CSTW: DL&W Branch Line WIP

[chris2001trainz2010]

Moderators, if you feel this is in the wrong forum category, please move it to where you see fit.

Hello, all. Chris here.

Well, it's summer in Northeast Pennsylvania, so i have a LOT of extra time on my hands. With all of this time i decided to start a new project: a Delaware, Lackawanna & Western fictitious branch line set in 1940's Central PA, when steam was king. It is set as a model railroad based relatively on a model railroad in Steamtown USA's Technology Museum, which, as of a few weeks ago, is operational yet again after a long maintenance period. The real model railroad is a fictional DL&W yard module with ash pans, a coal chute, two water towers, an outdoor turntable, an enclosed roundhouse, and a small gas company, plus a medium-sized yard and a freight shed. The module has a complete demo set up which shows some of the yard's operation. It runs by itself (like Trainz AI [sometimes]) Mine will be much the same, with the exception of the ash pans, coal chute and (now one) water tower are positioned differently, and mine has more spatious freight shed storage and a bigger yard. The yard will take up the first of two rooms, whereas a completely original branch line will take up the second room. I plan on then creating a fictional locomotive roster using Ben Neal's amazing Baldwin and USRA locos, as well as some DL&W boxcars and hoppers (providing the models i plan to use are reskinnable). I am currently working on the top portion of the yard, the loco facilities. For now, here are some screenshots of the bottom portion of the yard:

The southern end of the yard, showing the freight shed sidings and the southern yard entry:

The yard in full, showing the beautiful station from Ben Dorsey that i used:

A closer shot of the northern section of the yard:

So, whaddya think? More screenshots will follow soon! Also, be sure to post your ideas for the branch line section, as it is original.

Sincerely,

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

okay, i have a question. has anyone made a a coal transfer ramp like the one shown below?

 

[bendorsey]

I made something similar. Kuid2:210518:1003:7.

If you can get some better photos I can modify what I made to more closely match this.

Ben

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

thank you so much, ben. checking it out and will get back to you later.

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

sorry for the late reply ben, but that sargents coaling station is PERFECT! here's some more WIP shots in the meantime:

a shot of the southern end of the yard, showing off ben's saregent coaling station:

a closer shot of the coaling station and soon-to-be ashpits:

Long live the DL&W!!! Sincerely,

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

Does anyone know where i can get a long ashpit like the one below?

 

[JCitron]

Hi Chris,

Check some of the German content. That looks very European and I've seen things like that before somewhere, perhaps http://www.trainzdepot.net/

John

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

are you required to register to obtain all of the downloads?

 

[John514]

No, TrainzDepot does not require registration, I think.

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

okay, in that case, it isn't there.... maybe i could find a site like that on the KUID index.

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

Bump! I am still working on the route, but was having a lot of trouble with the actual yard. Eventually, the complexity of connecting track and making sure it was straight, especially near the roundhouse and turntable, got the better of me. So, seeing all of the newer model railroad equipment, i decided to start anew. Here's what i got so far:

The roundhouse, originally Ben Dorsey's Dual_Gauge_Roundhouse_1, now a full standard gauge roundhouse using msgsapper's SAP no-ballast tracks, and showing the abandoned workshed section of the roundhouse.

The whole of what i have so far, showing the coaling tower (also Ben's) runaround and the abandoned workshed section of the roundhouse.

Easter Egg! I included some old, torn-up tracks behind the roundhouse for some realism.

Tell me what you think! I'm open to suggestions and criticism.

Sincerely,

 

[oknotsen]

Does anyone know where i can get a long ashpit like the one below?

Try these TS12 built-in assets:
Tside Overhead
water column

 

[rickf77]

I like it, Chris! I thought your yard was looking pretty good. I see you found yourself a fine looking roundhouse! I really like that one! I'm not going to bother you now, but someday I have a few questions about the roundhouse. I'm really enjoying all the model railroad shots I've been seeing lately. I hope to start one if I ever finish my route. Maybe something I can do when Tane (whatever ya call it) comes out.

Show us more when you're ready!

Cheers .... Rick

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

BUMP! Sorry for the wait, but i have decided to quit with the DL&W theme as it was starting to get really boring, and eventually started dragging on, and on, and ON. So, i have once again started anew with the ideas, but that route in the second set of screenshots has been put on hold. I have decided to split my new fictional railroad, the Moonbrooke & Western, into separate parts, using iPortals to connect the sections. The mainline, the one you see in post #11, and a smaller branchline section being the main focus right now, kind of like a teaser or a beta release. I'm sorry if i have upset anyone with changing to a fictional railroad, but ideas undergo a lot of developmental changes before release and during creation, so this will be the final idea. I will not be changing again. However, on a lighter note, with the little free time during the new school year, i made these reskins for the M&W:

2-6-0 #10:

2-6-0 #12:

4-4-0 #13:

4-4-0 #14:

4-4-0 #15:

Tell me what you think! I also have some 2-6-2s, 2-8-0s, 2-8-2s, and 2-10-0s in the works.

Sincerely,

 

[Falcus]

Large Rail Yards in general are some of the most boring things to model in Train Sim. You know from the start most of the track will almost never be used, and barely any of the assets you plunk down will be any different. They're eye candy and can be nice to look at, but are usually unilaterally nothing beyond eye candy. Most Rail Sim is commodities... Even in the Sims that don't include them! Where are you taking them? When will you get there with them? Why are there 40 boxcars in the middle of that string of Tank cars again? etc etc ad naseum. Lets face it, its too easy to plink down a Locomotive that uses no fuel or water, never needs to be cleaned, can't explode, and at worst maybe falls of the tracks in a quasi-funny way.... So Maintenance Facilities for them tends to be done for sheer Hubris at least on fictional routes anyway.

That said, its good to try to create something, and move on when you lose interest, its how you learn how to do it better next time. The switches you were having trouble with for instance. The experiences you had with them this last time will be remembered the next time you add a switch on a layout, and it will probably be better for it (There are alot of ways to screw up a good switch in Trainz, trust me).

If you're still open to suggestions about the yards however...;

In general the Coal/Watering tracks would be very close to the Round house (As in directly off one of the Lead Tracks from the Turn Table), as well as the Ash Drop location. Though, if the loco's you skinned are anything to guess by what your interests are, those would pre-date most of the more modern looking Ash Facilities you seemed to be trying to include in your yards. As late as the 30's many locations on many rail lines simply dumped ash where ever it was convenient.... Dedicated Ash Facilities only tended to show up when they were burning so much coal and dumping enough ash that if they didn't have an efficient way of dealing with it theyd be up to their waists in the stuff before too long....

The Skins look good.

Falcus

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

Okay, falcus, i see what you're saying, but i plan on using the yards extensively. The route is also set in the early 1950's, when the railroad was declining, so the ash pits will be present. And about the sincere realism with steamers, why do you play trainz then?

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

I was wondering if anyone could help me make a functioning ash pit for the steamers on my route. It would be really nice, since all of my attempts have failed.

 

[trainz321]

If im correct there should be ts12 built in ash pits. or you can try placing other stuff around them

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

Okay, but i'm talking about a working, detailed ash pit, not a cover that's just for display.

And BTW, you should register your version of TS12, so that people don't think your copies are bootlegged, and to get access to over 250,000 free assets on the Download Station. But be aware, as TS09 and 10 are no longer supported, which means you can only download stuff from their Content Managers through a First Class Ticket.

 

[trainz321]

No i registerd my copies on a diff. user but lost all the details after my hard drive crashed. (that is what happeins when all you account info is on one notepad) this one had the trainz driver on the android reg. so i tried to re-register my copies and yep they were already registerd and i still have the receits. got 09 at gamestop, 10 at bestbuy (i think) and 12 at Simulator Central so yea)

but back to the ash pit. i have no clue to what to use. if you find a good one post it please.