Railworks America

Well, it's been a while. Real life fell on me like a ton of bricks, but that is now passed, so I would like to share with you the progress of Panamint Crossing. Designed for TS2015, the route has with these features so far:

* All track, signals, roads and most signage has been placed. The route has over 270 miles of track;
* Distant terrain is now enabled, allowing for stunning realistic vistas out to 30 miles;
* Punishing grades in the 3% to 5% range to test your driving skills, and the power of the engines you'd like to import;
* Four custom reskins of the ES44AC default engines with additional power added;
* Reskins of boxcars, hoppers, and tankers to match the route's branding;
* Original bridges, viaducts, and tunnels, including soaring arch models;
* Original industry models, vehicles and ground clutter;
* A custom seasonal sky dome, complete with stars at night;
* Six custom weather patterns: Fine, Clear, Cloudy, Overcast, Inclement, and Wet Season;
* Custom ambient sound that follows the weather;
* Original seasonal flora that matches the area;
* Custom ground textures and rock models that complete the route's look and feel.

More details, including a donationware download of the route as she stands now, can be found at http://panamintcrossing.blogspot.com/.

TS2015's new editor features, such as irregular asset blocks and scaling of assets, are making short work of the progress. Most of the recent effort is on the western end of the route, on the east shores of Lake Panamint, the large dry lake bed. Load the scenario Alkali Flats to start in this general area.

Should you download the beta, I'll add your name to my list of folks who did the same, and alert you when substantial new areas are completed, along with a direct download link to the route. That way, you only make one donation for this massive WIP. The whole minimum donation idea was a suggestion from another enthusiast here at Railroad America, given the route's size and custom content. I use default scenery sparingly, and the route will never require 3rd party DLC, paid or otherwise.

The remaining work is decoration and building of industry models. In the world editor, all original content is prefixed with the letters PC.

Enjoy!

This is defiantly something special. I just put a lot of money down elsewhere but I will donate as soon as I can.

Welcome back!
That is very impressive work.

Looking great! Really enjoy running the desert routes.

'

but look at this comment from a stupid old fool.

Otto hadn't noticed the correct e-mail address, so James had no clue about Otto's plight. Otto and James have since hooked up, and Otto is mega impressed with the route. All is well again.

Nice attention to detail. Things like the culverts half full of gravel are what we really see out here in the desert.
Desert Rat Eric.

WIP: Downtown Alkali Flats

http://panamintcrossing.blogspot.com/

The decoration around Alkali Flats continues, including the placement of salt ponds, which serves the local chemical processing industries.

http://panamintcrossing.blogspot.com/

Alkali Flats is very reminiscent of Goldfield.

Here we collect our known Nauer Industries mining and excavation equipment in preparation for the creation of the facility that assembles and repairs these large, elder, and generally beat to crap vehicles, some barely hanging on in the harsh desert winds. The Nauer facility's distribution sidings are already in place, so construction can now begin.

This all began with a desire to finish the bulldozer model I had started some time ago, and the last in the original line of my early models. They are meant for mid-distance, not necessarily trackside, and appearing quite alone in the open desert, as everything does. They are sprinkled everywhere, hence the numerous finishes. Nauer Industries continues the build-out of the industries of Alkali Flats.

A line of smaller support vehicles is on the drawing board but for later. All this while starting a new job at the symphony during concert season!

I think they look great, I'm decent at building automobiles, but I defiantly can't do construction equipment.

Looks outstanding. One of my favorite routes for sure and since I live in this area of the country it's nice to see a fictional route here.

Of course, in the open desert the chief problem is all you helicoptering looky-loos with your telescope zoom lenses... you know who you are... and so there has been much carpeting of seasonal flora. The irregular asset blocks with two asset slots made that process go pretty quickly. The subtle sculpting and painting of the desert floor was another matter. But the results speak for themselves: the deception of flatness where the local terrain is hardly that, the whole of it built by falling water. And so, we completely filled in the region bounded by the hairpin curve in the main lines as they begin their long ascent:









http://panamintcrossing.blogspot.com/

Looking Good so far.