A route that's been three years in the making is about to get a major facelift, but just to blast off the cover on this project...
To answer some questions before they arise:
1) Yes, it will be T:ANE compatible, and if all goes well TS12 compatible as well although that is subject to change.
2) It will likely be payware, and while there are many 3rd party assets on this route currently...
3) The plan is to make this route roughly 90% custom made content, give or take.
4) The current era planned for the first release is c. 1941, however both pre and post Oroville line change versions are planned, and potentially a modern version in the future after that.
5) Yes, there will be steam locomotives. Lots of steam locomotives.
6) Shooting for a late 2018 release date however do
not hold me to that as there are many moving parts playing into the making of this route, and while about 70 - 80% of the route is actually done there is much, much more to do aside from laying track and placing scenery. Rest assured that what will be released will be the best we can possibly put forward.
Also, especially for the 1940's era route, I am
not going to claim that the route will be 100% accurate, building for building, inch for inch. As it currently stands there are simply large areas where we do not have photographic evidence of what the landscape and general area looked like, particularly on the portion of the line that was rerouted in 1957, and we have drawn up blanks when searching for diagrams for certain lineside structures and facilities. However, I will guarantee that we are doing our best based on the information that we have to remain faithful to the prototype, and we are doing our best to, when necessary, approximate and make logical guesses to fill in blanks when we come to a standstill.
Additionally, any help in procuring diagrams or pointing us in the direction of out of the way places (we have already canvassed WPlives, WPHS, etc) where we can get information would be useful in expediting the process of getting this route done, and would certainly be appreciated.