New York Division-Bergen Line

[minerman146]

NSTrains and Old Prof - Thank you both. It appears that time spent fishing for small mouth bass has paid off in this shot! But that is not how it really happened. If you have been poking around in Central Valley the past month, you would have noticed the big hole of empty scenery that was this pond. I have been thinking about how to handle this spot for weeks. Its not a swamp, a marsh or flooded lowlands ... its all 3. In this location, I had been working around the area, testing elevation and scenery. The foreground has been down for almost 2 months, the lake and detail were placed in the last 2 days. So after an hour and a half of placing scenery ... I decided to look at it. It "fell" together like this, and was so remarkable to me, I took a screen shot. What may be of interest to you or other route builders is the process of thinking about an area long before its put together. This place I was thinking about for months. (The moodna I have been thinking about on a daily basis for 6 months) I work out how I will attack the scenery in the commute to and from work ( 1 hour each way). When I get home I attempt to maintain the frame of mind (thinking of the problem) until I start to build. So, in short, I don't just sit down and out pops the scenery. A great deal of time is spend looking at imagery from many angles and thinking about what I will build in the evening. Believe it or not ... this act is very relaxing. I really do like this spot and I hope you will bring a train into this scene and get a very nice shot from it!.

Say what you will about 10 year old graphics. The man and dog are added so you have a sense of scale. This is a good sized lake for fishing!

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[minerman146]

When I get scenery completed, then I can post new images!
Soooo many trees in New York!

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The Wide-Angle Shot!

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[sqk4477]

NSTrains and Old Prof - Thank you both. It appears that time spent fishing for small mouth bass has paid off in this shot! But that is not how it really happened. If you have been poking around in Central Valley the past month, you would have noticed the big hole of empty scenery that was this pond. I have been thinking about how to handle this spot for weeks. Its not a swamp, a marsh or flooded lowlands ... its all 3. In this location, I had been working around the area, testing elevation and scenery. The foreground has been down for almost 2 months, the lake and detail were placed in the last 2 days. So after an hour and a half of placing scenery ... I decided to look at it. It "fell" together like this, and was so remarkable to me, I took a screen shot. What may be of interest to you or other route builders is the process of thinking about an area long before its put together. This place I was thinking about for months. (The moodna I have been thinking about on a daily basis for 6 months) I work out how I will attack the scenery in the commute to and from work ( 1 hour each way). When I get home I attempt to maintain the frame of mind (thinking of the problem) until I start to build. So, in short, I don't just sit down and out pops the scenery. A great deal of time is spend looking at imagery from many angles and thinking about what I will build in the evening. Believe it or not ... this act is very relaxing. I really do like this spot and I hope you will bring a train into this scene and get a very nice shot from it!.

Say what you will about 10 year old graphics. The man and dog are added so you have a sense of scale. This is a good sized lake for fishing!

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EPIC MINER! Wooof!

[minerman146]

Less is more....

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[rarecommonsense]

It's always very evident that serious thought has gone into just about every aspect of the route, otherwise, this wouldn't look as beautifully done as it is now. You continuously impress, without fail.

[minerman146]

It's always very evident that serious thought has gone into just about every aspect of the route, otherwise, this wouldn't look as beautifully done as it is now. You continuously impress, without fail.

Well yes, of course, its serious thought, without this to think about, I would be dwelling on my high stress job!
You guys provide that satisfaction from my work that I simply do not get out there in the 'world'. Thank you so much!

And speaking of thought... check this image out. This is building I have just reworked, all the objects here (I'm being purposely vague) are historically significant to this place. Enjoy.

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[NYWhiskey]

. This is building I have just reworked, all the objects here (I'm being purposely vague) are historically significant to this place. Enjoy.
[/attachment]

And this one. I know you are so hating me now with the Moodna and Campbell Hall. I can take it, I just have to continually break your balls.

Just joking with ya, don't take me seriously.

[minerman146]

You will get your darn bridge Whiskey!
With that said. I would like to note that, on the Bergen, we capture all landmarks of "historical and or cultural significance".
I assure you, Loughran's fits both of those pre-requisites!

[NYWhiskey]

I assure you, Loughran's fits both of those pre-requisites!

Yea, well, the holidays are over. I'll let you know when I get out of the city up to the boonies again. I'm dying for some Black.

[minerman146]

I assure you, Loughran's fits both of those pre-requisites!

Yea, well, the holidays are over. I'll let you know when I get out of the city up to the boonies again. I'm dying for some Black.

Got 4 or 5 hours to kill with me talking about the route? Your on? Bring yer posse with ya!

[minerman146]

Quick Question for you folks. I changed my avatar to reflect where I am currently building. I think in terms of counties, as I believe that reflects a people and their place. Does that make me olden?

[BoostedFridge]

Quick Question for you folks. I changed my avatar to reflect where I am currently building. I think in terms of counties, as I believe that reflects a people and their place. Does that make me olden?

Not olden, but perhaps more in tune with your surroundings than most these days.

[OldProf]

Quick Question for you folks. I changed my avatar to reflect where I am currently building. I think in terms of counties, as I believe that reflects a people and their place. Does that make me olden?

Nope! It makes you Golden for changing your avatar with a purpose in mind, not just randomly. Looks nice!

[minerman146]

Route Update Time!
As you know, we are in Orange County, New York, working scenery only, in a bold rush to get to the Moodna Viaduct. To work this long and this far you got to have goals. The goal is the darn trestle some 7 miles away. To get there, I need to get out of Central Valley and Highland Mills. Houses and Trees is what we got, all in a valley and sloped on 2 sides. Its tedious, there are many close up detail areas that have been worked, and new terrain features we haven't done before.

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I have been holding back on an update for the past 2 weeks. I want to complete the area to Highland Mills. With Highland Mills completed, the rebuild of the Western 18 miles of the route from Suffern will be complete. That rebuild project started in September 2016 - 5 months ago.
This will be a more dramatic update for you when you start the QD from Highland Mills, so please bear with me as the work continues.

A few days ago I was messing around with NYWhiskey about the Moodna. No matter what he tells you ... it IS all his fault! With that said, I cant go West without that bridge. Some of my competitors wonder how I am going to do it with the my limited bag of tricks. Honestly, I am very concerned about making a passable Moodna. I would have went further West 3 years ago, if I had easily transferable assets. The fact its, I don't even at this time. What I am about to say here about the bridge is true of the route as well. If we see it, it goes in. We don't care what kind of pitch its on, if it takes 5 different assets combined, folded and shrunk to make it look similar to the prototype, we do it. We know we cant reproduce the exact model, but we can put enough elements into it that there will be enough visual queues there for you to recognize the building if you see the real thing. One more thing, we don't cherry pick the scenery. If we see something hard - we do it just to make a point. If there is something boring, we look really close at it to add real detail to make the ordinary ... interesting. You are not supposed to even notice it. It is designed, when all the elements come together, to just look like it belongs there. Kudos to Mr. NYWhiskey in a PM to me he said... well he said not to give him a guilt trip about the Moodna . But he also said something very key, that, in effect, the Bergen is the most "natural" thing he had ever seen (in a game). Natural. Yep, that's it. It didn't always look as natural, but we have come a long way in making what you see on your screen look to you and to me like it is the real thing. I know one guy that is driving around the route and checking the Bergen against the real deal. His responses have been very favorable. Ill be honest, I have driven to parts of the route and sometimes it just takes my breath away how close I got it...even with a very limited draw of assets. Pro-tip: its really hard to see under overpasses from satellite!

Well, back to tonight's build session! See ya around.

[minerman146]

I have thought of this quote - dozens of times over the past three years...
" Well, as you know, I always felt we tried to go a bridge too far."

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NOW, ITS ON!