[EARLY DEVELOPMENT] coachXtender - The Power Car (CXT)

G'day everyone,

I'd like to showcase a mod and concept I'm current working on.



Image of current development state:

Example images of engine car in a train of maverick2002's IC cars:

Get it on the Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sha…iledetails/?id=3544973062

Mod will be released to Transportfever.net once the initial release version has been finished.

Description:

I was tired of using ghost engines to turn push-pull trains into multiple units, hence I am creating a more realistic solution.

The CXT is inspired by the traction concept of the Stadler GTW. They are almost twice the size of the GTW's traction modules and posses twice the power.

Still, standard coaches tend to be heavier than the purpose-built multiple-unit ones. Like with the Stadler GTW, it's recommended to use one power car per two coaches and no more than three coaches per power car.

Currently, only a version for UIC-X/Y/Z coaches and Metropolitan (MET), but particularly maverick2002's IC control cars, is available. Versions for WUMAG/Görlitz/Bombardier double-decker coaches, ICE and more are planned, but one step at a time.

Technical Data:

Availability: 1995 - 2000

Weight: 60 t

Power: 1200 kW

Tractive Effort: 160 kN

Traction Type: Diesel-Electric (later also electric)

Top Speed: 200 km/h

Dimensions: TBA

Wheel configuration: TBA

Gauge: TBA

Technical data is subject to change over the course of development.

Conceptual Issues:

Play-testing a little, turns out there are good reasons nobody is using such this system over traditional push-pull boosters IRL, and other similar solutions are integrated into purpose-built multiple-units.

Initial acceleration is decent, but even with twice the power of the most powerful GTW traction modules out there, they struggle getting up to competitive top speeds, especially when going uphill.

Alas, I think they have their use as regional and local solutions, as well for limited intercity service. If you are playing with highest economy difficulties, the CXT might help you keep costs down finding new ways to use existing waggons.

Also no idea how this could actually work IRL - I'm not an engineer - but this seems plausible enough for a videogame. Maybe it could be powered by something exotic like a boxer or Wankel engine, who knows.

Development Notice:

I am completely new to TpF2 modding and have little idea of how trains actually work. This alpha version is a simple proof-of-concept and also serves as my first test mod. I'm working on it when I find time to do so.

The main goal for the initial release version is to have a mid-train Diesel-electric and electric engine car.

Development Plan:

Phase 0 - Early development - Underway:

✅ Get a proof-of-concept working.

✅ Figure out how to add bogies and wheels.

❎ Learn about the sound system. 🚧 Underway

❎ Animate parts and pantographs for electric variant. 🚧 Underway

❎ Understand how the unit reversing system works.

Phase 1 - Release version development (to Steam Workshop & transportfever.net):

❎ Reasonably detailed model.

❎ UV mapping.

❎ Texturing.

❎ LODs.

❎ Balancing.

❎ Localisation.

Phase 2 - Doppelstockwagenantriebseinheitszwischenmodulentwicklungsphase:

❎ WUMAG/Görlitz/Bombardier Dosto Doppestockwagen double-decker variants.

❎ powered UIC-to-Dosto transition body variants.

Phase 3 - HSR:

❎ ICE 1/2 variant.

❎ ICE L (Talgo) variant.

Phase 4 - Control Cars:

❎ Simple powered control car

❎ Simple draisine

❎ Unpowered/luggage/post/freight car

Phase 5 - More:

❎ More liveries.

❎ More propulsion variants.

❎ More gauges.

No ETA is given. Development plan is subject to change.

Current Challenges:

• only one wheel is spinning
• the bogie ain't turning

If you know what might be the issue, help is much appreciated. I don't find anything of help for this matter in existing documentation and tutorials.

Is the bogie even necessary for such design? What would be the benefits? Does the Stadler GTW have a bogie? Please let me know!

Legal & Credits:

Disclaimer

THE MOD IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR

IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,

FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE

AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER

LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,

OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE TUTORIAL OR THE USE OF OR OTHER DEALINGS WITH THE MOD.

Always make secure backups.

Credits:

Idea, mod creation and bodywork:

Copyright 2025 "kilésengati". All rights reserved.

Various Accessories:

Copyright 2023 "Feluno". Some rights reserved.

Licenced under CC BY-NC

Source: Kleinteile für Schienenfahrzeuge (Modding-Ressourcen)

Pantographs (not implemented yet):

Copyright 2018 "DenesBerky". Some rights reserved.

Licenced under CC BY

Source: Stromabnehmer Paket / Pantograph Set

____________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright 2025 "kilésengati". All rights reserved.

Zitat von HundertDampf

There isn't much sense in using a single bogie, it would either have fixed axles or two bogies

Hey, thanks for the reply. That would make things easier for me as well, though I would still need to learn how to do bogies correctly someday.

Do you know what could cause the second axles not spinning? I thought just adding the mesh of the second axle in the MDL would do the trick.

railVehicle = {
blinkInterval = 500,
configs = {
{
axles = { "vehicle/train/kilesengati_cxt/wheels_lod0.msh", },
backBackwardParts = { },
backForwardParts = { },
blinkLightsLeft0 = { },
blinkLightsLeft1 = { },
blinkLightsRight0 = { },
blinkLightsRight1 = { },
blinkingLights0 = { },
blinkingLights1 = { },
brakeLights = { },
fakeBogies = { },
frontBackwardParts = { },
frontForwardParts = { },
innerBackwardParts = { },
innerForwardParts = { },
},
{
axles = { "vehicle/train/kilesengati_cxt/wheels.001_lod0.msh", },
backBackwardParts = { },
backForwardParts = { },
blinkLightsLeft0 = { },
blinkLightsLeft1 = { },
blinkLightsRight0 = { },
blinkLightsRight1 = { },
blinkingLights0 = { },
blinkingLights1 = { },
brakeLights = { },
fakeBogies = { },
frontBackwardParts = { },
frontForwardParts = { },
innerBackwardParts = { },
innerForwardParts = { },
},
},

Zitat von WernerK

Sorry for my question but I don't have any idea what this is good for.

It's an engine car you can put between two or more coaches or control cars.

Instead of buying a whole new DMU/EMU, you can use coaches and control cars already in your fleet to create a multiple-unit-esque composition. If you have control cars in your fleet already, it's a little cheaper than buying a whole new multiple-unit and looks sleeker and more modern than a push-pull train. Also it's more versatile than a multiple-unit. And at the end of the day: Just why not.

It's kinda like "we have GTW at home".

GTW at home:



Unfortunately, TpF2 doesn't seem to allow transfer of cars between compositions (or am I missing something?), so actual usefulness in gameplay is a bit limited due to that.

Economic performance of a train consisting of two UIC-Z-based control cars and a CXT power car going across a small map from one village/tiny town to another at about half capacity:

Zitat von Chill_LP

i must say i really like the idea you are going for here

Glad you like it. Cheers!

Zitat von WernerK

So you want to adopt the design of the other cars to achieve a prototypical and really existing train? Or do you want to ride fictitious units like shown above? I could imagine that a 2-axle power unit between two 4-axle control cars looks a little weird. Is this just an experiment?

It's completely fictional. At least I've never heard of something like this existing IRL. Just a walkthrough power car, similar to the GTW, and visually compatible to the UIC-X/Y/Z coaches and control cars (and later also Bombardier double-deckers).

Zitat von dview

I saw your mod on Steam and also saw the file size; 758MegaBite seems very extreme for only a mesh with no texture and probably some text files. I haven't downloaded it, but recommend the content/size of the mod is something to address. It seems there are many obsolete files included in your current version, otherwise I can't match how it can be so large.

Steam uses a period as the decimal separator, not a comma. It is almost ~758 KB in size, not MB.

New update has been released!

InDev Update 2:

- removed bogie in favour for fixed and covered axles, as bogies are not necessary for a short two-axle waggon (thanks to HunderDampf for the input);

- wheels now fully functioning and of better quality (thanks to MaikC for the input);

- added rubber cushions;

- added taper and bevel to the end of waggons making them conform better to UIC-Z and MET coach profiles;

- adjusted buffer placement;

- added two particle emitters on the roof.

Zitat von Chill_LP

now that looks a lot better now

may i suggest some things;

- Square Buffers

- EoT Lamps, like on the IC Coaches

- SIG200 Cushions, like the MüNüex and (I)RE200 carry (as an optional variant, SIG200 might look stupid if coupled to n-Wagens or similar lmao

- maybe an Electric Variant/Battery?

Alles anzeigen

Square buffers: Good idea. Many (if not all) more recent waggons seem to have those. Though are there any real-life reasons why there are round and square ones?
Lighting: Comes with further detailing in the release version development. Even though the cars are not meant to be used at the rear of a train, there will be a control car/draisine version in the distant future, which will require this anyway.
SIG200: Frankly, I have no idea what this is. Do you have any examples? I cannot guarantee implementing it with the release version, as I'm currently just focusing on UIC coaches and Bombardier Dostos, which tend to have these rubber tubes. Using the standard tubes allows for greater compatibility across many different countries (tested some makeshift railbusses with Swiss and Italian UIC-based control cars and they work great already). I'd also like to have a version with bellows, so it looks better with the MET and ICE coaches (honestly no clue how to do animated bellows in this game as of now), but I must prevent feature creep for now to get the basic stuff done first.
Electric & accumulator variants: Are already planned. One of the current development steps is implementing a pantograph for the electric version and as a station charger for the accumulator (repurposing the door animation function for it). Any idea if TpF2 allows for a pantograph only to be raised when there is an overhead wire present?

Zitat von nsicng

Will be cool when you have multiple variants of this which can visually match with different rolling stock, but right now seems a bit early to be uploading anything.

As of now, only versions for UIC coaches, Bombardier Dostos and ICE 1/2 and ICE L (Talgo) are planned. I won't rule out making units for other systems, but as those are the most common (quasi-)standardised type of coaches in Europe and to prevent feature creep, I'm focusing on those first.

As UIC coaches have been built by many manufacturers over a long period of time with differences to varying degrees to them, it is only natural they won't 100% visually match with one another - just like they don't do IRL.

But in other news...
___________________________________________________________

I did some interiour design stuff:

Blender Render.

Haven't done the control cab yet. This is modelled with a control cab, the version without one will be fully symmetric.

This will be the LOD0 and will only be visible from very close-up. Currently sitting at around 15k tris without a detailed exteriour.

Currently missing a control dashboard in the cab, details in the cabinets, carriage doors and driver seat textures. As of now, everything is just shaders and requires UV-mapping and baking to make it game-ready.

Zitat von Chill_LP

Interesting approach - I thought you would do It Hasenkasten style, although this also works very well

Oh, it will be kinda like that.Behind the big sliding door on the right, there is the cab. I just haven't modelled the dashboard yet, and I need to create or find a nice material for the seat. Shouldn't be much of an issue though.

Unless you meant how the walkthrough works: That's inspired by the GTW power module, although more space allows for a wider tunnel, a ramp instead of stairs to get over the hump and a small area for people to wait in, should someone else already be using the walkthrough. Don't know if there is enough space for a V-engine in this setup (there is one in the GTW somehow), but maybe a boxer engine would make sense? I yet have to get familiar with the sound system of the game, but the samples will be synthesized using Engine Simulator and FL Studio wizardry.

Does the Hasenkasten have cabs on both sides or just one? There are wipers on both sides.