New or ongoing projects in the coming year 2026

[landnrailroader]

I have several routes in progress and most likely the first release as an incomplete will be another version of my Knoxville Division, L&N which will include all of the Southern lines around Knoxville as well. One of those routes only existed from late in 1967 to sometime in 1992. That was the length (or amount) of coal reserves at the ARCO mine. SR started a unit train out of there in late 1967 and I was on a geometry train run to the mine a few weeks before the unit train started and then every 6 weeks or so after that until I left SR in 8/78. The most ambitious route is the NC&StL (L&N, now CSX) Chattanooga line from Nashville to Chattanooga. Track is done and now I am putting in the web of "basic" roads, i.e. those that cross or parallel the track. I'll also put in mileposts. Then I hope to spend a week on the Cumbres & Toltec in late September where I have volunteered as a docent since 2019. The last week in Sept. to the 2nd week in Oct. is usually when the Aspen Trees change color so crowds are large and docents are often few. A friend manages the docents in Chama, NM which he says is a lot like herding cats. Well, I have 4 royally spoiled kittys, so I know a little about that too.

Jerry

[scfe_fan]

I took a page out of Eric's book and I've got several routes that I have setup on a rotation to hopefully prevent burnout. Most are route projects for routes and era's have been neglected in the 20+ years we've had MSTS/OR but I DO also have some rolling stock I'm working now that I've got a decent handlehold on blender.

As far as rolling stock, my Viewliner II's have already been released, at some point I will decide if I want to tackle the Viewliner I's and the Amfleet II's, but that is up in the air at moment.
I'm working on both Metra & South Shore Line versions of the Nippon-Sharyo Highliner II's which along with the Metra Gallery Cars, may at some point get an almost complete rebuild due to improving my skills with Blender:
NICTDbilevel.jpg

I'm also working on the South Shore Line's single level EMU cars but I admit the fact that the Open Rails team has not given more options for how door related animations are controlled has kinda moved both the Highliner II's and the single level EMU's to the back burner for the time being:
progress.jpg
As for route projects, those are DEFINITELY on a rotation with me working on each for a month or two at a time and then shelving it and working on a different one. Currently, I have these being worked on:

South Shore Line Chicago Millennium Station-South Bend, IN
southshorecsx.jpg Brightline Florida from Orlando Airport to MiamiCentral Station
Brightline.jpg DC Terminal as it appeared just after the end of WWII to the advent of Amtrak
DCterminal.jpg
Jacksonville Terminal as it appeared in the 50's
JAX terminal.jpg
The Seaboard Coast Line Miami Sub from Wildwood to Miami with the Branch line to Clewiston as it appeared in 1977
Miami Sub.jpg
Metra's Rock Island District from LaSalle Street Station to the Joliet Transportation Center
LaSalleStreetStation.jpg
All route projects are also including custom scenery objects to enhance the look of the routes.

[anderson martins]

These are the models that get most (but not all) of my modelling attention on an ongoing basis. The further left the model, the closer to release.

Cheers,

Marek.

OR_WIP.jpg

A well-known talent, for a long time. Excellent choices.

[BrandonS261]

My current project that I have been working on for some time! Any guesses? Still have a ton of work to do to it before it is completed.

Screenshot 2026-01-11 131640.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 131659.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 111048.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 111115.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 131617.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 131559.png

[Orbita]

My current project that I have been working on for some time! Any guesses? Still have a ton of work to do to it before it is completed.

Screenshot 2026-01-11 131640.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 131659.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 111048.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 111115.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 131617.png Screenshot 2026-01-11 131559.png

Pretty certain that's Reading 2101 when it was operating as the Chessie Steam Special.

[BrandonS261]

Yes you are correct. Its when it ran as the AFT later version and the Chessie Steam Special runs.

[railrunner112]

I have a few projects, working on the European Vennbahn but als I want to make some scenery for route builders and I am trying to save stuff from a site that is going down by uploading it to our own (which I believe is the only open rails site remaining in the Netherlands)