Durango to Silverton 1890's era

[Sek_Hakuna]

I have been continuing development of my Durango to Silverton route in TrainzPlus. This thread will showcase some of the new features being used on the route. The textures have been completely redone with PBR. Removed a great deal of trees to improve frame rates for some folks. The track was replaced with Pencil42 no ballast to be period correct for the D&RG RR. Several other changes made to buildings and locations to better represent the historical aspect of the era.

This shot is early morning looking northeasterly to Durango from Smelter Mountain. I plan to add many more shots highlighting some of my favorite areas along the route.

Randall

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Durango water and coaling tower just south of the roundhouse.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Main and 5th street downtown Durango. Those street signs are difficult to place and very time consuming. They are not on every corner.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Durango depot with passenger train ready to depart for Silverton and points in between.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Bridge over the Animas River north of Durango.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

The trestle bridge over Junction Creek at mile marker 453 just north of Durango.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

The small community of Animas City north of Durango @ mile marker 454 looking easterly towards the tracks and the Animas River

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

A nice view a few miles south of Hermosa. I read a brief bit of history about the tracks being used by the D&RG RR in this era. It seems ballast was a luxury not affordable at the time so the sleepers were laid upon the ground and the rails were spiked directly to the ties with no plates. Sleepers were untreated and hewn from local timber.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

This pleasant location is Trimble Hot Springs. A resort for the area in the 1890's that featured a large victorian style house for the guests to stay while enjoying the hot springs flowing from the mountains. There was a post office there along with a siding. It is a mile or so south of Hermosa.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

This is the small town of Hermosa. It features a turning "Y", a siding, a passenger depot and a post office.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Passenger train stopped at Hermosa.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

A sunny day on the rails between Hermosa and Rockwood.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Headed for Rockwood

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Pulling into Rockwood

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Picking up passengers headed for Silverton @ Rockwood Station

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

The famous "Highline"

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Headed north from the Highline for the equally famous "High Bridge"

 

[Gman347]

Very nice work Randall and equally nice screenshots. I am enjoying them very much. I will save them all as they make excellent desktop wallpapers.

I remember your first version released for Train 12. I couldn't wait to get it installed. Back then you had two versions, one with the need for additional payware content which I purchased without a second thought. I had some issues finding some content and you were extremely helpful and generous in resolving those problems. I got many hours of pleasure from that first version and have downloaded every version since and have gotten even more pleasure from each. Love them all.

Thank you so much for your continued efforts. They are very much appreciated.

Paul

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Hey Gman347,

Thanks for the comment! Trainz enthusiasts like yourself really rewards my efforts. I'm also very happy to hear from someone actually driving the route. This new version I'm working on, for TrainzPlus, will be more refined than previous versions. Surveyor 2.0 is really proving itself to be worthy of the upgrade and I'm really liking the improvements. As I am making screenshots I keep finding little things to adjust. Track side plants, trees too close, buildings not quite on the ground. I once found a cowboy floating in the air....funny. There are little easter egg type things too like the guy sitting on the top facade of a downtown Durango building watching the folks below go about their day. There is another fella sitting on a large boulder by the Animas River contemplating life and love. He is visible from cab view BTW. Glad you are enjoying the route.

Randall