Updating older routes to modern day Open Rails standards

[BrandonS261]

I came up with an idea for all of us to work together on. Now we have some fantastic routes out there that have stood the test of time and many that are still from the MSTS days but has anyone thought about updating them to new Open Rails standards?

My thought is this could be done by anyone or a group of people who would like to bring new light to an older route. How could it be done you ask? By updating the track to modern day track standards by using US Tracks, Scale Rail or Eric from Trainsim updated track database. Updating signaling and crossings with current signals and crossings done by Travis. We could also update scenery by updating ground textures, trees, grass and other details that really brings a route to life.

Just a thought I had that we could all work on together. I know this would take time and would possibly need to be a group effort but I think it would be great to put some new life into older routes. If we could get some route builder's input that would be great.

Brandon

[CSRX]

I wanted to do this with the Marias Pass v5, but Travis ended up redoing the whole thing with new track work, so I haven't bothered much with it. I wanted to tackle the scenery on my spare time from my own routes, but that project is sitting on the back burner.

There was a couple of others I wanted to this with as well, but end users seem to not have that much interest in older routes compared to the newer ones, especially from TSN.

I would love to revamp the Florida Funnel route, and the Tallahassee Sub routes, which I believe I redid to scale rail many years ago with the help from Kent who originally built the two routes.

Could be done I'm sure, if people stick with strictly freeware items for the updates, and the use of something like Dropbox to upload the progress files.

[eric]

By updating the track to modern day track standards by using ..... Eric from Trainsim updated track.

Well.... A-Tracks is already an immediate face lift. Install the new track shapes into your Global\Shapes, add the appropriate dynamic track profile to the route (already provided in A-Tracks), and maybe update to the most current T-Section because there might have been some corrections to ancient shapes along the way that had bad information in them.

Doesn't require any other potentially disastrous tinkering with signals or interactives, potentially invalidating existing paths and activities.

Anything else is essentially a re-release of the route. That's an admirable effort if someone's so inclined, but not without it's risks.

[eric]

Could be done .... with the use of something like Dropbox to upload the progress files.

I love Dropbox and use it myself. It's great for a team build if everyone has enough quota within Dropbox. We also have a WIP section here that can be used for team builds, as well as builds someone started and gave up on but are willing to hand off to someone else to complete. Those are already download quota exempt.

PM me if you want to explore that -- I can make a private section for upload/download as well.

[superheatedsteam]

For version control, github could be a good option.

[EvolutionMan]

...but end users seem to not have that much interest in older routes compared to the newer ones, especially from TSN.

Absolutely agree with that statement, Shawn. Even so, I think there's something you get out of older routes that you can't from the newer ones. The Cascade and North Western is still an excellent choice in terms of how much operational potential there is, as it has a little bit of everything. There are also a good number of activities available for some of the older routes, and more often than not, they really add depth and realism to the simulation.

Now, thinking further ahead, while this idea does have some potential, the main catch is that there might be less and less routes that most users will prefer, as making/modifying routes alone are a huge undertaking.

Perhaps we'd need to consider this, for example: Ten years down the line, no one will want an appropriate route for Conrail freight operations solely because of the age of the only complete route fitting that description. Sure, it might not have all sorts of plants surrounding the trackage across it's entire length, and it lacks any textured roadbed on the terrain, but it's great for main line operations and regional switching runs, if you're into that style. There are several other routes of different types which I think still hold up rather well after all those years.

Keep in mind that this is strictly my opinion, and anyone is welcome to add on to those thoughts.

[BNrailfan]

I wanted to do this with the Marias Pass v5, but Travis ended up redoing the whole thing with new track work.

That's cool, I guess I missed this announcement

[landnrailroader]

Don created some great routes, especially given the basic material he had to work with. I have all of them, and at his request, I finished the mega route (mostly narrow gauge) after he passed away. Me and "Coonskin" were probably the ones who were closest to him and on his departure from this life, he made sure that Coonskin had the latest material, and then Coonskin sent me the mega route. One area that has not been done, although I may have put it in the "incomplete" area was the SL&RG, San Luis & Rio Grande. That line, headquartered in Alamosa folded a few years back and was bought at auction by a shortline group and is now operated as the Colorado & Rio Grande, some name like that. The current issue of Railfan & Railroad has a very good article on it, recent photographs etc. It states that the line west of Del Norte, CO has been out of service since 2008 which is mostly true but that portion does have a lot of mostly Union Pacific coal cars stored on it when I was last by that area in 2022. One comment in the article says that the railroad occasionally delivers ties to the C&TS at Antoneto. The roadmaster on the C&TS does a really good job, almost too good, maintaining the track. There was a lot of deferred maintenance when the C&TS took over in 1970 but now it is very well maintained.

Jerry Sullivan

[Jdark34]

could yall revamped the mm sub from montgomery to mobile alabama? one of my favorite routes to play on.

[gordy]

That's a great idea and would be AWESOME to see a updated Monon Route.......:-)

[Jdark34]

love to see the tallahassee sub get revamped with green ctc signals and maybe add another 50 or 75 miles to the route for open rails

[Metra322]

I'd like to see an updated GM&O Northern Lines and Illinois Central(David Klemm) routes

[Orbita]

Where to begin?

I think one route that really needs to see the light of day is the ancient Cleveland Union Terminal route. Close second is the Conrail Indy route. The latter of which is close to home for me.

[eric]

And I'd like a new truck, but it ain't gonna happen if I don't get it done myself.

Put more politely, if you're going to suggest a route that needs a facelift, you might want to consider volunteering to do some of that work yourself.

[qballbandit]

One thing that immediately came to my mind is - route builders who post requests like, "looking for volunteers to help complete my route". Meaning, who can build objects, do signal work, place objects and vegetation. How many volunteers actually step to the plate and commit to assisting? I don't know, but I also know I don't see these routes getting completed in any reasonable amount of time. I think too any people bite off more than they can chew, boast about mega routes, then retreat, then mention 6 other things they are working on instead or in addition to.
I mod every route I enjoy running, and that is an undertaking that I have to mentally prep myself for and then stay focused/dedicated from start to finish. It isn't that it is if difficult, it's that its' so time consuming. This is where I see the common impasse with this subject.

That all said, I wish everyone luck if this materializes into something positive.