Wondering about American Civil War Assets

[springtransit]

Is the route even on the DLS? I've searched the KUID in CM and the DLS Website and haven't found it, even searched it through the Assets name and the Author ID, but still no signs.
Any help would be appreciated,

susmaster7879

I uploaded it to Trainz Pro Routes a long time ago, but the site, I believe, is gone now, as is the route. The route was actually a revamp of another route which is on the DLS, "Keaton's W&A RR" by jclinton. I believe Tbryson2 has been working on updated models of the W&A engines, but progress seems to have been slow lately... Also, Trainz Forge has some models, but they are mostly Western US late 1860's-1870's engines...

 

[crisger]

I and my team have made many hundreds of Civil War Models, rolling stock and over 24 accurate locomotives for both Union and Confederate forces and railroads including soldiers, calvary, artillery, support vehicles like supply wagons, tents of al kinds, camp clutter, many hundreds of buildlings for the city of Petersburg circa 1864, and the complete warehouse complex of City Point the main supply base for City Point at the Siege of Petersburg, all are in MSTS Open Rails format but i can convert them and have started doing so for the route we are making we plan to release in Trainz 2019 at some point in the future. Also Ships, forts, fortifications and such as very few items have been made in any sim format. I will try to share some when i can. here are pictures of our work...for those interested. We have other projects underway as well so not a lot of time to do conversions at this time and converting the locomotives with the animations will take a lot of time and effort, as for the rolling stock: passenger cars and all manner of freight cars and loads they will be easier.

The Trainz format route is created and textured overall using DEM and accurate topography but only some structures and ships and such are placed at City Point tho the track is laid.

HISTORIC RESTORATION USMRR CITY POINT 1865 - Christopher Gerlach

Digital Art, Fine Arts, Game Design

www.behance.net

Engine House and Main US Military Railroad Yard at City Point, Virginia 186

City of Petersburg 1865 view from SouthSide Engine Shops across the Appomatix River

Downtown Petersburg early stage of Installation Dec 2023 took a year to make the models for the city

Photography of the City Point Rail yard, Engine house and the supply harbor that served up to 200 ships a day and supplied the Army of the Potomac of 160,000 men and 70,000 horses and mules. the railroad won that battle and in part the war.

Our Master Modeler Tim Muir's first full Civil War era Locomotive fully operational with full animation, fuel and water use and accurate historic operation specs including no brakes on the locomotive.

One of Tim's models of one of the Confederate Locomotives some were owned by the Southern RR and some were stolen/borrowed from Union lines captured during the war The background building is the Depot in Petersburg for the Southside Railroad

one of the 160 accurate Civil War era rolling stock, all with full interiors and all with accurate choices of load and specs all by Tim

The USMRR Locomotive May Queen by the engine house of City Point and tender

Jarret's Hotel in Petersburg the largest hotel in town in the war, typical of very sophisticated Southern Architecture of the time

An Artillery train with full load out and forage loads to feed the horses of the Battery.

Some of the ships that brought troops and supplies to City Point, i love ships of that era

A view of the busy docks at City Point, many of the loads of ammunition and other dangerous cargo were carried on sailing ships and schooners to avoid contact with fire in engine rooms of the steam ships. Most of the ships now have crews of sailors and officers.


Chris

 

[JimDep]

I and my team have made many hundreds of Civil War Models, rolling stock and over 24 accurate locomotives for both Union and Confederate forces and railroads including soldiers, calvary, artillery, support vehicles like supply wagons, tents of al kinds, camp clutter, many hundreds of buildlings for the city of Petersburg circa 1864, and the complete warehouse complex of City Point the main supply base for City Point at the Siege of Petersburg, all are in MSTS Open Rails format but i can convert them and have started doing so for the route we are making we plan to release in Trainz 2019 at some point in the future. Also Ships, forts, fortifications and such as very few items have been made in any sim format. I will try to share some when i can. here are pictures of our work...for those interested. We have other projects underway as well so not a lot of time to do conversions at this time and converting the locomotives with the animations will take a lot of time and effort, as for the rolling stock: passenger cars and all manner of freight cars and loads they will be easier.

The Trainz format route is created and textured overall using DEM and accurate topography but only some structures and ships and such are placed at City Point tho the track is laid.

HISTORIC RESTORATION USMRR CITY POINT 1865 - Christopher Gerlach

Digital Art, Fine Arts, Game Design

www.behance.net

Engine House and Main US Military Railroad Yard at City Point, Virginia 186

City of Petersburg 1865 view from SouthSide Engine Shops across the Appomatix River

Downtown Petersburg early stage of Installation Dec 2023 took a year to make the models for the city

Photography of the City Point Rail yard, Engine house and the supply harbor that served up to 200 ships a day and supplied the Army of the Potomac of 160,000 men and 70,000 horses and mules. the railroad won that battle and in part the war.

Our Master Modeler Tim Muir's first full Civil War era Locomotive fully operational with full animation, fuel and water use and accurate historic operation specs including no brakes on the locomotive.

One of Tim's models of one of the Confederate Locomotives some were owned by the Southern RR and some were stolen/borrowed from Union lines captured during the war The background building is the Depot in Petersburg for the Southside Railroad

one of the 160 accurate Civil War era rolling stock, all with full interiors and all with accurate choices of load and specs all by Tim

The USMRR Locomotive May Queen by the engine house of City Point and tender

Jarret's Hotel in Petersburg the largest hotel in town in the war, typical of very sophisticated Southern Architecture of the time

An Artillery train with full load out and forage loads to feed the horses of the Battery.

Some of the ships that brought troops and supplies to City Point, i love ships of that era

A view of the busy docks at City Point, many of the loads of ammunition and other dangerous cargo were carried on sailing ships and schooners to avoid contact with fire in engine rooms of the steam ships. Most of the ships now have crews of sailors and officers.


Chris

Wow ! Looks great........thank you !

 

[susmaster7879]

I uploaded it to Trainz Pro Routes a long time ago, but the site, I believe, is gone now, as is the route. The route was actually a revamp of another route which is on the DLS, "Keaton's W&A RR" by jclinton. I believe Tbryson2 has been working on updated models of the W&A engines, but progress seems to have been slow lately... Also, Trainz Forge has some models, but they are mostly Western US late 1860's-1870's engines...

aww, man I wanted a Civil War route with 3d tracks and not like the ones with 2d textured ones.

susmaster7879

 

[ricomon35]

deleted

 

[springtransit]

aww, man I wanted a Civil War route with 3d tracks and not like the ones with 2d textured ones.

susmaster7879

You can replace the tracks...

 

[springtransit]

I and my team have made many hundreds of Civil War Models, rolling stock and over 24 accurate locomotives for both Union and Confederate forces and railroads including soldiers, calvary, artillery, support vehicles like supply wagons, tents of al kinds, camp clutter, many hundreds of buildlings for the city of Petersburg circa 1864, and the complete warehouse complex of City Point the main supply base for City Point at the Siege of Petersburg, all are in MSTS Open Rails format but i can convert them and have started doing so for the route we are making we plan to release in Trainz 2019 at some point in the future. Also Ships, forts, fortifications and such as very few items have been made in any sim format. I will try to share some when i can. here are pictures of our work...for those interested. We have other projects underway as well so not a lot of time to do conversions at this time and converting the locomotives with the animations will take a lot of time and effort, as for the rolling stock: passenger cars and all manner of freight cars and loads they will be easier.

The Trainz format route is created and textured overall using DEM and accurate topography but only some structures and ships and such are placed at City Point tho the track is laid.

HISTORIC RESTORATION USMRR CITY POINT 1865 - Christopher Gerlach

Digital Art, Fine Arts, Game Design

www.behance.net

Very nice! It would be an honor to have them ported over! Now, I usually would suggest that perhaps folks at Trainz Forge and/or Huntington Shops could help you with the conversion, although I don't know how well 3D Canvas can do the more advanced texturing effects of Trainz 2019+... By the way, looks like one of the engines in the gallery there is a reskinned MSTS Inyo, which we have a more advanced model of!

 

[crisger]

Hi and thanks all of the models are original not reskined. but thanks for your comments. We are aware of Trainz Forge and HShops. and in time may consult but for now much else to do so just sharing for now. thanks again
there are very few authentic records of the locomotives of that era, Tim and we researched for many years and he spent countless hours on each model, over the four years we have been working on the project. We try as much as possible to achieve accuracy as much as possible. We have had help from other experts in the field and generous sharing of data, plans that remain, and roster information and more. The community of dedicated folks who are interested in Civil War Railroading including a group who have been together for many years have been wonderful to consult and hare with and have made our work much more fruitful than working alone. In the end it is a chance to share history of people long ago who worked hard very hard and were very inventive and dedicated and lived lives of remarkable productivity and creation. We hope to help tell their story.

attached is one of Tim' working model plans in process from several years ago. Tm had known a fellow named Jon Davis who made some very good Civil War era locomotives for MSTS many years ago but they were simplified to a degree and he studied them and proceeded to make his own fully detailed which we use. His are highly detailed with full cab interiors and are truly works of art.

and a recent work was an unusual curved front cab Confederate Locomotive...

A Late 1850s Advertisement from the Baldwin Locomotive Company that Tim found in reseaerch.

Chris

 

[springtransit]

The engine on the left here looks to be a reskinned Inyo...

Yes, I remember Davis's MSTS models, they were some of my favorites in the sim!

 

[crisger]

Yes you are right that is one of Jon's that Tim studied and used to think over the issues but is not part of the route roster now. thanks for clarifying that you have an excellent eye for detail! Jon did very nice work but he had a disaster with his computer and lost ALL of his work and source files and moved on to other things. But he set a high mark for quality and we have tried to equal it at least. thanks again for your comments much appreciated.

that image is very early in development as the interior of the Engine house was not yet detailed. brings back memories that must be from four years ago time has moved fast as it always does. And the track had not received its custom cross tie textures. We had hoped to have actual 3D ties but the poly count would have been thru the roof, and the game engine in MSTS and now Open Rails is an early one dating from the early 2000s. Open rails raised the count limit a LOT but with all of the track in the route in intense zones like the yards and such it would have been prohibitive. In Trainz we do not have that issue and Paul has already made a 3D track for our Trainz version and the track is all laid. With other commitments now possibly Gilpin, I just do not have the time to make all of the model conversions, some 2500 or more to date.

Chris

 

[susmaster7879]

You can replace the tracks...

I'm kinda lazy lol but still.

 

[jordon412]

This may be of interest to you, but I live along the Western & Atlantic Subdivision, specifically in Rocky Face, Georgia. I know of at least three depots that date to the Civil War: Dalton, Georgia; Tunnel Hill, Georgia; and Ringgold, Georgia. There's also the old Western & Atlantic tunnel that gives Tunnel Hill its name.

 

[dangavel]

aww, man I wanted a Civil War route with 3d tracks and not like the ones with 2d textured ones.

susmaster7879

Better go make your own then, oh disgruntled one .

 

[crisger]

Wee HAVE 3D Civil War Era Track Already made. The track on much of the route was temporary track using hand cut ties from the forests of the region, but the Confederate routes used both pre cut ties of the standard format and some quickly made hand cut ones for repairs once the war started. So ALL of the ties on the Trainz version of this route will have 3D Track. One photo posted by a member of the forum here, shows a very early version of the yard at City point before any times were put down at all. so hopefully that clears up the track issue. But as said, work on the Trainz Version is a ways in the future due to other commitments.

And thanks Jordon, we have all of the depots and stations made ..well most of them, just a few of the temporary ones on the USMRR line from City Point to to the siege area still to be placed, we had to guestimate on the depots in Petesrsburg on three of them as only overhead track plans exist...and no photos or drawings of them have been found for the Weldon RR in downtown Petersburg, the Richmond and Petersburg RR station we have a very small distant photo of the south end of the station and the Norfolk and Petersburg Station though we have a good overhead map of that and their yard. We had excellent photos of the Engine shops of the Southside RR and the Southside Depot is still there most of it, 1/3 of it was destroyed by a Tornado in recent years but Wayne Campbell who is a master modeller and one of the creators of Blender made a superb Model of it for us. Pics attached.

Civil War Era Photo of the Southside RR Station and Freight Depot in Petersburg VA.

Model of Southside Depot by Wayne Campbell

Model of Southside Depot in route with Locomotive Model by Tim Muir. There are various records that refer to that engine as named the Lady Davis and other records with other names. We have both versions available on our roster.

Photo of the Southside Engine Shops on the south side of the Appomatix River measured out by Paul Gorski who is our Team Engineer and a fine modeller contributing very detailed large structure models to the route and other help including an animated authentic style stub switch and a large roundhouse and some smaller turntables of that era.

The models of the Southside Engine shops installed with a working animated Transfer Table also created and developed by Paul.

here are some photos of the Weldon RR Roundhouse that Paul modelled with a working animated Turntable.

Paul's model

Model installed by our Routemaster and landscape Designer Stephen Thompson

 

[Forester1]

This is outstanding work!

 

[crisger]

Thanks Forester, i think the key is having a good idea ie subject and then finding a great team of guys who have good skills and love the detective research work and dedication to doing the best we can. And who enjoy working together and sharing with others what we do and enjoy. Sure helps keep the energy flowing and the work moving forward we are pretty relaxed about timing and what and who does what when ..and have very open discussion and understand when any or all of us have real life stuff that needs to be done and whatever. Has been a fun Four years and we are about 80% done now, still a lot of work to do esp on finishing up Petersburg and one of our team is a genius at populating and setting the scene of scenery which really works great for that finishing touch. Here is his rendition of the busy work yard of a large cotton Mill circa 1865 really fun stuff..

when cotton is shipped from the farm, it is baled and the weight carefully noted there and at each stop and this is the weight house for the mill We used actual historic cotton bales for the textures Tim is also great at making needed complex models he made the animated water wheels for all of the water powered Mills at Petersburg that were located along the Appomatix River and its tributaries His is his text picture of one of the mills with the wheels in action.

Tim Muir is also our Master Modeler of our virtual Foundry making our animated locomotives, this was his first full project of that type and it took a long time to work out and create with the help of experts we have gotten to know like John Ott who helped with the custom lettering on the tender that was used back then.

this was a beautiful locomotive named for General Haupt who was a genius engineer who developed some of the remarkable technology that allowed the Union Army Miltary Railroad build and repair bridges and railroads in record time as well as developed some of what later became car floats using twin canal boats tied together with track laid over them to transport railroad cars and locomotives down the coast to City Point. The General had however a difficult personality and the Secretary of War replaced him and the locomotive was renamed for someone else.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/2283/VsmiDE.jpg

this next photo shows one of the locomotives being unloaded using the transfer ramp at City Point that could be raised and lowered to adjust for the tide changes... This engine was the General Dix which we have modelled and is part of our roster for the route. The Locomotives were transported with the tender empty to save weight so there is a water tank right at the dock to reload it and drive the engine off.

this next photo shows General Haupt supervising work on one of the USMRR RR lines...he developed a system of highly trained construction gangs that had all needed skills in it to move from project to project as needed...
You will note that the locomotive is still named for him and bears the name on the read of the tender. I wonder if he helped drive or feed the fire box

They developed a high speed system of laying out the route, laying down the pre cut ties and using the construction gangs were able to lay track and restore damaged lines very fast.

studying the history and finding good drawings, plans, maps and photographs took us years overall and continues to this day so that we can do as accurate a job as possible.

Chris

 

[susmaster7879]

Better go make your own then, oh disgruntled one .

Fine, i'll try wish me luck

 

[susmaster7879]

Nice!

 

[whecsailorjr]

I have searched but alas, I have not found the beautiful open rails civil war items shown above. Please, can someone post a link to where these are located on the web? I especially loved the sidewheelers . Thank you in advance