My routes:Hunton Sub/Carrolton Creek

trains101ofthem

New member
I have lots of route I am working on.I hope to get feedback soon so I can get a good final result.Any suggestions on route building anyone?
 
You say you have "lots of routes" you are working on - but in my experience it is best to concentrate on just one at a time. Too many and you will risk completing none of them.
 
Another suggestion is to take your time, don't rush it. My routes typically take at least 12 months from start to the point where I would consider uploading them.

The route and set of associated sessions that I am currently working on in TANE started out in TS12 about 5 years ago. I hope to release them when SP2 is released.
 
Very sound advice. I find there is always a temptation to try something new, which never gets finished, but I am quite happy to experiment - that's just my way of enjoying my hobby!

Ray
 
There's an old adage that begins with "Eyes being bigger than your stomach", which applies quite well to this hobby. :)

There's even an article in this month's Model Railroad Hobbyist Magazine. http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/ - sign up to get the free monthly downloads, on the same subject.
 
Since you do have a lot of projects, I'd prioritize them in a way that allows you to finish and release them over time, as opposed to working on them all, slowly. After all we're mortal, we can't wait forever for these pieces of art! :D I'd ask yourself these questions:

Which routes are prototypical, which are freelance?
Is the route a depiction of a familiar place, or somewhere far from where you live and visit infrequently?
Which route has a higher replay value?
Which route has the most functional track arrangements?

I'd use this criteria for narrowing down your projects. A route depicting a familiar place will be easier and faster to model; a place you visit rarely might require research (time). Prototypical routes will always require research and thus are going to take more time than a freelanced layout inspired by prototypical places.

Track arrangement goes hand in hand with this. Sure, laying out complex trackwork is fun, modeling a large yard looks cool, but is it even remotely fun to operate? Is there anywhere else to go besides the two yards? Anything else to do besides drive from one set of A/D tracks to another?

Which brings you to the most important question: Does the route have replay value? Or is it, well, boring?
 
Very sound advice. I find there is always a temptation to try something new, which never gets finished, but I am quite happy to experiment - that's just my way of enjoying my hobby!

Ray

That it is and it applies to a lot of other creative avenues as well. Piano studies tend to get me in trouble with multiple projects. I find myself wandering off down another path as I get sidetracked over a particular composer instead of focusing on my lessons. In the end nothing gets done, or nothing gets done well.
 
Which brings you to the most important question: Does the route have replay value? Or is it, well, boring?

Excellent advice, particularly that last point. Although it should be noted that for some people Surveyor is the only part of Trainz that they use.

A route can be 100% prototypical and totally boring - e.g. 100 km from a junction to a mine with no sidings, loops or any railway infrastructure in between. I have ridden on the Indian-Pacific Transcontinental train from Sydney to Perth - 4,350 km and 65 hours. It includes the world's longest stretch of dead straight track - 478 km across a totally flat tree-less desert. On that section it was sunset to sunset without seeing a single town. That is probably one reason why no Trainzer has yet attempted to create the route.
 
thx.i am putting some routes on hold and making a maintenance shop for hunton.
You say you have "lots of routes" you are working on - but in my experience it is best to concentrate on just one at a time. Too many and you will risk completing none of them.​
 
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