Blue Comet Lines extension

[Literalman]

I posted a few new images on my website at http://www.stevedunham.50megs.com/bc_msts_pix.html. Please pardon the low-res images from my computer.

I'm building north and west from Elizabethport and hope to build the mainline to Bethlehem, Pa., the Newark branch, and the Reading from Bound Brook to West Trenton.

There already was a thread called "Blue Comet Lines progress," but the last post was by me ten years ago, so I figured I would start a new thread.

[trs666]

Happy to hear about the planned route extension. The Blue Comet has become a favorite of mine, and having extra trackage (especially the westward run) will be very welcome. Thanks for the update.

[amtrak808]

If you are building the Reading from Bound Brook, would you also be possibly building the Port Reading Railroad from Bound Brook to Port Reading? It would only make sense since your original route already goes to Port Reading.

On the CNJ side, are you building the interchange yard at Cranford for the SIRT? In addition, is it just the mainline of the CNJ or are there branches as well?

[Literalman]

If I were doing what just makes sense, I probably wouldn't be trying to make a computer simulation of a long-dead railroad. :-)

True, the original Blue Comet Lines simulation passes through Port Reading, but to borrow from Gertrude Stein, there's no there there. The Reading tracks cross the Jersey Central and then disappear: there's no real yard or Reading line once they disappear from sight. Building an additional 20-some miles of railroad through suburban scenery to create the Port Reading line is something I probably won't do. Please notice I said I hope to build to West Trenton, Bethlehem, and Newark. It's just my hope. I might not even get all that done. I'm making good progress on the Newark Branch.

I plan to have a Staten Island Rapid Transit interchange, but it will be simplified like most of the other yards. Brills Yard is simplified, and Oak Island has interchange tracks leading to it, but there's no yard there.

I've been making custom structures as I go, which slows things down, because most of the stations look different from one another. I'm making only structures that I think are important to the feeling of each place, such as the CNJ Elizabeth station (which, like most of my other structures, is much simplified from the real thing). The Pennsy Elizabeth station is only glimpsed from the CNJ, so I think I used a station from one of the original Japanese lines for that.

I thought about the High Bridge branch, but it's just too long with too little in the way of operations.

As it is, the extensions I'm working on will take years if I finish them all.

[Literalman]

I added a couple more screen shots on my website: Reading trains at Bound Brook and Hopewell,

http://www.stevedunham.50megs.com/bc_msts_pix.html

[Don6218]

Wow! Just Wow!
So far a great job on this huge project. Your scenery gives a proper feeling to the route.

[conductorchris]

It looks pretty cool! I hope you can release versions of it in stages even if unfinished and without interactives.
I'm thinking of course of the modern update Mark was making. I miss his updates.
Christopher

[Literalman]

Thanks, Don and Chris.

I've actually done all the work so far in about 11 months: the Newark branch, most of the Reading from Bound Brook to West Trenton, and the mainline from Elizabethport as far as Raritan. I'm hopeful that I can finish it this year.

Being retired since last year and spending a lot of time at home because of the pandemic have created more time for route building (and writing: I started and finished a novel this year and sent it to my agent). The CNJ had so many distinctive, unique stations that I wanted to have at least simplified versions of them, and for a while I was stopping every few miles to make another station. Sorry if I sound braggy. I have a wonderful wife, mostly good health, and creative energy, and all of them are blessings that I can't take credit for.

[conductorchris]

I have a wonderful wife, mostly good health, and creative energy, and all of them are blessings that I can't take credit for.

you did spend many years commuting by train, which was surely good for your health and probably creative energy.