Pacific Surfliner Coming Soon!

[hertsbob]

I can guarantee that nothing has been included that I didn't believe should have been included. i.e. the track is still physically in situ.

I wouldn't dream of trying to take liberties with a US route. Sure there will be bits where I may have made a mistake, but any such instances will be genuine mistakes rather than through wilfull desire. My motivation is only ever to produce the most accurate (for whichever time period is required) and best quality trackwork I possibly can.

Good weather all year? Hmmm... Tempting... It feels like we only had two weeks of summer this year.

[stuart]

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I sure hope liberties aren't taken, such as adding OS sidings or track long since pulled.

I've ridden the Surfliner several times, including cab rides in both directions, even one which included a rearward view from an F59PHI (SD to Oceanside). Perhaps at one time it was the Western RR Venice, but like the passenger trains moving commuters, the whole corridor has been streamlined and a shadow of its former self. Nevertheless, I suppose you can make it into anything you wanted, but the truth is that aside from rush hour Metrolink, through freights and the Surfliners, very little happens in what was once a very busy place.

Only speak for the southern section, but I saw ALL the track on RW decal being present in the route. And Bob having quite enough to do clearly didnt feel the need to add any. :) So no, I dont think you need to worry much there.

I think the route has a lot of potential for both passenger and freight. And expansion for anyone who wants to clone it. Personally Id like to see a steam era version, what about it Bob?

[hertsbob]

Er, how does NO grab you?

There's no doubt that a full-on LA route would be wonderful to see, but I'll pass on the opportunity to build it, thanks all the same.

At this stage I'm more than happy with sitting back and looking forward to the official screenshots appearing.

[fecrails]

Looking at the route in Google Earth and from my own memory of several visits to the area, I'd have to believe that this route will be the most challenging one to date for the developers. With the urban sprawl and all of its hundreds of buildings, grade crossings, expressway overpasses etc. and then the terrain of the coastal cliffs, ocean textures and sub-tropical flora such as palm trees etc., there's no rubber stamping thousands of hectares of conifers on this route. I'm psyched to see the finished product! Going end to end on this route will be a welcome relief from the "larch languor" settling in from too many "passes" lately.

[stuart]

Er, how does NO grab you?

There's no doubt that a full-on LA route would be wonderful to see, but I'll pass on the opportunity to build it, thanks all the same.

At this stage I'm more than happy with sitting back and looking forward to the official screenshots appearing.

Ill even let you make it upper Semaphore. Ah Gwan.


Ill say this, it was one of the hardest routes ive done. it was by turns dirt simple, and the next day you would end up with a motorway interchange over your route, which took about half the day to put in correctly. By the end of it I was feeling pretty burned out. By comparison, Marias pass was a bit of a doddle. Grass, Grass, tree, Grass Grass, village, Grass, Forest, Grass, etc etc. By contrast this seemed almost all urban.

Ive still not seen any of the station assets, so it will be interesting to see what the finished route is like.

[imphantum]

Bob, How far along is she (the route) anyways?

[BNSFdude]

Its out of his hands at this point and the scenery guys are doing their job.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

I don't understand. Posters from this board/our community are actively involved in this commercial project, either individually or collectively?

I thought RSC did all their DLC themselves, unless it got contracted out to some "Docklands Indians" or was commissioned from one of their "Preferred Partners"?

Still, I agree with the other posters, it is nice to have something different in US routes from a mountain pass or desert crossing.
Convincing urban environments and coastline scenery will be the major challenge.

Is Jack London Square with its street running part of this route?

[thebigroyboyski]

There are at least 2 members of RSC staff that contribute to the site semi-regularly.
As well as giving us hints and tips for various things it's good for the company to get feedback from the users and also see what we (the end customer) are interested in product wise for future releases.

Any hints on what stock will be released with the route?

[stuart]

In answer to the question, im a freeware builder like the rest of you. Ive released Western Rails, which is a Uk route covering the west of England in the steam age. But ive been doing contract work for RSC doing routebuilding and scenario work. I really must try to pick up 3d modelling one of these days. Ive worked on a number of projects, including the Donner Pass rework (The Western End up to about Balloon Loop) Laramie Cheyenne (mainly the Western 3rd to half) Marias pass (Shelby to Glacier if I remember rightly), and a couple of UK routes. I did about a Southern quarter of this route too.

Id love to tell you a bit more about this one, but I cant quite remember what parts are covered by the NDA. So its usually the best policy to keep my mouth shut if I cant remember.

Hertsbob does all the track work on these projects. So if you are impressed by all the pointwork on a route, its probably something Bob has been doing.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Thanks, Stuart and Bob for keeping us informed as far as your NDC goes.

It doesn't really matter that much to have pre-release information or not, it is the end product that goes on sale that really matters.
All these pre-release snippets of information can either be confusing, off putting or stimulating to both builders and buyers.
As long as the discussions are friendly, respectful and informative, both parties gain in the end.

I am amazed at the rate at which DLC routes and stock is churned out, but also critical about the many errors and persistent bugs.
More testing and more beta participation can help in finding the most offensive bugs.

My question still goes unanswered: is Jack London Square on this route?

[Bananarama]

My question still goes unanswered: is Jack London Square on this route?

That would be on Union Pacific's Oakland Sub.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Thanks for clearing that up, Marc.

Street running I've always found a fascinating aspect of US railroading as it is virtually non existent overhere in Western Europe since the 50's.
We don't have it in any RSC route, do we? Do the car spawners even allow safe street running, either parallel with the train or turning out/crossing the tracks? Or working trafic lights and trains controlling them on approach? Or pedestrain crossings with people obeying the signals? Running trains thru empty streets is no fun afterall.

The only street running I do in Railworks is on the outer ends of the P&LE route's Monongahela branch and I believe also in some small hamlets along the Youghiogheny river towards Connellsville.

I bet there are many grade crossings on the Pacific Surfliner route, at least in MSTS there are.

Really interested in the character this route will get. Regular scheduled passenger trains with a certain frequency, using modern, purpose built stock running push-pull.

[dcushing]

Thanks for clearing that up, Marc.

Street running I've always found a fascinating aspect of US railroading as it is virtually non existent overhere in Western Europe since the 50's.
We don't have it in any RSC route, do we? Do the car spawners even allow safe street running, either parallel with the train or turning out/crossing the tracks? Or working trafic lights and trains controlling them on approach? Or pedestrain crossings with people obeying the signals? Running trains thru empty streets is no fun afterall.

The only street running I do in Railworks is on the outer ends of the P&LE route's Monongahela branch and I believe also in some small hamlets along the Youghiogheny river towards Connellsville.

I bet there are many grade crossings on the Pacific Surfliner route, at least in MSTS there are.

Really interested in the character this route will get. Regular scheduled passenger trains with a certain frequency, using modern, purpose built stock running push-pull.

I believe Portland Terminal has an abundance of street running and switching.

Duncan

[hertsbob]

Let's be realistic. It's often hard to get a train to stop at a signal, let alone a pedestrian!

I'm basically addicted to route building, so whenever I'm offered an opportunity to create something I'll usually jump at the chance. I'm working on a route for the TS2014 Workshop at the moment and as soon as that's finished I'll be on to the next thing.

The main difference between Stuart and I is that I have no idea what the route looks like any more than you guys do, even though I'm intimately familiar with it.