Davifornia WIP thread- Midwest, SP/UP, ATSF style layout (Large Screenshots).

[Davie_UCF]

Davifornia WIP thread- Mid/Southwest, SP/UP, ATSF style layout (Large Screenshots).

Good afternoon fellow Trainzers.

A long time ago (c2004), in a Trainz far away I started a layout with good friend Okiedustdevil. This was to be a fun layout (Not route), 4x4 baseboards with various industries. A layout that would be a good home for the Southern Pacific and related railroads. It was never finished and was pretty much just track layout, landscaping and some texturing.

Forward to now, 2012. A superior Trainz version, A shedload of great assets, features and the multiplayer capabilities mean I feel this layout could finally live up to the vision so here we are!

As all of my projects, its a come and go affair. Trainz is a hobby and I can get easily pressured and stressed so this isn't a thread saying here's my layout, it will be released soon. Its a thread showing the work on it, getting feedback and criticism with the aim of releasing it when its done .

The aim

This is a layout, rather like a giant model railroad as it runs in a circle but with the intention of set area's looking as realistic as possible with realistic operations (Except the fact its a circle :hehe. Does that make sense?!
I figured a more layout type route would be easier to finish as I can't just keep extending, it is what it is and it just needs to be filled in .


Old layout as I found it..

I told a lie, its 5x4 baseboards :hehe:.

And after a few weeks tinkering, updating and trying new ideas..

I am slowly trying out ideas and testing what assets/textures to use. I am starting my main work on the layout on the bottom right area which is to be the main yard and town/city with industries for switching.. It also includes a small port for intermodal trains.

In case you didn't notice all these years, i'm English, i've never been to the midwest or even the States. So I intend to chuck ideas in this thread and get some feedback/ideas .
I hope you guys enjoy following this layout and helping me shape it into something fun for us all! (Eventually )

Now a few screenies taken while working on it.. (Beware these are WIP and some textures are a mess due to changing from the 10m grid to the 5m grid.. )

Trying out an idea.. you'l see what it later became.

 

[Davie_UCF]

Same area a day or two later

And still ever changing I am a perfectionist in case you didn't know.. I can spend days or even weeks on one tiny area

Early shots of working on the small port. Plus the lift bridge which allows shipping to pass into the lake where it can turn around..

Back later..

 

[Euphod]

Well, you've impressed me, I think it looks great. I also think that layouts like this one can be perfect for Multiplayer. Well done so far, I'll keep tabs on it!

 

[Davie_UCF]

Thanks Euphod!

Oddly I posted the thread just before I took a weekish hiatus from Trainz due to various things but i'm back on it now.

Working on the downtown industry area where a line goes down the street. Having trouble knowing how to control the traffic/trains realisticly, would there be crossing barriers/lights? Where? is there anywhere real I could look at on Google maps/streetview to get an idea of how this situation would work?

Also I would like to find some non traffic versions of the yarn roads.. I suppose I could clone and make non traffic versions but i'd have to get permission!

Anyways here are the shots of what i'm working on, please give some suggestions and tips/ideas! It hurts my mind!

I know how I want to do it now, if there exists yarn roads that are one way? I've had no luck in finding them
Cheers!

 

[Davie_UCF]

So after some research and thinking..

And the general area coming into shape..

I'm finding, as I put in the streets and buildings, its so easy to add even more spurs.. To the point where it may be getting ridiculous, unless they have purpose!

 

[qassaquyangli]

Looks good!:udrool: You should use ATLS system for the crossings. I think boat has a tutorial on how to use it.
(Oh btw, thanks for the last pic with the CBQ E7, it reminded me to get that CDP file full of Landrvr1's content )

 

[deadpoolmx55]

wow it looks good GREAT, too bad im not a western railroad fan

 

[Davie_UCF]

Looks good!:udrool: You should use ATLS system for the crossings. I think boat has a tutorial on how to use it.
(Oh btw, thanks for the last pic with the CBQ E7, it reminded me to get that CDP file full of Landrvr1's content )

Many thanks for the feedback. I am going to use the ATLS system, i've used it on previous routes for level crossings and i've set it up on this layout for the lift bridge you may have seen in previous shots (as I needed it to lift earlier so trains didn't have to slow to a near stop). I just need to figure out how to deal with the multiple roads and tracks, I feel like it may hurt my mind.

Probably is that E7, I have the lando E7s. I owned them previously but there was a link on the forums to a cdp of his content all fixed and it worked for me. You could probably find it, it's just so much stuff to email at once.

wow it looks good GREAT, too bad im not a western railroad fan

Not a fan but it looks great! I appreciate your words Do you not like the desert and dirt? . I must admit i've never really looked at US routes that are green and pleasant as they are like the UK. I suppose I went to the extreme, as far from the UK I could get hehe.

 

[Euphod]

It's really looking good Davie, I hope you see it through to completion!

 

[Davie_UCF]

It's really looking good Davie, I hope you see it through to completion!

Thanks again.. Me too. I never really finish routes but as this is more of a layout and a set size I think it may be easier to finish.. eventually!

Spending so long on this little area as it requires such detail due to trains being slow and running through the downtown and industrial area! Need to find more buildings to line where the track goes that have high detail shop/buildingfronts, don't want to repeat the same shop too many times, although you can never have enough hats!

 

[Davie_UCF]

So I said i'd be after feedback and ideas.. Most things i've slowly figured out myself after a bit of research or creative licence..

However, this area in my yard/engine facilities is worrying, i've no idea what to put in it. More sidings/yard incorporating the double siding next to it? Or what?

I often have these problems when trying to be realistic(ish) with a part of the world i've never been to!


And as payment, a normal screenshot of one of the other areas I was working on the other week.
These are of an old rotary coal unloader which is part of the industrial district next. It is still used and from here coal is re-distributed throughout the city.

 

[Euphod]

Need to find more buildings to line where the track goes that have high detail shop/buildingfronts, don't want to repeat the same shop too many times, although you can never have enough hats!

I don't know if this would help, but I'm in the process of updating the Dave Snow strip mall stores to a Southwestern motif. I have uploaded #20 of #25 so far.

However, this area in my yard/engine facilities is worrying, i've no idea what to put in it. More sidings/yard incorporating the double siding next to it? Or what?

RIP track? Sand and fuel?

 

[Davie_UCF]

I've got the strip malls, they work well for the more outskirts parts of town . Also I am trying to redo the yard to make it a little bit longer but god yards are hard to get right in Trainz, I had forgotten as we don't really have yards like that over here.

Splines and spacing and aaaah!
Would anyone happen to know the standard/usual spacing for tracks in yards? I know double track mainline is 5.0ft but are yards the same?

Cheers for your suggestions! I have a few ideas

 

[Euphod]

I've got the strip malls, they work well for the more outskirts parts of town .

You may have the old ones, but I've just reworked them in a Stucco/Adobe finish with a tile fascia to be more South Western in appearance. You can check my thread if you like.
I'm sure there are yard track spacers on the DLS.

 

[Davie_UCF]

I tend to work on things lots for a few weeks then move onto other things in life.. come back months later. Yeah that happened again. Its how I work/live ha.

So I opened this route up for a break from my other route..

This town/city in my route is shadowed by a mountain which sits in the centre of the layout. Its still got the old texturing from my old version of my route (which was on the old 10m grid not 5m, hence it looking awful).
Does anyone have any ideas of what kind of texturing and foliage this would have?

I guess it would still be the desert type part of Cali, not green like it was before.. Maybe it needs some teraforming to make it more realistic? It's a bit round!

Thanks for your help.












screen grab

 

[JCitron]

Hi Dave,

Have a look at Mojave sub. The textures would be similar to what you're trying to model.

I'm only guessing because I come from the eastern side of the US in New England where we have much more green - more like southwestern England and a bit like east coast at the same time.

John

 

[Davie_UCF]

Hi Dave,

Have a look at Mojave sub. The textures would be similar to what you're trying to model.

I'm only guessing because I come from the eastern side of the US in New England where we have much more green - more like southwestern England and a bit like east coast at the same time.

John

Thanks for your help.. I took it onboard, even though most of the textures I had been using were already on that route haha! I managed to get some ideas about how mountains would be textured.
I really don't know how people complete layouts like this so quickly, I do a bit on the main town/city every so often and it feels like it would take weeks to finish just that. The detail and individuality of the streets!

I have a problem I wonder if some folks could give some feedback on. I've got this area on the outside of town i've not yet really worked on. It's right next to the desert and I can't figure how to blend the outside of town with it. I have a weird WYE and a spur I originally thought would be a grain distribution thingmejig but for some reason I don't think it works.. But I can't think of another industry that would look good on the outside of town and wouldn't be too intrusive into the desert...

Heres some shots, plus one of the area next to it, which so far I'm really happy with.. although may be missing something, so feedback is appreciated

 

[tomurban]

Very nice work. However, looks more southwest than mid west. You could put in a small airport/airfield.