North American mainlines: What hasn't been done?

[ebnertra000]

I just found some DMIR track charts, so I've started laying track. I'll include the old DWP to simulate modern CN operations even though I have no charts for that side. I'm tempted to do the Twin Ports area as its own route, but that would be a ways off

[CSRX]

New England is under-represented. We do have Paul Charland’s exquisite Conn River Route, and bits and pieces of the MEC and B&M, some with questionable accuracy, plus Metro North. I would love to see the New Haven RR in the 50’s, extension of the Conn River north to Saint Albans, or south to Springfield, MA….


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The current B&M/MEC routes I will say, are not anywhere close to accurate. Which is why I have taken on trying to do them myself. Currently, as you know, working on the MEC Mountain Division in the 1978-1981 time frame before the big G showed up and ruined everything. I started work on another MEC based route, though more in line for the 2008 time frame, between Waterville and Portland. The Vermont Rail System - Rutland Division is currently on hold. I've been really wanting to do the LVRC, but trying to find track charts and grade charts for that railroad is almost impossible.

Unfortunately, there are far too many routes out there where detail and accuracy have been nearly totally sacrificed just to "make mileage."

Not saying this is an issue for most, but for me, if you take a look at google maps of Rigby Yard in South Portland, ME, and follow the tracks east, and then west into Cumberland Mills/Westbrooke towards Windham, you will notice how sprawled out these towns are along the right of way. I'm picking away at it, the best I can with my route, but I must admit, it is a bit much and becomes overwhelming to the point of being burnt out on it. If anything my plan is to get most of it in place that you can spot from the tracks, and enough to cover for the "drone" photos, but if I go much more than that, I am afraid it will even bog down my own computer (gaming laptop that can handle the latest Call of Duty installment, but for some reason struggles with Starfield), and that says a lot. haha.

[landnrailroader]

When doing a town, my thought is "How much of this community is really visible from a passing train". I have many many miles on trains from 34 years on the railroad, even though I wasn't allowed to yank the whistle cord, or handle the throttle (except during strikes), but let the damn thing jump the track and I caught hell-------. The street that parallels the track plus the first one beyond that is plenty unless you have an industrial track that wanders off into the town somewhere and then I would limit to one street either side of that track. If you have my Hook & Eye route, which is in the library, upgraded by the Monon guy, look at Etowah, TN which I will copy for use in my Knoxville Division route. I used that rule on Etowah.

Jerry Sullivan (aka landnrailroader)

[tjm123]

I'm trying... Yuma to Tucson will be done one of these days. And I know someone else was working on the Yuma Sub from West Colton.

I have been on and off with the Yuma Sub project. The objective is to finish the conversion to Scalerail from XTracks. So far, Scalerail has been laid from West Colton to Yuma. The gaps are the remainder to Ontario, the whole West Colton yard (which I didn't finish with the old track system), and the yards in Indio and Yuma. I had to relay the mainline east of West Colton to make the gradients more accurate and because some Xtracks curves aren't available with Scalerails. Also needing to be done are passing sidings, especially the curves because I generally use one degree track pieces and dynamic tracks on curves. I think I'll release the route with barely any scenery due to the tremendous work required on that. (I'm eyeing for a payware release, although that may change. Please note that am busier personally than back when I began the route.)

RIP Bob. He provided the depots and ground textures for my ARZC route.

[eric]

tjm123 PM me with what curves you're missing.

I've got a bunch of new 2TCrv's that may be of use to fill the gaps that Scalerail had, and can crank out a few more if that's not sufficient.

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