[captain_bazza]

Eventually Open Rails will have its own suite of tools, such as a route editor, new terrain mesh and modeling utilities. I thought it would be interesting to project forward to the day when Open Rails will be stand alone, thus freeing it from the limitations of the venerable MSTS.

These two routes are my personal favourite US 3ft NG routes;

the White Pass & Yukon RR,

and;

a section of the old DRGW, now know as the Cumbres and Toltec RR, from Chama to Antonito, via the Lobato bridge.

As currently running railroads, there is plenty of archival resource material available about them, from today's perspective or from a historical perspective, depending on which era you wish to model.

Everyone has their favourite RR/RWY routes, so which routes (be reasonable) would you like to see in the future of Open Rails?

Cheers Bazza

[Fleegle411]

A few come to my mind...

The Strasburg Railroad, although I'm already taking steps in that direction with MSTS.

The Washington & Old Dominion (could be modeled as either an interurban or diesel shortline depending on the timeframe) because it was the only railroad running through Loudoun County, Virginia.

I'd like to see Cumbres Pass as well, but with the lines to Silverton and Alamosa included.

[Shay 5]

I think Cass Scenic Railroad and the former Milwaukee road section of track now known as the Mount Rainier Scenic railroad and the East Broad Top would be just plain awesome.

[trainboy6218]

some day, i think it wold be nice, to see the Canadian National corridor between Niagara Falls, through Toronto, and to Montreal, as it would have appeared in the steam era\early diesel era, so 1945-50ish. it would be a bit long though, and would require a lot of work

[Noisemaker]

With you on that Trainboy! :sign_thanks: One thing though that's frustrated me about MSTS is size of objects. And maybe OR will override this finally. In a thread here about auto plants, I've learned BIG backdrop things, and I guess structures themselves can wreak havoc with MSTS running in one direction or another. Yet if big backdrops could be achieved and allow reliable operation, I think something like Toronto to Montreal could be achieved quickly and pseudo-realistically in OR. I think there's a lot of promise still for 'backdrops' - be they buildings or vegetation. But so far with MSTS, they've been too small and cheesy, or too big and ornate. If a happy medium could be found and utilized in OR, many routes could benefit I think.

[atsf37l]

Hey guys, I think he said "What Narrow Gauge routes would you like to see."

How about the branch to the City Different, Antonito, CO to Santa Fe, NM? Or the Pacific Coast RR from Santa Maria south in Central CA?

Of course I will want to get my RGS over to OR some way....... :sign_thanks:

[Gman347]

Besides the RGS, my other favorite has always been the South Park Line which also brings to mind the Colorado Central. I would love to see extensive coverage of those routes. Can you imagine driving a train over the Devil's Gate at the Georgetown Loop?

[johnfrum]

Looking way, way WAY forward...

How about the three Otto Mears shortlines that ran more or less north out of Silverton: the Silverton Northern, the Silverton, Gladstone and Northerly and especially The Silverton Railroad.

That last one would be a real terrain building and tracklaying challenge. And to simulate the unique switching operations in Corkscrew Gulch it would at least require reliable gravity movement of trains (does OpenRails already provide this?) and an operational turntable.

-JF-

[Stephen Hjellum]

For me Bazza, I'd have to say either the Sacramento Northern from Chico to San Francisco, or the NWP from Eureka to Suisun.
Just my preferences. I'm a NorCal boy, what can I say?

[conductorchris]

I'd love to see the Washington and Old Dominion! It would be like bringing alive another era, the way Paul Charland does so well.

I'll add some nominations: B&M, Hoosick Tunnel; NYC Hudson Line; up to date Northeast Corridor; the independent RF&P (from the era of Pot Yard); B&O, Washington - Cumberland

Maybe that's too much and isn't reasonable. However, you did ask! Those are routes that I would enjoy and that I would believe would be popular and widely appreciated.

I've observed on trainsim that current day models and routes seem to be most popular (as measured by downloads), even though I am happier running the older era.