Well, I'm back and working on my Avery-Drexel route. I've been unable to work on my route for quite some time, but now I'm able to. My computer crashed and I lost both Trainz 2012 and Trainz 12. I re-installed Trainz 12 but was unable to connect to the Trainz Download Station, so when I uploaded my version of the Avery-Drexel route, I wound up with some kuids that I could find on the download station when I was on the internet, but, for some reason, when I looked for them on the Download Station via Content Manager, I could not find them. Recently, I re-installed Trainz 2010 and actually was able to upload the route to Trainz 12. The only problem was that there was some kuids that did had that irriating '?' next to the kuid. I went to the Trainz 2010 Content manager and found these objects were pre-installed on Trainz 2010. I simply save the objects I needed in a .cdp folder and imported them to Trainz 12. I'm now working on a new version, though I have made several changes to the original plan:
I'm using the pre-installed Jointed Rail track instead of downloading the Jointed Rail track off of their website that I was previously using.
I'm using the 's_' fixed track used on the Belenzo-Mosti route as a template for the switches used on tracks at the end of passing sitings and at crossovers. Crossovers are made up of #9 switches, while the ends of the sidings are also #9. The switches at Henderson before the bridge and the siding at Drexel are #11 switches.
I'm also double-tracking from Bryson to the end of the siding at Henderson, for I found that the bridge pylons used with the flexible bridges included with Trainz 12 allows me to make a double-tracked Saltease (I probably misspelled that) Trestle without the pylons 'floating' in mid-air. However, using the fixed pieces of track to make crossovers (and switches) resulted with a short 3% grade past were the Bryson siding previously ended, which has been replaced by crossovers. The reason is that the tracks at the end of the crossovers is at a much higher elevation that previously, so I had to find a grade that allows me to connect to the original grade without causing the Saltease Trestle to be on a grade, and because I have a hard time trying to make switches (crossovers, etc.) on grades. But, I also used a 'gentler' increase in steepness to line up with the original grade that was already in place before my modifications, so it's a compromise I had to accept. The reason behind this is how I don't like the grade to abruptly go from 0% to at least 1% grade. This is because this change of slope of track makes the beginning of the grade reminds me of a hill on a roller coaster, how the change from flat (0%) to a sudden steep uphill climb or steep downhill drop. It's also noticable whenever you run a piece of equipment over the track. Whenever I make a grade, I try to go in increments: .25%, .5%, .75%, 1%, or some other combinations, each of which is a multiple of either .25% of .5%. From 1% I go to either 1.25%, 1.5%, 1.75%, or 2%.
To make room for where the double-tracking at Haughan began (coming from Avery), I extended the double-tracking around the curve just before where the switch was to reduce the amount of terrain adjustments to the area, since the mainline is located next to the river. This also resulted in the bottom of the grade to Eastportal to be a 1% grade. To make it more 'prototypical' (in my opinion), I reduced the grade to (in this order) .5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% to reach the original grade.
Because of my modifications to the grades, this resulted in a change of the locations of the culverts, river inflows to be moved.
The gradient of the track that was previously the Bryson siding has been increased to a maximum of between 2% to 2.5% (I can't remember exactly), even though I replaced the 'invisible track' located at the 'west' end of the siding to make up for the flat areas at each end of the siding. The gradients are because I wanted the 'west' end of the siding to be at the same height as the bridge located near the end of the siding.
On the version I did on Trainz 2010, Interstate 70 (I think that's the interstate featured on the map) featured the YARNish 6-lane highway (three lanes each way). This was because the only divided highway had three lanes. Since then, a YARNish two-lane divided highway has become available. Now it'll look more like the Interstate 70 seen on the original Avery-Drexel route.
My version also features speed restrictions at curves that I believe are 'sharp'. If you have read about my previous version, the speeds on the line where it was at 30 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour. The speed restricions are for 30 miles per hour.
So far I'm approaching Eastportal. Hopefully I'll remember to update what's been going on. My schedule has become much busier, so I don't have much time as I had previously.
