CR 1984 Detroit to Toledo (Detroit Pool)

[crdetroit]

Hi all. I am starting a new thread for three reasons. First, the other thread was getting long and since I had restarted creating my route I didn't want to mix the old with the new. Second, I wanted to change the title of the thread due to I will not be laying tracks from Detroit to Jackson, MI now as I want to finish the current route from Utica, MI to Toledo, Ohio by the time Run 8 releases their SDK. I am still not completely sure if I will create using that sim for the same reason I stopped creating my first route in MSTS, the editing tools. To me RW has by far the easiest tools to use and that's what I need for such heavily industrialized areas as Detroit and Toledo. Also, stability, RW has been very stable from their earlier days. Three, though to date there are no AI trains, if I had been reading correctly, my route may be to complicated for them anyways. Since I don't have all the tracks in I obviously have no signals on the route to know for sure how difficult scenerio writing will be so this route may be best suited for MP anyways as things are now. I will still complete the areas I have in now for RW users as there is still much operational and sceniced areas and even a tunnel. So my plan is to have this released by next summer and as it stands right now, for free but subject to change.
My first set of pics should be either tonight or tomorrow of the Shop area and the east end (Hump end) of the Westbound Class. Oh yes, I have to do more reading on whether or not you can "hump" cars in Run 8. If so, as this is a North American route, it's pretty much a no brainer to create a route using Run 8. Again, depending on how stable the SDK is. Also, this thread is for RW creation of my route so please, I will not tolerate opinions about any other sim. Thank you.

[crdetroit]

Just read no humps in Run 8 but nothing lost there other than I'll still have non working humps. That's the last I'll metion that sim in this thread as I felt this was related to my original post. When/if I get Run 8 then I'll start a seperate thread in the appropriate section. Until then as I said RW will be my main focus in this thread.

[crdetroit]

A video of the Junction/Livernois Yard area, which I felt would better "illustrate" the enormous size of this yard and what I'm up against laying the tracks. Sorry no audio because I didn't want to waste more time since I don't own a microphone so I would had to use my voice recorder and "fumble" with everything that way. I'm also sorry it's been a while since I've posted any videos. It's because they were "slow" in RW 2012 but they look good again in 2013. Though, judging by the number of "views" of my previous videos maybe I'm wasting my time as it takes time to upload. I'll have to adjust the "quality" at some other time though, as the tracks looks better on my screen. Enjoy. http://youtu.be/j2oBezCOuz8

Start - CP (control point) Townline. Here the Michigan Line continues straight while the Old and New Wyes, to the Junction Yard Branch and then ultimately onto the Toledo Branch, veers off right. The Advance Departure Yard also starts/ends here.

00:15 - The Junction Yard Branch (WIP) comes in here from the right.

00:35 - The C&O Detroit Subdivion crosses overhead on a Warren Truss bridge. This is also known as "The Miller Road Crossovers" on
Conrail.

00:46 - Start of the huge Westbound Class Yard (WIP). Also known as "Wyoming Crossovers".

01:37 - Shop area (WIP). This is where I'm currently working on.

01:43 - The Michigan Line on the far left, the Detroit Industrial Receiving Yard far left, to the right of the Michigan Line, the North
Receiving Yard to the left middle, the Eastbound Class Yard straight ahead and the South Receiving on the right with the South
Yard Lead (WIP) veering off to the right.

02:06 - Company Use tracks, Engine Facility (WIP), Roundhouse (WIP) and TV site (WIP).

02:14 - Livernois Yard office.

02:18 - West Detroit (my personal favorite location my dad had worked at for obvious reasons lol). The Michigan Line continues
straight. The NS (GTW Shoreline Sub via trackage rights) is the single track crossing the Michigan Line. The Toledo Branch
(today's Detroit Line) merges on to the Michigan Line from the right. The huge Cadillac Clark Street plant (WIP) is on the left of
the Michigan Line while its Merritt (sp?) plant (WIP) is to the right. West Detroit tower (WIP) is in the middle.

02:44 - South Receiving Yard with the TV terminal (WIP) on the left and the South Yard (WIP) to the right.

03:00 - GTW "Dix Ave" interlocking. The yard lead from Livernois Yard crosses the NS (GTW Shoreline Sub via trackage rights) mainline
here.

03:06 - Conrail CP Waterman where the Yard continus as a switching lead and a crossover to the Toledo Branch.

03:29 - West Detroit again, looking north via the Toledo Branch.

03:46 - Bay City Junction Yard (commonly known as "the Stac Pac" in '84) and CP Bay City Junction.

03:53 - Michigan Central Depot (WIP)

03:59 - "Bay City Junction Wye". The Michigan Line continues straight. The Old and New Wyes veer left to the Mackinaw Branch while
tracks "A" and "B" is the "right leg" of the wye.

04:11 - Mackinaw Branch to North and Sterling Yards on the right. GTW Mount Clemens Sub (as it was known in '84 but was later
renamed as part of the Shoreline Sub) on the left.

04:25 - The huge Cadillac Clark Street plant (WIP).

[mrennie]

You've got at least one "like"

Seriously. the track laying is impressive. A lot of work has clearly gone into it.

[crdetroit]

You've got at least one "like"

Seriously. the track laying is impressive. A lot of work has clearly gone into it.

Thank you Mike. I was hoping the video would put in to "perspective" how huge it is. lol After this yard and the industries associated with it, all I'll have left is the Michigan Central Depot tracks, Conrail's Windsor, Ontario yard, the Marsh Running track, east end of NS Oakwood yard, Alexis interlocking in Toledo, the north end of C&O's Walbridge Yard and Conrail's Stanley Yard to put in. Then it's off to strictly scenery. Sounds like a lot of track work left but overall it won't be to bad. Junction/Livernois is just difficult with the way it's set up with it being on at least three different grades and one with three entrances/exits. Oh yes, and a roundhouse with three leads going to it. I will have to "tweak" some grades on certain tracks. Just the nature of the beast. lol Once I can get a few "generic" textures created then scenery should go at a decent pace. The trackwork in my '97 version will be far less "impressive" due to all the track reduction from '84 to '97. It's mind boggling! As a matter of fact everyone thought West Detroit would be the last tower standing but since '84 it was the second one closed and went from eight tracks running on each side of the tower to five. The closing of the Cadillac plant, trains no longer running through to Canada from the west on Conrail and being the highest paid tower in Detroit on Conrail was its demise.

[crdetroit]

I just thought that I'd share how much "work" I put into creating my route. The Conrail and GTW Timetables were given to me from my dad while he was working. The C&O and CSX were bought at train shows. I recommend anyone with a few extra bucks to purchase The Lake Cities by the late Walter M. Berko Toledo to Detroit and Detroit to Jackson, MI as he covers more than half the route except the Mackinaw Branch on an Amtrak which goes from the Central Union Station ("CUT") in Toledo, Ohio to the Michigan Central Depot in Detroit. Then the train leaves Detroit backwards (before push-pull service) around the Bay City Junction Wye and continues west past West Detroit and Junction/Livernois yard. The train goes by the huge West Detroit interlocking both heading to Detroit and again heading to Jackson, MI then on to Chicago, IL. This service has long been discontinued from Toledo, OH to Detroit but is still in service from Pontiac, MI to Chicago. The train also goes by the huge Cadillac Clark Street plant. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys my pic. I am still working on the Shop area and the "hump" end of the Westbound Class. Take care all.

[crdetroit]

I just thought that I'd share how much "work" I put into creating my route. The Conrail and GTW Timetables were given to me from my dad while he was working. The C&O and CSX were bought at train shows. I recommend anyone with a few extra bucks to purchase The Lake Cities by the late Walter M. Berko Toledo to Detroit and Detroit to Jackson, MI as he covers more than half the route except the Mackinaw Branch on an Amtrak which goes from the Central Union Station ("CUT") in Toledo, Ohio to the Michigan Central Depot in Detroit. Then the train leaves Detroit backwards (before push-pull service) around the Bay City Junction Wye and continues west past West Detroit and Junction/Livernois yard. The train goes by the huge West Detroit interlocking both heading to Detroit and again heading to Jackson, MI then on to Chicago, IL. This service has long been discontinued from Toledo, OH to Detroit but is still in service from Pontiac, MI to Chicago. The train also goes by the huge Cadillac Clark Street plant. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys my pic. I am still working on the Shop area and the "hump" end of the Westbound Class. Take care all.

I'm sorry all that the writing ended up small. It was larger in Gimp. I'm not exactly sure what I did wrong.

P.S. To bad as it had lots of interesting info. I guess just use a magnifying glass. lol

[crdetroit]

Here are links to four videos displaying all the mainline trackwork (and some scenery) of the route, minus the C&O main from Delray to West Belt Junction, for the purpose of running LV-4 to interchange at C&O's Rougemere Yard and to work a Conrail Industrial track off the C&O main. And minus the Junction Yard Branch, which still needs to be laid. This will give an idea the size of the route. A few areas were "cut out" as it was just the mainline in rural areas with no scenery. Overall the route miles is roughly 80 but about half is heavily industrialized. Hope all enjoy. I'm hoping by the end of the day the "Hump" end of the Westbound Class will be in. I'll post a pic shortly of the "Hump" and sometime today, if all goes well, I'll have either another pic of it completed or a video. Take care all.

This video starts at the huge West Detroit interlocking and tower and runs west to the Livernois/Junction Yard (WIP) then back east then south at the South Receiving to CP (control point) Waterman then back north along the Toledo Branch (as it was known in '84) back to West Detroit then east to Windsor, Ontario, via the Detroit River tunnel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxO8P...cnzRFMsLpPsmow

This video starts at the Michigan Central Depot and runs back west to the Bay City Junction Wye then continues north to Utica, MI passing North, Mound Road and Sterling Yards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jGTl...cnzRFMsLpPsmow

This video starts back at West Detroit and proceeds south to the 'Detroit Inbound' in Toledo, OH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0odxl...cnzRFMsLpPsmow

Final video starts at the 'Detroit Inbound' and proceeds east to CP 289 then west to Nasby interlocking then back east to CP 286 and south to Walbridge interlocking, via the Stanley Secondary, then back to CP 286. Then heads south on the Oakdale Connection to CP Oak and continues south down the Miami Cut Branch to Stanley interlocking. Lost yet? lol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yfaD...cnzRFMsLpPsmow

[OTTODAD]

That monitor looks a bit on the small side and hope it is not going to ruin your eyes, doing a lot of delicate work in the World editor !

My 19" HP monitor is 24" in front of my eyes, said to be the best distance for looking at what is displayed on it !

The resolution used is also important. Too high and you will have to screw up your eyes to see the too small text in the TS-2013 editor side panels, now smaller than it has been in earlier Railworks versions !

O t t o

[crdetroit]

That monitor looks a bit on the small side and hope it is not going to ruin your eyes, doing a lot of delicate work in the World editor !

My 19" HP monitor is 24" in front of my eyes, said to be the best distance for looking at what is displayed on it !

The resolution used is also important. Too high and you will have to screw up your eyes to see the too small text in the TS-2013 editor side panels, now smaller than it has been in earlier Railworks versions !

O t t o

Thank you for your concerns Otto. I will be upgrading my monitor either in 2013 or the beginning of 2014. Which reminds me, please remember everyone that the video quality does not reflect the in game quality as evident by this pic of the hump. I have put in the main lead to the Westbound Class since this pic which is the reason for the delay posting this pic. Still on target completing the east end of the Westbound Class.