[CrisGer]

Now that we have the glories of OR, i am returning to some long loved routes made by master craftsmen of train simming that i have collected over 15 years. Some are older some newer but all show the amazing detail and history that the combined MSTS/OR rail sim approach can convey. I will start with one of my long time favorites from France made by a french MSTS master, Michel Bonnard, he has retired from this work for some years and now is an artist of train subjects in paint but some of his historic steam era routes from France between the 1880s and the 1930s are some of the best made of their type. He also made many of the locomotives and much of the rolling stock he used for the routes and did some vary advanced and ambitions routes including one that showed Paris the city with all of its detail back at in the peak of the golden age of steam.

This first roue is called Twilight at Gray, Gray was a major rail hub up until the end of WWII when it was devastated by American Army Air Force Bombers to stop the Germans from using the French rail system to oppose the Allied Landings at D Day. Michel has restore the towns and rail facilities down to the smallest details and given the entire region a rosy glow of life, the French name for the route is L'Etoile de Gray, and I have managed to add engine crews and restored some parts and hope to get his permission to update other things when I have time. Here are a few first pics...and all of these roues I will be happy to share with others who would like to see them .

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[mrmosky]

Hi Cris,

Thanks for telling us about this route. I have downloaded it, and I agree with you that it is a gem.

What I particularly like about the Locomotives is the use of shades of colour to give the impression of shades and shadows. It certainly adds to the 3d effect instead of the "flat" colour effect we often get. I also used this technique on one of my efforts, but it is humbling to see that it was done so long ago, and in such an artistic way.

Another thing that impressed me was that it worked first time "out of the box" in Openrails, once installed. This is a lesson in how to issue a route - everything was there. Well almost! I am missing a coach or two.

Thanks again.

Geoff

[CrisGer]

Hi Geoff
let me know what you are missing and I will send them to you happy to help. glad you enjoy the route, Michel is a real artist and does wonderful work.

Chris

[mrmosky]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the offer. I have found the green carriages on this site. http://bb25187.eu/NE...MatRoulant.html

They work fine. There is some other interesting stuff on there too. There is a thriving OR/MSTS community that is completely new to me.

Geoff

[Hobo]

It looks like a fine route Chris and very detailed . Where would I be able to obtain this route . Sure looks impressive .
Rod

[CrisGer]

hi
i posted info on the OR fixes site which is where i needed help directing OR to my MSTS France install

here is the source for the route

http://www.train-de-...teriel-Gray.exe

be sure to get all of the files offered including his stock set..

some needed extra files:

and some of the hard to find stock

https://www.dropbox....%20Set.zip?dl=0

https://www.dropbox....%20Set.zip?dl=0

http://railatelier.f...els/modeles.htm

Equipment not found in the Download Pack

Train-sim France

http://www.trainsimfrance.net/
Voitures TY/PLM
http://www.trainsimf...nloads2&type=64
http://bpao.free.fr/...h/simu/voit.php

All�ge 26 M
http://bpao.free.fr/...es/allege26.zip


http://railatelier.free.fr
Locomotive 140 C http://railatelier.f...s/140_C_mod.zip
Locomotive 140C 287 http://railatelier.f...els/140C287.zip
Bifoudre Rail Atelier http://railatelier.f...ls/BiFoudre.zip

le train Virtuel
http://le-train-virtuel.net

Locomotive 131TB http://le-train-virt..._131TB_est.html

Locomotive 131TB Cabin/Cab http://le-train-virt...abine_131TB.zip

Pierre Gauriat
http://ajtrainsim.free.fr

F_Muwf ( ocem 1929) http://ajtrainsim.fr...dels/F_MUWF.zip
F_MUWF Update 1.1 http://ajtrainsim.fr.../F_MUWFupd1.zip


(Vincent Lorquet )
http://www.bb25187.eu (site is closed i put some in a pack link above)

Voitures Express Est Les pages de BB 25187
Citernes OCEM
Autorail X42000 De Dietrich
Fourgon OCEM
Plat OCEM
VH STEF http://www.bb9004.ne...d_mat_site=1899

this French site may have what you need:

http://bb25187.eu/NE...MatRoulant.html

if you still cant find stuff let me know the exact folder name as the package name and the unit car/coach/wagon name are often different.

good luck

chris

here is my original thread about this from some years ago:

https://www.trainsim...Era-Route/page6

[CrisGer]

an additional stock set you may need:

and a copy of the original read me in English :) approved by Michel Bonnard.

Quote

L'Etoile de Gray in 1938 Route for MSTS
Michel Bonnard 2010

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http://www.trains-de-mes-dix-ans.com/

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:

L'Etoile de Gray in 1938

Michel Bonnard

This route for Microsoft Train Simulator, is designed for driving enthusiasts of Steam and amateur students of old and unusual equipment. it will give you the opportunity to drive the 130B, 230 K, 240 A and 131 TB Is header charming mixed trains bus. Despite the apparent simplicity, certain activities will appeal to your dexterity to manipulate the controller and the inverter! It is 1938, the eve of the Munich conference, the international situation has led to troop movements. You ride a tractor, a curious petroleo-electric Crochat at the head a consist Rame ALVF (Heavy Artillery on railroad)

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"In 1838, the Chamber of Commerce of Gray Called on the authorities to establish a rail line between Gray and Blesme Haussignemont (between Vitry le Francois and StDizier) to transport metal products in the region. Gray was at that time the center of iron ore seams, (the ore available at the surface having been exhausted), treated and processed locally by blast furnaces powered with charcoal. At that time coke fired blast furnaces did not exist. Because of the Revolution and administrative delays, this route through Chalindrey did not become the center of the rail network that we know; work at Langres and Chaumont, only started in 1848, at the time a part of line 4 which had not actually reached that far.

However at that time the PLM wanted to connect Gray to Besancon, and especially Auxonne, which would then allow a connection between various centres of metallurgical industries, including Creusot among other big consumers of low carbon iron ore from Gray. This explains why Gray became the interchange station for Est/PLM. The Est company realizing it then had a connection with Dijon via Is sur Tille. This link was later extended to Chatillon sur Seine and then toTroyes with the focus and main reason being the traffic flow of metal products ...

Gray and Vesoul were connected at the request of military authorities of the time as a strategic line for rapid movement of troops from the south, for which reason it was built with double track.

Until 1938, Gray was an important rail center bigger even than Chalindrey and even saw the passage of international trains bound for Switzerland and even Italy.

The first unexpected hard blow was in 1938 when the then very new SNCF sold the single-track Gray Chalindrey line to the Company of the Economic Railroads ancestor of the CFTA and entrusted passenger traffic between Gray and Vesoul to the same company. Indeed unable to compete with modern iron and steel industry with the coke fired blast furnaces, the local iron and steel industry had ceased exploitation of the iron ores, the last charcoal blast furnace closing in 1920 Mechanical engineering replaced the furnaces – the construction of tractors, stoves and cookers. The remainder of the goods traffic forwarding by Gray was made up of wine from the Midi and coal from the Saone coming to Gray to be transhipped on trains. At that time an important military center ensured also a considerable traffic. In 1940, the bridge on the Saone of the line of Besancon was dynamited by the French troops in retirement and never rebuilt. At the beginning of the 70s CFTA ceased passenger traffic from Gray to Chalindrey, to Is on Tille and Chatillon and Vesoul. The single-track line to Chalindrey was removed iron and the line to Vesoul was used for occasional cereal trains to Autet, no longer used by velo rails to Mont Vernois it is little used and only remains because it is still classified strategic line. The station (at Gray?) is now a temple of Jehova’s. Witnesses”

REASON FOR CHOOSING 1938

Several lines met at Gray. The station still had its double awning modelled on the station at Vesoul. It was destroyed in 1944 along with the main buildings by American bombardment. They were never rebuilt, but the station remained in use.. The transfer to the CFE only happened at the end of the year, thus in the time of the SNCF.

Some fast trains and expresses, certain international trains and many goods trains used the station.

And then in September 1938 there was a renewal of military activities following the Munich coup and a battery (of anti-aircraft guns?) was stationed there for a few weeks. The author has modelled this battery and you can add the Crochat “locotracteur” modelled by Stefane Keller Stef 38.
At the declaration of war in 1939, a hundred engines of American origin, 140G and H, were sent to Gray. the reason for this storage is unknown.

In 1938 the Gray depot included about sixty engines from the Est and PLM companies From the Est came 130B, 230B, 230TA, 040B, armistice18, some other antiquities, such as the Gudmont and especially the Rimaucourt which still runs on the Ajecta. From the PLM, 040B and 050B, certain 140J and 141C and also other engines of which we do not have information.

Gray was in 1975 the last steam depot in France and continues the maintenance of some steam engines,but mostly locotracteurs and other diesels.

DESCRIPTION
The V1 attached reproduces the two lines north Chalindrey Gray and Gray-Vesoul. Soon we will reach Is sur Tille, then Chatillon sur Seine and finally Troyes before heading to Auxonne and Besancon.

Transliterated by Tony(Senior)UKTSIM and CrisGer with permission of Michel Bonnard.

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Attached File(s)

•  Fret_1928.zip (2.2MB)
  Number of downloads: 423

[damo]

Thanks Cris,

I have enjoyed this route also..

http://www.elvastowe...__1#entry141722

[CrisGer]

wow Damo wonderful pictures you really have a talent for that...shows off the fine locomotive roster and the route wonderfully. thanks for sharing those.

I will pass them on to Michel I think he will like them too.

Chris

[damo]

Thanks Chris

Another link with L'Etoile shots...

http://www.elvastowe...h__1#entry87742