Chicago 1940's WIP pics

jacksonbarno

Alco Spoken Here
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No scenery yet, just tracks for now.
 
looks good so far, I considered this project but had no official idea on how to. Can't wait to see how this turns out
 
I plan for the bulk of the project to be the PRR Panhandle and Ft. Wayne divisions, but I will do Dearborn, Union, LaSalle, Central, and Grand Central stations first. Currently, I have track done from Union to Englewood.
 
I have always been a big fan of large Railroad stations and I look forward to seeing Chicago's stations set in my favorite time period, the 1940's.

I'll be watching this with great interest!

Very best of luck.

Dave
 
Hallo,

I wish I would have more time. I created three preliminary PCC Streetcars which are part of TS12. But I also planned to create some Chicago PCC Streetcars e.g. the Green Hornet. This could run at such an early Chicago route back in 1941 just in case you will create some street car lines as well. But perhaps you will concentrate yourself in creating the RR’s only.

Anyway – I am still quite busy finishing my MILW-Avery-Drexel-Project, but I never gave up the intension to work further at the streetcars :)

I wish you all the best for your project.

Your’s TUME

PS.: Isn’t is the case if I create the whole Milwaukee Road from the west to the east - I one day would meet your Chicago route?? I am looking forward to that time.
:D:):D
 
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In its heyday 150 trains a day passed through 21st St., not including freight trains and transfer movements. In adidition, the ATSF coach yard and engine facilities were there, and you could seeteh B&OCT/SCAL tracks and tbe RI/NYC tracks going out from Grand Central and LaSalle St. Station. In addition, you could see EJ&E trains going over the C&WI and PRR diamonds just about a mile down the tracks. It was a busy place, especially during WWII, with the addition of troop trains and such.

Edit: I just realized the compass direction was off... way off. I am not going to restart it, as I have Grand Central Station, Union Station and LaSalle St. Station done. If only there was a way to rotate a route...
 
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If you are going to go through the trouble of creating a proto route use a DEM or it will all be a waste. TransDEM offers the highest detail but even one created through MicroDEM will atleast give you accurate locations of tracks, roads and rivers. Creating with MicroDEM is fairly easy, there are good tutorials online.
 
Some areas require no DEM as they are flatland ... ie: Chicago, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, the Strasburg RR ... the terrain never varies more than 20' in any direction, and few gradients are involved.
 
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Some areas require no DEM as they are flatland ... ie: Chicago, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, the Strasburg RR ... the terrain never varies more than 20' in any direction, and few gradients are involved.
You keep telling us this for years, but seem less convinced these days when I look at some of your other postings.

I don't want to hijack this thread, therefore only a brief reply. Whole story here.

DEMs are only one aspect of geospatial data. The other is proper scale. And if you use topo maps, why not include the DEM, just a few minutes more work, and you already have your river beds formed.

Chicago flatlands:


USGS historical collection, 1953 edition (which is closest to the era of the project presented in this thread), in Trainz Surveyor:
 
Thanks, but no thanks. I don't really want to spend the money on the type of software that brings DEM data into Trainz. Also, I can get accurate enough by going off of track maps and videos from the era, so I don't need a map for where the tracks are, after all, watching the videos of the era and scouring over old pictures is fun!
 
It helps to make sure you lay them correctly though. I would get transDEM, but I don't have a PayPal or bank account. :)

Cheers,
Joshua
 
Also, I can get accurate enough by going off of track maps and videos from the era, so I don't need a map for where the tracks are, after all, watching the videos of the era and scouring over old pictures is fun!
You appear to be in a very early stage of your project. You have laid a few tracks on barren land, placed a bridge, ran a train and assigned a name to it: "Chicago 1940s".

Whatever you are planning for your project, what goals you set for yourself and how to achieve them, the most important thing is that you enjoy what you are doing. That's what Trainz is all about: Having fun with it.

The other side is that the moment you publish screenshots and say "Chicago 1940s", it will raise a few expectations in the reader's mind. Chicago, railroad hub of the nation. Tracks everywhere, yards around every second corner, simply overwhelming. But also a challenge of a lifetime to recreate as a simulation. As a route builder you have to be realistic. You may decide to concentrate on recreating the atmosphere of a bygone railroad era, based on selected motifs from the pictures you look at or the old films you watch. That's great and that's something you certainly will be able to accomplish.

Going beyond that, however, trying to build an entire track network, the utterly complicated mesh of railroads in the Windy City, you won't get very far without a reliable and efficient method of surveying.

You will probably know that very few route projects will ever see a state of completion and many don't even make it beyond the initial stage. Keep that in mind before deciding you don't need maps.
 
Ya the EJE was the outer outer belt I was wondering if he was refering to the CSSSB in his post downtown?
The era is pretty awesome in Chicago and 10TIMES more trackage and yards etc... than today for sure....
Ive been doin Chicago route (era swaping 60s-present) for a few years now all track laid etc then back tracking for all the updated stuff has set me back but frame rates still upper 30 s 40 s for my old comp...and yet again alot of configuring signals ATLS xings etc and lot more scenery..............at least a thousand industry sidings alone...
 
You appear to be in a very early stage of your project. You have laid a few tracks on barren land, placed a bridge, ran a train and assigned a name to it: "Chicago 1940s".

Whatever you are planning for your project, what goals you set for yourself and how to achieve them, the most important thing is that you enjoy what you are doing. That's what Trainz is all about: Having fun with it.

The other side is that the moment you publish screenshots and say "Chicago 1940s", it will raise a few expectations in the reader's mind. Chicago, railroad hub of the nation. Tracks everywhere, yards around every second corner, simply overwhelming. But also a challenge of a lifetime to recreate as a simulation. As a route builder you have to be realistic. You may decide to concentrate on recreating the atmosphere of a bygone railroad era, based on selected motifs from the pictures you look at or the old films you watch. That's great and that's something you certainly will be able to accomplish.

Going beyond that, however, trying to build an entire track network, the utterly complicated mesh of railroads in the Windy City, you won't get very far without a reliable and efficient method of surveying.

You will probably know that very few route projects will ever see a state of completion and many don't even make it beyond the initial stage. Keep that in mind before deciding you don't need maps.

I use maps, but I don't import them into the game. I have some areas textured, and the terrain is on its way. Using maps of the era in a flatland such as Chicago is not as hard as it seems. In addition, much of the grading of the old ROWs is still in place, so using modern day terrain maps is a viable option for routes leading out of Chicago, which will make up the bulk of the route. I would have used maps in the first place, but I do not have the money to buy the software, and I am already too far in laying track and putting in scenery to restart. Maybe in the future I will restart with a map when I ge far enough that I decide releasing the route in its finished state without the Ft. Wayne division or be Panhandle. Until then, I will plunge ahead with what I have so far.

Mtldrm38, I am not sure what the interchange is that is south of the 21st crossing, but I was told that it was EJ&E. That is what I was referring to.
 
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