New York Division-Bergen Line - Part Deux!

[jamesphh]

Great addition
A few pics.

[minerman146]

American Steam - you like 84 Lumber! This was the fun consignee to do as I took the time to recreate was is there. As you come in off the main the parking lot to your left was for the original station they put in about 1987. You can see the lighting for the platform.

Jamesphh - you saw a lot more, because of the time of day and year you chose. I put some time in getting the lighting right.

The best way to experience the addition is to use the Campbell Hall to Middletown QD. All you need is to drop in one or two diesels. I put a string of cars to take to Red Onion and deliver to Wakefern, Ball and Revere. Its also designed for you to perform your switching and then come back to CH with empties and the fulls from Revere. Also do notice that the way I placed your string of cars in the QD gives you the order in which to disperse your load. Its also nice ride! For optimal lighting try Summer-Cloudy at 7pm or 930 am. Winter-Clear at 930am. From my experience, Winter is the best way to see the depth of the scenery I put in from your cab view. The scenery was checked for consistency to the year 2001. Today only Revere is an active siding. So this iteration is very accurate for Conrail and NS. The only consignee I see in 1976 is Ball for the EL.

I prefer your pictures to mine because YOUR perspective is unique. I find scenery errors from your shots sometimes which I review to quietly fix!

[minerman146]

Good Morning Guys. I am having my morning coffee and lurking here and my other sites looking for screen shots and comments. I also lurk on YouTube and use the keywords "Bergen Train Simulator" and "New York Division - Train Simulator". Just a few minutes ago, I came upon: Train Simulator 2019: NRHS Berkshire Steam Special, by user: BUYNOT here: https://youtu.be/vQy2RxViUAc

What I am looking for in videos are ones that present the route in the best possible light. Typically we get many cab rides. These are great, but you can see the route "context" I always talk about. In this video, the author is approaching it from a railfan perspective, it almost looks like documentary footage. What makes this one special are the scenery elements that show off the attention to detail, not just up close, but out to hundreds of yards. Buynot has found perspectives I haven't thought of since I built these sections. Its only 6 and a half minutes. Please shock the guy with your views and post some comments.

Last, one of the many features of the route was the consideration of photography in game. This is where the deep scenery comes in and in this video it pays off.

[LuisaA]

Just got the chance to get back to Middletown in the updated version. Totally amazing!
Unfortunately I forget to get some screenshots, so I'll get them next time

[minerman146]

I gotta couple of problems. We're running out of pages (again) on this epic thread. As you may recall from 2 years ago we lost out liquor license around page 101. This time I wanna get closed out for just cause. This leads me to my other problem. When was the last time Buzz posted here? We'll pretend it was a long time ago, but he was about to hook us up with some coaches when I let em know that they be built already.

Lets see if I can push my luck and get Buzz to pop in and say hi before Bob shuts us down.

Here goes...

I was wondering if someone could paint this train up in ERIE.

ALC-Oh-Oh-Oh.jpg

Also, in other news. I have a new assistant working on Port Jervis in O gauge to help me out with laying the track.

Mrs Minerman.JPG

Welp, my work is done here for tonight - talk to you tomorrow at the revered Wednesday Route Update Report!
Carry on!

[minerman146]

Gather round and you shall hear the Wednesday Route Report that goes on year after year.

It's that time again and lets get started. As always, we start with the Friday Route Update Status:

( ) Heck yeah we're ready- we did the last 18 miles over the weekend
( X ) Pace is like turnin over a bottle of Log Cabin maple syrup to see how fast it comes out … in Minneapolis … in February.
* or Buffalo, New York … same deal.

As promised, post update, I said I would discuss what is going to happen in the coming months. Frankly we should not be here. This route should have stopped in Campbell Hall, too many years. A few days ago, Middletown, NY was presented for your review. And while there is still much to fill out, we will get that done and grind on to the next objective: Otisville, NY. There is another station there, a Federal Prison (containing one Michael Cohen) and 5,314 feet of the Otisville tunnel. See? I told you we have cool stuff left to show on the route. To get to this point, will require some deep rural scenery that exists in the foothills of the Shawangunk Ridge. We will punch a hole through the Appalachian Mountain chain go descend into the Delaware - Neversink River Valley. Lets go to the Bergen Line's Official Route Map here:
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z8qfWmntT5pI.kjEnKq_dV5cA

bergenmappen.JPG

This just shows the Western reaches of the route with the track and the areas of completed scenery shaded in yellow and blue. It shows where I dream of going. Take a look at the last point... yes, its Pennsylvania. A place I know well. Its also the Delaware Division called by my grandfather as the "Champagne Division" because its simple 2 track configuration, lacking consignees and a massive commuter train operation like our dear NY division has.

Why do it? Geez, I dunno. History, bragging rights, a sense of completeness and just a mind-boggling 90 miles to Hoboken. I will, as Frank says " do it my way " its the only way I want to do it.

Carry on!

[PennCentral670]

You're finally doing the Port Jervis, sweet mercy! Thoguht you were gonna end in Campbell but what a change. After you finish there, I've been always wanting the Main Line for the complete Erie sensation. I know you will get there eventually, but focus on getting out west to PA. I would be willing to help in case as I have three routes I'm helping other out at the moment including my own.

Now I will do this chant for fun....

MAIN LINE NEXT! MAIN LINE NEXT!

[minerman146]

Can ya hold off till I actually get a train into Pennsylvania?
Kids these days......

[PennCentral670]

Can ya hold off till I actually get a train into Pennsylvania?
Kids these days......

You know I'm playing around but it's just a reminder. Take ur time.

[minerman146]

I know you were only foolin, but I didn't say Port Jervis.
Well, I did imply it as to get to Mill Rift, PA you kinda got to go through that town.

[minerman146]

I was getting started on tonight's work and I needed to pull a building from Walden that I am gonna use in Middletown. So I see this scene...

20190726190401_1.jpg

I have no idea if anyone has seen this. Doing Walden was a labor of love and there is plenty to do on the branch lines. Its a real shame that I get "so, when are ya gonna get to X" in a post. Do me a favor - contribute, put a picture up, show me you have been on this route.

If all you are looking for is the next "station' there is a company out there that does it like that all the time - except that route will never look like the picture above and you get to pay for it.

Now I have met Penn and he is a good guy and he's kidding, or just walking back what he said (Both are ok). I gotta tell you, I saw a post about a year ago that got under my skin. It was not directed at me personally. And his post reminded me of it. This guy, who is a good guy and very interested in NJT was asking DTG to build the Bergen and Port Jervis Line ( reasonable ) another poster mentioned this route. The guy replied that my route was "missing some details and didn't go to Port Jervis". That probably took him 30 seconds to write and he dismissed 5 years of work. (impressive).

Its this attitude that kept me from ever straight out saying I was going there. If they cant be bothered to go to Walden - why should I give them Port Jervis?
Truth be told - I went to Walden and Maybrook not just because I liked it but to poke a stick at the guys who keep going on and on about - are you going to Port Jervis. I was running out the clock. Not one person has given me a reason to go there - other than to get there. And you guys know, I could rattle off a half dozen reasons - yet I don't.

Personally, I would rather stay in a bubble and not read that stuff. Thank goodness I know many people who find, not just relaxation and fun here, but many different persons have messaged me privately and said it brings back their "memories" of their childhood, their parents and grand parents of their work and places that they visit and have visited that exist on this route. * Edit - some of their stories are so moving I get awestruck and don't know what to say. For these people I feel like have a duty to do this ... its an amazing feeling let me tell you.

Last week I had some guy say to me - "really, it would be very very cool if you went to Port Jervis" ...
That guy is my father.

Carry on.

[LuisaA]

And that's my contribution

20190729085312_1.jpg

Train 52 is ready to depart Middletown to bring commuters to Hoboken during a cold winter snowstorm.

[bswitzrw]

Funny, that your Dad, was the one that, mentioned Port Jervis. Feel fortunate, Minerman, that your dad is still around to share your journey and be an integral part of it. I recall you talking, way back, how you rode with him, on many occasions, experiencing true railroading which kids from my era would have given up their 2-wheeler to have one ride. (Mentioned to you that my Grandfather worked on the railroad, and a rather unique job, and got me the chance to ride in a switcher, cutting blocks of cars. You already know about that.)

You have the "white hot desire" to continue on your dedicated mission. Not everyone, along the way, is going to like your masterpiece, going to understand what the amount of thought, planning and effort it takes, to develop a project of this magnitude. I would dare to say if some of the naysayers were to start out, on something of similar fashion, they wouldn't last 1 day. I know it's difficult not to take some of the remarks personally, but you have wowed a helluva lot more people, than not, and the bottom line is that if it makes you satisfied, that's the way it's going to be.

So, I don't mean borrow your line, but:

CARRY ON!

[minerman146]

You guys got me to step out of my bunker for a few minutes - ( not the one from Downfall wiseguys )
Thank you Luisa. That was most certainly a contribution to the good-will fund. It is known that I do requests for those so inclined to come up with them. And I also get spooked when my spirit is touched by the memories of those that are in a word, greater, than my own. Which brings me bswitzrw. Ya got me. I realize people have their interests just as I do. So some, or even most, of what I do may not be of interest. That is perfectly ok. "White hot" or a very well-banked fire. I just keep on burning up the miles, hopin I get better as I go, and a-wishen it was close to bein done. The end is gonna be challenge. To bad the route doesn't end on some flat spot with just a signal and an old freight station. If you look up the lat and long for the end - go take a look - the terrain was added almost a year ago. It aint flat and its got more than a old station.

Yes, Its funny that I finally got the request from my old man. I know he lurks here and it was at the end of a conversation we had - where he told me he read all 96 pages and that doin the end would be 'very cool'. I have to say I don't even need to do this to connect with him, we can talk about anything or nothing and its all good. Cold Yeunglings help too. What he did for me all those years ago ,was to bring me to a very specific time and place, that I never forgot and left a deep impression on me and in my memory. You are seeing my memories.

Wild stuff

Anyway - THIS is how you end a route.

No2 Bridge Mill Rift PA.JPG

Picture by Ken Karlewicz

Carry On.

[LuisaA]

That's definely a good loking sight!

Moving on with my contribution, I want to share with you somethign which happened to me this morning. So, I started TS2019 (which I rarely play anymore nowadays) and I kept doing work for my scenario for train 52.
As you see I have a double monitor, and when I was doing a few researches on Suffern yard in real life and the rolling stock parked there, I took this shot.

Immagine.jpg

It amazes me how identical both images are. I rarely saw a route so identical to real life.

That's really amazing minerman!