Ravenna Arsenal Route

[gwgardner]

On my Fort Worth 1925 route, I'm using the donationware RWA Lakeside Route (don't know if I need that, since I'm also using RCAP) and the payware Bessemer & Lake Erie, because it's set in my era. Other than that, a ton of freeware scenery assets, same as my old Cimarron & Pacific route, especially jpetersjr and GreatNortherner.

I don't have a lot of payware, and thus I miss out on almost all routes, which generally use a lot of payware. If I have to buy a payware route in order to play a freeware route, I generally don't.

I'm guessing most active route builders and players, the kind who post on the forums here and elsewhere, have a lot of payware. I just can't afford to do that, so stick with freeware for the most part.

[buzz456]

Michael Stephen freeware, JP jr. freeware and the stuff you already mentioned should do you. If you need any custom stuff ask JP. He’s made all kinds of near custom buildings for the MRL. Also if you need anything you can’t find ask here. There’s a ton of stuff from Euros that’s free. One of us should be able to find whatever you need.

[jgvaughan]

Michael Stephen freeware, JP jr. freeware and the stuff you already mentioned should do you. If you need any custom stuff ask JP. He’s made all kinds of near custom buildings for the MRL. Also if you need anything you can’t find ask here. There’s a ton of stuff from Euros that’s free. One of us should be able to find whatever you need.

Excellent, thanks!

[jgvaughan]

RavennaArsenal2d-110818.jpg

The track laying is complete. Came across an older document that gave me more info on the west side of the site. I've driven over there a couple of times but couldn't really work out the exact layout. Found out there was actually a North and South exit to the two mainlines on that side as well. Have them added and a friend of mine suggested adding more of the munition storage bunkers on the west half of the site but they would be strictly cosmetic as I can not find any indication that there were rail spurs supporting them. Everything points to the use of trucks to transport product for storage or recovery.

Tried my hand at adding scenery, not that is a time-consuming task. There are a significant number of roads and 'trails' that I will probably address next. For now, I'm gonna take a break. My eyes were starting to cross as I finished up things tonight.

[artimrj]

Welcome to the club Jim. Remember way back when I would be up all night writing "activities" ?

[jgvaughan]

Welcome to the club Jim. Remember way back when I would be up all night writing "activities" ?

Yep, I do. Between repaints, scenarios writing, and route building, I never could figure out when you would sleep. I had to start over three times before I truly got the hang for how to be consistent with the track laying and realizing some of the shortcuts. I finally realized trying to using Google Maps as a guide was more challenging than it was worth. Using series route markers proved to be the key and only using the terrain images from Google Maps when I got an area completed.

Another thing I learned was to lay all the 'primary' track first, which turned all the different storage areas into separate areas. Those areas became just a group of straight tracks and then the switches on to the primary track runs.

I have to do a little terrain forming but the site is fairly flat overall with some small creeks running through it and a couple of somewhat prominent elevations.

[jgvaughan]

Okay, track laying complete, minimal scenery has been done. This is a screenshot from a test run I did through the Main Classification Yard.

[RAILSOHIO]

Great to see a progress shot!

[TDHenderson]

Taking notice to see if this will inspire me to finish my Cornhusker Ordnance Plant.




Both of these repaints will fit right in to your route.
http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/d ... e-repaints
http://www.railworksamerica.com/index.p ... e-repaints

Looking forward to seeing this progress!!

Trevor

[jgvaughan]

Taking notice to see if this will inspire me to finish my Cornhusker Ordnance Plant.

Both of these repaints will fit right into your route.
http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/d ... e-repaints
http://www.railworksamerica.com/index.p ... e-repaints

Looking forward to seeing this progress!!

Trevor

Thanks. I was in Hilton Head last week for vacation and ran across a guy whose job was to oversee all the Ordnance Plants in the US back in the 60s and 70s. He was a wealth of information on the historical side. He was an O scale model railroader as well and showed me pictures of his home layout. Definitely a stickler for detail. Covered his entire basement 34' x 27'. So far my biggest challenge has been finding models for the different plants that were located on the post. The storage areas were easy to find similar models and the rolling stock and locomotives jumped out all over the place. Now finding the time to do all the scenery, definitely going to be one area at a time.