[conductorchris]

Another topic I like talking and thinking about.

In my thoughts, I've wondered if it wouldn't make more sense to see to completion what somebody has already started. In my case, that would be the New Haven/ B&A route in Boston that Rick is talking about. Or it would be a 1960's version of the conn River line (single tracked) including the Green Mountain Railroad up and over to Rutland.

Of course, I've done exactly nothing toward that end. Almost all my time, limited that it is, has gone to making freight cars for eventual BLWZT release. I'll move on eventually, I guess.

Other routes I've thought seriously about:
- Cape Cod
- B&O Metropolitan Branch and Georgetown Branch

The subject of which routes would be most popular is interesting to me. I've spent some effort looking for data on what lines are most favored for railfan interest, but I don't have anything substantial for my efforts.

I've come to the conclusion that personal interest is a lot more important. Important because building a roue takes stamina and motivation. This means what route I'd suggest as "the one" is relevant to the person creating it. For example, I've always thought the Barre & Chelsea railroad in Vermont would be a cool route and one that would probably appeal to Paul Charland. The two routes I named above are on the top of my list because I've ridden every inch of both of them, many times each. I'm "qualified". I can say the same thing about the Green Mountain/Conn River.

Still, I've observed some obvious missing areas:
- B&M Hoosic Tunnel
- Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, anywhere
- New York Central Hudson Line (such a route was started, but I'm not sure that it is continuing).
- New York City Harbor lines, the isolated operations with car float
- Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad
- Graham County RR
- East Broad Top RR
- Cass Scenic RR when a logging line
- Western Maryland RR (anywhere)
- Green Mountain RR/Steamtown (see above)
- Illinois Central (anywhere)
- Is there a good Kansas City Southern route?
- San Francisco Belt RR
- Some good trolley routes

But you asked for the ONE route . . .

I think that would be the B&O Metropolitan/Georgetown Branch

Christopher

[Woodfyr]

Although I have been, to this point, a "Player" and "Hacker"(changing consists, adding textures and minor route mods), I have been bitten by the bug(thanks to
Goku's TSRE all of you who have contributed to MSTS and OR) to attempt to develop a route.

Being a "history oriented" type person from New England, I am looking at the Very early routes that still run today as shortlines.

My choices would be the Housatonic (and connections) and the Naugatauk. Both started in the 1840s, these routes began operations in what was the industrial capital of the world at that time.
Iron ore from the Salisbury load and the open hearth furnaces of litchfield county, copper from the mines of northern Connecticut, the brass works of Thomaston and Waterbury, Goodyear vulcanizing rubber in Naugatuck (you don't want to hit one on Rte 8 :negative: ). The story of this area is fascinating. And the story continues.

Any and all suggestions and assistance will be great appreciated.

[Genma Saotome]

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

Another topic I like talking and thinking about.

In my thoughts, I've wondered if it wouldn't make more sense to see to completion what somebody has already started.

That's actually my plan for the Goose Island route. It's going to be just 5 miles of route I think. I want to get the rest of the track in and at least a rough representation of the necessary buildings. After that... over to anyone and everyone to add whatever scenery they want to add. I figure I'd be sending out the occasional finished building, maybe an improved texture too, but for myself I don't need trees, grass, winter snow, etc. etc.

[Genma Saotome]

Woodfyr, on 16 March 2019 - 05:15 PM, said:

Any and all suggestions and assistance will be great appreciated.

Do something very small for your first route and use it as a training exercise. IMO it makes no sense for a route building noob to start with a 100+ division only to discover it's going to take 5 or more years to do a half-assed job.

A testbed route will let you learn the in's and outs of building a route, the editor, and if you don't already know, how to create textures, and how to model new shapes. You'll find track laying is only 10-20% of the work.

Should you do that and then want to try your hand at something bigger, then give very serious consideration to this tip: Start laying track in the center of the run, where ever that is. That way when you get sick and tired of pushing the railhead to the right you can go back to the middle and push it to the left. And switch back and forth as many times as you want. OTOH start at one end and you are going in one direction forever and that can be pretty tough at times.

2nd tip. Because we are still stuck w/ the totally f*ked Goode-Homosoline skew you will find any markers you created for roads (and imported images too) will not produce ordinary 90d street intersections. Be prepared to put one marker where the road crosses the track; place the road there and get the angle correct for those two items, then run the road out from there w/o much regard to where the markers suggest. That way you can build 90d street intersections and actually have your buildings fir in the space they should take.

[conductorchris]

Woodfyr:

You need to get your hands on a copy of Nimke's three volume work on the Central New England Railroad. Pricy, probably too pricey to buy, but you can find it through inter-library loan or making a trip to a library that has it in the reference section. Worth the trip.

You also need to get your hands on the New Haven Railroad valuation maps. They are available for $10 here: http://home.comcast....ro/profiles.htm (along with more recent NH,PC and CR track charts and some employee timetables too) or onine at http://images.lib.uconn.edu/ (scroll down to section II). Here is a 1987 high detail Conrail ZTS map worth looking at: http://www.multimoda...TS%202-1987.pdf

Presumably you know about historic arials: https://www.historicaerials.com/

You need to get your hands on Sanborn insurance maps. They are available online through many libraries. UMass has all New England. Your library might have a subscription to an on-line database that includes them. Or they might guide you. Just don't 100% trust the track layout shown - these maps were made to show buildings and as track layout changed it was many times not changed on the maps.

Speaking of which, I'm sure you realize that track layout shown on topo maps is just an incomplete suggestion.

There is a DVD sold by the New Haven Railroad historical society of a cab ride on this route in 1970 called "Last Train to Pittsfield". Available here: http://www.nhrhta.or...docs/video.htm. I haven't seen it, but I can't imagine it wouldn't be incredibly valuable.

Here is a 1921 Directory of New Haven Railroad customers: https://drive.google...8V2UqJF-FPWZKDy

That should keep you going for awhile!

Christopher

[Genma Saotome]

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 05:46 PM, said:

Woodfyr:


You need to get your hands on Sanborn insurance maps.

If anyone is serious about doing urban scenes accurately contact me regarding Sanborn maps.

[Genma Saotome]

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

- New York City Harbor lines, the isolated operations with car float

This would be a massive project due to the building models it would need. It would also need a special fix in OR ebcause tehre isnothing that can move a barge with .wags on it (moving the barge isn't a problem, you just call your tug a locomotive and give it an .eng file).

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

- Western Maryland RR (anywhere)

I explored the Elkins branch for a possible project. I think it would be pretty decent.

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

- Illinois Central (anywhere)

Someone could add the ICC facilities in downtown Chicago to my Goose Island route. The tiles are there as are most ofhte buildings from 1947-52 and I'm not going to do the IC facilities myself. FWIW, I'm not doing the La Salle St station or Grand Central Station either but again, the tiles are there.

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

- Is there a good Kansas City Southern route?

I always figures the KC Terminal would be interesting... lots of roads, including the KCS, used hte passenger terminal and exchanged cars all around that area.

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

- San Francisco Belt RR

I thought about this one too. The tiles are all in my Cal-P route but again, like NYC, doing the buildings would be years of work.

conductorchris, on 16 March 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

- Some good trolley routes

I will put a few tracks of the Chicago Surface Lines into my Goose Island Route... North Ave, Halstead, and Division St around Goose Island, Clark, State, Lake, and Madison in the loop. I have a booklet of drawings for the cars too. I figure tootling along in the canyons of the loop would be pretty cool.

[keystoneaholic]

rfranzosa, on 16 March 2019 - 12:21 PM, said:

Oh, all right, grumble, grumble... The New Haven/Springfield line including enough of the New Haven area to justify electrics and enough of Springfield to include B&A and B&M stock ;)

Mmmmmmmmm, triangular overhead! (and Pony motors and Flat Irons and........)

[pnrailway]

I agree with Chris on the Maryland & Pennsylvania (Ma&Pa) I have walked every inch of that line from Baltimore to York.

I also like the following:
Western Maryland (the entire line) Also called the Wild Mary by those that love her)
the Hagerstown & Frederick (electric)
Sierra Railway

[charland]

I was going to do the Graham County years ago, downloaded the DEMs and plotted the route in Google Earth. Not sure why but pretty much all the hilltops were spikes and not rounded over at all so I walked away from it.
Paul :-)