Amtrak #3 Southwest Chief Sept. 1995 Segment 5

[amtrak115]

Yes, Segment 5 is coming. Continuing the journey from La Junta over Raton Pass to Las Vegas. At this time Santa Fe had not abandon the Raton Pass route, however most traffic was routed via the Transcon, through Texas then on up toward Newton, Ks. a lot less "grade challenging" route. Amtrak still follows the Raton routing. Since your climbing the East side of Raton, grades of 3.5% or more are encountered. I tried to simulate with "event" messages, a typical incident with GE Loco's where traction motors start to over-heat, and GE recommends stopping for 5 minutes to cool down. Other than that a pretty basic route passage for the 1995 Amtrak SW Chief. After watching Pentrex's "Raton Pass - King Coal, The Chief, and the BALJ", I got intrigued by the C-YCCH train that Sante Fe ran. the York Canyon to Chicago Coal trail ran for the later half of the 90's and into the 00's. What intrigued me was the "doubling the hill" crossing Raton Pass. There are two activities by Bob Edwards in the file library already. So base on those activities, the Pentrex video, and some other research, I've included the C-YCCH as an AI train in Seg 5, however I'm adding a second activity to this release for the York Canyon to La Junta, CO Coal train. You'll build the Train at York Canyon, travel to Raton, where you'll split the train into two sections. Over the pass with the first section to Jansen Yard. Then with the helpers in tow, back over the pass to Raton to bring the second section over the hill. Reassemble the train at Jansen Yard, drop the helpers and proceed onto La Junta, CO. This is the first Freight activity I've tried so give that some consideration.

Anyway, I'm in the final testing of the C-YCCH activity, so expect a release in the next couple of days or so.

later

Amtrak115..... Out.

[jonpd]

Sounds cool. When I was in the USAF out West, would have been early in the Amtrak era around 1973, I stopped in Las Vegas specifically to see the SW Chief arrive, In those days it was "heritage" cars still pulled by ATSF Warbonnet F units. Of course this is the other Las Vegas not far from Santa Fe, not the gambling mecca in Nevada, which hasn't been served by Amtrak since the 1979 cuts.

Just curious, are all these SW Chief segments on the same route, or do you need to download different routes for each one?

Jon

[spoony1999]

Sounds cool. When I was in the USAF out West, would have been early in the Amtrak era around 1973, I stopped in Las Vegas specifically to see the SW Chief arrive, In those days it was "heritage" cars still pulled by ATSF Warbonnet F units. Of course this is the other Las Vegas not far from Santa Fe, not the gambling mecca in Nevada, which hasn't been served by Amtrak since the 1979 cuts.

Just curious, are all these SW Chief segments on the same route, or do you need to download different routes for each one?

Jon

Each one is on a different route you need to download

[amtrak115]

I've broken the segments down by routes...so each segment is on its own route. All the routes I'm using except for one are from Bob Wirth and available in the library here. Cajon Pass route which I will use when I reach it, is originally a Patrick Wise, updated by Charlie Sibaja, again available in the Library here in Trainsim. The reasons for picking Sept 1995; 1. Santa Fe all the way; 2. Chillicothe Sub still used for SW Chief. 3. Routes are available for the entire journey, Chicago to Los Angeles.

Amtrak115... Out

[amtrak115]

I've just uploaded Segment 5, so it should be available in the next day or so. Sorry it took longer than I thought. I got distracted with a freight activity. Anyway, we're going "Over the Pass" on this one, Raton Pass that is. Hope you enjoy, now on to Glorieta....

Amtrak115...... Out