Hi, now I'm playing a game with 1870's 4-wheeled carriages and noticed an inconsistency in lengths:
name=4-wheel-1870s-brake-unfitted
length=4
upgrade[0]=4-wheel-1870s-brake-fitted
----
name=4-wheel-1870s-brake-fitted
length=5
Also visually there are 3-different lengths:
4-wheel-1870s-brake (lenght=4) - is the shortest
4-wheel-1870s-tricomposite (length=4) and 4-wheel-1870s-luggage-third (length=5) look visually about the same length (a bit longer than the brake carriage)
all others (composite, suburban, mail, milk, fast freight) are length=5 and look the same, and are longest.
I understand that the granularity is a problem, but at least the 3-composit and luggage-3rd should be consistent - either 4 or 5, and perhaps made visually consistent either with the short mail-brake or the longer suburban and composite carriages). I tried both lengths, 4 is too close, 5 is too far. Also they are slightly misaligned comparing to all others (including the short mail brake van). (If you look at e.g. *_S.png you will see that the 3-composite and luggage-3rd's close end is one pixel closer (to the left).
I also tried to have the mail-brake with length=3, it is too close but looks consistent if the other two are length=4. However they are too close to each other, and I think that at that time carriages were a bit further apart from each other. so length=4 for the brake van and length=5 for all others seems to be better, even if two of them are a bit shorter.
Further thoughts:I think there is more inconsistencies in this set. I just wonder why they have different lengths at all. And also the capacities do not match. So what we have:
Suburban 3rd (comfort 52): capacity 5x10 + 5x5 (overcrowded) = 50 + 25 (5 compartments - 5 windows), OK
Suburban 3rd (comfort 52) brake: 3x10 + 3x5 = 30 + 15 (3 compartments, but 4 windows, OK 1 can be for the guards compartment?)
Suburban 1st+2nd (comfort 66/60): 2x8 (1st) + 2x8 (2nd) + 2x4 (overcrowded) = 16 + 16 + 8 (4 compartments - 4 windows perhaps more space for stretching legs, OK), but I think the 1st class should be only 2x6.
So far almost OK.
Luggage 3rd (comfort 62) : capacity 50+25, hmm 4 - windows with blank in the middle (luggage compartment + 4 passenger compartments). And shorter. So comparing to suburban we have shorter carriage, less compartments, but same capacity and higher comfort ? Completely wrong. I think this should be rendered to the same length, and capacity only 4x10 + 4x5 = 40+20.
Luggage 1st+2nd (comfort 77/68): capacity 2x6 (1st) + 2x10 (2nd) + 2x5 (over) = 12+20+10. Again we have the same capacity as suburban 1+2, luggage compartment and higher comfort. Really? I think it should be 2x6 + 2x8 + 2x4, and maybe even changed to only 3 compartments (only 1 of 1st class), to have space for luggage and more comfort as in suburban composite.
Luggage tricomposite (comfort (77/68/63): capacity 6+8+10, but according to
http://www.vintagecarriagestrust.org/MS&L.htm, it had 4 compartments, so more probably 6+8+2x10. Also this one is shorter. Well it would make sense for 3-compartments, but that again would be more suitable for 1st+2nd composite.
There is nothing like passenger + luggage brake car, so one has to combine the luggage cars either with two mail brakes (which is kind of overkill - too much mail capacity), or suburban brakes. What about having suburban brake with 4 compartmetns (capacity 40+20), and luggage brake with 3 compartments like
http://www.preservation.kesr.org.uk/coaching-stock/l-nwr. (And capacity 30+15).
Mail (non brake) and TPO have the same length as suburban 5-compartment coaches, but the mail brake is much shorter. Was it really so? The capacity as roughly 2/3 of the unbraked one, and there is part for the guard. I think again that this should be the same length. Also it would be nice to have a front and rear variant, as the picture is assymetric. The guards compartment is somewhat visible.
I do not know more sources than those above, so there might be some historical evidence for it being so, but this is my proposal
- all 4-wheel 1870s fitted and unfitted should be rendered at the same length=5
- mail brake should have front and rear model (roatated), may be shorter, but scaled properly for length=4 (the current image is even shorter, but too long for length=3)
- there should be suburban brake (4-compartments) and luggage brake (3-compartments) - 3rd class
- luggage 3rd should have only 4-compartments capacity (and full length)
- luggage tricomposite - should have 4-compartments 6+8+2x10 and full length
- luggage composite (1/2) - should have 3-compartments 6+2x8, and may be shorter, but should be rescaled. Current 3-compartment image is too long for length=4. Or it could be a 1st + 3rd composite with 4 compartments?
- suburban composite (1/2) should have capacity 12+16 instead of 16+16