Highlad Valley in TRS2010EE

Thank you sirs! Ed, I most likely will not release the route with MP capabilities, simply because I haven't used them and do not understand how theywork. If you'd like, you may modify it once it's released and spit a MP Highland out to the community, I wouldn't be offended, haha.

Thanks Bob, but I don't dabble in MP either!:D
 
Quick Story

Hey folks,

I appologize for my lack of activity, my Xbox has captured my attention lately, haha. Although I'm not quite ready to take everyone up the Afton Branch with a local freight, I would like to show some teasers in the meantime, so, without further adieu, story time...

It's a stormy weekday on the Afton Branch, and on their morning trip to Highland, the pair of RDC's that provide the regular commuter service on the branch failed. With no other power available, Highland's resident switcher was pressed into service with the first available passenger cars in Highland. Here we see the train on it's Highland-bound trip stopped at Robbins.

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With the RS3 idling away at the platform, Robbins' 44-tonner sits short of the driveway to the station parking lot with the failed Budd cars.

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The rain continues to slosh down with random sharp cracks of thunder bursting after quick flashes of lighting as a F-M switcher picks up a milk car on the siding. The Fairbanks-Morse unit will then transport the car down the branch and into Greenwood where the Boston and Maine will eventually collect the car.

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With a couple roars of it's horn, the ALCo pulls out of the station and continues it's journey to Highland.

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Continued...
 
Quick Story Ctd...

The train slowly rolls forward out of the station...

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The F-M diesel watches as the ALCo leaves town...

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The train rumbles over the grade crossing, horn blasting...

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A State Trooper observes the road into town as the ALCo blocks the road momentarily.

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Passing farmland and over weeds, the Highland-bound commuter train rolls onwards, through the gloomy weather.

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Enjoy!
 
Afton Local Freight Job

Hey everyone, I know it's been awhile so I have plenty of screens for story time tonight. The route is mostly done, with minor touching up left to do, including some texture work and track straightening, and fine tuning the trackside scenery.

So, without further adieu, please join me trackside with the Greenwood-bound Afton Local freight...

It's late morning and a pair of newly arrived ALCo centuries are idling before heading out on assignment. The manager of the Highland Division is pushing to get steam out of the Valley to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs. The current plan is for the C425's to operate as the primary freight units on the Division, allowing the usual GP9 and RS11 team to relieve the active duty steam engines from the roster. The GP9 will continued to be stationed out of Greenwood, but it will be for relief passenger service, while the RS11 will be moved to Highland as the Afton Mine switch engine, replacing the steam engine there. Replacing the two larger steamers that call the Valley home, will be a set of ALCo cab units, handling both coal and heavy freight drags. To reduce the time involved with transferring rollingstock and power from the three major stops on the Division, an F-M road unit will be acting as the full time transfer unit.

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Highland's resident switcher rests among coaches awaiting service at the car shops.

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Steam's "Grim Reapers" rest between assignments, with the resident switcher, an ALCo RS3, in the background; the new mine switcher, an ALCo RS11, in the middle; and in the foreground, the usual power for the Highland Limited, a pair of ALCo DL109 cab units.

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Some would see this as a "Last Supper" of sorts, but to this steamer, it's just another day on the job. One of the mainline locomtives takes on water before returning to the Afton Mine to collect it's next coal drag.

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Looking down the massive ALCo cab units, we see the small town in the background.

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From the parking lot of the station, we see the yard within the loop track.

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The pair of RDC's that provide commuter service on the branch arrive at the shuttle platform, clearing the Branch for the pair of Century's.

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Moving out of the yard towards their first pickup, the C425's reach the signals protecting the station and loop track.

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The day's first load will be a pair of empty boxcars and an empty flat from the freight office in Highland. These will ultimately end up on the Dock Spur in Greenwood.

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The engines make their move and go from running light to being lightly loaded.

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Continued...
 
Afton Local Freight Job (Ctd...)

Coupled up and ready to roll out, the C425's head onwards to their next stop.

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Along the way we see the train running over Robbins Bridge.

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At the connection to the Highland Air Force Base, we see the Base's switcher dropping off a boxcar for the next RDC run down the Branch.

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The train trips the semaphores on it's way towards Stormont.

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A view of the train from one of the trails behind the Afton Mine.

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The ALCos reach the wye at the mine as the switcher waits to collect the empties on the storage track.

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Continued...
 
Afton Local Freight Job (Ctd...)

The train slows for it's stop in Stormont.

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Entering the siding, the ALCo units will leave their empty cars behind temporarily as it collects a pair of loaded stone cars from the gravel pit behind Stormont Station, and place them on the rear of the train. Afterwards, the locomotives will recouple at the front of the train and head to Robbins.

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With the switching move complete, the train heads to Robbins.

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Continued...
 
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Afton Local Freight Job (Ctd...)

At Highland Reservoir, the Army's Engineering Division is building a park, along with a flagstop station, so both locals and visitors alike can safely be apart of the beauty in the Highland Valley, while at the same time allowing the Engineers to hone their skills.

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Rounding the curve and hitting the bridge over the Falls, the ALCo's run downgrade to Robbins.

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At Robbins, the freight is scheduled to meet one of the "Highland Roamer" services. The train is to pull onto the track opposite the station and clear the main, allowing the priority passenger service to continue on to Highland, before resuming it's freight duties. We see the freight enter town past the farm and the gas station, and take the hole for the passenger service.

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Continued...
 
Afton Local Freight Job (Ctd...)

ALCo meets F-M as the two different trains go nose for nose.

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Behind the station, the rescue Tonner sits patiently for it's next call to duty.

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Loaded and with a schedule to keep, the Roamer will head to Highland, bypassing Stormont.

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With the passenger service gone, the freight is clear to resume it's task at hand. Here we see the Century units making the move to collect the milk cars from the co-op siding.

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Continued...
 
Afton Local Freight Job (Ctd...)

A view from the street as the ALCo's pick up the milk cars.

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With the colorful cars secured, the locomotives tie them on to the rear of the train before proceeding off of the Afton Branch and to their final destination, Greenwood.

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Another of the Army Engineer's projects is damming the run-off made river which outlets into Highland Lake. With flooding causing problems before, the project is another welcome improvement. Here we see the train running downgrade, with construction work taking place below.

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While the Engineering Division is seen the most in the Valley, the Army still garrisons weaponry on the base, which can be seen as our freight makes the loop.

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The train runs over the mainline as it gets closer to exiting the branch.

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The ALCo units pass their last set of semaphores and take the yard bypass into Greenwood, while passenger stock in the coach storage rests quietly below.

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Passing the diesel shops in Greenwood, the freight slows for it's stop.

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Continued...
 
Afton Local Freight Job (Ctd...)

Diesels awaiting repair watch the freight creep into the yard. Far from home, the ATSF E-Unit is here getting extensive engine work performed. As I've noted in previous posts, the diesel shop here is known throughout the country for it's excellent work, and thus, locomtives from across the country can often be found here.

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Squeeling to a halt at the yard controller's shack, the train will pause here while the engineers get instructions. Because the train is so short, it will be broken down immediatly while the C425's make a quick stop at the roundhouse.

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Before leaving, we can see several interesting trains and locomotives in the yard. Here we see the GP9 with a lone combine, covering the EMU shuttle services while the railcars are being serviced. The GP9 is laying over between runs in this scene.

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Laying over before venturing back to the Nutmeg State, an electric motor sits with it's train beside the station platforms.

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Having been waiting for the local freight to clear the Branch, a "Highland Limited" service is seen paused at the main station on one of the long distance tracks.

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Small but hardworking, the little 0-6-0 waits for the next train to arrive with express and baggage cars for it to sort.

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Highland's resident yard switcher waits for the C425's to cut off from their train so it may collect the cars bound for the Dock Spur.

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Waiting for the Century's as well, a B&M EMD will be taking the milk and stone cars north.

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The roundhouse switcher is seen here moving the F-M transfer unit from the turntable.

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Between runs, an ALCo PA cab unit rests alongside a cabless ALCo FB unit.

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That concludes our story for tonight. Stay tuned next time for a "Farewell to Steam" festival in Greenwood with excursions and displays featuring exclusively steam.
 
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