User Manual - iRunTrains Concept Demo

User Manual - iRunTrains v0.6 Prerelease

Introduction

Welcome to iRunTrains for Macintosh. This user manual describes the controls and features of the iRunTrains v0.6 Prerelease. The controls are very simple and can mostly be learned in a few minutes. This manual is divided into three sections covering Basic Controls, Train & Turnout Controls, and View Controls.

Basic Controls

By default, four blocks of help text are overlaid across the top of the iRunTrains screen. The "H" key can be pressed to toggle this help overlay on and off. On some Macs, you may notice a better frame-rate (eg smoother animation) with the overlay turned off.

You can use the right mouse-button to access a pop-up menu. This menu allows you to select different layouts or change your display/control preferences. The preferences include terrain color and texture, help-overlay text color, various display toggles, keyboard preferences, and the amount of train momentum.

The "P" key can be used to pause the iRunTrains program in case you need to reply to an email, answer the phone, etc. Once paused, pressing any key will resume the program.

By default, iRunTrains will run full-screen, meaning you cannot see your dock, menu-bar, and other applications. You can press the "G" key to toggle between running full-screen or running in a normal window. When running in a window, you are free to resize and move that window or switch to other applications just as you normally would.

Lastly, the Cmd+Q key combination can be pressed to immediately quit the iRunTrains application. Since iRunTrains runs from a Terminal window on your Mac, you will also need to quit your Mac's Terminal application separately. That's normal. Note that if iRunTrains detects any problems while running, an error message will be printed to that same terminal window to assist with trouble-shooting.

Train & Turnout Controls

Upon starting iRunTrains v0.6, three numbered trains will start running automatically. The number of each train (numbered 1, 2, and 3) is displayed above its engine and caboose. To select a train (making it the "current train" ... the one you can control), simply type its number on the keyboard. Note that each train number is displayed in blue, except for the current train's number which is displayed in red.

To decelerate and accelerate the current train, press the "[" and "]" keys, respectively. Each key-press will change the train's target speed by a fixed amount, then the train will gradually reach that new speed. The target and actual speeds of each train are displayed graphically in the bottom left corner of the screen. As a shortcut, the delete or backspace keys can also be used to immediately cut the target speed of the current train to zero, then the train will gradually slow to a stop. If the shift key is held down while pressing the "[" or "]" keys, then the target train speed is changed by one-quarter of the normal amount. This is handy when you want very slow and precise control of train speed.

Any time a train is stopped, a red arrow is displayed above the engine showing its current forward-reverse direction. To toggle the direction of the current train, press the "\" key on the keyboard, then the train's red arrow will flip direction. NOTE: You can only change the direction of the current train when it is stopped and its direction arrow is being displayed.

Switching turnouts is also done by number. Each turnout has a red "T-number" displayed above it, as well as a green/yellow line between the rails that shows where the trains will go on that turnout. To switch any turnout, simply type "T" then type its number, then you will hear and see its green/yellow line flip. As with a real model train, you should avoid switching turnouts while they have a train traveling over them, since that will cause the train to split apart or derail.

The return key can be used to toggle the turnout and train number/arrow displays on and off. Initially you will probably want them all displayed, but later you may wish to turn them off once you've memorized the numbers. Note that even if the turnout number displays are off, they will still be temporarily displayed while you are switching a turnout.

New in iRunTrains v0.6, you can now control several different train sounds. For example, when using Helicopter Chase View (described in the next section) you will now hear the sound of the helicopter you're flying in. Press the "M" key to mute the helicopter if you would rather just hear the trains. You can press the "B" key at any time to start/stop the warning bell of the current train. A train's bell is generally used for safety when arriving or departing a station. You can also press the "W" key to sound the whistle of the current train. You will hear a "long" whistle by default, or type shift-"W" for a "short" whistle. Train whistles are generally used to signal the engineer's intent. For example, here are the signals used at the Walt Disney World Railroad:

One Short - Attention
Two Short – Forward Movement
Three Short – Reverse Movement
One Long, One Short – Approaching Station "Here Comes the Train"
One Long, Two Short – Crew spotted along track, or used as a general greeting.
Two Long, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead.
Two Long, One Short – Meeting Point (Junction)
One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop.
Four Long – Train in distress.

View Controls

The iRunTrains v0.6 view controls support six viewing modes, and you can control all six modes with your mouse as well as the keyboard. The six viewing modes allow you to experience your trains in some very cool ways, as described in the table below.

Manual Table View	This is the default viewing mode, where you control everything manually. Specifically, you control the area you're looking at, the angle you're looking at it from, and the distance from which you're viewing it.
Helicopter Chase View	In this mode, your eye follows the selected train automatically, and your viewing angle and viewing position both change automatically to follow the orientation of the selected train. You control your viewing angle relative to the train, and you control the distance from which you're viewing it. This view simulates the experience of following a train in a chase-helicopter.
Motion Match View	In this mode, your eye and viewing position both follow the selected train automatically, so you're literally matching the motion of the train. You control your viewing angle, and the distance from which you're viewing.
Rail Fan View	In this mode, your eye follows the selected train automatically, but your viewing position is stationary unless manually changed by you. This simulates what many "rail-fan" enthusiasts experience when watching full size trains in real life. It also simulates what most model railroaders experience when standing next to their real world layouts.
Engine Rider View	In this mode, you're riding on the engine of the selected train, much like what the operators of ridable quarter-scale model trains experience. As in real life, you are free to look all around while riding on the train. You can also ride the sides or front of the engine as described below.
Caboose Rider View	In this mode, you're riding on the caboose of the selected train, much like what the passengers of ridable quarter-scale model trains experience. As in real life, you are free to look all around while riding on the train. You can also ride the sides or back of the caboose as described below.

To change view modes, press the spacebar to display the menu of viewing modes, numbered 1 to 6. Press the number of the view you want, and the view mode will change to the one you selected. Note that the current viewing mode is always displayed in the top left corner of the screen. In the three modes where your eye automatically follows the train, typing the train's number a second time will toggle between following that train's engine and caboose.

The table below describes the keyboard and mouse controls that you can use in each viewing mode.

Viewing Mode	Keys: Up, Down, Left, and Right Arrows or The Mouse (by dragging)	Keys: "E", "S", "D", "F" or The Mouse (by double-clicking)	Keys: Page-Up & Page-Down or "+" & "-" or The Mouse (by [option]-dragging)	"Z" Key
Manual Table View	Control the angle from which you are viewing your layout.	Control the position on the train table that you are looking toward.	Control the distance from which you are viewing your train table.	Zoom in/out.
Helicopter Chase View	Control the angle from which you are viewing your selected train. This angle is relative to the train's orientation.		Control the distance from which you are viewing your selected train.	Zoom in/out.
Motion Match View	Control the angle from which you are viewing your selected train. This angle is independent of the train's orientation.		Control the distance from which you are viewing your selected train	Zoom in/out.
Rail Fan View		Control the horizontal position that you are viewing from.	Control the vertical height that you are viewing from.	Zoom in/out.
Engine / Caboose Rider Views	Control the direction you are looking while riding on the selected train.			Zip around.

The above table is actually simpler than it first appears. To control your viewing angle, use the arrow keys in each mode. You also have the ability use the mouse in addition to (or instead of) using the arrow keys. Simply drag the mouse left, right, up, or down to change the viewing angle. As a shortcut, the "A" key will spin your view angle by 180 degrees. This is great for checking what's behind you. To pan, the "E", "D", "S", and "F" keys are used in two view modes to pan horizontally forward, backward, left, and right, respectively. Panning can also be done with the mouse by double-clicking near the sides of your screen. To control viewing distance/height, the page-up and page-down keys (or "+" and "-" if you prefer) are used. Note that on laptop keyboards, you may need to hold down the fn key to access the page-up and page-down keys. The viewing distance/height can also be changed by dragging the mouse while holding down [option] on the keyboard. And the "Z" key can be used to zoom in/out or zip around to different parts of the engine/caboose.

Each time you press-and-release most of the above keyboard keys, within a couple seconds the target view will smoothly change by a set amount. So to change the view twice as much, you simply hit that key twice. Note that the key action is always press-and-release (not holding them down) ... the only exceptions are option and shift as described below. Regardless of the current viewing mode or changes you've made, you can always return to the default from-above table-view at any time by pressing the home key on your keyboard.

If the shift key is held down while performing most of the view modifications described above, the view change will be one-quarter of its normal amount. This is handy when you want more precise control of your viewing angles or zoom levels.

If the option key is held down while pressing the view modification keys (excluding "E", "S", "D", & "F"), then the key initiates "continuous" motion instead of a fixed change. For example, the left arrow key normally changes your view to the left about 30 degrees. However with option held down, your view will instead start spinning to the left at about 4 degrees/second and will continue spinning. Pressing option+left again will increase it to 8 degrees/second, or pressing option+right will decrease it back to zero. The up and down arrows and zoom keys work with option in a similar way. This takes a little practice to learn, but is great fun once you do. In some viewing modes, it almost feels like you're flying around your trains. If you ever lose track of these continuous changes, the end key can be used to immediately stop all continuous view changes that you may have initiated.