Videos and Screenshots of The Metro Fictional Route (Hi Res)

Video and Screenshots of The Metro Fictional Route (Hi Res)

Hello Trainz Community! I'm just showing off my fictional metro route consisting of 3 lines (Red, Blue, and Yellow). I enjoy making montage videos of trains both in graphic and in real life. The Metro was done using trainz 2009 but I plan on getting Trainz 2012 where I will be doing NYTA Routes. For all who have a train youtube channel please feel free to subscribe, as I will subscribe to yours. I enjoy watching other people's creations; it shows me so many possibilities of what can be created from the heart of one's imagination, besides; trains are so cool to watch. Here are some screen shots and video links of the completed metro project which I began early this year. There are a total of 6 videos (on the youtube channel) which break down each of the 3 individual routes and the additional tram lines.

Nice Simcity 3K music, and route.

hert:wave:

Thank you, Hert. The simcity music goes so well with trainz. I find it very soothing to listen too even by itself.

I downloaded this layout to my Trainz 12 software which runs on a Windows XP desktop machine. Because no rolling stock is on the layout, I placed on the layout a CTA 4000 A car (Chicago Transit Authority Elevated Train from the 1920's which is in reality a reskin of a NYCTA car of the same era. The car was placed on track 2 (counting from map bottom) just map right of Grand Junction Station. Because of its placement in DLS, I wrongly assumed that the protyotype was British and that left hand operation was appropriate!

In that area of the Grand Junction trackage, there are two very different styles of third rail in view. On tracks 1 & 2 the third rail is not covered, which is the third rail style used in Chicago and Boston. On tracks 3 thru 6, the third rail has a wooden board covering it, which I believe is typical of New York City. If you use the Chicago-Boston style third rail. there should be a short break in the third rail adjacent to the points of each switch, so that the shoes of a train from the diverging route can be ramped up on to the third rail. Also on long crossovers, such as near Grand Junction Station, there should be short sections of third rail on the crossover track so that a train doesn't get stuck while proceeding slowly across the crossover.

On Track 2 within Grand Junction Station, there is a short section of missing track that causes my test train to derail. Same problem on Track 1.

I then started running my test train on the Orange Line towards Doraville, I noted that the third rail switches type to the New York style covered third rail as the track enters the subway.

Continuing toward Doraville running Left Hand, there is a long gap in the track between the first and second curve, which causes my test train to derail.

I made another run of my test train, again running Left Hand through various crossovers onto track 3. Junction 5159 has no switch points, and thus it features two red arrows. However, this problem does not bother my test train.

Continuing on the Yellow Route towards Bankhead, at the end of the curve beyond Salyersville but before Air Park, the track disappears, replaced by a dashed line. However this doesn't bother my test train.

Normal track appears on the river bridge, then I am back to dashed lines until the track is back on the ground between East Bankhead and Bankhead Stations.

Still operating Left Hand, my test train derails just before the Bankhead station.

Thats enough complaints for one day as I am sure that there are many more problems. :-(

I downloaded this layout from DLs to my Trainz 12 software and have the following comments to make:

** Tram in vicinity of Air Park Station

* High level platform at South Port Jct. is inappropriate to the tram car used on the line. The low level platfom at Factory Shops IS appropriate.

* I really like the way that you have rearranged the segments of the tram so that it becomes a double-ended tram!

* The overhead wire supports over single track should be modified so that there is no brackets or wire over the missing second track!

* The track connection between the tram line and the freight switching tracks is problematic. Current FRA regulation prohibits that track connection unless all tram operations are suspended when the freight train is operating on the tram tracks.

** Tram on Boardwalk

* Near Crescentview station. Note wreckage of elevated line girders that block the track. However that wreckage doesn't interfere with tram operation.

* Same comment about double arm trolley wire supports over single track.

I created a session using this 'locomotive' placed at Bankhead Station to explore the 'Heavy Rail' lines.

* The track on the elevated sections on either side of East Bankhead Station (and numerous other places) is missing and is thus represented by dashed lines. The missing track however doesn't interfere with train operation.

* I don't understand the track connection to the industrial switching trackage at Junction 4597 (near Air Park Station). See above about FRA regulations. Note also that heavy rail cars are usually narrower than freight rail cars. Thus if night-time switching takes place past high level platforms, then gauntlet track is required to allow freight rail cars to pass the station. Also, the third rail could pose problems for freight rail cars with leaf springs. Thus the substitution of trolley wire may also be required in those areas.

* No third rail in tunnel between Freeport and New East Bernstadt. Also after the tunnel, the third rail switches from New York style covered third rail to Chicago-Boston style naked third rail.

*Freight rail connection at North Springs station is questionable. See above for FRA restrictions, gauntlet track, etc.

* No third rail on bridge between North springs and New East Bernstadt station. Likewise at Cherokee Parkway Station.

* Third rail must be removed at street crossings. Even worse, the script for car lighting, headlights & rear marker should cause all lights to go out when the car is operating on third rail and is totally within the third rail gap.

* Third rail should never be placed directly under the edge of a station platform.

The doors of my CTA 'L' car work very nicely. However the train does not go through the the station stop sequence at some stations. I'll have to take another run to note which ones!

I am not familiar with the technology of the grey panels between the tracks in some places on the red & blue routes. Is that for the linear induction motors such as is used for the SkyTrain in Vancouver (see Wikipedia article). If so there are serious discontinuities of that grey motor strip on the route!

This route has been reposted with an update to DLS. Last night, I was able to complete a run from Track 2 of Grand Junction Station, through the crossover, then running RH to Doraville without incident on my Trainz 12 system.

I just had the thought that the railroad lines that have track connections to the Metro system could easily be converted to electrically operated interurban lines, with their trains using express tracks to reach Grand Junction Station. My example is the 'L' lines of the Chicago Transit Authority which accommodated the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad trains from Milwaukee, as well as the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad trains from both Aurora and Elgin. Note that the CNS&M trains used trolley wire on their own tracks, switching to third rail on the Chicago 'L', while the CA&E used third rail in most places. Note also that 'landrvr1' has produced two CNS&M cars that are close to usable on my Trainz 12 system and take the sharp curves of the 'L' on the Chicago Metro layout as gracefully as thee prototype ever did. Note that these cars were very similar to the CA&E cars.

Somewhere out there as well is 'landrvr1's CNS&M Electroliner, a four unit articulated streamliner that entered service in 1941 and is likewise designed for the nasty curves of the Chicago 'L' system. Unfortunately, 'landrvr1' stuff isn't available on DLS but must be passed around privately between Trainz users by e-mail. :-(

I have completed test runs with my CTA 4000 'L' car over all of the branches of the updated 'The Metro v2010d-2' [FONT=Verdana, Arial]487222:1049:1 on my TS12 system.

There are still obvious problems with the track arrangement map right of Grand Junction Station. The missing track sections cause my test train to crash. Avoiding the gaps require some rather awkward train movements through the crossovers.

Two switches at the crossovers at Indian Creek don't have red/green arrows so that they can not be changed.

Track and ties on all elevated sections of track still missing, but dashed lines still allow normal train operation.

At Freeport Journal Square, and a couple of other locations, horribly mis-aligned elevated track girders look rather bad, but the train gladly passes right through the girders!

There are instances of missing third rail, as well as instances of Chicago-Boston style open-top third rail, in a system that otherwise uses New York style covered third rail.[/FONT]

As you must be able to guess, my extensive experience is with the subway-elevated systems in Chicago 1950-1965 and in Boston 1970-1990. My have had only a few very brief opportunities to ride the New York and Philadelphia systems, thus my knowledge of those systems are sketchy at best.

[*NOTE*: I'm also considering sniper's CTA elevated tracks but I will have to double check to see why they are showing red on my list and see if there are any updates.]

I have Chicago Metro 3 on my Trainz 12 system, and the elevated track works very nicely. Indeed, my only complaint is that it doesn't have any third rail. Do note that the Chicago Metro 3 layout is a rather faithful representation of Chicago's Lake Street Line (now the western half of the Green Line) as it was until around 1970. The Union Loop (shared by several lines) is also faithful, although the track arrangement at its various towers reflects the modern arrangement of running trains in both directions on each leg of the loop.

I had the thought that Chicago's system was rather unique in hosting the interurban trains from Milwaukee and Aurora-Elgin. Check http://www.davesrailpix.com/cnsm/cnsm.htm and http://www.davesrailpix.com/cae/cae.htm for a wealth of historic pictures including some of the 'L' lines. I am also well aware that the Lehigh Valley Transit cars from Allentown used Philadelphia's Norristown line to reach 69th Street station, but couldn't go any further as the Market-Frankfort line is not standard gauge. Purist will also note that the Norristown Line is rather 'suburban' in its operating environment.

[from Air Park to the Seaport Industry]

NYCTA must have some places where they receive rails, ties and other major construction materials from the stem railroads. My guess is that for worker safety, those yards are equipped with trolley wire and the work cars that enter those yards are accordingly equipped with trolley poles. The alternative is that the work cars that haul these materials are trailers (no motors) and are towed by motorized work cars that have batteries large enough to switch that yard on battery power alone.

I'll have more later, but I am delighted that you took notice of my complaints and are doing what yon can to correct them!

I put together sniper's CTA elevated girder tracks, added a spline 3rd rail, and track fence. I'm about 99.9% sure about going with this to replace the 3rd party elevated tracks. *NOTE:* I'm aware the shoes should be under the 3rd rail.

[I put together sniper's CTA elevated girder tracks, added a spline 3rd rail, and track fence. I'm about 99.9% sure about going with this to replace the 3rd party elevated tracks.]

That elevated track looks rather good. There should be a catwalk between the track and the fence. Furthermore, the fence would exist only in the somewhat rare instance that there was only one track on the structure, or there was a considerable gap (such as a totally missing third track) between the two operating tracks, etc. That catwalk is for the use of track and signal workers, and in rare instances to allow passengers to escape from a real horror show if they couldn't stay in the train until the fire department arrived to rescue them.

[*NOTE:* I'm aware the shoes should be under the 3rd rail.]

Only if you are representing New York Style covered UNDER running third rail!

In Chicago and Boston, the top of the third rail is exposed and the shoe rides on top. There are some pyrotechnics during snow and sleet storms, particularly at night! Also, the third rail becomes a neighborhood terror to every parent in places where the track runs at ground level with grade crossings!

[so please do not be annoyed if I ask you about subway and track specifications in the near future.]

If need be, I'll scan pages from my century old Electric Railway Dictionary which has all kinds of pictures, drawings, and specifications!

Subway_V said:

I put together sniper's CTA elevated girder tracks, added a spline 3rd rail, and track fence. I'm about 99.9% sure about going with this to replace the 3rd party elevated tracks. *NOTE:* I'm aware the shoes should be under the 3rd rail.

Click to expand...

how did you add that 3rd rail to that existing track? and did you make that 3rd rail your self

so did you add them in the config file to the track or you manually put them down on the track in surveyor mode?

its just a simple question, what is the sarcasm for???? I thought it looked nice that way, and I figured nobody could take up so much time having to put a third rail and a fence on that elevated track every where it goes.

Couple items;

"I'm also considering sniper's CTA elevated tracks but I will have to double check to see why they are showing red on my list and see if there are any updates."

No updates, should be error free in 2010 and 12 if all dependencies are there. The whole package;

CTA ELEVATED TRACK,<kuid:522774:100073>
CTA ELEVATED TRACK XP5,<kuid:522774:100389>
cta Station_Metro_Single,<kuid:522774:100004>
CTA 2 Elevated_Railway_Support,<kuid:522774:100074>
CTA_Girder_Bridge_1_3m,<kuid:522774:100066>

The last one is the actual track, which can be used for single track sections or areas where the bridge supports aren't tall enough - I'm still looking for a better girder bridge structure with legs that allow up to 12 meter height, the current 6 meter maximum isn't enough to run streetcars underneath. Dependency for the track itself is bridge sound 01,<kuid:353138:1281> but that could also be changed.

Open source, so anyone who thinks they can improve on what I uploaded feel free to clone, modify, and upload under your own KUID. If there's a way to attach a third rail I would suggest do it on one side of the single track in a way that puts them on the outside of the double track bridge, then at each station use single track sections with the third rails toward the center. I pretty much ignored the whole issue with the sparker CTA cars and set the third rail pickup shoes to spark only on one side, making a script to switch sides according to where the third rail is would be nuts. Other suggestions, make one set of double track with just the third rails, and a second set with a center catwalk, so you can change from one type to the other depending on what you're building. Be advised single track sections have to be used wherever there are switches.

Off topic, that was pre 1965, not 1970s. When the Lake Street L was originally built it went to the city limits, which at the time was 5200 west, Laramie Avenue. West of that was the Town of Austin which was part of Cicero Township. The board members of Cicero Township wanted the Lake Street L extended to Harlem with a bunch of other demands which the Lake Street Elevated Railroad Company didn't want to give into, so the meeting ended - then the representatives from Austin called a midnight meeting and signed an agreement to build the ramp down to street level out to Austin Avenue (6000 west, about a mile). The original agreement was that the street level tracks would be elevated within 11 years (1899-1910) but they stayed on the ground until 1965. In retaliation for the midnight meeting the rest of the Cicero Township voted to annex the Town of Austin to Chicago, so the Chicago city limits extended to Austin Avenue in 1900. City of Chicago ordinance said all railroads within city limits had to be grade separated, it took them 65 years to enforce that one mile section.



Old shot from a newspaper, 1950s.



Pine & Lake looking east, about 1955.



Some grade level sections outside the city they used 3rd rail with fences and warning signs, still in use today on the Douglas Park L west of Pulaski. Lake Street and some others used overhead wire at grade level, hence the dual powered cars with 3rd rail shoes and trolley poles.