NYC "Water level" route started!

[blillpers]

Hello everybody,
Well, it has been quite some time since I last built any routes, or even played train simulator at all really! In the past I've built the real-life "Stockholm" route and the ficitional "Borawian Railways" route, both of which are available here in the file library (feel free to check them out to get an idea of the indended level of scenery!). Well, other things have taken priority in life duringthe past few years, I've worked a lot and moved a couple of times. But during the cold winter months, I got the urge to start building something again.

I've always been a fan of the NYC railroad, and ever since I rode on the Lake Shore Limitied in the summer of 2016 I've wished this route was available in MSTS/OpenRails. I have been surprised that noone has done it yet, considering it's history and the beautiful scenery along the Hudson. Then, I realized it had just been uploaded here on T-S.com a few days ago, as an extension of the New Haven route. A was bit unsure whether I should continue on the route, as I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, if someone else was already building it. But in the end, I decided that my route will be different enough, as it's set in the late 40s/early 50s and a lot has changed since then.

I've only spent a few evenings with the route so far, but I've laid the mainline tracks, including all connecting switches to yards and other lines, from just north of GCT to Poughkeepsie. I intend to split the project in several smaller phases so I don't get in over my head and give up. I won't extend the mainline tracks any further for now, but instead I'll start on the scenery south from Poughkeepsie towards Harmon. I've also done about a mile of half-finished scenery.

The route will be set in the postwar years, around the late 40s/early 50s, before the decline set in and the line was reduced from mostly 4 to 2 tracks. I've so far based the the track laying on a combination of Google Earth overlays in the TSRE editor, and historic aerial photos available online. However, these tend to be of pretty poor resolution, so it's impossible to get everything right. And since I'm trying to model an era set about 50 years before I was born, It's not going to be spot on, but hopefully I can capture the general atmosphere close enough. A semi-real route in other words.

I've tried to find historical track plans, schedules etc, but there isn't a lot to be found via Google. All information is highly appreciated, especially track plans, speed limitis, signalling information etc.

[ebnertra000]

Interesting project. I just made some NYC searchlight signals for OR-only routes. If you find out they didn't use searchlights on that line (I have no knowledge or real interest in the Northeast), another signal type could be made to work with the system

[blillpers]

Thanks, I've been looking for a set of signals to use on the route, and I'll definitely use these instead of a generic set that isn't quite right. The route would propably not run in MSTS anyway, as it's built using TSRE and will propably get too detailed.

According to the information I've been able to find, the Hudson division would have been in transition between semaphores and searchlighs during the era, so I might try to combine them with a semaphore system as well.

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

Hmm - a place to run Niagaras and Mohawks - oh my...


Ambitious project - don't forget the water scoops...


Best of luck...

Regards,
Scott

[R. Steele]

Thank you blillpers, your other routes are impeccable...TSRE should enhance your considerable skills and hopefully you'll find it easier to use than the MSTS RE. The screenshot is wonderful, that route ( historically ) went through some beautiful country.

[bobwdude]

Yet another route that I've always wanted to see tackled in a train sim has sprung to life.

I'm not sure if you've seen this/are using this, but track charts for the line are available here:

http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/r...201-1-1976.pdf

Of course, these are dated for the Conrail era. However, much of the information is still quite relevant for the NYC. Curvatures and gradients would most likely be the same (gradients especially), and interlockings/signal locations are generally in the same location as well.

I can't wait to see further progress.

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

Background NYC in your target era:


The New York Central Hudson Division in 1949



Regards,
Scott

[Train-a-Mania]

The New York Central Historical Society likely has track charts. That would be your best bet for recreating the track accurately.

[ebnertra000]

Thanks, I've been looking for a set of signals to use on the route, and I'll definitely use these instead of a generic set that isn't quite right. The route would propably not run in MSTS anyway, as it's built using TSRE and will propably get too detailed.

According to the information I've been able to find, the Hudson division would have been in transition between semaphores and searchlighs during the era, so I might try to combine them with a semaphore system as well.

I haven't rebuilt my semaphore shapes yet, but I can put NYC rules on them when I do and the edit the files for both SLs and Sems. Once the signaling logic works, swapping types is pretty easy

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

While from another sim - it's always nice to get another artists interpretation and as someone who's lived most of my adult life in the Hudson Valley - this guy captured the flavor of the area extremely well. I especially like his green lichen covered rock outcroppings which are very prevalent in the area. He made some great looking forest regions as well.


New York Central F7's on the Hudson Division



Regards,
Scott