The Illinois Railway Museum Route

slabay said:

Whether that means you have to go to school, teach yourself a skill, or pay someone else (who went to school or taught THEMSELVES a skill) to do your work for you, you will find that nothing in life is free and you get what you pay for.

Good luck, Matt.

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I second that. It is not too harsh, to the point, and I would say I went and taught this 45 y/o plus brain housing group Gmax and content creation in TS12 / TANE.

I've seen many people over the years in this forum complain about the content other creators make, and why don't they make something for them. Sometimes they do, then they want more. There are few who have quit completely due to gimme pigs wanting stuff. I felt that I would not go that route because I was wanting to learn some craft I knew nothing about (Gmax). I have built houses, garages, train models, model planes, barns, flew model planes, crawled, walked, fell, got up, ran, fell, walked, got up, and learned to throw a football with my son using my left arm (when I broke fingers with my right hand) and a few other things (not including the firefighting skills and techniques of shutting down many military aircraft and egressing the aircrew). I knew I could teach myself Gmax and content creation for Trainz if I just took the time to try.

When it came to building routes for trains, I could get by with what was out there for making regional routes in Michigan & South Carolina and using buildings on the DLS to make due in representing some town. Sometimes the reskins with permission looked OK, but when I needed an engine house for Beaufort, SC, I made one. When I needed an elevator in Capac, MI I made one. When I needed custom buildings, structures, and stuff, I learned to make them in Gmax using the many tutorials that were out there. Hell, I even made a caboose and a 86ft autobox this past year, my first rolling stock. I did not want to bug Dave Snow or a Ben Dorsey to do it for me, I wanted to learn.

Give a person a fish to eat, and he'll eat it and be hungry soon. Teach a person to find, catch, clean, and cook fish, and they'll never go hungry.

You can learn to make stuff like this...



Good luck. It is not hard. Endeavor to persevere, endeavor to challenge your mind. I would love to see your route completed.

Dan

Thanks Dan. I appreciate the kind suggestion and support (unlike some others) but I want to announce that after giving some time to think Ive decided to give one more go at Content Creating and I would like to thank everyone who (kindly and politely) suggested their thoughts and stories about becoming a content creator. BlackDiamond1964 has offered to help me learn blender so Im going to try to learn how to make scenery (and just scenery) since I don't have any interest into wanting to make the more difficult things such as rolling stock or locomotives... I havve a pretty good system going on for those at the moment. Plus I would also like to thank those who provided good and (POSITIVE) constructive criticism in those suggestions because If I had more negative criticism I would had still declined the offer but again thank you to all who provided positive comments.

Now moving back on Topic... my route DEM guy... rr_jdm finally contacted me and we were able to update the google map objects to get rid of those black areas that were covering up certain areas so now I can fill them in.

Also with these google map updates, it included new track work that has been done recently that the google map pieces I was using before did not show. I can now update my track work. This means I can get back to working on my route now that I'm not limited by those black areas.


Again thank you to the everyone who still supports the project... It means a lot to me knowing that its not just I who look forward to the day when this route is completed.

Can I have him make me a DEM for my TS12 version of the IRM?

I have 2 things to say:

1. Whats a DEM?

2. Great work Matt. I was at the IRM Sunday and me and my grandfather were walking around to the back of (I think it is Barn 10) Barn 10 and we noticed a few new barns back there that were built. Never got to look in them due to the IRM still working on them. Anyways, cannot wait for the next update!

Trainz_12_fan_100 said:

Whats a DEM?

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Digital Elevation Map

JakeTrainz said:

Can I have him make me a DEM for my TS12 version of the IRM?

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Hey! I'm making one too! What about me!?

applegathc said:

Hey! I'm making one too! What about me!?

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A DEM of IRM? Why, it's just about as flat as a pancake.

BlackDiamond1964 said:

A DEM of IRM? Why, it's just about as flat as a pancake.

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Actually, Contrary to popular belief the majority of the Midwest is not flat. In fact it is more rolling plains than anything else. Illinois is no exception.

Not surprised that you are using a DEM map Matt! Keep up the great work!

That is true @USSc1798. I took a trip down to a museum in Southern Illinois and we ran through a few big hills and drove across a bunch of rivers

It seems flat driving down a road where the road itself has been leveled off, but if you where to take an elevation map of, for example my home state of Minnesota you would see that the land is actually quite hilly. I know we are a little far north to be considered Midwest but the climate and topography here is similar to other Midwestern states, just a lot more trees and mountains up north. Do note that the endless fields of crop can certainly give the illusion of flat land. This is another thing that needs to be captured in the IRM route, endless farm fields. I would refrain from using too much corn though as it gets repetitive and will end up blocking a lot of the route. I've been working on a couple of farm assets, and if you where interested Matt I could finish those up and release them. Also, a lot of the farm fields we own sit on or are big hills, just FYI for those not arround these parts.

Hello Everyone, I would like to apologies for the lack of response to your questions and messages as well as progress over the past 2 weeks. I had been kept very busy getting ready for my sisters wedding (which happened yesterday). Thankfully its now over and I can get back to work on my route. I would note that this summer is going to be a bite more busy than usual for me now that I now have the time to start setting up my time to volunteer at IRM (on every Saturday) as well as working at my regular job so I will try to get as much work as I can over the summer so you must all bear with me. I will start working on my route first thing tomorrow since its my last day off from work before I head back.

to answer your question Daylightrain, lets take this to either email or PM and we will discuss it there. I need to talk to you anyway.

Do you need any help with getting pictures of the museum or any specific peices of equipment. I live pretty close by so I can get some for you.

Sure I could us all the extra help I can get... let's take this to PMs shall we.

Hello Everyone I got some small work done on the route (Im still feeling tired after all that partying and preparations for my sisters wedding) but I was able to get some progress done. Lets get started.

With the the new google map images I was finally able to add more track work to the Yard 15 (soon to be Barn 15) and the new single track siding that will be expanded latter to become part of the new trolley loop section that will eventually loop around Barns 15, 14, 13, 11 and 10 and to eventually go down the future planned Main Street and reconnect with the old trolley loop by barn 4.






Notice anything different with this screenshot. Well I would like to welcome user USSc1798 to the IRM scenery making team, he will be assisting Bendorsey by helping him out by making stuff that he cant make with the smaller objects. His new crossing signs looking a lot better than the old ones. Bendorsey's looked great at first but when I added in more detailed scenery in... the more off they looked so I decided to give them a upgrade. This is to reduce the stress on Bendorsey so I decided to bring him on board to help out. He is only going to update just a few of his assets (So don't worry he is not being replaced) after that he will be helping him out with what ever stuff that is need such as signs, chairs, tables, etc....




Plus with the black areas gone I can start adding in more generic scenery along both the IRM and UP Belvedere Subdivision mainlines.




More screenshots coming in the next post.

Here are some scenes I set up today.

Here are the 3 examples of Thrall cars IRM has... The first one was made by SimulatorTrain from Jointed Rail and the other two are reskins made davidakridge off of David Snows original UNDEC model and released with his permission.


Here we see PWiesers C&NW #9933 RDC-1 car. when its restored in this look it will be giving a new role as a real end cab control car since IRM is a point to point railroad with no turn around sidings or wye on the mainline so this will be a useful asset when its restored.




The Steam shops can be a bit cramped at times with all the old parts and equipment around the building.


Pullman 1792 and CGW caboose #601 rest near electric park.


The CTA 50th Avenue Station is a busy place for those who prefer to board IRM's Electric Equipment the proper way how it was done back in the day.




more screenshots coming in the next post.

Here are the final set of screenshots...

Keeping the IRM mainline from being overgrown is a tough task but important to improve the overall look of the quality of mainline of the old Elgin and Belvedere Electric Railroad.


Here we see a C&NW MOW train with a C&NW Wrecker Crane


During the Annual IRM Diesel Days, they do a Parade with all of their operational diesel power and this can bring a lot of wired looking consists but its all for their former heritage.


With this route... You can see stuff in operation on the IRM mainline that might never run again like IRM's C&O 2-8-4 #2703 which is mostly going to be a cosmetic restoration. With this route you can live the "What If's".


Finally we see IRM's prize steam engine IRM's Frisco 1630 at work.


Thats all for today. Until next time stay tuned.

Uhh, Matt? I hate to break it to you, but you have the wrong number for the Kanawha.

Sorry for the sideways (Darnit HostThenPost).
This is one of my own pictures I took last week on Sunday.

I bet BenDorsey absolutely loves you insulting his grade crossing signs and content in general...
smh

Your trackwork is horrifically bumpy. No amount of custom content will fix the route without that being redone.

He's clearly waiting to add the grade/height later on.