Blackwood Creek Branch 1990

[mindenjohn]

I have just uploaded this for posting in the RWA library Route Collection. It is an adaption/extension some may say a decimation (hope not!) of the original Blackwood Creek route originally posted on the Steam Workshop. This version will not be posted on the workshop and is RWA exclusive.
The Readme:
The original “Blackwood Creek” route is the creation of Lt. Bligh and this version is very heavily based on the original.
I am grateful to Lt. Bligh for the original and for permission to post this version. All of the scenarios written for “Blackwood Creek” will run on this version as I have extended rather than replaced (where 'extending' may be considered a little blurred I have used the original siding marker designations and added).New scenarios written for this version may not run on the original and those included with this route will NOT run on the original.

I wanted to add more traffic to this superb route and backdate a little to before NS considered selling it off. In my history there is a cement works beyond Cranston depot (40.14624, -76.24122), a turntable at the preservation depot (who still have running rights, Sundays only), an intermodal terminal at Baumann on the Spartan Branch (40.16999, -76.38837), A spur to a Plastics factory at Baumann, just by the main grade crossing and a 2 track yard at Whitestake (40.12061,-76.38692). The numbers in brackets are the co-ordinates for easy and quick looksee.

In order to enable more than one loco at a time on the branch signals are required and so they are supplied. This allows for AI traffic during switching operations and there is a long siding added just the Blackwood side of Baumann and the siding alongside the sawmill at Blackwood has been extended to allow scenario writers to put the local “in the hole” at either of these locations for an AI “Block” train (cement, coal etc) to pass.

Sadly by 2001 the cement plant had closed due to raw material (clay and lime) exhaustion, the plastics factory had turned to trucking and the intermodal terminal had been deemed too small to be economic. This resulted in “rationalisation” (accountant speak for destruction) and so we arrive at Lt. Bligh's history of Blackwood Creek and the track plan of 2001-15.

I have included 5 scenarios, well 3 really as 2 are the same except for the weather and season, which does change them significantly. The winter ones are more tricky as you cannot see the signals or the switch settings as early. Please note that these scenarios will not run on the original Blackwood Creek.

My thanks to Buzz Baxter without whose encouragement this would not have been posted - it ain't his fault though!

The DLC requirements are as the original REQUIRED CONTENT: Sherman Hill, Norfolk Southern Coal District (Penn Coal), Ohio Steel 2 or Colton Northern.
plus I have used assets from : Barnez – The Racetrack – MiJack loading cranes, DTG Feather River – some buildings, NewYorkNewHaven – some buildings, VNHRR/WVN – conveyor details
There may be the odd item from Donner Pass. None of the above are critical but make sense if you have them, it will work without them.

Rolling stock
I have used the KUJU North American assets as default plus Justin Cornell's GP38-2 (with various repaints from the RWA library), SS/JR 23K tank cars with Buzz Baxter's ADM repaint (RWA Library)
and various items of stock from the RWA library. Without the RWA library the TS game would be much the poorer.

As always if you don't have or don't want the rolling stock feel free to use RW Tools to swap in/out whatever lights your candle.

[BoostedFridge]

This is a great looking mod. Nice work!

[mindenjohn]

Thank you.

[ironcat60]

Great Idea!

I think it's a great when people give credit to the original route builders and add a extension on to it. It gives credence that the original is such a good and enjoyable route that you want to add to the story of that line. Salute

[LoganTMT]

I'm missing a section of track in the route for some reason, I'd like to know where I can get it or if I can find it in the .xml and be able to replace it with an existing section...

[mindenjohn]

Could you be a bit more specific please like where, a picture paints a thousand words even for something missing. It would certainly help me to answer you better.

[mindenjohn]

I've found one section - Spartan Branch Siding East - where the track is there but not visible. I cannot expalin why as it is Penn Coal as per the main adjacent to it but....

In "Build" I moved the track marker back (towards the Container terminal) on to visible track so as not to lose it. Then clicked on and deleted the non visible track sections. Then re-instated the track using Penn Coal PC Main Track 3D and moved the marker back into position. Job done. Are ther any other missing bits? I am checking but might miss something.

[mindenjohn]

I have found only that one piece of track missing (one too many) but I have also found a few incomplete turnouts (no check rails). I am going to submit a Revision to the Library that corrects these (and puts in track to replace the invisible track).

Edit: Rev 1 submitted today.

[mindenjohn]

The Revision has been submitted for uploading to the Library but here is the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gyuq60h1l8ga ... ek0Za?dl=0

Edit : See below for the link, sorry for the error.

[pjduplooy]

Hi John

The Dropbox link is not complete. Can you change it please?

[mindenjohn]

OOPs

That may be why it is called DropBox, (dropped part of the link)

Try this

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gyuq60h1l8ga ... ek0Za?dl=0

[harryadkins]

Thanks for sharing...

[Chacal]

Rev.1 now available in the file library.

[AmericanSteam]

Thank you for your work.

[mindenjohn]

It gives me pleasure and I hope it gives others the same. I find this community greatly rewarding in the work of the contributors, as well as finding the repaints very useful to give the variety we all need.