Highland Valley in TRS2010 (Screenshot Thread II)

[tbob]

A New Era in Highland Valley (Ctd...)

The train reaches the former Afton Air Base junction, where it passes a pair of USAF gondolas. The USAF, as well as the US Army, has left the area, and removed their installations. The Wolf Gorge Bridge that connected the Air Base with the Valley still stands, however it is blocked from being used. The trackage is still US Government property, and may only be used with permission.

The train approaches Conrail territory.

The ALCo's engineer radios to the Conrail Dispatcher for the Afton Branch as it approaches the AFT/STORM Control Point. This is a border for Conrail trackage, Afton/Stormont yard limits, and signal territory. While not directly providing assistance with the HTRR's presservation efforts, it does provide them with free trackage rights to the Amtrak Station as a small way of helping out.

Rolling past stored coal cars, the RS1 meets a Conrail GP9 in the process of working the Afton Mine. The unit replaced the RS11 that served the mine under both New Haven and Penn Central control, before the aging ALCo was purchased by the mine and stored.

Passing the Afton portion of Conrails trackage, the train continues on to Stormont.

The ALCo comes nose to nose with an Amtrak F-Unit as it slows for it's stop.

The excursion rolls to a stop at the Amtrak station where it will hold until given permission to leave Conrail trackage, running caboose-first back to Highland.

While waiting, the excursion rests alongside Amtrak's Stormont Connector, which is laying over for the weekend. The train runs between Lumby and Stormont and normally uses aging lightweight equipment sandwiched between equally again F-Units. The F-Units are slated to be retired soon though, as F40's already operate the "Highland Valley Wolf" which is the intercity service between New Haven and Stormont (the equivalant to the NH's "Highland Limited", and P32BWH's are enroute to the region along with brand new commuter cars to operate the Connector.

---

Hope everyone likes what they see! Stay tuned next time for an HTRR freight involving the rescue of the RS11 from the Afton Mine.

-Jesse-

 

[tbob]

Where did you get the New Haven EMU?

It's an old Magicland Payware item from when ProTrainz had a "Gold Member" program. I just skinned it into McGinnis paint to fill the gap of New Haven MU power.

 

[PWeiser]

Wow! Must have been a heartbreaker, taking down all that catenary.

(But the market for scrap copper made it all worth while...)

 

[sawyer811]

Love the route...but that shortine/tourist railroad seems to be lacking in the smoke-belching, steam-breathing form of motive power :hehe:

(sorry, I'm a diehard steam fan at heart. anybody got a 2-10-anything hiding in a siding somewhere?)

 

[tbob]

Oh, here you go Sawyer, just for you...

And Paul, the hard part was putting the "object" poles up... you don't realize how spoiled you are with splines until you have to insert one pole at a time, rotate, and shift roll lol.

 

[enginewhistle]

Dang, those steamers are nice. Your version of Highland Valley looks better than mine! (A.K.A. nothing )

 

[sawyer811]

Oh, here you go Sawyer, just for you...





And Paul, the hard part was putting the "object" poles up... you don't realize how spoiled you are with splines until you have to insert one pole at a time, rotate, and shift roll lol.

:udrool: :udrool: :udrool: :udrool: :udrool: :udrool:

Awesome. Gives me the fire to get back to work on my old Highland Valley mod!

 

[Retro00064]

This is a FANTASTIC upgrade to the original Highland Valley route. Awesome history that you made up for the railway, also. I'd think that Chuck (CeeBee), the creator of the original Highland Valley, would likely be proud. Keep up the great work! :Y:

Regards,

Zachary.

 

[lapuce]

Sharing the station with the "Ranger" are a pair of EMU's that operate the Lumby-Lake-Greenwood commuter shuttle service.

Tbob, great shots, who is the creator of the NH EMU ? They look very simmilar to the ones that ran in Montreal from the 1950's till 1995 with the CN.

 

[sawyer811]

If I'm not mistaken, those are the same ones he mentioned as being former ProTrainz gold member payware that he reskinned. If your looking for some similar EMUs, there's some MP54 coaches and trailers on the DLS by whitepass (who also made the ones above) that could probably pass.

 

[lapuce]

If I'm not mistaken, those are the same ones he mentioned as being former ProTrainz gold member payware that he reskinned. If your looking for some similar EMUs, there's some MP54 coaches and trailers on the DLS by whitepass (who also made the ones above) that could probably pass.

Thanks, I will check it out...

 

[prre6]

Is this released yet?

Fred

 

[lapuce]

This is what I meant for the CN EMUs:

They had also two pentographs, one at each extremity, they ran usually 1 power car with 2 coaches, often 2 power-cars with 4 coaches at rush hour. On weekends and holidays 1 power and 1 coach. In the late 80`s ditch lights where added too, but the photo dates earlier. Like the one photo below like the boxcabs Whitepass did a few years back:

 

[tbob]

New EMU Commuter Cars for the Highland Valley Division

Hey folks,

I know it's been awhile, so here's a decent length story showcasing the arrival of 4400-Series "Washboard" EMU's to the Valley. Enjoy!

---

It's late-morning during a busy weekday, and a single 4400-EMU, referred to as a "Washboard" because of it's fluted siding, is about to make it's first revenue run on the Highland Valley Division. While these cars are not new to the New Haven, they are new to the Valley, with a pair of coach-units being brought in earlier during the week. The pair of Washboards are scheduled as a shuttle/connector service, with a single car running from Greenwood - Greenwood Lake - Lumby. At Lumby, the other single unit is loaded and waiting at the platform, where the car from Greenwood will couple on and create a 2-unit set. The two unit set will then depart, and run on third rail from Lumby - Croton via Fox Brook Junction. The return schedule is essentially reversed, with the set running from Croton - Lumby via Fox Brook, the pair splits at Lumby, and then runs Lumby - Greenwood Lake - Greenwood with a single unit. This is a new service being run jointly between the New Haven and the New York Central to allow for a more direct service from Greenwood to the Hudson Line and New York City without the need to change trains immediatly after boarding one. The additional perk is that only one fare is paid, despite the passenger needing to change to a NYC train in Croton.

The Washboard leaves Greenwood and passes a local freight with two ALCo Centuries idling back-to-back in the yard.

Passengers get comfortable as they begin their journey to the Hudson Line.

The Dock Spur switcher brings a flat loaded with steel into the yard while the EMU creeps out of yard limits.

The Washboard is framed by ALCo's on it's way out.

The Washboard passes the tower and takes the opposite track in preparation for it's stop at Greenwood Lake.

Upon reaching the opposite track, the EMU passes the dead electrics on the deadline behind the roundhouse.

Continued...

 

[tbob]

New EMU Commuter Cars for the Highland Valley Division (Ctd...)

The commuter car rolls over the grade crossing on it's way out of town, and then crosses over the outlet of Highland Falls into Greenwood Lake shortly after.

The EMU squeels to a halt as it make it's brief stop at the Greenwood Lake Station. The beach is reaching the end of it's season, and soon the station will close, allowing shuttles to bypass the stop.

After pausing for only a minute, the shuttle is soon on it's way again.

The Washboard runs through Reservoir Tunnel and emerges besides a work extra at Fox Brook Junction.

The single unit makes it's final dash past the Lumby Swamp before slowing for it's stop in Lumby.

Continued...

 

[tbob]

New EMU Commuter Cars for the Highland Valley Division (Ctd...)

The commuter car creeps across the grade crossing in town.

The Washboard takes Track 3 and passes a long distance service on Track 1, seen here with a Pennsy observation car from the pool-service.

Hidden behind the trees, we see the small city's streetcar loading up in the suburbs.

The Washboard tucks in between New York Central EMU's, and an FL9-led commuter service.

During the week, there is little room for NYC EMU's to layover, so it is normal to see multiple sets occupying Track 4 between runs.

The Washboards soon become a pair, as the single unit from Greenwood couples on to the car waiting on Track 3.

While final preparations are made to depart for Croton, we have a moment to explore the action in Lumby.

On Track 1, we see the leading unit of the Connecticut-bound service, an EP-5 "Jet".

Continued...

 

[tbob]

New EMU Commuter Cars for the Highland Valley Division (Ctd...)

An EP4 sits with an EF4 between assignments at the Lumby Engine Facility.

The Division's transfer unit collects stock cars from the beef farm.

Across the way, we see the facility's switcher shoving the old EMU set into inspection, before the pair gets shipped off for scrapping.

Back at the station, the pair of Washboards releases their brakes with a hiss and hums out of town.

The commuter cars dash over the crossover outside of town, and pass the abondoned farm.

The service hits Fox Brook, running on third rail, as it passes a T-Motor.

---

That's all for now folks, stay tuned for more!

 

[Euphod]

Looking great, as always Jesse!

 

[tbob]

Looking great, as always Jesse!

Thanks Ed! I wouldn't be able to do it without all of the great New Haven equipment Paul creates, as well as other authors' creations (you're going to see quite a few of your reskins in the upcomming versions of the route, Ed!). Without the talent of the community's content creators, I'd have nothing to work with, haha.

 

[scratchy]

Ill ditto Euphod's comment! Quite the intense route you have got going on.