Some US-Canada border pics.

[Transportfan]

Here are some shots of the Canada US border from my upcoming super-route Rural to City (which I posted shots of in the old forum), which is set in the Lake Superior Lakehead region with an alternate geography.

Looking north to Canada from the American side (Pardon the still-unfinished background).

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Amtrak's Superior (Fort William, ON - Minneapolis, MN) at the station in Pigeon River, Ontario, just before crossing the border.

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The train crossing the bridge. The passengers had better get their identification ready.

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The train being inspected by US Immigration. Will everyone on board make it across? (Note the lack of a motor or lever on the switch. The switch is a special spring-loaded version that only permits one-way movements from the Canada-bound convergent track. [Not sure if such swiches actually exist for real, mind you!]).

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Now, crossing by car....

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The bridge is backed up approaching the Customs plaza.

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Approaching the booth...

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View of the Customs facility.

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Meanwhile, the train is released to continue its journey south. Welcome to America!

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[aradlaw]

Looks very good...but where's the duty free shop

 

[titaniclover]

very nice. i remember this from the old forum.

 

[chrisracer8903]

Cool! I'm glad to see this route return and knowing it's still "Alive" . -Chris

 

[PVincent342]

Very Nice!

 

[WCL]

Pretty cool ....Can't wait till shes done

 

[PerRock]

Looks very good...but where's the duty free shop

That and the currency exchange...

peter

 

[rwk]

Nice layout. Is this fictional? I don't think there's an Amtrak train that crosses the border between Michigan-Ontario, at least not anymore. I think there was an Amtrak train from Chicago-Toronto in the 70's called the International. The only Amtrak train to Ontario and Toronto is the Maple Leaf from Manhattan, NY. I'm doing a Canada layout, using the Toronto layout from TorontoTrainz and adding on to it. I'm doing the sections from USA border, Kingston to Toronto and Niagara Falls. Also I have the highways from my home in eastern PA to Canada in the layout, about 300 miles. PA Turnpike, I-81. The highways are drivable. I didn't use any DEM, just used regular flat baseboards except for the Binghamton, NY section which is flat DEM from a blank route I modified. I used background splines for some sections where there are mountains. I did alot of reskinned highway signs for this route, overhead and along the side. and some reskinned buildings. It's a pretty long route. Mileage is measured using the built in ruler and mile sticks. although when I started out on the PA Turnpike segment I guessed the mileage by the number of baseboards. On the Canada side it's measured in kilometers and meters with 1000 m sticks. For turnpike and bridge toll booths and border booths I used Ronin's gas station with just roof and booth and made different repaints like blue, black. It's sort of a recreation of my trip to Canada 1 year ago. It's taking me a long time as I have to cover long distances and do highway exits and the towns. Satellite maps and mapping sites are helping me. I have most of the layout finished and the highway up to Kingston but still need to fill in sections in PA, NY and finish the highway 401 to Toronto and then QEW to Niagara Falls. I already have the Toronto layout merged with my layout. It's a little sluggish in surveyor (but not in driver), anything that can be done about that?

 

[LVman]

Sweet! a LV train still exists! no. 58, the LV Maple Leaf, which was taken from manhattan to buffalo, where it was interchanged with the GTW, and taken to toronto.
I am happy that it still exists!
Cheers,
Sean

 

[rwk]

The LV Maple Leaf went through Allentown, PA where I live, but Amtrak never went through Allentown. Conrail/SEPTA did in 78-79 when they extended the ex-Reading Phila-Bethlehem service to Allentown. Bethlehem service was terminated after June 30, 1981. Amtrak's Maple Leaf goes north along the Hudson to Albany, then west toward Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and then Toronto. Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway (Reading & Northern RR) out of Jim Thorpe uses part of the old LV main for train rides.

 

[Transportfan]

Nice layout. Is this fictional? I don't think there's an Amtrak train that crosses the border between Michigan-Ontario, at least not anymore. I think there was an Amtrak train from Chicago-Toronto in the 70's called the International. The only Amtrak train to Ontario and Toronto is the Maple Leaf from Manhattan, NY. I'm doing a Canada layout, using the Toronto layout from TorontoTrainz and adding on to it. I'm doing the sections from USA border, Kingston to Toronto and Niagara Falls. Also I have the highways from my home in eastern PA to Canada in the layout, about 300 miles. PA Turnpike, I-81. The highways are drivable. I didn't use any DEM, just used regular flat baseboards except for the Binghamton, NY section which is flat DEM from a blank route I modified. I used background splines for some sections where there are mountains. I did alot of reskinned highway signs for this route, overhead and along the side. and some reskinned buildings. It's a pretty long route. Mileage is measured using the built in ruler and mile sticks. although when I started out on the PA Turnpike segment I guessed the mileage by the number of baseboards. On the Canada side it's measured in kilometers and meters with 1000 m sticks. For turnpike and bridge toll booths and border booths I used Ronin's gas station with just roof and booth and made different repaints like blue, black. It's sort of a recreation of my trip to Canada 1 year ago. It's taking me a long time as I have to cover long distances and do highway exits and the towns. Satellite maps and mapping sites are helping me. I have most of the layout finished and the highway up to Kingston but still need to fill in sections in PA, NY and finish the highway 401 to Toronto and then QEW to Niagara Falls. I already have the Toronto layout merged with my layout. It's a little sluggish in surveyor (but not in driver), anything that can be done about that?

Yes,the route is fictional, but it's based on the Lake Superior Lakehead region, except that the area is farmland rather than wilderness, and is densely populated. The track branching off the Cdn. transcontinental to the US is fictional as there is no RR across the border from Northern Ontario to Minnesota (It's not Michigan, as you thought.). The layout also includes drivable roads and freeways. I'll post a few more screenshots.

I'm looking forward to seeing your route. Are the distances accurate? If they are--WOW!

As far as your route being sluggish, you may not have enough computer power.

 

[rwk]

But why would it be sluggish in surveyor but not in driver? Does surveyor require more power than driver? My layout is pretty big. I don't even have every area scenicked. Is it the number of baseboards, or the amount of stuff on the layout that makes it slow in surveyor? Yes, it's about 300 miles from my home in PA straight up to 1000 Islands, Canada. I have that section in the layout with the highways drivable. Then, I have the section from 1000 Islands to Toronto where it merges with the Toronto layout by TorontoTrainz. Then, another section created by me goes from Hamilton, ON at the end of the Toronto layout to Niagara Falls, ON/NY. It has the VIA line from 1000 Islands area through Kingston, Belleville, to Toronto and Hamilton and Niagara Falls but there is no scenery (just track) between end of Toronto layout to 1000 Islands except Kingston which I'm working on. Just a few roads and buildings in the town so far.

 

[Transportfan]

I'm not sure why it would be slower in surveyor. It used to happen to me too, before I upgraded.

 

[gisa]

Hi Gents,


This looks like a great looking route! I love your attention to detail, especially with the customs booth.

@ RWK, I do believe that the "international" still exists, as I used to take it home sometimes when I was at University (about 5 years ago). I used to take it from Guelph to Brampton (basically one stop) but it was neat to get onto a superliner car (witch otherwise, is pretty much impossible for most Canadians unless they are travelling to the States). Sadly, it was always late...

@ Transportfan, I do believe that there exists a Canadian railroad that goes across the border to Minnesota. I don't know if it still does now, but I know that 5-10 years ago it did (and perhaps still does). It crosses at Fort Frances Ontario (where my grandparents live) over Rainy River to International Falls. I remember watching the CN trains go by when I used to visit them. As I said, I don't know if they still go now, but I'm sure they still do. check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8jcdMIkDEI

I only watched it once and for a few minutes, but I sware that that is the railroad crossing near my grandparents place!

Anyhow, this looks like a neat route and I'm looking forward to running some trains on it someday.

:wave:

Gisa ^^

 

[ish6]

Excellent!!!!

 

[neilsmith749]

Nice layout. Is this fictional? I don't think there's an Amtrak train that crosses the border between Michigan-Ontario, at least not anymore. I think there was an Amtrak train from Chicago-Toronto in the 70's called the International. The only Amtrak train to Ontario and Toronto is the Maple Leaf from Manhattan, NY. I'm doing a Canada layout, using the Toronto layout from TorontoTrainz and adding on to it. I'm doing the sections from USA border, Kingston to Toronto and Niagara Falls. Also I have the highways from my home in eastern PA to Canada in the layout, about 300 miles. PA Turnpike, I-81. The highways are drivable. I didn't use any DEM, just used regular flat baseboards except for the Binghamton, NY section which is flat DEM from a blank route I modified. I used background splines for some sections where there are mountains. I did alot of reskinned highway signs for this route, overhead and along the side. and some reskinned buildings. It's a pretty long route. Mileage is measured using the built in ruler and mile sticks. although when I started out on the PA Turnpike segment I guessed the mileage by the number of baseboards. On the Canada side it's measured in kilometers and meters with 1000 m sticks. For turnpike and bridge toll booths and border booths I used Ronin's gas station with just roof and booth and made different repaints like blue, black. It's sort of a recreation of my trip to Canada 1 year ago. It's taking me a long time as I have to cover long distances and do highway exits and the towns. Satellite maps and mapping sites are helping me. I have most of the layout finished and the highway up to Kingston but still need to fill in sections in PA, NY and finish the highway 401 to Toronto and then QEW to Niagara Falls. I already have the Toronto layout merged with my layout. It's a little sluggish in surveyor (but not in driver), anything that can be done about that?

Hey RWK

That's quite a lot you've bitten off! I'm working on the Toronto Union west to Oakville section and that's taking a lot of time, though I'm not the fastest builder!

Right now I'm working on the Toronto Union section. Though it's kinda tough because googleearth has the section i need covered by shadow right beside the skydome/roger's center.

Anyway, I can't wait to check out your route! Who knows, maybe there's a way we can start joining all these routes together and have scale versions of actual parts of North America! Mine is built pretty much to scale, and the trackwork is pretty accurate so far.

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to drive from NYC to Toronto in real time on your computer!!! Maybe just dreaming here, but who knows!

Cheers,

n

 

[WCL]

How far along are ya on this route??? How far are ya going to go into MN??? To bad ya couldnt get New Brighton in there

 

[Transportfan]

How far along are ya on this route??? How far are ya going to go into MN??? To bad ya couldnt get New Brighton in there

Not very far. Only about 10 miles south of the border down along the Superior shoreline. Would be cool, but building the 100 or so miles to Duluth would be a bit too much work. Also, the first stretch wouldn't be quite accuate as the Pigeon River is quite different from its counterpart in the real world near the Boundary Waters/Quetico area. The line across the border is also fictional, there being no RR running north from Duluth along the Superior shore to Canada.

 

[dnutter]

That beautiful! And I like the draw bridge on background and trains across on highway interchange soo they are very as real! They look very great that awesome and I proud of you, Transportfan:wave:

 

[Norfolkwesternman]

Sweet! a LV train still exists! no. 58, the LV Maple Leaf, which was taken from manhattan to buffalo, where it was interchanged with the GTW, and taken to toronto.
I am happy that it still exists!
Cheers,
Sean

If you want an OO/HO model from proto 2000 they have a LV alco PA/FA