A Trip to Michigan: The Kalamazoo Terminal Railway

[PullmanCar]

In recent months, route construction has been centred on the Grand Trunk/CK&S Kalamazoo Branch, from Kalamazoo to Pavilion, where the line connects with the main line.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24839--85.53244_09-27-52.jpg

Regrettably lots of progress was lost in a hard-drive failure on another team member's end. I am now working on the route myself.

The original CK&S line into Kalamazoo was removed at some point between 1970 and 1998, with trains now travelling over a connection and running over the GR&I line into Kalamazoo. Initially there were 4 separate lines through Kalamazoo, but as industries closed, the lines were consolidated into two, the NYC/LSM&S and PRR/GR&I.

The line runs to Kilgore Yard, in its day a 23-track yard to serve the GM Fisher Auto Body Plant, which produced over 100 car-loads per day. That has drastically been reduced today.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24208--85.52631_09-31-31.jpg

Currently the track is in place all the way to Pavilion, with minimal grading required towards Pavilion, and scenery stretching to just beyond Kilgore.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24368--85.52792_09-35-37.jpg

The speed limit is a whopping 10 MPH to Kilgore, but beyond Kilgore after a recent works programme (with over 10,000 sleepers replaced), the speed limit should be back up to 15 MPH.

Customers are Pactiv Packaging, Allnex USA, the now repurposed Auto-Body Plant and Complex, and L.C. Howard.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.26856--85.54680_09-19-13.jpg

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.25202--85.53664_09-26-54.jpg

'PullmanCar'

[PullmanCar]

Kilgore Yard Job Part 2:
Parallel to the GR&I:

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.26038--85.54496_09-22-03.jpg

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.25049--85.53459_09-27-19.jpg

Entering the Wye at Kilgore:

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24723--85.53099_09-28-57.jpg

Arriving at Kilgore Yard, a mobile unit is used as a yard office, just down from the original structure.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24638--85.52565_09-29-57.jpg

The wye at Kilgore Yard connects the now 6-track yard to the CK&S/GT Kalamazoo Branch.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24368--85.52792_09-31-36.jpg

'PullmanCar'

[PullmanCar]

Work as of late has been on the former GM Fisher Auto Body Plant and Kilgore Scenery around the edges. I am hopeful that the two days this week I am off the real passenger train I will be able to extend scenery closer to Pavilion.

However I have come across a couple questions for the community:
CN sometimes operates an ex-BLE "SD40T-3" Tunnel Motor, No. 910 on the line. This unit is a rebuilt SP SD45T-2 (minus light package as well, no trace, and a combined numberboard headlight/gyra). What would be the best locomotive in Train Sim to use to replicate the current state of 910? The DTM SP SD45T-2 since it originally was one, or the Soldier Summit SD40T-2 since the unit is now an SD40T? (Taking into account quality of add-on, operating capabilities, realism, etc)?
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locopicture.aspx?id=50683

I gather there is a BLE Tunnel Motor done off the Donner Pass SD40T-2, but I know that route is over 10 years old and I do not have it, does anyone here have any comment on that unit, or the BLE reskin done from it? Thank you.


And lastly many of the crossing gantries are of this old style, does anyone know of any in Train Simulator? I have just been using Wig Wags as stand-ins, since the poles are similar shapes, but would prefer something closer to these very early gantries, that are much different compared to the standard modern ones most Train Sim routes seem to have regardless of era (from Mtn Sub to NS routes).

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2595105 ... ?entry=ttu
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2668126 ... ?entry=ttu

Thank you.
'PullmanCar'

[buzz456]

RCAP has the gantries you are looking for.

[buzz456]

As far as the tunnel loco each has it's own adventure. All have the headlights in the wrong place and/or extra ones and I don't believe any of them have ditch lights. How prototypical do you feel you need to be? I have the Donner one by the way.

20230703101957_1.jpg

[PullmanCar]

Thank you for the response Buzz. I have been route building all morning, and will be looking in the RCAP assets for the old style overhead gantry crossing signals. Thank you for that tip.

As for the Tunnel Motor, naturally since TS lacks a single headlight SD40T-3, I guess my answer comes down to the best mixture of model accuracy to the SD40T-3/ex-SD45T-2 and simulation accuracy. I would hate to pick one inaccurate model over another different-inaccurate one, and pick one with terrible physics. SoldierSummit is the only one I have run at length. I have a "BLE" SD40T-3 taken from this one, that came from RWA installed. Besides the gyralite, a couple hatches, and the hood/frame placement, would you say this is the best option, since the Soldier Summit one has the physics upgrade; or stick with the Donner SP SD40T-2 with nose headlight but no gyra? Or would you recommend skinning something from the DTM SD45T-2 since the 910 was an ex-SD45T-2?

Thank you and I am sorry to continually confuse things with so many querries.
'PullmanCar'

[PullmanCar]

One of the more emotionally attached fictional pieces on the Kalamazoo Terminal, is dining car 2728, a 1930-built ACF heavyweight which operated for the Louisville & Nashville for over 3 decades.

One of the Kalamazoo team remembers it being at ITM and remembers riding in it. These days the car is part of the dining car fleet at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, where I see it nearly every day.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24364--85.52705_12-00-33.jpg

Unrelated to the Cross Keys Tavern, the Kilgore Yard job is the last CN/GTW local to still make usage of a caboose I am told, and although the windows are boarded over, GT caboose 79054 is resplendent in crisp GT red.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24684--85.52421_12-00-28.jpg

Much time has been spent as of late organising the assets, all under [KTR] and then the unit, rather than "EMD GP38-2 KTR" and "ALCo S2 KTR". My next skins are planned to be the Grand Elk wide cab GP40-2LWs, 4002, 4009, 4012, and 4017; as well as continued scenery progress.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24866--85.53291_12-05-22.jpg

I hope you all enjoy, and thank you to all those that have given suggestions, and those that have contributed skins. (I used the frame skin and some of the hood from Francisco Nunez's BLE Tunnel Motor to make 910 for instance, whilst other cars are straight from RWA- thank you).

'PullmanCar'

[PullmanCar]

Is anyone aware of any airport terminal towers in Train Sim routes, I know there is one in one of the North Jersey Coast routes, which I am currently using, but it is not an exact match, and not all of the Kalamazoo members have that route.
The real tower, and its construction for those interested: https://www.wileywilson.com/project/kalamazoo-air-traffic-control-tower-base-building/

I am trying to tidy up bits of the route as I work along the final scenery push to Pavilion. Yesterday was signalling, as even though this is a dark route - Train Sim, AI trains, and dark territory do not seem to co-operate well. I may ultimately need input from a signalling expert as it is not just a matter of replicating a real system, but designing one.

The WAMX/GDLK reskins of the GP40-2LW also are on pause as they need a cabside child object to place lettering, reporting mark, and unit HP/power on, from the battery box door to the underside of the cab window, on both sides.
https://switchmanimages.com/products/webb-asset-management-wamx-3

The last inquiry about the level crossing gantries, are working splendidly. Thank you Buzz.

Thank you.
‘PullmanCar’

[buzz456]

Just remember if you wish it to look prototype you can always place the signals underground. That way they they won't show but will work for AI traffic.

[PullmanCar]

Stage 2 of the "Kalamazoo Terminal Route" is complete - the Chicago, Kalamazoo, & Saginaw/Grand Trunk Western Kalamazoo Branch, from Pavilion, Michigan (on the GTW Main from Port Huron, through Battle Creek, to Chicago).

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24368--85.52792_09-35-37.jpg

This line is today operated by the Grand Elk and Canadian National, with the main interchange point being at Kilgore Yard, near the old GM Fisher Auto Body Plant (a major customer from the 1970s-1994/1995, eventually closed in 1999. At its peak the plant out-put dozens of boxcar loads per day, often approaching or at 100 carloads per day during its peak). This yard was handled by Conrail and GTW back in the day, and is today supposedly the last in Michigan to still make usage of a caboose, GTW wide-vision 79054. Motive power has often been interesting, in the 1980s a former CV ALCo, 8093, was used. (Which interestingly enough on RWA in its CV livery). More recently a CN wide cab SD40-2W, 5291 is often used, a twin 5289 has made appearances, and even more interestingly, former B&LE SD40T-3 "Tunnel Motor" No 910 has been used a number of times.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.24677--85.52502_12-03-33.jpg

Major customers today are:

Lewis C Howard (yet another warehouse) - boxcars

Allnex - tank cars of solvents (3-5 per week)

Pactiv Evergreen Packaging - R-Box/F-Box High Cube boxcars, centre-beams

Kaiser Aluminium (former GM Body Plant)

The average CN "Kalamazoo Local" is around 20 cars, sometimes growing towards 30, and on rare occasions 40-45.

Thus in its current state, the route includes 3 segments of track:

Former Conrail, ex-PC, nee-NYC/LSM&S 'BO Secondary' - 0.5 Miles
Stretches from Michigan Central Mainline (locomotives stabled at Botsford Yard) south to Gibson Street, and North to the CK&S/LSM&S North Yard, across the river to Parchment and L.C. Howard - GDLK Post-2009 in real life.

Former Conrail, ex-PC, nee-PRR/GR&I 'Upjohn Secondary' - 6.7 Miles
Stretches from Gibson St (connection to BO Secondary) to Upjohn (Pfizer) - GDLK Post-2009 in real life
This line was to be abandoned in 1975, but was instead sold to the state of Michigan, who then lifted the rails in the early 1980s, leaving only the section retained by Conrail to service area Kalamazoo industries, and then out to Portage to the Upjohn Corporation, with its siding, yard, and wye. Today this is Pfizer. North of Kalamazoo, the GR&I is still in place to Grand Rapids, but Southwards is tied into the old NYC on a portion of the "Michigan Air Line" to Elkhart.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry._42.21016--85.54941_09-06-05.jpg

Former GTW, nee-CK&S 'Kalamazoo Branch' - 9.22 Miles
Stretches from a modern connection to the Upjohn Secondary/GR&I South of Lake Street, to Pavilion, MI and a connection with the GTW Mainline from Port Huron to Chicago.
Originally this line came into Kalamazoo on its own right of way, heading North on the East side of Kalamazoo, then running West along Gibson Street, to the GTW Freight House (today a restaurant), requiring a diamond with the GR&I, as well as North on the old CK&S to Parchment, requiring another diamond on the Michigan Central Mainline (the reason the line was cut back, to eliminate that diamond for Amtrak, and all the crossings in town towards said diamond and the freight house). - CN with GDLK rights to Kilgore, CN rights to Gibson.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.19402--85.48727_09-23-59.jpg

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V2_42.16902--85.46377_12-01-23.jpg

Having said all of this, it has been my intent that we will eventually construct the 30+ former CR, PC, NYC/LSM&S Line to White Pigeon, however based upon the time to build around 20-22 miles of track, that will likely take in excess of one year. Would anyone desire to run "V2" of the route, if I were to put it, and stock packs on RWA, with the above lines? I have a customer Google Doc for scenarios, if desired, as well as a timeline (and one day after V3 plan to backdate the route to 2000, 1985, and possibly some day, 1975, in regards to track plan and basic industries (other scenery will be left unchanged). If there would be interest, I will place V2 on RWA, write some scenarios, quick drives, and begin placing asset reskins in the fictional Kalamazoo Terminal livery, real life CN livery, and in time GDLK/WAMX livery if someone can help with the child texture cabside lettering to go on the GP40-2Ws, GP38-2s, etc. I also will gladly release the fictional Monon equipment skinned for our steam excursions, all provided the EULAs/original authors approve. So I suppose now it is your time to inquire. You all have seen much of the route here, and lots of the equipment, both real and fictional, would you desire to run it? I am by no means a route builder, but there was a distinct lack of midwestern USA secondary and branch line routes, so I have tried my best to remedy that, by faithfully replicating Kalamazoo without spending insane amounts of time on detail and tanking FPS.

'PullmanCar'

[PullmanCar]

As the name "PullmanCar" implies, I like Pullmans, and working on those has kept me busy lately, with much of my free time going to Railroader. I have been working on "Version 3" of the route, which features the former LSM&S/"Michigan Air Line"/NYC Kalamazoo Branch from Kalamazoo to White Pigeon via Three Rivers. There it joins the line to Elkhart. Progress has been slow, as I also have been working on re-organising the locomotives for the route, moving them all to one provider>Kalamazoo; rather than their individual providers for every unit, and each sound pack and child. This had been requested, so I am doing it.

KTR 3 Pullmans.jpg

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V3_41.79293--85.64672_12-00-53.jpg

If ANYONE desires to try out Version 2, it is done, and I will gladly post it on the RWA File Library, with some reskins.

Kalamazoo's 2 latest "chariots": former New Georgia RR "6902". (Yes there is a NGRR version too), and Buzz's splendid Wabash 1009. My goal is to feature every surviving E8 and E9 (and those cut up in the last decade, that languished at LTEX). So far over 50 of the 75 units are in Train Sim, or in progress. (For instance, I have the textures done for "New York Central 4096" and "New York Central 4097", they just need sub-lettering. Being in the South, New Georgia is always on my mind when I think of covered wagons, although I never saw/interacted with 6902, only 6901 and the FP7s. Operations were over by the time I was of age, things being static.

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V3_41.79293--85.64672_12-00-29.jpg

A keen eye will notice former Claremont & Concord 102 behind. KTR's ex-SP ALCo S6 No. 1072 and 4-6-0 No. 3 are out of view behind.

KTR 3 Mixed Train.jpg

If anyone is interested in the E units, I should be glad to share any of mine, or any altered RWA ones (improved sounds, KTR sub-lettering, custom horns, etc.) for the route.

Enjoy.

'PullmanCar'

[buzz456]

Yes yes bring the route on.

[hobo1960]

Please do share your repaints, mods and routes.

We all benefit from the community spirit here.

KB

[PullmanCar]

I mentioned the New Georgia livery, but did not show it, so here is New Georgia 6902. The Nancy Hanks II scheme was utilised, however with the colours of the Georgia Building Authority being substituted for CofG ones.

6901 (SR), 6902 (NYC) and FP7s 3498 and 3499 (ex-SR) wore this livery. I have simply "eye-balled" it, as in some images the cobalt like blue appears lighter than others. This has no KTR sub-lettering, it is simply a "how it was" livery, unlike the other units, many of which have sublettering.

20240127152716_1.jpg

Enjoy. The delay in the route has stemmed from packaging assets.

There should be a separate post about that, once I finish tidying up the E units. (There are LOTS) of them.....

'PullmanCar'

[PullmanCar]

Further work on equipment, there were lots of bits needing "tidy-ed up", across ALCos (such as the 1072 lights) E units (ditch lights), and the remaining E units that were/are still missing. I have done the major work on CR&IP E8 652 (in the present scheme) and will be finishing the details on that, before making a backdated 2000s livery in its as delivered "Rocket" livery. I finished up Iron Mountain's 5898 today, and RR Museum of PA's E7A 5901.

KTR PRR E7 5901.jpg

This now just leaves:
- BN-3 (which I plan to start on after 652 is done)
- RF&P 1002 (unrestored at VMT)
- 261 group's ex-MILW 202A.
- URHS NJDoT Livery 4253 (last on the priority list)

This will still omit the 2 Juniata Terminal PRR E8s, 5711A and 5809A. I have had to do without the "lifting lugs" on all the PRR units I did, and the ex-PRR faux other units that had them, but to omit those and the train-phone ariels atop the roof just seems too noticeable, and considering I have already done multiple other PRR units, I shall omit the two Juniata examples, unless someone here is willing to do child object ariels (and by that point, hopefully lifting lugs on the front). As ever if anyone has done any of these units, please let me know. I once saw a picture of a BN-3 in Train Sim, but it does not seem to be public. On that topic, I believe Dash 7 Studios, did UP 942, but I have lost that file in a computer swap, and it no longer seems to be available. I suppose if no one here has any leads, it is time to jump on and do a 942 since I cannot find it, and a hypothetically restored 928 whilst at it. Anyone yearning to do one of the 4 aforementioned units, would have my gratitude. Once I get the units all done (ALCos, GP38-2s, E Units, F Units, stock, etc) it will be time to attempt to write .bats to cover installation, write read-me files, confer with a few creators, then pack them all up provided all is well, pack up the KTR V2.1 route, everything will head to RWA. I am sorry there have been so many delays in getting equipment ready. I want all the units done before I put it up however. I fear at the current rate, with museum projects outside of TS, unless someone else assists with some E units, that will probably be another 2 months minimum, if not 3.

For those wondering, I currently have 92 sub-foldered units installed, including a dozen or so units that did not survive (however some folders have multiple units in them) as well as multiple liveries for some surviving units (6902 in NGRR and CofG (no Tenn Central sadly, as of yet), SLRG/AZER 6070 in Black Widow and 2 Autumn Harvest Variants, etc).

Screenshot_[KTR] Kalamazoo Terminal Ry. V3_42.29340--85.56452_12-06-45.jpg

KTR IC E9Am 101 and 102.jpg

KTR GMO Heat of the Night.jpg

I truly do hope many enjoy this route when it is done, and the work that has gone into it, and the fictional and real rosters to go with it. How one E Unit (from real life) grew to 4 ex-IOU Pacific, then 20, 30, 50, 70, is quite a story. Hopefully it will give users decent quality E units for other usage as well.

KTR E Unit Showcase.jpg

'PullmanCar'