Roarin Elgin underway

[CGW409]

Just thought I'd pop in to tell y'all that the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin is underway, Only have the main from Forest Park to just west of the Desplaines river done.
Since I'm learning route building on the fly, I have no idea how long this may take and I'll pop in from time to time with updates & questions.
First question already.
Is actual third rail track avalible for MSTS?
thanks in advance

[dchagar]

Lookin' forward to the Great Third Rail. I think if you downloaded the Chicago L route, there is some third rail track in it, but I've never been able to get the route to work, only seen the screen shots. There is a short piece of third rail in the file library, but it's covered with a wooden board, so it's not right for your RR. There is a reskin of the Milwaukee Electric car into CA&E colors that you should download so you have the right rolling stock to start with. How about some screen shots so we can all drool a bit?
Dave
(The Mesaba Electric guy)

[tryagin]

Just wishin' ya good luck! Take it easy - don't be in a hurry to finish. It sounds like a good route!

Tim

[CGW409]

Dave
The darndest thing is the C&AE was formaly abandonded in 61, a few months prior to my birth.
I DL'd the CAE car and that started the idea rattling around, then
last Sunday I was out at IRM at Union Ill. and the gift shop was showing Sunday River's CAE vid and that firmed it up, that evening I DL'd the steeple cab and that cinched it.
As for the third rail I'll check the library if I can find some that look right I'll go for it if not I'll just go for the imaginary 3rd rail.
Finaly I'll post some screen shots when I've really got something to show, as it stands right now there's only about 2500 meters of the 2 mains, a deck plate bridge over a gully and a few hunded meters of the CGW main.
I am skining some trackside structures to red & gray, I've reskined the default US crossing gates to black and white(though the design is just a bit too modern) so I should have something to show off shortly

[Motorman]

If you need route info there is a great book "The Great Third Rail" don't know if it's still in print from CERA (Central Electric Railfans Association) Has all the route mapped with bridges sidings stations signals etc... CA&E was truly an interurban wonder.

Are there any traction models available for MSTS?? if so, where might I find them.

Keep up the work on CA&E ... when you're done continue to the other Chicago Insull interurbans, the North Shore Line, which incidentally shared equipment with CA&E at times, and the South Shore Line :+

[CGW409]

Motorman
Check the file library there has been a flood of traction stuff uploaded lately including cars,motors,and at least one route.
I doing the CA&E because (1) the line is a perfectly doable route(50-60 miles) and (2) most of the roadbed still exists as bike trail.
I'm setting the era cica 1955-1957 towards the end of service,I'll see how long this takes me and I may take on the CNS&M (loco designers get those Electroliners going)

[gatecityca]

Wow, I've been posting quite a bit here tonight, but I just thought this was so cool that your building this route. I used to live in Forest Park! On Madison Avenue, to be exact. Near the corner of Madison and Ferdinand. Looking down Madison, I could see the Sears Tower in the distance. There was an El station on Desplaines Street just a few blocks from where we lived. I moved to California in 1987. But this goes to show how much I've learned since I got involved with MSTS. I never knew anything of the railways in that area. Were there any trolley lines in that area, or just the elevated railways?

Chris T.

[CGW409]

Chris
If you rember that rusted bridge over the Desplaines river west of the CTA yard next to the expressway that was the C&AE's right of way and the Illinios Prarie bike path that starts at First ave in Maywood covers the remaing route(btw update on the route I'm at First Ave now)
The Chicago Great Western also parlleled the CA&E to Elmhurst,leaving the B&OCT trackage rights there at Forest Park at Desplanes Ave.
as for interurbans in the area, try this website
http://www.dhke.com/schs/
as well as punch Chicago Aurora & Elgin into a search engine and you'll get several sites dealing with the CA&E and other area lines.

[denverrails]

Great, I used to ride the "Roarin Elgin" and spent 8 years at IRM restoring the 431. Are you gonna include the IHB/CGW interchange and the Hillside freight branch? Like running trolley freights, especailly now the BW steeple cab is avaiable.

Wally Weart

[CGW409]

Wally
If the Hillside branch is the former CA&E/CGW/IHB spur that parelled Mannheim road and crossed the expressway then I am (though I may have to fudge some of the details)
As for the CGW/IHB, hey any chance lay track for my beloved Great Weedy, you bettchum red ryder.
In addition the BW is currently in my virtual Wheaton shops paint booth, granted she's missing the third rail pickups but she close enough.
Now if we can just get someone to crank out one of those Insull style cabooses without the cupola or bay window and we'll be all set for freight service.

[tryagin]

This is getting to be my favorite question: Got ant plans Of these Cars? I don't even have a picture to go by for the Insull crummy your speakin of. But I'd like to see what you're talking about, and maybe give it a whack. I haven't made a caboose yet, and I'd be glad to help ya out for the Roarin Elgin.

Tim

[CGW409]

Tim
I've just been all over every search engine I can think of. plans as well as photo are scarce as hens teeth.
the only photo I've seen is in Morningstar's Insull Lines in Color book.
Best description is your standard wood caboose (the CB&Q red offset cupola hack in the library is a good example)approx 36' long,arch bar trucks, 3 windows on each side,red with the Chicago Aurora & Elgin spelled out in RR roman along the top letterboard and the road # near the rear step grabs.
it looks like these cars at one time had cupolas but were removed, I think they were Insull standards because the North Shore line had these cars as well as the standard coupola style.
here is a link to the one photo I found with any kind of shot of the car it shows approx 1/3 of the car
http://donross.railspot.com/ca2002a.jpg
hope this can help

[tryagin]

Well, That's better than not at all, 1/3rd! It's actually a pretty good start. Do you have the window placement handy? Were they evenly spaced, or two grouped close and one spaced out? That would be the major consideration. Let me start on a basic shape, and I'll get back to you.

Cheers!
Tim

[CGW409]

Tim
Even spaced,end,middle,end.
If it's not too much trouble, one thing lacking from crummys 1970's and earlier are marker lamps(red-rear,green-field/front) and those are particularly prominet on traction equpment.
this is only a suggestion,I ain't lloking a gift horse in the mouth.

[dchagar]

This is a massive file, sorry about the 345KB size. No plans, only North Shore picture:
http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/nscaboose.jpg
Right click on the image to save it locally.
Dave

[tryagin]

Wow, Dave, thanks. These pix will give me some help.

Tim

[tryagin]

Okay. On the CA&E Crummy, Another question: I notice in the pic the grabs and railings are a light shade. Do you know if these were white, yellow, orange, pink, ? Also, it looks as if the lettering is black, is this so?

Tim

[tryagin]

Okay, here's a preliminary blocking of the CA&E crummy. I'll wait to hear from you on the coloring bits, then I'll work on the textures. still have the grabs, rails, markers (yes), stove and pipe,etc., to do. This is about seven hours' work. It's a blast, and will generate lots of re-usable parts.

Tim

[tryagin]

Here's some textures I did this morning. Still have to do the shades, grabs, stove-pipe(?), roofwalks and ladders, and I might drop the body down a tad, and raise the platforms a mite.

Tim

[CGW409]

Tim
WOW!! I'm blown away great job!!
From what I've been able to determine the CA&E bounced through a couple of different livery changes in it's last decade, both major and subtle.
The one color photo I've seen(apparently in it's last couple of years)has grimy black trucks and underframe,black roof,the car itself was caboose red overall with white grabs & lettering.
as for road #'s let me check and I'll post it shortly
If anyone has any other info please post it.
Great job again

[CGW409]

Tim
Road #'s 1001,1002,1003 & 1004
Actualy jumped the gun on the last post and responded before the skinned shot loaded, Triple Wow.
you got her spot on save for only one road # slightly larger font size,a bit lower and forward(all on the road # only) and white

[tryagin]

Okay, I'll put 'er back in the paint shop and make the changes.

Later,
Tim

[tryagin]

Is this better?

[tryagin]

Gary,

The email link here on the post-form still aint working! I've got a beta of the CA&E caboose ready for you to test, if you email me at : timmuir@wcn.net

Below is the latest pic:

Tim

[CGW409]

Tim
Sent the Email
Looking real sharp.
Should have some shots of the route to post soon as well

[gatecityca]

I was only nine years-old when we moved out here to California, so unfortunately my memory of the area is kind of foggy :( I do, however, remember the El yard on Des Plaines next to the expressway. Besides the El platform, it was the most prominent structure on Desplaines. I think I also remember seeing the bridge you mentioned. However, if I remember correctly, there was also another railroad bridge across Des Plaines, right next to the CTA El electrified track. I think that was a B&O right-of-way. I might be getting that confused. But as soon as your finished with the route, I definitely want to check it out! That'll bring back memories for me of the old neighborhood. (One of the many things I miss about Illinois is the railroads, California is a little deprived in that area. That, and the snow. I miss the snow!) Keep up the good work!

Chris