I wanted to post some updates of my East Texas route. The route is full scale, made from DEM data, and centered on the small town of Big Sandy (my hometown), which just so happens to be the crossing point of the two biggest railroads in this part of the state - the Texas & Pacific and the St. Louis South Western, also known as the Cotton Belt.
Big Sandy lies about 45 minutes north of Tyler and 2 hours southwest of Texarkana - major hubs for the SSW. Big Sandy is also about 45 minutes west of Longview, a major T&P hub. Big Sandy is about 45 minutes to the east of Mineola, a stoping point and smaller hub almost halfway between Longview and the stockyards of Fort Worth - T&P's central hub.
Today, the routes are both operated by Union Pacific, with their modern diesels dominating the rails. Most of the service is freight, but Amtrack passenger trains still thunder through. Longview and Mineola are still passenger stops, and were a part of the famous "Texas Eagle" trains - so named for the T&P/MoPac passenger service it mostly replicated.
Many of the stations have been torn down or turned into museums, and miles of track have been ripped up. Tyler is still a major hub for UP - they have kept the engine servicing facilities there and the yard remains rather full and active. Amtrack also operates a passenger service out of the Tyler station.
Longview is also still busy, thanks in part to the numerous industries in the area. LeTourneau, Eastman Chemical, Trinity Rail Industries, and several other smaller companies are all serviced by the Longview yard.
Mineola, though still used to service the local industries, is no longer the large, constantly busy yard it once was. The old IGN interchange no longer exists, and their tracks that ran from Tyler to Mineola no longer exist. Mineola does still maintain a small yard though, mainly to store grain hoppers for Cargill Feeds and Benham Industries, as well as flatcars with lumber for the local saw mill. It is also used to stage helpers and any cars that require being set out.
Big Sandy, though it once had a depot and fueling station, is no nothing more than a crew changing station, although on occasions, cars or locos are set out there temporarily.
My route covers most of the major rail roading in East Texas, from Longview in the East to Mineola in the West, and from Gilmer in the North to Tyler in the South. It also includes the towns of Kilgore, Gresham, Lindale, Hawkins, Gladewater, and Winona. In the end, there will be two versions of this route, a modern one and one set in the early to mid 1950s, when steam still rules the rails, but diesels are starting to bear more of the burden. This is the time frame I have started with, as it gave me a chance to build a steam layout and see the amazing 2-10-4 "Texas" types in their native habitat.
The following pics are of my progress thus far in Mineola. I have focused more on the T&P thus far, and since my girlfriend is from Mineola, and her father is an ex-UP employee, it seemed like a locigal place to focus. It has a few local industries, as well as a yard. Just to the north of the yard is Cargill, where they make animal feeds. To the east of the yard is the depot and downtown, and just east of the that is Benham, a bean processer and packer, and the Mineola saw mill, where finishing cuts of lumber are made.
This is a view to the East, looking over the yard, loco staging tracks, engine house, turntable, and the main line. The engine house, turntable and the four central tracks in the yard no longer exist. Cargill is visible to the far left.
My custom skinned F7s idle in staging at Mineola. I made these based on the built-in models before I found out about the better models... Nonetheless, I feel the look impressive.
An eagle-eye view of Cargill and its staging tracks.
A closer look at the setup used by Cargill. A pair of overhead loaders, and an in-ground unloader operate on a pair of short tracks in which hoppers are constantly shuttled in and out.
Another view of the Cargill operation. The T&P hoppers are another custom job.
Looking southwest, we see the industrial spur and siding on the east side of Mineola. Benham Industries is in the back ground. The mainline is visible in the foreground.
At the lumber mill, an 0-6-0 unloads six flat cars before shunting them back to the yard.
Looking southeast at the local hardware store. Benham is in the background.
The Eagle pulls into the Mineola depot on it's morning run to Longview.
Two of the prides and joys of the T&P (Thank you, Paul's Trainz!) team up to pull a heavy freight from Fort Worth east towards Longview as a Pacific type sits under steam while recieving some routine maintenance at the Mineola shop.
Big Sandy lies about 45 minutes north of Tyler and 2 hours southwest of Texarkana - major hubs for the SSW. Big Sandy is also about 45 minutes west of Longview, a major T&P hub. Big Sandy is about 45 minutes to the east of Mineola, a stoping point and smaller hub almost halfway between Longview and the stockyards of Fort Worth - T&P's central hub.
Today, the routes are both operated by Union Pacific, with their modern diesels dominating the rails. Most of the service is freight, but Amtrack passenger trains still thunder through. Longview and Mineola are still passenger stops, and were a part of the famous "Texas Eagle" trains - so named for the T&P/MoPac passenger service it mostly replicated.
Many of the stations have been torn down or turned into museums, and miles of track have been ripped up. Tyler is still a major hub for UP - they have kept the engine servicing facilities there and the yard remains rather full and active. Amtrack also operates a passenger service out of the Tyler station.
Longview is also still busy, thanks in part to the numerous industries in the area. LeTourneau, Eastman Chemical, Trinity Rail Industries, and several other smaller companies are all serviced by the Longview yard.
Mineola, though still used to service the local industries, is no longer the large, constantly busy yard it once was. The old IGN interchange no longer exists, and their tracks that ran from Tyler to Mineola no longer exist. Mineola does still maintain a small yard though, mainly to store grain hoppers for Cargill Feeds and Benham Industries, as well as flatcars with lumber for the local saw mill. It is also used to stage helpers and any cars that require being set out.
Big Sandy, though it once had a depot and fueling station, is no nothing more than a crew changing station, although on occasions, cars or locos are set out there temporarily.
My route covers most of the major rail roading in East Texas, from Longview in the East to Mineola in the West, and from Gilmer in the North to Tyler in the South. It also includes the towns of Kilgore, Gresham, Lindale, Hawkins, Gladewater, and Winona. In the end, there will be two versions of this route, a modern one and one set in the early to mid 1950s, when steam still rules the rails, but diesels are starting to bear more of the burden. This is the time frame I have started with, as it gave me a chance to build a steam layout and see the amazing 2-10-4 "Texas" types in their native habitat.
The following pics are of my progress thus far in Mineola. I have focused more on the T&P thus far, and since my girlfriend is from Mineola, and her father is an ex-UP employee, it seemed like a locigal place to focus. It has a few local industries, as well as a yard. Just to the north of the yard is Cargill, where they make animal feeds. To the east of the yard is the depot and downtown, and just east of the that is Benham, a bean processer and packer, and the Mineola saw mill, where finishing cuts of lumber are made.
This is a view to the East, looking over the yard, loco staging tracks, engine house, turntable, and the main line. The engine house, turntable and the four central tracks in the yard no longer exist. Cargill is visible to the far left.
My custom skinned F7s idle in staging at Mineola. I made these based on the built-in models before I found out about the better models... Nonetheless, I feel the look impressive.
An eagle-eye view of Cargill and its staging tracks.
A closer look at the setup used by Cargill. A pair of overhead loaders, and an in-ground unloader operate on a pair of short tracks in which hoppers are constantly shuttled in and out.
Another view of the Cargill operation. The T&P hoppers are another custom job.
Looking southwest, we see the industrial spur and siding on the east side of Mineola. Benham Industries is in the back ground. The mainline is visible in the foreground.
At the lumber mill, an 0-6-0 unloads six flat cars before shunting them back to the yard.
Looking southeast at the local hardware store. Benham is in the background.
The Eagle pulls into the Mineola depot on it's morning run to Longview.
Two of the prides and joys of the T&P (Thank you, Paul's Trainz!) team up to pull a heavy freight from Fort Worth east towards Longview as a Pacific type sits under steam while recieving some routine maintenance at the Mineola shop.
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