CNW Chicago Division Progress - 2016

[eolesen]

Yes, this project has been going for over six years, and a slightly new name to reflect adding the Chicago-DeKalb mainline.

The previous updates can be found in the following threads:

2015: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...-Progress-2015

2014: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...-Progress-2014

2013: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...-Progress-2013

2012: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...-Progress-2012

2011: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...rogress-Report

2010: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...UP-Harvard-Sub

[eolesen]

Work has resumed after a somewhat extended break from route building and the sim in general.

As with the last few iterations, I'm focused on getting the West Line signaled and planting scenery.

My reseller, DigitalRails.Com (not to be confused with other permutations!) may be selling a sneak peek at the route once the signaling is done.

Yes, you read correctly. I'm sorry to say that the days of free betas to anyone who asks are over. Following the demise of ADrive's free service and the size of the route, the iterations are now going to be released on a paid basis somewhere between donationware and payware.

Screenshots will follow in a few days or weeks... Signaling just isn't very exciting to photograph.

[qballbandit]

Looking forward to seeing your update screenshots. Really looking forward to the finished product. Great job

[MMSS]

Looking forward to see any progress that has been done. Also I would happily paid either through donationware or payware for it in in-progress status when it is available. It always was an outstanding project I followed on here. Happy to know it isn't in limbo.

[eolesen]

Slowly making some progress...

1) the mains from downtown to Dekalb are now signaled, and most (not all) of the terrain overruns are addressed.
2) highway overpasses between Elmhurst and Dekalb are mostly done

Still in the plan for this iteration:

3) creating additional berms for some of the larger radius D/E curve variants, as the C versions are noticeably too short and leave gaps in the ballast
4) adding mileposts between Elmhurst and Dekalb
5) adding Terrtex from Deval to Butler....

The next iteration of the CNW will be the start of track laying on the New Line (also known as the Milwaukee Sub). It already exists from Proviso to Deval, so there's "only" 80 miles of mostly single line track to do. This will probably require two iterations to complete, and based on the complexity around Milwaukee, maybe a third just for St. Francis to Butler.

And no... I haven't forgotten the last 20 miles to Rochelle, or the Belvedere Branch.

Before anyone asks... The Kenosha Sub has been off the project list for a while as someone else had been working on that. I've since learned that version isn't Demex'd, so a merge won't be possible as originally thought.

Because the Kenosha and Farm Subs interact with the New Line, there will be stubs where it's appropriate, but as of today, building it out from Clybourn to Lake Bluff isn't in the cards. What happens from Lake Bluff to St. Francis? Let's see how the other project proceeds.

An advance word of caution to those not familiar with my working pattern... A lack of updates means nothing. I have two other routes vying for attention, and will likely take a two month break between iterations on the CNW Chicago.

[delamate]

Really happy to hear that this is moving forward. Looking forward to screen shots.

John

[brandon261]

If you guys want Josh and I could merge it into our Mega Route eventually.

Brandon

[eolesen]

I'm already working with Josh to make sure the Racetrack is coordinated with the CNW Chicago.

Assuming that is done correctly, there's nothing preventing a merge, aside from having a TDB that exceeds 32,768 nodes (thus rendering it unable to be opened in the RE).

[eolesen]

Here's one of the two endpoints where the BNSF Racetrack can tie into the CNW Chicago....

[qballbandit]

Rochelle?