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    Upcoming New Route

    Currently, I am working on a 2nd version of the KD Subdivision which I released a year or so ago. This one will fill in several new
    L&N (CSX) line around Knoxville, TN to Corbin, KY as well as adding the rest of the KD Division of 1960 or so, to Etowah, TN. There
    will also be several new Southern Railway lines. I don't do activities but I do like to create routes that exist in real life and which can
    be operated correctly. So I will describe one operation on the SR from 1967 to around 1992, and another that existed from some time prior to 1965 and continued until after 1978 when I left SR for the FRA and later Chessie System/CSX.

    1. ARCO Unit Coal Train. This SR operation was from a mostly surface mine in Claiborne Cty. TN to a steam plant near Milledgeville, GA. Neither the mine or the steam plant still exist. The empty train, operating northbound, came into Knoxville from the southwest and
    got a crew change downtown. Then it continued out the line to Clinton, TN, about 30 miles, where it turned more northerly onto the
    line from Clinton to Jellico, TN/KY. This involved a significant climb over a dividing ridge from the Clinch R. valley to a short valley that extended northeast to Jellico. At Jellico, the train continued in a more easterly direction to Lot, KY where it joined the L&N mainline
    going south for a few miles to Holton, Jct. At Holton the route veers due east through a tunnel on a 10 degree curve and continues
    about 2 miles to Laurel Creek. At Laurel Creek, L&N ownership/Southern trackage rights ends/then Southern ownership, L&N trackage
    rights begins. The train continues geographically east for a few miles to ARCO jct. and then it follows Tackett Creek about 17 miles to
    the ARCO mine. I have included the loading loop but I have taken a 10m track piece out so that a empty activity ends at the break,
    and a loaded activity begins past the break.
    History: In 1908 or so, the L&N was building the Knoxville, LaFollette & Jellico line to bypass trackage rights on the SR from
    Jellico to Knoxville. In the course of this they also started building a branch up the Clear Fork R. from Holton to access promising coal fields. When money got tight, the L&N chose to sell the line east of Laurel Creek to the SR and the peculiar agreements above were
    set up. This line extended eventually to Fonde, KY which had at least two mines nearby. There was a large operation up Straight Creek as well which became the last operating coal mine in TN, closing in 2019. SR built the line up Tackett Creek and unit trains began in late 1967 after the line was checked by the SR geometry car which I managed. The mine shut down around 1992 and today, almost no trace remains of the mine or the railroad branch.

    2. I have included a small portion of the CNO&TP line of Southern, as well as the Harrimn Jct. to Clinton line which was released as a stand alone route years ago. With this one can simulate an event that took place daily around 4pm at Harriman Jct. SR-219, the VERY HOT intermodal train arrived from Cincinnati. Now this train was unique in that it had two caboose. One was at the end of the Atlanta block, the other on the rear, at the end of the Knoxville (and east) block. Stopping at Harriman Jct. a cut was made behind the first caboose and after a brake test, the front part continued south to Atlanta, eventually by the next morning, Jacksonville, FL. A set of motive power, which had brought over intermodal cars bound for points north would pick up the 2nd block and take it to Knoxville. I have included enough of Sevier Yard to accept this block. Later in the night, SR-220 coming from points south would pick up the intermodal cars left there in the afternoon and continue to Cincinnati.

    Jerry Sullivan
    retired from SR & CSX
    Docent; C&TS RR

    #2
    As I am 83 and we do not know when we will get our last Form A & running orders, I am working with my son-in-law, who has a much better understanding of "things computer" than my wife to upload my unfinished routes when I am gone. In that regard, I am creating specification files so he can cut/paste those. Health is great, and while we postponed our annual trip to New Mexico, where I "work" as a docent on the C&TS, the reason was because of a failed water supply at Chama, NM (now fixed) and our hostess at the B&B where we stay having to quarantine for Covid through today. My wife has authorized 3 weeks and we plan to do that in October for the last 3 weeks of the operating season. As soon as we get an expected voucher from SWA, we will make reservations & restart the process.

    J. H. Sullivan

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      #3
      Excuse Me Land'NRailRoader Sir, I know that You're Currently tied up on The KD Sub of L&N( Now CSXT as You Put it ), but would you be willing to do a NS AGS North Route? Little off Course, but The CNO&TP did come down into Chattanooga,TN where it was Bought by SOU as You know & now NS. It would be great if you could make it just till hthe Out-Lines of Irondale Yard in AL to Simulate Entering & Exiting( Since The South already Modeled & it has yet been updated by Its Creator after a few years ago ). Would that be something possible? Please & Thank You ahead of Time Sir.

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        #4
        It would be difficult simply because I do not have track charts for the AGS (although having tested it maybe 50
        times as an employee, 1965-1978) I am generally familiar with it. What I can do, if you or someone can get
        track charts, is digitize it, and lay the track. I use M-tracks to get the correct curves as much as possible and
        I know that #20 turnouts were used on the AGS, so M-tracks has those too. Unlike some of the other stuff,
        like dynatrax etc., M-tracks just expands the track capability but adds little additional complexity. Once I had
        the track laid, you would have roads & detailing to do, although I would provide a separate marker file for the
        major roads. In 10 days, I will be traveling to Chama, NM to do my 3 weeks of volunteer work as a docent
        on the C&TS so you have until late October to see what you can find. Track charts used to be available from
        www.railfandepot.com for nominal charges but their site seems to have gone kaput. I had obtained all that I
        would need for my planned routes which are:
        CNO&TP 1st & 2nd districts
        Eastern Kentucky Div. of L&N
        KD Subdivision V2
        Cumberland Valley Division
        L&N Mainline, Louisville to Chattanooga
        L&N "J" line, Nashville to Chattanooga
        Virginian Railway -ORTS only
        C&O Big Sandy South
        rehash of BR & KP Subs. of CSX (Clinchfield)

        That is, if at 83 now, I hang around long enough. But if I don't I am arranging with my son-in-law to move
        anything unfinished into the unfinished category of the library.

        Jerry Sullivan, P.E. retired from CSX & SR
        docent: C&TS RR

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