID. Some filtering options exist for this list.

YM Control

Displays the Yardmaster Control screen, which is used to apply for and relinquish maps.

Note that YM applications are vetted manually (currently by dlwfan203), on an approximately weekly cycle. New Players are usually allocated maps within a couple of days (feel free to pester Richard, Danny252, or dlwfan203).

If you are new to FYM, you are encouraged to apply for a few small to mid-sized maps - feel free to ask in chat for advice on maps to take. Multiple maps help to balance out the flow of trains - with only a single map, it could be several days between trains. Larger classification yards or intermodal terminals require experience with the game mechanics - as FYM is a multiplayer game with neighbouring yards and trains already running, there is an expectation that players can get up and running at their yards within a few days. Don't worry about starting small - different yards regularly become available as players move around the network,

Applications are not guaranteed to result in the allocation of a yard. Multiple players may apply for a single yard, and only one can be chosen - new players with fewer yards will be given priority in most cases. If a player is felt to not yet have enough experience in the game, or to have too many yards or too many waiting trains, they may not be allocated a yard. See the FYM Player Code of Conduct for some more details on the process.

Messages

Displays the in-game messaging system. This allows you to send messages to players who are offline, or to send messages that are too long for chat. The button will highlight green when you have messages.

Download Map

Downloads the currently selected map. If it is already downloaded, you are prompted as to whether you wish to re-download the whole map, or just track data. The track data is much quicker to download, and most minor updates and fixes will only require this. The Map Revisions list will highlight any map updates with a new image in green.

Edit My Maps

Manually edit the My Maps list. Double click any entry to add/remove it; selected entries are shown in green.

Progress Bar

The progress bar at bottom left shows the progress of train uploads/downloads.

Train list panels

The two right-hand panels show the lists of trains on the server (top, red) and local computer (bottom, green). The server train list shows trains to and from you by default, with the four checkboxes and Custom filter showing other trains. The server train list will update automatically every few minutes.

Selecting a train in either panel will show some brief information about the train at bottom right.

Files with the .zr1 or .tr1 file extension are trains saved in place on a map.

If FYM is running in offline mode, or the server could not be reached, no trains will be shown in the server section, and trains will not be able to be uploaded/downloaded.

Transfer Trains

Automatically downloads trains waiting on the server for your maps, and uploads trains on your local computer for other players' maps. This is the recommended way to upload and download trains - everything is handled for you!

The "To DL" and "To UL" counters show the number of trains in either category. The button will highlight green when trains are waiting to transfer in either direction.

If any trains are for yards without a YM, you will be prompted whether to upload the trains as Run Thru (just passing through) or Yard Job (requires work). A prompt will be shown for each such yard. Cancelling the prompt will cancel uploads for that yard only.

Upload Button

Uploads the selected train(s). Multiple trains can be selected for upload at once, but only for a single yard. A prompt allowing selection of Run Thru or Yard Job will be shown, but the current YM (if there is one) will be selected by default, and their name should be left selected in the vast majority of cases.

Download Button

Downloads the selected server train. This button will need to be used to download Yard Job and Run Thru trains, as Transfer Trains will never automatically download these.

List

Refresh the lists of server and local trains. The server list is updated automatically every couple of minutes. The local list is updated whenever FYM is aware of train activity (unless Automatic Local Folder Updates is unchecked).

Yard Job

Lists all trains on the server as "Yard Job". These trains require work at their current location, but no YM is present.

Note that a train with the .zr1 extension is saved in place; it may be a cut of cars without any locomotives, or locomotives without cars, and there may be multiple trains available.

If you download a Yard Job but find out you do not wish to run it, you can simply re-upload as a Yard Job.

Yard Jobs can be some of the most demanding trains in the game - they place players in an unfamiliar yard with an unfamiliar train, and while cars at your own yards can wait a few days for a different train to collect them, Yard Jobs rarely offer that luxury. Feel free to ask for guidance on what Yard Jobs look suitable, and for advice while running them - even experienced players often need help with Yard Jobs in unfamiliar territory.

Run Thru

Lists all trains on the server as "Yard Job". These trains do not require work at their current yard, and can usually be driven straight through, but no YM is present.

(Note that some Run Thrus may actually be Yard Jobs - Run Thru is the default option for uploading trains at a yard with no YM!)

Old

Lists trains more than ten days old on the server.

All Trains

Lists all trains on the server. Note that most players do not have permission to download trains for another player.

Custom

A custom filter for filtering train files, e.g. by player name or yard number.

Automatic Local Folder Updates

Automatically update the list of local trains.

Info

Show the Train Information window of the currently selected local train. Information cannot be shown for server trains.

Changes to the train can be made and saved in this window before a train is brought into a yard, or after it has left.

New

Create a new train at the current yard. Only car types that the yard can load/unload will be shown. If no cars can be loaded/unloaded, new trains cannot be created.

Delete

Delete the selected local train file. This should only ever be used for trains you have created yourself - deleting trains in active circulation in FYM is not permitted.