Hart Rail Lines First Route

[oper190]

Since I'm building the Route with MSTS Route Editor ( my choice ) I figure I'd post information and screens of my progress here along with some history of Hart Rail Lines.

The Route is set in upstate New York, ( USA2 tiles set used to sub in for NY Catskill mountains ) when Hart Rail Lines was started after the Civil War by a veteran who saw firsthand the use of trains to move war material, and men.

After laying track (over 50% done ) and doing some test runs, I found a goodly portion needed regrading, as 5%+ being a bit to much. Then tying in the regraded track into the existing track, with little bumps and curves to make them meet ( not so good ). So after more test runs I decided it best just to replant new track and do regrading. This required bring up the grade substantially for over a good third of the route. It seemed best then to just replant most objects with new, as track got shifted so many things were not where they needed to be anyway.

All the major regrading is done and track laid now for over 3/4 of the Route. Been busy replanting object and interactives while making test runs in OR over completed areas to see how they look and work in game, these will become "Tour" Activities that will be included.

Since this a totally fictional route, no attempt is made to render locations with any real accuracy. I am using real world name places, but since a railroad never existed here it is my interpretation of how the area could have developed if one had existed.

After completion of the Hart Home Route section, the balance, eastern portion, of the tile set will be developed as a totally fictional line, for continual running, where anything goes.

[frliss]

Geary,

Congrads on your first route and thank you for sharing. I'm looking forward to downloading it.

Fred

[oper190]

Conrads on your first route and thank you for sharing. I'm looking forward to downloading it.

Thanks, progress is being made, track laying is the easy part, it's adding all the objects that takes the real time. BTW not my first route, that one was done but testing revealed it was in dire need a track overhaul too. So once done with this one I'll get back to fixing it. ( the Main on that one is suppose to be high speed electric but to many turns were just done to tight so need to be redone with wider curves but that moves the track to completely different locations, so became a major rebuild ).

[oper190]

Now some early Hart RL History:

Eugean Hart lives in upstate New York in the Catskills. When the Civil War came he, like many good citizens, enlisted when a Regiment was being organized in his region. Among those also enlisting was a railroad engineer who worked for the New York Central on their West Shore Line along the Hudson River. As they were preparing to set off, the Army approached the engineer to except a post running Army trains, their value moving men and material had become obvious. He in turn asked Eugean to be his fireman, as they had become good friends. Seeing the wounded, many missing arms and legs convinced Eugean to accept. Later in the war they received a commendation from Gen. U. S. Grant for valuable service rendered for getting supplies forward at critical times in some of the battles.

After the war Eugean returned home to realize, one: that many of the jobs once held by many returning veterans had been had now gone to others, and secondly: that the industrial moves forward during the war were not seen in his region. Other railroads passed thought the Catskills but no near enough to help. So why not start their own rail line?

By 1866, mostly offering interest in the new rail line, he managed to acquire a right-of-way from Revana, New York, west to his hometown of Windam. Ravena would junction with the West Shore Line of the NYC, from which the supplies to build the line would come. Thus Hart Rail Lines was organized. However it wasn't until 1871 that the first revenue train ran, that from Grandville, NY, where a new yard was built at the terminus of the route at that time, back to Revana, NY. An old 4-4-0 engine, HRL #1, named the "U S Grant" ran two old flatcars with timber cut for the right-of-way bound for mills further south along the Hudson River.

Eugean found the labor he needed in former veterans without job, many who were invalids but willing to work, fellow volunteer firemen, and immigrants.

So it began!


A more modern look at the Renana, with the Hart Station adjourning that of the NYC.
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-00-41.jpg
Of course the NYC station is no more, though the build still stands and is used. In my Train Sim World it still exists.

Heading west out of Revana, the tall smokestack in the background is from the Hart Rail Car Shops.
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-02-28.jpg
The Revana station and yard was placed further east than originally set, thus this area still needs more objects planted, particularly vegetation.

There are many farms to be seen along the route and cow pastures - dairy has become one of the leading products of the line.
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-10-14.jpg
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-17-09.jpg
One of the Milk Sidings:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-14-03.jpg

[eric]

track laying is the easy part, it's adding all the objects that takes the real time

We need to get coffee mugs and singing fish plaques with that statement....

8e01d5c1-82db-4943-98fd-6ce288f4913c.jpg

[oper190]

We need to get coffee mugs and singing fish plaques with that statement....

Okay by me.
Of course I'm doing fictional, so how the track goes is however I like, not tied to any real-world basis.

[oper190]

Along the route you will find various Industrial/Commercial sidings and spurs:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-06-27.jpg
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-16-45.jpg
As well as larger and small stations:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-10-33.jpg
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-13-15.jpg
And a number of Yards - Arriving here at the Grandville Yard, the first terminus of the Route at mile 16:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-22-45.jpg
As with most Yards, coal and water is available for steam operations, as well as diesel fuel.
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-23-25.jpg
The Yards are smallish. compared to larger Railroads, but the route was originally built to handle local needs so larger yards were not needed.

[oper190]

Following the History of Hart RL:

The line finally had reached Windam just before the winter of 1873 and the following Spring continued on west. Hart Rail Lines, Hart RL, or simply HRL, as it is known, had been able to produce enough income by then to barely be in the black. Being a Volunteer Fireman, Eugean decided upon the Matless Cross as the basis of the Hart RL logo, which none of the other interested parties objected, as most being fellow volunteer fireman from the area.

From Windam the line surged westward as new sections were opened. The timber cut, becoming lumber, which was the lines primary source of income at that time, with a large Mill opened off the line at Grandville. Now all Hart RL's lumber needs were met locally. By 1875 Eugean’s son opened what would become Hart Rail Cars, outside of Ravena to west, and became Hart RL’s first sister company. By the 1880s it was obvious that Hart RL needed more and better engines. New built engines were still out of reach, so they inquired with other rail roads about obtaining used equipment. They were able to obtain three used 4-4-0 Camelback engines, from the Pennsylvania Railroad. They became Hart Nos. 4, 5, and 6. In late 1883 Eugean was able to acquire an addition used 4-4-0 camelback, along with 4 passenger coaches, ( a combine and three coaches ), from the Long Island Railroad. Being it was 14 years since Hart RL was organized that engine was given No. 14.

Hart’s first passenger train, using Engine 14, ran on May 20, 1883. It would not be until late October of that year before regularly scheduled passenger service was a true reality between Windam and Revana after several sections of duel track had been completed to facilitate trains be able to pass each other. Until then the line had been entirely single track. In time this passenger service was named "The Dutchman," and the name is still associated to Hart RL's premier passenger service. Unfortunately at that time heavy snows would still stop service, as Hart RL had yet to obtain any real Track clearing equipment, beyond some homemade plows. Evenually Hart Rail Cars would fabricate purpose-built plows that could be attached to a train engine, with Hart RL being the first to use them.

By 1892 trackage had extended west to what Hart RL called South Oneonta, on the eastern side of the Susquehanna River and south of Oneonta. Plans were made to connect with the D&H so Hart RL could interchange with them in their Oneonta Yard. At that time passenger service was extended west to Prattsville, NY, with stations being planned all the way west to South Oneonta.

Eugean was preparing to turn over Hart Rail Lines to his son Howard, but then came the Spanish American War, and Howard enlisted in the US Volunteer Calvery ( The Rough Riders ).

[oper190]

Leaving Grandville Station, heading for Windham.
Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-23-00.jpg
The Mill at Grandville:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 12-21-27.jpg
More Cows, you'll see plenty of them along the route:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-28-18.jpg

[oper190]

Some Industries you'll find:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-27-08.jpg
East Windham Industrial Park:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-45-50.jpg
Coming into Windham Yard, the second major terminus of the Route at mile 28:
Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-47-37.jpg
The building ahead and on the left with the towers is Harl Rail Lines Headquarters, built when Howard was President.
It was Eugean's wish that Windham be Mile Zero, but with the line starting at Revana there was no way to accurately mile mark the route backward as changes to the Right-of-Way were inevitable during construction.
Therefore an "Honoray" Mile Post Zero was placed in front of Hart Headquarters.
Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-49-09.jpg

[oper190]

Interesting phenomena that seems to happen in OR and found occurring in other Routes.
Why???

Doing a test run and found floating water where none is planted:
Open Rails 2026-07-08 11-12-43.jpg
In MSTS Route Editor where I'm working there is none: ( even with terrain textures removed )
ztile.jpg
Had that same situation with USA1A Route, water appearing over the tracks at the eastern tunel at Baltimore.
In that case I went into TRSE to remove the water, ( it showed up there ), but kept getting a TDB error so did not save, not wanting to ruin the Route.
Ended up going into MSTS RE and dropped the water level for that tile, ( there was no water on it ), so it was below the terrain.

[frliss]

Open Rails 2026-07-06 03-49-09.jpg

You got to start somewhere. I believe it was a Chinese General who said, "To start a journey of 1000 miles you have to take a single step".

Fred

[oper190]

Looks like this Route is going on the back burner. Thanks to Scott's new program, I'll be redoing the Route on the correct tile set and terrain, and with more track. It will include extensions to the Main that the USA2 tiles couldn't accommodate. This route as is will become a totally fictional route with location name changes, and more stuff that I couldn't do trying to keep it real worldish. Still post progress as I'll probably being switching off on which Route I'll be working on.
Next is my LIRR Route, with tiles done so just needs to be run through the new program.

[oper190]

A quick update, now that I have the actual location modeled thanks to Scott's new program. Tile set done, terrain done , track being laid. Main Line from Ravena to Windham is done. Getting looks from the wife so have to take a brake.

Here is a map of the Route, the BLACK line is the approximate run of the track as planned:
Route Map.jpg
Track in place:
New Route.jpg

[scottb613]

Hi Geary,

Very cool - glad it is working out for you...

I've always been a fan of the old NYOW - which runs nearby. I live a few miles from the old High Point tunnel. Man - I'm getting old - I forget the name of the gentleman who made the route - he's passed - he made the terrain by hand without DEMEX. I never had his route - just noted the pix. Perhaps I'll load up a KML file and see what the terrain looks like.

Regards,
Scott