Created by the mp3dj: March 20, 2023 to Present
Introduction:
I started this project in March of 2023 after playing Trainz 2019 / 2022 since the winter of 2018. I have always been fascinated by City Builder and Train Sim games and saw this as a wonderful opportunity to build my dream layout with the update of Surveyor 2.0. I just had to figure out how to use it...!
After several attempts at building various routes, I decided to take on this “never gonna be completely finished project”. Being from Indianapolis with my family tree's roots in Mitchell, Indiana, the home of Spring Mill State Park, Astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom (who delivered groceries to my grandmother's home in the 50's), and the Persimmon Festival, this was the natural project for me to recreate.....
the crossing of the B&O and the Monon railroads (Mitchell Diamond, November 2020)
My family was born and raised in Mitchell and I spent many a summer day watching the Monon freights switch cars off to the B&O while winding through the hills and farms of southern Indiana. One grandmother lived three houses to the Monon and the other, just 2 homes to the B&O, both about a half mile from “the diamond” at the edge of “downtown” (Mitchell was about 4 blocks long).
CSX Depot / Maintenance (Mitchell, IN November 2020)
My early days of railfanning began at four years old as I would bolt out the front door at the first instance of a train horn and run as fast as I could only to sit on the corner sidewalk and watch 'em roll by, a good 50 feet from the rails. That was over 60 years ago..!
Overview:
This prototypical CSX route starts at the west edge of Cincinnati on the north shore of the Ohio River at Addyston, OH and winds across central southern Indiana to Vincennes and ends in eastern Illinois at Lawrenceville some 185+ miles from East to West. The CSX Indiana Sub becomes the CSX Illinois Sub just west of Washington, IN and I have added the actual mile markers all along the way.
My prototypical Monon route starts at the west side of Louisville, KY just south of what is now the Norfolk Southern Youngtown Yard crossing the Ohio River at New Albany, IN and snakes across southern Indiana to Mitchell where the Monon and B&O cross and then ends on the north side of Bedford, nearly 80 miles North to South. Today, this part of the Monon (later the L&N) has just about every mile of it's rail removed by late 2023 to make way for modern developments and the popular pedestrian “rail pathways”.
Like numerous other Route builders, I am trying to painstakingly add as many actual landmarks and points of interest as I continue to build and update, opting for basic landscaping items in some areas to fill in the map for now. Using TransDem mapping, nearly every spline point is within a meter or two of the original prototype height with some modifications needed thanks to game engine restrictions but Surveyor 2.0 really makes it easier to get the most realism as possible.
The actual B&O /Chessie / CSX and Monon routes were mostly a single track main line with dozens of siding tracks and spurs but I have added dozens of“ embellishments”....
Embellishments and Updates:
Even though true hardline prototyper's may “rail” me, the first major change is the CSX line is now a double-track main line from side-to-side. The opportunity to run much shorter 50's, 60's and 70's freight traffic is still there but I wanted to include modern 2-mile plus mixed freight and specialty trains without having constant traffic jams created by long trains on single-track main lines.
Most blocks are set at 2.5 miles apart with several crossover or switchback points allowing lots of traffic from AI trains to run in the background while commanding unique locals to switch out the numerous industries along the way.
Various cities and towns on the route will have some historical items where possible but thanks to Google mapping and researching a gazillion photos, I have added some more interesting modern buildings and/or facilities to represent the areas of evolution over the last 150 years.
Numerous industries have been included (or resurrected) to add to the overall enjoyment of switching, swapping cars or including the logistics of the the new Dispatch Manager via Trainz Living Railroad.
Misc. Specs and Details:
Favorite Assets:
More updates coming soon...!
Introduction:
I started this project in March of 2023 after playing Trainz 2019 / 2022 since the winter of 2018. I have always been fascinated by City Builder and Train Sim games and saw this as a wonderful opportunity to build my dream layout with the update of Surveyor 2.0. I just had to figure out how to use it...!
After several attempts at building various routes, I decided to take on this “never gonna be completely finished project”. Being from Indianapolis with my family tree's roots in Mitchell, Indiana, the home of Spring Mill State Park, Astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom (who delivered groceries to my grandmother's home in the 50's), and the Persimmon Festival, this was the natural project for me to recreate.....
the crossing of the B&O and the Monon railroads (Mitchell Diamond, November 2020)
My family was born and raised in Mitchell and I spent many a summer day watching the Monon freights switch cars off to the B&O while winding through the hills and farms of southern Indiana. One grandmother lived three houses to the Monon and the other, just 2 homes to the B&O, both about a half mile from “the diamond” at the edge of “downtown” (Mitchell was about 4 blocks long).
CSX Depot / Maintenance (Mitchell, IN November 2020)
My early days of railfanning began at four years old as I would bolt out the front door at the first instance of a train horn and run as fast as I could only to sit on the corner sidewalk and watch 'em roll by, a good 50 feet from the rails. That was over 60 years ago..!
Overview:
This prototypical CSX route starts at the west edge of Cincinnati on the north shore of the Ohio River at Addyston, OH and winds across central southern Indiana to Vincennes and ends in eastern Illinois at Lawrenceville some 185+ miles from East to West. The CSX Indiana Sub becomes the CSX Illinois Sub just west of Washington, IN and I have added the actual mile markers all along the way.
Aerial View of the Current Track Map with lots of room for growth and expansion
My prototypical Monon route starts at the west side of Louisville, KY just south of what is now the Norfolk Southern Youngtown Yard crossing the Ohio River at New Albany, IN and snakes across southern Indiana to Mitchell where the Monon and B&O cross and then ends on the north side of Bedford, nearly 80 miles North to South. Today, this part of the Monon (later the L&N) has just about every mile of it's rail removed by late 2023 to make way for modern developments and the popular pedestrian “rail pathways”.
Like numerous other Route builders, I am trying to painstakingly add as many actual landmarks and points of interest as I continue to build and update, opting for basic landscaping items in some areas to fill in the map for now. Using TransDem mapping, nearly every spline point is within a meter or two of the original prototype height with some modifications needed thanks to game engine restrictions but Surveyor 2.0 really makes it easier to get the most realism as possible.
The actual B&O /Chessie / CSX and Monon routes were mostly a single track main line with dozens of siding tracks and spurs but I have added dozens of“ embellishments”....
A CSX Grain Train crosses the Monon at the Mitchell Diamond heading East towards Cincinnati (Looking North see Actual Mile Marker 256)
Embellishments and Updates:
Even though true hardline prototyper's may “rail” me, the first major change is the CSX line is now a double-track main line from side-to-side. The opportunity to run much shorter 50's, 60's and 70's freight traffic is still there but I wanted to include modern 2-mile plus mixed freight and specialty trains without having constant traffic jams created by long trains on single-track main lines.
Most blocks are set at 2.5 miles apart with several crossover or switchback points allowing lots of traffic from AI trains to run in the background while commanding unique locals to switch out the numerous industries along the way.
Various cities and towns on the route will have some historical items where possible but thanks to Google mapping and researching a gazillion photos, I have added some more interesting modern buildings and/or facilities to represent the areas of evolution over the last 150 years.
Numerous industries have been included (or resurrected) to add to the overall enjoyment of switching, swapping cars or including the logistics of the the new Dispatch Manager via Trainz Living Railroad.
Misc. Specs and Details:
- This will always be a “work in progress” route as I am still working full time and this is the result of my “creative mental unwinding” sessions
- Route has been created in Trainz 22 Platinum and should work in most Trainz 22 variations
- Height mapping and spline elevations per TransDem maps of the terrain
- I have tried to eliminate any Payware items and just about everything is in the base game or available on the Download Station
- There may be some 3rd Party Freeware items added but again are easily available on various sites thanks to the creators at Approach Medium, Jointed Rail, CDE Trains, NARM Trainz Group and a few others
Favorite Assets:
- Mainline Track: RTXT SP CL 115J <kuid2:37581:80081:11>
- Track Roadbed: PBR City Dirt 04 (S) <kuid:875564:1023>
- Track Ballast: PBR City Dirt 02 (S) <kuid:875564:1021>
- Grass Base: PBR Grass Mixed 78 <kuid2:473136:105062:1>
- River/Lake/Pond Base: PBR River Stones 03 <kuid2:473136:103956:2>
- Road Asphalt/Parking Lots: PBR Asphalt 03 Light <kuid2:473136:104072:1>
More updates coming soon...!