FEC Mainline

[jonmorrie]

Anyway, I got the SRTM data to import, but it looks terrible. Everything is supposedly correct, but it is way too hilly for Florida. I'm probably better off just carving my own rivers/water bodies, considering that's all there is anyway.

[jonmorrie]

I just don't understand how that'll ever look realistic. I've been living in South Florida for 15 years and it looks NOTHING like that. I don't wanna waste more time on track if it's going to look terrible.

[imnew]

A few really important things to remember when creating a route.

1. Backup your work after every session
2. Backup your work after every session
3. Backup your work after every session
4. Backup your work after every session



2. When working in huge yards, create a backup when you are half way "through" the yard building process. You never know when the editor corrupts a save file..
3. Also, make two backups, one for the computer you are working on, and most importantly, one on an external drive ....!! If your main computer dies and you only made backups to that computer.... well you know....
4. If you experience something strange in the editor, do not save and exit. CTRL ALT DELETE and kill the railworks process.
5. Have fun !
6. Do not lay millions of miles of track and then later do the scenery. Placing tracks is the easy and fast part, placing scenery is the really time consuming part.
7. Have fun

And last but not least.. Post progress shots.

Good luck on your project

[jonmorrie]

Thanks for the advice, I do appreciate it. Which files are the ones that I need to backup?

Also, for a Florida route with no encounters with ocean, is SRTM necessary? It is really hilly with the SRTM where it shouldn't be... I'm contemplating just building on flat ground, and with help from decals, I will make water myself. There's really not a whole lot anyway...

[jonmorrie]

Finally figured out how to make perfect yard switches !

[PapaXpress]

Anyway, I got the SRTM data to import, but it looks terrible. Everything is supposedly correct, but it is way too hilly for Florida. I'm probably better off just carving my own rivers/water bodies, considering that's all there is anyway.

I have some news for you. I am sorry to inform you that the world is not flat.

Here is the real problem. You are looking at the land without anything on it. No trees, buildings, fences. Nada. Start putting models down on it and you will find it looking more like it should.

[CSX2057]

Yard looks great! Yup making the yard do take alot of time and patience, but you'll get the hang of it. Ground textures? More preferably grass, Florida never had any deserts. Just sayin' . Other than dat keep up the good work.

[jonmorrie]

Summer has started, and so has the progress on the route. I have retracked the whole yard with better technique (accurate switches) and it looks great!

[johnmckenzie]

Hialeah!

My dad's brother and his family used to live in Hialeah. I've been to the States twice, both times we stayed with them.

The only US train I've seen in real life was hauled by an EMD loco, type unknown sadly, in SCL livery somewhere around the Jai Alai stadium if memory serves me correctly - although it was 30ish years ago!

I look forward to this route immensely

[imnew]

Hey there jonmorrie. Are you still working on the route?

[jonmorrie]

Hey there jonmorrie. Are you still working on the route?

The politically correct answer would be "it's on hold indefinitely"

But I'm more content with learning some of the basic fundamentals of route building first and dealing with the problems before I go out there and make a huge one. But I still have the files for it and fully intend to work on it in the future. Just not sure when.

[imnew]

Lets hope that future is in a couple of minutes from now

[jonmorrie]

An important update: I've been fooling with this route for about 6 months, and I have an exciting announcement: in addition to the current FEC Mainline from Miami-W.Palm Beach, I will be simulating the proposed "All Aboard Florida" revamp that will add a second track and modernize the current line to allow pax service at 79mph. Pictures to come in the next few weeks.

[5292nate]

An important update: I've been fooling with this route for about 6 months, and I have an exciting announcement: in addition to the current FEC Mainline from Miami-W.Palm Beach, I will be simulating the proposed "All Aboard Florida" revamp that will add a second track and modernize the current line to allow pax service at 79mph. Pictures to come in the next few weeks.

Sounds great!!!!

[jonmorrie]

ANNOUNCEMENT:

In light of some other announcements here, I decided I will be extending this route all the way over the Atlantic Ocean for 3,000 miles!!!

No but seriously, I am trying really hard to not let this be vaporware. I hit a bit of an issue, in that I don't have the information necessary to lay all the track (namely track speeds). I bought a track chart from 1999, and it includes everything EXCEPT track speeds. Maybe someone here knows a means of accessing that information? If so, progress will skyrocket.