Smokebox: Central Pacific Railroad #60 "Jupiter" 4-4-0

[mrennie]

Just in case you don't follow my news on Facebook, this is to let you know that a couple of weeks ago, I finally started work on a new locomotive. an American type 4-4-0.



Here's what I've done so far:

wip9.jpg

I'm building the model by following the same mechanical drawings that engineers used to build the Golden Spike National Historic Site's replica of the "Jupiter". In essence, it means that what I'm doing in 3DCrafter is similar to what the pattern makers would do to cast and build the actual parts in accordance with their individual diagrams. This will ensure that the accuracy of the model.

If it proves popular, I'll probably build the Union Pacific #119 4-4-0, along with suitable rolling stock so as to be able to recreate the Golden Spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah, commemorating the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.

[buzz456]

I'm happy to see you following your art. This will be a serious work of art I just hope you realize that this is going to have limited appeal since we have no where to run anything like this.

[DrewG]

I'll be buying, anything with Mike's name on it is worth it's price.

When I first saw you post CPR #60 4-4-0, I didn't know about this locomotive and thought it was Canadian Pacific, boy was I let down.

[ZekTheKid]

Shut up and take my money Mike.All of your locos are worth buying.

[OpenRailer90]

Shut up and take my money!

Really, stupendous as always, I'm quite interested in how long this may take as the TS Unreal version may be already out at the time this might be ready for release.

[mrennie]

I'm happy to see you following your art. This will be a serious work of art I just hope you realize that this is going to have limited appeal since we have no where to run anything like this.

True, it is a pity that there isn't an ideal route for this, but I'm hoping it'll find a place on the many good workshop routes that seem to suit steam engines such as the Connie. As for me, I'll just indulge myself by having excursions anywhere I fancy - I can see Jupiter taking three of four coaches from Cheyenne to Laramie, for example, or chugging along the Feather River Canyon. It'll look great in screenshots.

I know it's unlikely to be a best seller (is any steam loco ever a best seller?) but as you rightly say, I'm doing this one for its aesthetic/artistic merits (that and the fact that it was one of the few locos I could find that had its mechanical drawings - some 700 of them - available for a reasonable price).

Maybe it'll spur someone on to do a western, late 19th century route, and then there'll be a home for UP 119 too. Of course, I'll wait to see how well #60 does before doing #119.

[mrennie]

Shut up and take my money!

Really, stupendous as always, I'm quite interested in how long this may take as the TS Unreal version may be already out at the time this might be ready for release.

Personally, I hope that the current TS lives a long and prosperous life alongside the next UE4 version. It's like when FSX came out. I'd already spent a lot of money on planes and scenery for FS9, so I stayed with FS9 as my flight sim of choice even after buying and installing (and then uninstalling) FSX.

[mrennie]

With that in mind that bring up whether DTG will keep supporting the now-current TS and creating 2 versions of their DLC in the future, one for the current and one for the Unreal.

They've stated publicly that they'll continue to support the current TS for the foreseeable future, alongside the new sim (whenever it comes out). However, they haven't gone into any detail about it, so I have no idea whether they plan to make two version of every DLC. Of course, DTG aren't the only ones who make DLC, and we third party folk are free to do whatever we like. Personally, I have a lot of time and effort already invested in making things work in the current version, so now I want to make good use of those "assets" for as long as it's possible to do so.

However payware developers tend to develop current primarily for the newer versions as it seems not many are producing new FS9/FS2004 content anymore.

Well, maybe after 12 years of the new UE4 TS, even I might be tempted to switch over to the new sim

[TheTeenageFoamer]

Hey Mike, I read on facebook that your thinking about the up 119 or whatever number it is, is this true? I think those locos would make a great screenshot.

[ZekTheKid]

Hey Mike, I read on facebook that your thinking about the up 119 or whatever number it is, is this true? I think those locos would make a great screenshot.

Yes he is."Rogers" would be appropriate to add to the pack.It has the Jupiter,why not Rogers?

[mrennie]

Hey Mike, I read on facebook that your thinking about the up 119 or whatever number it is, is this true? I think those locos would make a great screenshot.

That's right, I have the plans for both of them, and they share a number of parts (but it would still be a lot of work to do 119). I'll wait and see how well Jupiter does before going ahead with 119.

[jwtheiv]

I'd find a place to run this beaut.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=327917
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3232491

[ZekTheKid]

I'd find a place to run this beaut.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=327917
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3232491

Ahh,B&O #25.Seen her plenty of times when I went to the museum in Baltimore!

[evafan002]

Oh you wonderful wonderful man you... i could kiss you but instead will settle for buying this twice when it comes out so you can hopefully buy yourself a drink on me with the proceeds
also you know the one thing i have NEVER understood about Jupiter? why everyone insists that it is red with blue highlights.. to me it looks more like its blue with red highlights

[mjlevy1118]

Thank you thank you, it's really wonderful to see an old American steam engine being made for TS. There's such an overemphasis on "modern" and "the biggest" in the TS community, so it's nice to see smaller, historic US steam in production.