Railworks America

I just had an interesting and a bit terrifying question posed to me.
If getting Erie Lackawanna DLC in game is a problem with DTG, what about making a new route as payware DLC with custom content?

First the DLC has been a HUGE problem even as I tried to riff off the Morristown route even though that was EL (nee Lackawanna)
Second, I am this close to finishing 90 plus miles of the New York Division.

Here are my questions to you:
1. Would you buy it?
2. If I converted the New York Division to DLC would you resent me?
3. What if I built, anew, from Croxton/Hoboken to Suffern but this time via the Main Line and not the Bergen? 30 Miles plus some branches
4. Another area say Hornell to Buffalo? 90 miles
5. Another area say Scranton to Binghamton?

This is just talk at this point - and I am throwing it out there.
I unfairly presume you know all the locations - trust me, all I know is the NY Division.

"Note for clarity. I am proposing a route with EL engines and rolling stock that pairs with the consignees.
Note 2 for clarity. Route conversion is unlikely itself and would likely require asset changes. Options 3,4 and 5 would be new assets, track and buildings, dont have details on terrain, foliage and if any DTG assets would be used or not. My apologies for not clarifying this at first!

You build it, I will buy it. Period. Any or all of the above. As it is, it is the best North American route for actual railroading, free or pay. (MY humble opinion.)

Not realy clear on this What we already have cant be taken away.So why buy a new route unless somehow it would be hugely improved.

plovdiv21 wrote:Not realy clear on this What we already have cant be taken away.So why buy a new route unless somehow it would be hugely improved.

Great point, your answering Question 2. In a rework or a new offering the year would be 1974. 1.This gets all of the equipment the EL had. 2. Custom and accurate(ish) stations and structures. A Bergen EL route would be completely retro - Croxton becomes massive and would have a non-functioning hump yard, fuel and round house. Also 4 track main from Ridgewood to Suffern. Additional 1974 customers (like American Brake Shoe in Mahwah). Bonus stuff ( I am just talking here) would be the Jersey City Yards adjacent to Hoboken. And new trackage through Delawanna to Patterson to Suffern. Bergen County Line would be reworked to Ridgewood and add a yard at Rutherford. And retro Signals and telegraph polls, old cars. And gosh I almost forgot-custom Ford Plant.

So the route would be 30 miles, you pickup 19 miles on the old Main which runs parallel to the BCL. Trust me I have spent a long time thinking of the possibilities. So lets call the route a minimum of 50 linear track miles, plus yards, sidings and branches.

In the Bergen Rework Scenario I cut the 65 miles from Suffern To PJ out, add 19 Miles of parallel mainline and turn the whole thing fully back to 1974.
This is ** BOLD.

If I go Western NY - this concern become moot as this would be all new territory.

minerman146 wrote:So the route would be 30 miles, you pickup 19 miles on the old Main which runs parallel to the BCL. Trust me I have spent a long time thinking of the possibilities. So lets call the route a minimum of 50 linear track miles, plus yards, sidings and branches.
In the Bergen Rework Scenario I cut the 65 miles from Suffern To PJ out, add 19 Miles of parallel mainline and turn the whole thing fully back to 1974.
This is ** BOLD.

First day purchase! I can imagine never getting out of a switcher.

I think a big reason why the Bergen is in it's current place is because of the custom content. If you could get a content creator on board to make something like sd45-2's or a u36c or other road power that would come with the route as a package, people would be all over the map making workshop scenarios.

I don't think a single person who runs the Bergen actually uses modern equipment, at least not as much as currently available reskins.

As far as Hornell to Buffalo goes, That's 90 miles of stunning mainline including the famous Portage Viaduct bridge over Letchworth State Park on what is now the NS Southern Tier Line. Between the bridge and Buffalo is the interchange with the G&W/Buffalo & Pittsburgh. Hornell doesn't really have a yard but you could snatch up ACS-64's off the Siemens lot and haul them west for testing.

Binghamton to Scranton is a similar scenario. Not much in between the two but beautiful country with the famous Tunkhannock Viaduct and this time NS interchanges with the Suzie-Q in Binghamton and one of the last ALCo strongholds, the Delaware Lackawanna in Scranton

Buffalo is a city of many yards, railroads and interchanges. That itself would be a feat.

Granted everything I'm saying is for modern day with these different routes you described.

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yup
Abso friggen lutely to 1-5

(Channel your inner Field of Dreams-like whisper "if you build it, they will come")

EngineerJohn: I don't just pick random places to do. If I must commit to another (oh God) year(s) of effort, it will be something special and FUNCTIONAL. Your knowledge cuts right to the point why Scranton to Binghamton and Hornell to Buffalo. Note, with Hornell we get the division point and the famous Erie Shops. In Buffalo we get the Bison Yard and NKP, NYC, and B&O? interchange. You know all this stuff! Scranton to Binghamton might be the stronger of the 2 choices.

If you could get a content creator on board to make something like sd45-2's or a u36c I brought the two exact items up - the developer can do both (and immediately offered up the SD45) , plus a road diesel, GP35 and an NW2 - SW8/9. My rolling stock request - is - expansive!

What precipitated all this was my request for a motive power - rolling stock pack for the Bergen. I was all happy that the developer was going to ask DTG, but then I remembered their 'NO DLC for WORKSHOP ROUTES' rule.

Note-this is all talk at the moment. I will say that if offered the shortest path(of my time) to get the Motive Power and rolling stock, I will likely take that option. I don't know if I am up to another 90 miles - you know?

Schnauzahpowahz - yes, I will "go the distance' and 'ease his pain'.

Overshoe wrote:You build it, I will buy it. Period. Any or all of the above. As it is, it is the best North American route for actual railroading, free or pay. (MY humble opinion.)

I wanna use this quote when I final the Bergen!
Tom, thanks as always. You are the best!

I would buy anything 1974 EL and would be glad to create custom content.

As has been echoed above, if you choose to make any sort of payware route, it would be a day one purchase for me regardless of location or genre. A 1970's freight route is right up my area of personal interest also.

I also happily volunteer my services for DEM work, or for scenarios when the time comes should you like.

I look forward to working with you guys if and when the time comes. I am waiting on DTG for DLC approval or some route conversion options.

minerman146 wrote:I look forward to working with you guys if and when the time comes. I am waiting on DTG for DLC approval or some route conversion options.

Asking for a friend. Why do you want to work with DTG on a route?

Count me in! Do I dare dream of an EL SDP45... in bi-centennial paint?

buzz456 wrote:

minerman146 wrote:I look forward to working with you guys if and when the time comes. I am waiting on DTG for DLC approval or some route conversion options.

Asking for a friend. Why do you want to work with DTG on a route?

You asked - I will tell you. So, 6 years ago, I am sitting with my then 10 year old son, who just bugged me to setup google maps so he could build a route of his own. I asked my son what about doing Suffern, where your Grandpa and Great Grandpa use to run trains on the Erie? I noted that its says here on the Dovetail page "Think you can do better? Try your hand at making a route of your own on workshop!" (Paraphrasing) So, we started. We joked around and said, if we could make the route really really good - maybe DTG would notice us an make the rest of the route, once they saw how cool this railroad is.

That's why Buzz.