A trainz product for support of History

Hey all,

I was very surprised about the amount of responses I got from my thread, that I decided to do another one.

I was looking over the East Broad Top Railroad and it looks to me a lot of work to restore.

I was wondering about a route or locomotive package that can support the EBT to be restored and also to create awareness of the EBT for donations to come in.

Anybody up to this challenge?

It might also be possible for other historic preservation groups.

Thought I start something up.
 
Al I can think of are 2 U.S. political millionaires that would have enough cash to restore and operate the EBT RR, but I don't know if they are rail fans. Perhaps if Rod Stewart, as he is a rail fan (or someone else of the likes) then maybe it might pan out. I absolutely loved the EBT RR
 
One of our fellow Trainzers, who I think it's Bob Pearson, is working on a Trainz route of the East Broad Top. Maybe he, or the one who is working on it, can team up with you and then approach the group. How much in sales will go towards the project is hard to say. Trainz is a niche market. The complete route, however, run as a video production could be used as a demonstration of what the restored operation would be like plus the sales of the route would help.

EDIT:
I forgot to say...

Trainzer steamboateng is working on a virtual route of the Boston and Maine's west end as it runs into the Hoosac Tunnel. He started the route back in 2014 and it's still ongoing. In its formative years he and I showed the route as a TransDEM route mocked up very quickly, in the hotel overnight no less, to the Western Gateway Heritage State Park, a museum found in the former B&M freight house in North Adams that contains the history of the "Gateway City", a city that grew up from a tiny hamlet to a thriving mill and industrial city because of the opening of the Hoosac Tunnel. In their exhibits are artifacts and historic accounts, posters, models, etc., including a model railroad that was once featured on the cover of a Model Railroad Magazine (1970's I think).

The museum officials, and the director of the nearby historical society, absolutely loved seeing the area, abeit, in topographic map form with trains running on the tracks. We were immediately put in touch with the B&MRRHS, the local historical society, and author Carl Byron who wrote the book Pinprick of Light, which is the history of the tunnel.

This project started in October 2014 and was in TS12. He has continued on with the project into T:ANE, making assets as needed such as the proprietary catenary used for the tunnel electric system. In 2016 we did a live presentation at the 150th Anniversary of the Mount Washington Cog Railway tour. Old Peppersass, the first cog railway engine, was on tour across the nation, and its first stop in Massachusetts was North Adams. This drew in quite a crowd and we presented the route in progress. Retired officials from the Boston and Maine, and B&M Historical Society, came in and saw his route. They pointed out things that needed work, but loved the overall feel. We found out for instance that there was too much foliage near the tracks for the era being modeled, and the JR track used was too "nice". The B&M in the 1930's and 1940's didn't use ballast on their track and only cinders as needed. It's stuff like this, history, personal stories, and such that you'll need for your route project as it helps nail those details that get lost in the translation from real world to models whether they are physical or virtual.
 
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One could contribute to the Friends of the East Broad Top https://febt.org/index.html who appear to be restoring buildings and such, doesn't look much like they would ever be in a position to do a full restoration though unless a wealthy benefactor buys the line.

It has been done with Trainz Before though, Ed (Edh6) with his donation to the Restoration of Welsh Pony for his FR England loco pack. Kevin Martin did similar for the Talyllyn for MSTS and originally his FR stuff for MSTS and Trainz both was only available from the Ffestiniog website, I think mainly to give publicity. However being realistic these were / are existing ongoing projects with a realistic cost on working railways.

I think in the UK we are getting close to saturation point with the amount of requests for donations for Heritage lines and restoration projects.
 
Yes John, my EBT route's been a work in progress for longer than I can remember. I'm a life member of the Friends of the EBT. The FEBT has a working relationship with the Kovalchick family and is still actively engaged in limited restoration and maintenance around the Rockhill Furnace and Robertsdale areas. But it is only volunteer labor. The mainline is 33 miles long but since the EBT ceased operations in 1956 and was bought by the Kovalchick Salvage Co I think tourist trains have only been run on the 3.5 mile section from Rockhill Furnace to Colgate Grove at the junction with the old Shirley Clay Spur. The Kovalchick's own the entire route - ROW, buildings and equipment. I don't know the current legal status of the section from Mt Union to the concrete bridge over Aughwick Creek. But the rest they own and are trying to sell.

To put this into perspective a study made in 1995 indicated it would take over 46,000,000 USD to restore and upgrade the facilities on the full 33 miles of the EBT main line. The time line it proposed would take 10 years to accomplish it. That included additional infrastructure so the line would be a self sustaining tourist venue. That was a quarter century ago.

Where's Bill Gates when you need him? Do you think Warren Buffet might want to invest in a railroad - a diamond in the rough?

Bob Pearson

A shot looking at Meadow St and the shop complex in Rockhill Furnace.
My-Trainz-Screenshot-Image.jpg


A shot from the transfer shed area looking at the upper & lower yards in Mt Union.
My-Trainz-Screenshot-Image.jpg
 
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Like John, I was going to add a bit more to my post but I got distracted. It ended up a lot more detailed than I wanted but it kind of grew. If not an EBT fan it's probably a bit boring so be warned.

I was wondering about a route or locomotive package that can support the EBT to be restored and also to create awareness of the EBT for donations to come in.

There is at least 1 current content pack offer that is directed towards benefiting the FEBT. [Warning: links to payware site content included ahead] Over at JointedRail they've hoisted the EBT Hopper Benefit Pack by Adam Chilcote for 5 years now. 7 steel hopper variations used by the EBT to carry coal and ganister rock. For those that don't know they are 3 ft ng hoppers. A nice set. Of course payware but part of the proceeds goes to support FEBT. If you don't have them well - you just missed JR 40% off sale on them. I don't own a lot of payware stuff - that pack and most of K&L's PRR steam locos.

That's K&L's PRR L1s lurking in the Mt Union pic in post above. The PRR still owned some of the track there including the PRR creosote plant and tie yard. The pic looking at EBT's yard at Rockhill Furnace shows a mix of JR hoppers and some by Whitepass from the DLS. Those are my repaints of Randal's ng passenger coach to represent EBT coaches nos 8 - 11. The flats are Pencil42's and repainted for EBT. The shop complex buildings are all Ben Dorsey's work. Ben also did a number of bridges and other buildings for the route. The station is probably Steve Lerro's 1st model for Trainz (I think he cringes everytime I mention it). I prefer it to Ben's model - sorry.

Early on I was thinking I'd offer the route as donationware when it was finished. Of course it's pretty obvious now I will never finish the route but I keep going. There have been IIRC 3 other EBT route start ups besides the one I'm working on. One was just the 3.5 mile tourist section of the line. Personally I was never much interested in the tourist era. But even that one never made it.

For steam locomotives - we have Ben Neal's 2-8-2 No 17. That's originally a TRS04/06 era model that's been repainted and config's been updated by several people. I've repainted it to represent Nos 16, 17 and 18 in pre 1956 revenue service. Togog has EBT's 1st No 3, a 2-8-0 that was retired in 1911, somewhat before the time frame I'm modeling. I have a version of the 3rd No 3 a 0-6-0 sg loco that operated only on the dg and sg track in MT Union. It's a modified and repainted version of Leeferr's generic 0-6-0. Not too bad a fit except for the alligator crosshead and air pump arrgt 8-(.

Ben Dorsey made the M-1 gas-electric motorcar in a couple of liveries. I repainted one for working in pre 1956 era on my route .

Of course I want to see all the EBT locos (say 1920 and on) in Trainz and that includes updates of No 16, 17 & 18 2-8-2 to current model standards.
The following have to be made from scratch:
EBT 3ft ng
No 11 2-6-2
No 12 2-8-2
No 14 & 15 2-8-2
M-2 motorcar - bought 1927, rebuilt 1928 and scrapped 1929. It was considered a failure but a unique model based on a street car - if anyone has the time.
M-3 motorcar - a small enclosed car for inspection work used from 1923 to 1956 and fully restored by FEBT members in 2006.

Not EBT locos but I'm interested in 1920-1930 time frame that covers the 3ft ng logging operations south of Rockhill Furnace area.
McKelvey Brothers logging railroad used EBT flat cars and had a direct connection to the EBT at Rockhill Furnace.
No 2 Class B 36-2 Shay (Post above shows my repaint of Ben Neal's Class B 28-2 Shay - it's too small for the 36 tonner but looks at home there.)
No 3 Class B 50-2 Shay

EBT sg locos restricted to Mt Union yards
No 3 0-6-0 Baldwin built in 1923 - the youngest EBT steam loco. It's has been sitting in the Mt Union engine house since 1956. Leeferr's generic model I used is old by todays standards.
No 6 0-6-0 Baldwin built in 1907 with wooden cab. I'm not aware of any Trainz model to represent it.

Ben Dorsey made EBT caboose No 2 ([edit] built around 1874 disposition unknown but not seen in any photos after 1894). He also made some railfan cars for the tourist era. Except for the hoppers mentioned above the rest of the EBT's rolling stock is not available in Trainz.

Lots of industries and buildings that are unique to the EBT are waiting to be made.

So lots to pick from,

Bob Pearson
 
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