[Mipman25]

Thanks! I think the R&E's stock deserves this makeover if it means standing out from the original models.

[Mipman25]

Just out of the paint booth is R&E 1310, boasting a new emerald green paint scheme. For what I considered to be the cheapest renumber in the R&E roster, she deserves this makeover.




It's April 1st, one year since I brought up the outlandish Port Lambert Rail Tours prank. Funny that a particular little engine is getting a total makeover right around that time. While she isn't turning into a high-speed Atlantic, the idea of the R&E shops' current overhaul is almost as crazy. Stay tuned.

[Jonatan]

If you can, maybe give her some lining on the sides under the windows to flash her out some?

[Mipman25]

I could easily do that by changing a few lines in the shape file to accept a different texture, but I'll really have to think about it. I kinda like the plain green look on her.

[Mipman25]

Since it's been four years since I first came up with the idea of the R&E's roster, I might as well drop the bomb.

60 has always been the ambiguous one on the R&E. 6 (4-4-0 formerly 76), 1055 (RS3), 6250 (GP9), and the Port Lambert switcher all trace back to Maryland & Pennsylvania, DL&W, Southern, and, of course, Port Lambert respectively. 60 was also the first steamer introduced to the R&E, although she really hasn't changed a whole lot besides a 60's makeover representing her earlier days on the R&E .

http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc443/DustinJRaiken/Raikensburg%20and%20Western/ThefourRampE60s_zps108811d3.png

However, her numberplate was one of my first attempts at modeling for MSTS, and now I'm taking it full circle. R&E followers, welcome the new 60!



Using some Gmax files Jon Gronoset himself sent me after I told him I just noticed his old 0-6-0 model looked pretty dated, this new and improved 60 uses parts and textures from Jon's newer models. With these tweaks, this upgrade brings 60 up to her fellow 4-4-0's standards. In addition, I also managed to fit a dynamo on the smokebox, giving her a shortline look. She's just about done, although I do want to possibly update the domes and the backhead and fix the below texture issue on the smokebox. After that, I'm going to knock the boiler down a little, update the tender, and call her done.




However, please do not beg me or Jon for this engine. Although there's a possibility that it could be released as its own engine, I want to save it for the route release and am currently not taking requests. Plus, Jon has enough gimme pigs as it is.

[Mipman25]

Alright, time for some R&E updates. Progress on the R&E has been slow, as I frequently alternate between MSTS projects and haven't been devoting tons of time to it. However, that's not to say I haven't thought of it over the last eight months now.

Unfortunately, the updated 60 hasn't seen much progress since the last post, although I do have an idea on how to get the smokebox to map properly (using a new ACE file with a "rolled out" version of the smokebox). However, I have been working on another Gmax model which could very well be used for Port Lambert! This is actually an unfinished model by Jimmy Lambert (Fleegle411), and I found myself whittling away at it and trying to get it to a complete state. While there's still a lot to be done and the textures are only preliminary, you can probably expect to see an engine very similar to this one in my planned R&E bonus pack. For those unfamiliar, the bonus pack will consist of the R&E locomotives' original forms (i.e. Southern for the GP9, M&PA for the 4-4-0, etc.) and some Port Lambert rolling stock which can be used in dock operations or even as additional R&E engines.



And on the topic of Port Lambert, I have an idea for their fleet. Assuming the port is big enough, they likely would have owned two tank engines alongside the little red diesel I plan on modeling in Gmax as well. If the port is not all that big (which I'm starting to lean towards, although you never know), it'll just be one tank engine and the diesel. However, these won't just be engines with roadnames and numbers; Port Lambert's locomotives will have names! Jimmy and I discussed these names, and assuming I go with the larger fleet, the two tank engines will be named Constance and Angela and the diesel will be named Ruby, very fitting for a bright red locomotive. However, if I do end up going with the smaller roster, I'll simply go for Constance and Ruby.

Also, after a tiny bit of research, I've decided I'll be changing the ex-EL RS3's number. While I initially chose 1055 to distinguish it from inflammable's original EL RS3s, 1055 was rebuilt into a RS3M with a slightly higher long hood to allow for an EMD 567 prime mover. Somehow converting it back to a RS3 to fit the model would result in an awkward backstory. However, 1005 was simply retired without being rebuilt into a RS3M. The only difference between 1005's model and the real 1005 were the unique Erie-style marker lights, which could have been stolen before R&E bought it. 1005 was also EL's first RS3, so it has a bit of history behind it. I also got the radio equipped logo on the cab after four years. I'm wondering if I should have a uniform font for the cab numbers, although I like the touch of heritage I gave them already.



Now, the last announcement is a personal one which could completely change how the R&E is literally viewed. I've been thinking about myself as a railfan and an overall person on first glance, and as I move closer to the working world, I've found I don't want my real name mostly defined as some foamer. As a result, I've slowly been moving all my MSTS-related content to my MSTS alias, Mipman25. As you can infer from this, I'm seriously considering changing the R&E's name. In fact, the Raikensburg name wasn't anything super personal, but rather a suggestion which Jimmy offered and I took because I couldn't think of anything else. Of course, it's stuck with us for more than 4 1/2 years now, so the name will still be similar, R-something-sburg & Eastern. Additionally, names that reference other simmers, such as Longview Park and Port Lambert, will stay the way they are unless said simmer tells me they don't want their name mentioned. I feel like this new name, more than anything else, will give a little more character to the R&E and not seem like a shameless self-insert. I've also been considering redoing the logo to fill it out a little more and add a flair of character to the otherwise empty logo.

What do you guys think?

[Mipman25]

Thanks for the input!

Alright, more R&E updates. First off are some thoughts I had a while back about the open-air cars. Currently, their numbers are 146317 and 146576, quite a mouthful. I've been considering changing their numbers to something a little easier on the tongue, although that's just a thought. However, I realized that R&E might have used an open air car since their earliest days (probably sparking in the 60's or 70's), in which case a gondola likely still being used in regular service wouldn't be what they buy. My mind leapt to a project I made about three or four years ago and refined last year, an observation gondola based on Tim Muir's NP 30 foot flatcars.




This is a concept that definitely predates the 60's and 70's, as I recall seeing a picture of a SP fantrip which used a modified gondola or flatcar very similar to this one in the consist. I actually intended this flatcar to be used for another one of my fictional projects as part of a fantrip consist, but I'm seriously considering using this as an early R&E open-air car. I might ditch the tourist gondola without the roof for this one if it seems plausible enough. Speaking of which, would a 30 foot flatcar built in the 1890's last long enough for the R&E to buy it?

I've also recently decided that it would add a touch of uniqueness to use the Bookman font used in the R&E logo for the entire fleet. The equipment with R&E lettering will receive this font to have it slightly differ from the usual Railroad Roman. This coincides with a new thought I had for the engines, using stacked lettering for both the steamers' tenders and possibly the diesels. 1005 proves to be a worthy subject for this experimental look, which seems to flow far better than the big, discordant logo.




And on the topic of the logo, regardless of whether I use it for the diesels or not, I recently thought of a way to fill it out. While I can't create it right now due to technical issues, I'm envisioning it looking similar to the current logo, but with a ring inside creating two ovals. While the outer oval has the roadname, I still have yet to decide how I'll fill out the inner oval.

[Fleegle411]

News from the Newark Northwestern has been slow of late. Frank hasn't been around as much as he used to be. As I understand it, he injured himself working on one of the steam locomotives last winter and has turned most of the operations over to the more trusted employee's/volunteers of the railroad. Word is though, that Frank wants to bring all his equipment out of storage off-site and to the NNW. Primarily, his stored equipment is in Warwick NY. These include the other 2 Snickersville & Berlin 2-8-0s and a set of AT&SF equipment. The 2-8-0s are in rough shape and Frank isn't sure about dragging them down to Franklin in their current condition. The Santa Fe equipment, on the other hand, is in good shape and Frank sent the order to move it all to the NNW yard. The Warwick guys touched up the paint on the equipment and it was st out for pickup. The NYS&W was more than happy to oblige, and one fall evening, AT&SF 4-8-2 #3747, a SF Observation, and 2 reefers were added to one of their regular freights.









The move went without a hitch, and after sitting idle in Warwick for several years, 3747 joined Frank's other equipment in the Franklin Yard. SW1200 #1247 was dispatched the next morning to set 3747 and cars on a siding.

Things may be getting interesting in the near future on the NNW. I'll keep y'all posted as best I can.

[Mipman25]

Long time no see! Can't wait to see how NNW benefits from these somewhat new arrivals.

[Mipman25]

While R&E 60 and 1005 have been getting most of the attention this year, we haven't seen much of 4-4-0 76 anymore. And we won't, because she's been completely made over!




Due to her story and being the main influence of Dick Cowen's model, I've decided that R&E's 4-4-0 will be the Maryland & Pennsylvania's fantrip princess #6. 6 was well-known amongst railfans for hauling turn-of-the-century passenger trains in the 1940's and 50's and being in charge of Lucius Beebe's Champagne Special in 1947. Among 6's tweaks are a detailed cast pilot, a hand-drawn Alco numberplate (6 was built just months after Richmond merged with Alco), and a MA&PA-inspired livery (likely relettered after a photo charter like Strasburg with their 475) which may carry over to 60 save the number font. Throughout all the research and rivet counting I went through to make 6 as accurate as possible, I gained a soft spot for the M&PA and their rustic manner of operation.

Just came up with a story how 6 lasted past her scrapping date, along with another member of the fleet I've been going crazy over since I restarted 6. After her lowly yet high-class career, 6 was retired in 1952. She languished for a tad bit, along with baggage car #44 providing company, waiting for her fate when a buyer sought interest in her. Miraculously, this was no scrapper, but rather a Baltimore suburb interested in displaying her as part of the city's history. 6 mainly worked in the Baltimore area, and she had a rich enough history behind her to be worthy of display. In 1953, she was arranged to be moved to Bel Air, MD, along with her baggage car mate.

6 and 44 silently enjoyed their retirement in Bel Air for about fifteen years, when a nearby tourist railroad was in desperate need of a strong steam locomotive. Their current steam locomotive, a measly tank engine, was starting to wear out and even needed diesel assistance on heavier trains. Although 6 meant a lot to Bel Air, they decided it would be best to sell 6 and 44 to this tourist railroad to keep the legacy of the MA&PA alive and under steam. 6 and 44 soon arrived at the R&E, where 6 was overhauled and restored to operation while 44 was converted into a snack car.

But wait, R&E has a MA&PA baggage car now? Better start painting that up! And what was that about R&E owning a tank engine? What could this all mean?



_{Scroll up a little bit it has to do with that CNJ 840 model}