Any interest in a Norfolk & Western project?

I'm curious to know if any of the very talented Trainz modelers out there have any interest in putting together an N&W route. If a group of these folks pooled their abilities for the sole purpose of builidng this, it could be one of the best routes ever made for Trainz. There would be no need to form a permanent group, but a "limited" group could succeed by relying on contributions from talented individuals and members of existing groups. It would also offer the Trainz community several things:

1. more steam
2. diverse but manageable - and enjoyable - operations comprised of both switching ops and mainline running, including both freight and passenger schedules. Even shop moves.
3. beautiful scenery
4. a cohesive, "self-contained" environment. By that I mean that the end result would achieve a unique and seamless feel by having all contributors working toward the same goal - rather than forcing the representation of a given railroad through an assemblage of disparate models and scenery drawn from freeware, payware, DLS, non-DLS, etc. etc. etc.

The seamlessness could be achieved, in part at least, by having high quality models of N&W steam engines, roundhouses, shops, stations, signals, freight and passenger equipment, etc. It could be further achieved by focusing on a specific division or portion of a division, and still further achieved by focusing on a specific time frame.

5. the possibility of providing a platform for a true multi-player platform (as in virtual dispatchers, yardmasters, crews, managers, as far as you want to take it, rather than just AI and portals) if Auran were to support and assist such a third-party effort and direct it as far as getting it to meet their technical ability to provide multiplayer. Multiplayer Trainz has been discussed at length before and I can't possibly recount all of it here, so I hope it'll suffice to say that I think this project could lend itself well to multiplayer - if that option becomes available.

6. This would be an effort with "dedicated" map, content, rolling stock, etc. - with permissions and licenses and distribution and use restrictions being part and parcel of the same body. Achieve that by distributing it through Auran as a Trainz Classic. Auran would get sales. Contributors would get good exposure plus that "incentive" that was mentioned with the announcement of Trainz Classics. Everybody wins.

I'd personally love to build the terrain for a 1950s-era N&W division - especially Radford, Shenandoah, or - perhaps even better - the stretch of N&W from Radford to Roanoke, which carried both Radford and Pocahontas Division trains. Heavy coal trains, empty hopper runs, merchandise freights, legendary passenger trains, and all classes of N&W motive power and rolling stock.

Anyhow - I think it'd be fun!

Thoughts?

Rob

I think it sounds great I have never tried to create anything but if it wounldn't be much trouble it would be a good learning experience I think for me. I would be glad to help in anyway I can.

Although I'm more of an SP fan, I think it would be fun to recreate part of the N&W. I know I'm not a "very talented Trainz modeler" but given the proper materials I could still whip out some decent items and I can learn more as things progress. The 1950's era would be a great time period to model and the multiplayer possibility sounds really cool. The main thing I could see becoming a problem is the number of polys would add up to a level that high end computers could only handle.


Ethan

ethandude said:

Although I'm more of an SP fan, I think it would be fun to recreate part of the N&W. I know I'm not a "very talented Trainz modeler" but given the proper materials I could still whip out some decent items and I can learn more as things progress. The 1950's era would be a great time period to model and the multiplayer possibility sounds really cool. The main thing I could see becoming a problem is the number of polys would add up to a level that high end computers could only handle.


Ethan

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Glad you pointed that out - perhaps I should not have said "very talented" as it does sound discriminatory. I think I'm "pretty good" at route building - some might say very good, others might say not at all good. What I should have said was that I think everybody has something in Trainz they are good at, but few, if any, of us are good at everything Trainz. I may be "pretty good" at route-building, but I couldn't build my way out of a 3D paper bag when it comes to content creation. So one of the "perks" of the project is that it could combine individual strengths into something with high overall quality.

Good point also about the polys. That is something I think would have to be part of Auran's "directing" as only they know where the fattest part of the bell curve is when it comes to their customer's specs. They are certainly better informed on that than we are. On the other hand, I think it would be easier to stay within a group poly budget rather than trying to coordinate hundreds of individual creators' poly budgets into something that works.

@Duckslayer92 - thanks!

I should also mention that I'm not gunning to be "in charge" of this thing - I just think it's very worth doing. I could coordinate it, if that's what people want, but I'd be just as happy (maybe moreso) simply contributing to it.

jrcrawford4 said:

Glad you pointed that out - perhaps I should not have said "very talented" as it does sound discriminatory. I think I'm "pretty good" at route building - some might say very good, others might say not at all good. What I should have said was that I think everybody has something in Trainz they are good at, but few, if any, of us are good at everything Trainz. I may be "pretty good" at route-building, but I couldn't build my way out of a 3D paper bag when it comes to content creation. So one of the "perks" of the project is that it could combine individual strengths into something with high overall quality.

Good point also about the polys. That is something I think would have to be part of Auran's "directing" as only they know where the fattest part of the bell curve is when it comes to their customer's specs. They are certainly better informed on that than we are. On the other hand, I think it would be easier to stay within a group poly budget rather than trying to coordinate hundreds of individual creators' poly budgets into something that works.

@Duckslayer92 - thanks!

I should also mention that I'm not gunning to be "in charge" of this thing - I just think it's very worth doing. I could coordinate it, if that's what people want, but I'd be just as happy (maybe moreso) simply contributing to it.

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"Very talented" I agree is discriminary and although there are some very talented people in the trainz community but there aren't many. Plus, it doesn't take a group of very talented people to make nice route.

The main thing that made me think of the high polys were N&W's big mallets that they had.

I know your not gunning to be in charge of this but since its your idea I think it might be good for you to atleast coordinate it.

Ethan

if high poly count is your problem just seperate the route into smalller sections. put them in all the seasons. i would love to help. im not good but it would be a very fun learning experiance for me. as a 13 year old i am restricted to certain things.

I'm no expert, but I think the N&W is extremely well documented. There is a ton of archival information here - http://www.nwhs.org/. They have a searchable online listing of drawings, books, photos, etc. No, you can't access archival material directly over the internet, but you can browse and see that they have drawings of everything from the handles on a Y6 firebox door to concrete roadways at Roanoke Shops to the location of the Winston-Salem turntable, to just about everything in between.

Big help to anybody wanting to make models.

titaniclover said:

if high poly count is your problem just seperate the route into smalller sections. put them in all the seasons. i would love to help. im not good but it would be a very fun learning experiance for me. as a 13 year old i am restricted to certain things.

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Even if the route was seperated into smaller sections but still built to high detail/poly standard, it would still probably only work well on high computers. Although, having the different seasons would be neat though.....

Ethan

Yeah, I think the problem would be after you put the smaller sections together, the polys would then take a toll. Would sort of depend on how big a chunk of railroad was modeled, too.

You should try to model near Roanoke, Virgina. It was the N&W's main hub and contained many of there steam shops. Many years ago I was a huge N&W fan because of one thing, Steam. The N&W kept there steam engines longer then any other railroad, primarily because there main bissness was coal. They had the most technologicly advanced steam shops around in Roanoke. If I had a choice I would say give J1 #611 a place in Trainz. In 1983 the Norfalk Southern started a steam program with J1 #611 and a Y6b #1218 (An articulated 2-8-8-4). In 1995 NS cancled the steam program and the engines where sent away. The railway museum of Virgina now owns #611. The Y6b went with #611 to the VRRM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_and_Western_611
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_and_Western_Railway
http://www.kohlin.com/rr3/nw611-1.jpg
#611 Steaming along on the NS steam program

#611 Currently

The Y6b

Yes, the Roanoke area is my preference because of its significance to N&W locomotive construction, its central location, and the sheer volume of traffic that passed through there (and still does).

BTW, I think you meant to say that #1218 is an A-class.

Rob

jrcrawford4 said:

Yeah, I think the problem would be after you put the smaller sections together, the polys would then take a toll. Would sort of depend on how big a chunk of railroad was modeled, too.

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Yeah, and the amount of trains would also take a toll on fps too. Modeling Ranoke sounds like a good idea.

Ethan

I have been working on The Detroit,Toledo and Ironton since Trainz was released in the US. Part of the N&W Scioto division(Portsmouth to Columbus) will be included in it. I am also working on the N&W's Jawn Henry. However,it would be great to see an N&W project come forward.
Joe Swogger, CEO The Bald-One Locomotive Werkz

If I had a choice I would say give J1 #611 a place in Trainz. In 1983 the Norfalk Southern started a steam program with J1 #611 and a Y6b #1218 (An articulated 2-8-8-4). In 1995 NS cancled the steam program and the engines where sent away. The railway museum of Virgina now owns #611. The Y6b went with #611 to the VRRM.

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rail4pete i think i have the 2-8-8-4 articulated steam loco. but the cab is horribly made nothing is interactive and it uses a diesel electric hud panle for the most of it. i am currently taking the loco specs of the loco used in the urban indusrtail and putting that in the loco 2-8-8-4. i hope this will resolve the problem with that loco if not i will use the original. also does anyone know where i can find the Zypher loco and cars?
ethandude if you love SP i think you will love the GS-4 class. also know as the Daylight.

titaniclover said:

rail4pete i think i have the 2-8-8-4 articulated steam loco. but the cab is horribly made nothing is interactive and it uses a diesel electric hud panle for the most of it. i am currently taking the loco specs of the loco used in the urban indusrtail and putting that in the loco 2-8-8-4. i hope this will resolve the problem with that loco if not i will use the original. also does anyone know where i can find the Zypher loco and cars?
ethandude if you love SP i think you will love the GS-4 class. also know as the Daylight.

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Thanks for the SP info.

Ethan

N&W Route

I though someone was doing a N&W Route.I've seen a few pictures and post but I've never seen it finished or uploaded to the DL.

N&W Route

Just started And I'm learning at the same time,so don't hold your breath.
This is just at the end of Williamson you can see RT52 in the distance.

I'm pretty experinced track man, so I can do tracks for you if you want,
its no problem at all, except time....i have saurday, and sunday free, then half of today, and 5:30 after shcool everyday, i think this will be a great project. oh yea for all you who didnt know, alt + u = fly mode. alt + y = walk mode. its pretty cool.

mike.

EDIT: sorry, didnt see your doing it.... i would love to help though, im very experinced been using trainz for 4 years now.

Thanks, Mike, actually I haven't started doing it yet (although I do love track laying); was just testing the waters to see who'd be interested in helping bring this off. Very glad to see there are some N&W fans among us!

So maybe I should ask: who'd be interested in making - and able to make - models of steam locomotives, rolling stock, and buildings, etc?

jrcrawford4 said:

Thanks, Mike, actually I haven't started doing it yet (although I do love track laying); was just testing the waters to see who'd be interested in helping bring this off. Very glad to see there are some N&W fans among us!

So maybe I should ask: who'd be interested in making - and able to make - models of steam locomotives, rolling stock, and buildings, etc?

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I'd be interested in making some models and have the ability to.

Ethan