Starting a route

[LGM118]

Hi all. I sort of had another thread on the topic, but I am planning on building a route for either Train Sim 2013 or 2014 (once that comes out and depending on how much of an improvement it is over TS2013), and I have been waiting on starting it up until I had gotten a bit more familiar with the differences between TS2013's route builder and Trainz's (which I had previously used to make a fairly large route that a few people liked).

Anyways, I've been annoyed that the vast majority of US routes are mostly "slow mountain routes" and I have been interested in building a more busy, commuter or intercity-focused route. I've been in discussion with shicoe30 about extending his SE Wisconsin route down to Chicago once he's done with it, and he's open to that (he's also pretty busy with other things so progress was slow when I talked to him).

Anyways, I am interested in getting some input on what exactly to build, and so I figured that it would be worth it to ask for some thoughts on what to build. Also, doing a more popular route and/or getting people interested could lead to getting some help on the route such as people being willing to lend support on making building models, repainting things, and so on. Basically, I don't consider myself an expert, so any help would be appreciated, but I do have a general understanding of how to build a decent route. Here are the ideas I had in mind:

1. The BNSF "Racetrack" from Chicago to Aurora - this would be a very tough route and I'm sure the bar would be set pretty high since so many people know the route.
2. The Union Pacific Line from Chicago to Kenosha - this is my old stomping ground and it's just a great line. The one downside is that in the modern era it's basically just commuter trains (nothing else south of Lake Bluff except some minor switching possibilities near downtown Chicago) so if I wanted to make people interested in this, there'd have to probably be more than just the line from Chicago to Kenosha.
3. The CSX Metropolitan Division and Cumberland Subdivision (lots of freight, plus Amtrak and MARC service, and it's an east coast route). Then again, my whole point of "I'm sick and tired of all the US routes being freight+mountains" would kind of be compromised by building one of those.
4. Extending the NEC down from Philadelphia to Washington. This would be a challenge 1) because it would depend upon RSC willing to allow it and there would probably need to be some kind of open line of communication with them, though that could probably lead to technical assistance on the route build, and 2) I'llbe honest here, while this is a route I'd love to see, there is no way I'd be able to build this route on my own or even to be the primary person working on this kind of route - it's about 120 miles and there's a plethora of track connections, complexities, etc. that I am still not familiar with. As someone who lives in Washington DC, I would love to see the NEC route finished (which would I guess mean going from Washington to Boston), and I'd love to play a part in making it happen.

I'd love it if someone who has more experience with making building models would be willing to help out with that element. I am competent with using gmax (though I do prefer Sketchup even though you have a much longer process in getting things from that over to TS2013), but I know there's no way I'd be able to make some of the big passenger terminals that would be in the routes I want to build.

[artimrj]

God luck with all of that. When you need a beta tester feel free to look me up, I am a good beta tester.

[jpetersjr]

If the route is to be freeware you won't have to ask RSC for permission in making it.


And if the route is going to be payware you'll have to learn how to 3d model and build all the assets that you will need for the route since no one else could help in making the models because they won't get paid.

And besides, I don't want to do anything for a payware route because I don't have the time to do so, or even the skill level needed to make high detail items with night windows that would be needed to show the quality of the route.



I wish you good luck in building the route. I would advise you start out with something smaller first though, perhaps a fiction route that runs through a small town before you try anything in a big city.

As well, you can't extend a payware route and be able to release it without breaking the rules, for that, even for freeware RSC won't allow you to do so. Unfortunately you'll have to build your own version of it, without using anything from the payware NEC.

[buzz456]

How about something like the BNSF from Aurora west to the river, or the UP from Elburn out to the river. That would be a lot less demanding from a scenery standpoint and would give some good running along with some minor yards and intersections with other railroads. Or even the CN (old IC) or even the CN (old SOO Milwaukee line west).

[imnew]

The racetrack please

[LGM118]

If the route is to be freeware you won't have to ask RSC for permission in making it.


And if the route is going to be payware you'll have to learn how to 3d model and build all the assets that you will need for the route since no one else could help in making the models because they won't get paid.

And besides, I don't want to do anything for a payware route because I don't have the time to do so, or even the skill level needed to make high detail items with night windows that would be needed to show the quality of the route.



I wish you good luck in building the route. I would advise you start out with something smaller first though, perhaps a fiction route that runs through a small town before you try anything in a big city.

As well, you can't extend a payware route and be able to release it without breaking the rules, for that, even for freeware RSC won't allow you to do so. Unfortunately you'll have to build your own version of it, without using anything from the payware NEC.

Yeah, I built up a bit of experience by building a few short and simple routes on my own, which is why I wanted to move up to bigger and better things. I'm solely interested in building freeware routes, however. That said, the RSC issue is the main problem.

[LGM118]

How about something like the BNSF from Aurora west to the river, or the UP from Elburn out to the river. That would be a lot less demanding from a scenery standpoint and would give some good running along with some minor yards and intersections with other railroads. Or even the CN (old IC) or even the CN (old SOO Milwaukee line west).

Those are both interesting. I had thought of the idea of building the line east to Chicago from Galesburg. I'd be able to start off on the more easy rural areas, then finish things off with that last bit in Chicago. I'm hugely in favor of being able to run an Amtrak corridor train from end to end. The ideal route in my mind is the CP C&M subdivision, but I'm planning on doing that later once shicoe is done with his SE Wisconsin route.

Truth be told, I'm still working through a few of the idiosyncrasies of the editor, so I might settle for something smaller like the UP North Line (the only real challenges would be Northwestern Station and one or two small yards). The question then becomes, is anyone interested in a 50-something mile line with basically only commuter rail using bilevel gallery cars that (to date) no one has modeled?

[1225fan5358]

If RSC has a problem, they will let you know, kinda.

[Bananarama]

If RSC has a problem, they will let you know, kinda.

Your comment does not make sense. If an issue exists, they either will or they will not.

[1225fan5358]

If RSC has a problem, they will let you know, kinda.

Your comment does not make sense. If an issue exists, they either will or they will not.

Like I said. Kinda. Though not always directly.

[jpetersjr]

How about something based in the 30's. I've built a decent amount of 30's vehicles and I have a traffic ribbon of my 30's vehicles which would be perfect for a area based in the 30's.


Like they say, we have the AT&N Consolidation and GN Doodlebug and nowhere to run them.



...Cheers...


jpetersjr

[thecanadianrail]

How about something like the BNSF from Aurora west to the river, or the UP from Elburn out to the river. That would be a lot less demanding from a scenery standpoint and would give some good running along with some minor yards and intersections with other railroads. Or even the CN (old IC) or even the CN (old SOO Milwaukee line west).

Those are both interesting. I had thought of the idea of building the line east to Chicago from Galesburg. I'd be able to start off on the more easy rural areas, then finish things off with that last bit in Chicago. I'm hugely in favor of being able to run an Amtrak corridor train from end to end. The ideal route in my mind is the CP C&M subdivision, but I'm planning on doing that later once shicoe is done with his SE Wisconsin route.

Truth be told, I'm still working through a few of the idiosyncrasies of the editor, so I might settle for something smaller like the UP North Line (the only real challenges would be Northwestern Station and one or two small yards). The question then becomes, is anyone interested in a 50-something mile line with basically only commuter rail using bilevel gallery cars that (to date) no one has modeled?

Most people would be happy with a rout that's finished and looks good, even though it might not be as diverse in operation. The biggest thing you must ask is what would YOU like most of all, because it's something that will keep you entertained throughout the build and give you the greatest enjoyment when finished.

[LTBROYT6A]

LGM118,
About 6 months ago I started tracing track in Google Earth to make a route centered around the CSX Baltimore Terminal Division's Curtis Bay Yard, which is located in a heavy industrial area, and is comprised of two large yards, the main Curtis Bay Yard and the CSX Curtis Bay Coal Pier Yard. Rail access to Curtis Bay Yard comes in from the west, off of the Mt. Claire Sub Div reversing WYE and crosses back over Mt. Winans Yard via Zepps Bridge just north of its junction with the main line coming from the DC at the south end of the yard. The line than continues 3½ Miles east behind Cherry Hill, across the Patapsco River and through Brooklyn to Curtis Bay Yard. The main yard curves to a South South Easterly direction with the Fairfield industrial waterfront to the North and East and Brooklyn to the South and West. The Main yard and the Coal Yard are joined by six tracks on three bridges across Patapsco Ave, the main East West street through Brooklyn. Some of the industries served by the Curtis Bay Div are a few chemical plants, two ethanol plants, several bulk petroleum distributors including Citgo, Exxon, BP, Sunoco, Shell, Hess, Pilot, and Petro along with three or four asphalt bulk distributors. Some of the other industries are US Gypsum, WR Grace, a couple lumber yards, and steel companies, a propane distributor, some warehousing companies, and Mercedes Bentz Pier where they import Mercedes and Export Chrysler vehicles and where the US Department of Defense ship military vehicles and equipment. There was also a Major DOD Ordinance depot with a lot of trackage and buildings that don’t seem to be used any more but I traced the track any way, I thought It would make some neat scenarios.

Any way I started thinking that there wasn’t much main line to run on and wouldn’t support much AI, so I started tracing the main line south towards Washington DC, west through Ellicott City towards Hagerstown, north west to Gettysburg, and north east towards Philly. I finally realized that there is a lot of interaction with Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, Maryland Midland, Patapsco and Back River (Bethlehem Steel’s RR), MTA ( Maryland Mass Transit Administration’s) MARC Trains (Maryland Area Rail Commuter), MTA Light Rail, MTA Metro (Subway), and DC Metro (Subway)so I decided to trace all of the track from northern Virginia and southern Maryland north to Philadelphia and Gettysburg , west to Martinsburg WV and Hagerstown. So far I have traced Amtrak’s North East Corridor from Washington Union Station to Philadelphia 30th St, and I am also going to do Suburban Station. I am also tracing the Mass Transit tracks where they interact with the railroads for AI.

At this point I am not sure how I want to do this, it would be cool if I could make it one large route with everything in it but I’m not sure how much of a route will load at one time, if too much loads all at once it would crash the computers or does it only load enough to reach the maximum distance that the free range camera can travel. I have most of the track traced and am filing in what hasn’t been done yet a couple days a week. So far I have a good rapport with CSX I was the Captain of Engine 35, of the Baltimore City Fire Dept, located in Brooklyn and I covered 95% of the Curtis Bay Sub Division and was first due to the main entrance of the yard. I am currently on retirement leave and will be fully retired on August 24th. I am acquainted with two of the yard masters and have worked and trained with the regional HazMat supervisor for CSX. I figure that this will be a multiple year project, but I hope to have a partial Beta done some time next year. Wish me luck. Any help and advice from the Railworks Community will be appreciated.
Barry P. Broyles
North East Maryland

[imnew]

1. Backup after every session. Do not backup to one drive only, have an external drive as a backup aswell.
2. Do not lay down tracks for miles and miles and miles, then later on place scenery items, you might burn out with that approach. Placing scenery items takes alot of time. The way I do it is, lay down tracks, then place scenery as I go along. It does take time, but atleast you know you are done with the area.
3. Wait with signals, there are some promising signals and scripts coming with RCAP.
4. Backup backup

Good luck.

[1225fan5358]

Quite a list. That doesn't look like it'll be done for 10+ years