General Electric U34CH & Dieseliner Coaches by Pullman Standard

[minerman146]

Guys - its comming soon. A final brake adjustment is being created. After that the unit will be released.
Next up will be to address the other versions!

*DTG changed the release date to tomorrow* 27 March

I just got the adjusted version - version 28.

[Railfan722]

Here's Gary's article: https://live.dovetailgames.com/live/tra ... f-the-east

Can't wait! It looks amazing.

[TheR62Fan]

All I know is that the comet I coaches will be perfect for older shoreliners and other 4 door railcars!

[minerman146]

Gary Dozall DOES NOT DISAPPOINT: "Beast of the East" I LOVE YOU MAN! He hit all the high points and came up with new ones. Un-freaking-believable! Now I am stoked!

Written by: Gary Dolzall.
The burly and powerful commuter-hauling General Electric U34CH diesel – and Comet I equipment – is coming soon to Train Simulator!
The distinctive, burly, and powerful General Electric U34CH diesel that toted commuters in New Jersey and New York for more than two decades is coming soon to Train Simulator – and the U34CH will be accompanied by Pullman-Standard Comet I cab cars and coaches!
Meticulously created for TS2020 by DTM, this upcoming DLC will include the GE U34CH diesel in NJ Transit livery and feature Pullman-Standard Comet I equipment for “push-pull” operations.

In the early 1970s, the commuter rail lines radiating from Hoboken (New Jersey) Terminal which now comprise NJ Transit routes were primarily operated by Erie Lackawanna on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). Equipment renewal was an imperative and in 1970-1973, NJDOT funded the purchase of 32 diesels for use on non-electrified commuter routes. The selected diesel locomotive was the General Electric U34CH, a six-axle (C-C) behemoth based largely on GE’s 3,600-horsepower U36C design, but with the addition of HEP (head-end-power) equipment for train lighting, air conditioning, and heating. As a result, the locomotive provided 3,430-horsepower for traction, thus its U34CH designation. In their early years, the husky U34CHs (which originally carried NJDOT road numbers 3351–3382) often handled Erie Lackawanna freight duties on the weekends.

Purchased with the U34CHs in NJDOT’s equipment renewal program was Pullman-Standard Comet I commuter equipment, constructed in cab car trailer configurations for “push-pull” service. A total of 155 Comet I cars were acquired, including 110 coaches, 35 cab cars, and 10 snack/bar cars.
Over their careers, the U34CH and Comet I combos could be found working virtually all of the non-electrified routes out of Hoboken, with what are today’s NJT Suffern and Morristown lines being regular haunts. In the turbulent railroad environment of that era, Erie Lackawanna became part of Conrail in 1976 and in 1983 NJ Transit assumed commuter rail operations in the region. During the Conrail years, one U34CH was given a “Bicentennial” livery and renumbered 1776 while the rest of the fleet was renumbered into 4100-series road numbers (4151-4182). One additional U34CH (No. 4183) was built in 1978. Beginning in the early 1980s, NJ Transit’s flashy livery of silver with tri-color stripes was applied to a number of the big GE diesels.

By the early 1990s, with the toils of two decades of service behind, the U34CHs themselves became the target of another fleet renewal as NJT acquired remanufactured GP40s for diesel-hauled commuter services. The U34CHs were retired from NJ Transit commuter services in August 1994 and a few served a short period longer in M-O-W duty. Three units were briefly leased to Philadelphia’s SEPTA commuter operation and several of the units made their way to Mexico as second-hand power. One U34CH, No. 3372, has been saved for restoration by the United Railway Historical Society of New Jersey. NJT’s Comet I equipment was rebuilt in the 1980s and some cars served until 2009. Several Comet I cars are preserved at the Whippany (New Jersey) Railway Museum.

Coming soon to Train Simulator, the U34CH DLC from accomplished partner programme member DTM will include the U34CH with a range of realistic features including the throaty, chugging sounds of GE’s 4-cycle FDL-series power plant, and the locomotive is dressed in NJ Transit livery. The Comet I cars will likewise appear in NJT colors. A selection of four career scenarios will be included for commuter operations on the Morristown Line of the Train Simulator North Jersey Coast & Morristown Lines route (the route is available separately).
Get ready to tame the “beast of the east” – the big General Electric U34CH – and accompanying Comet I equipment, which are coming soon to Train Simulator! - Gary Dolzall

[rarecommonsense]

Well, it's definitely not releasing today, if there's only an announcement article.

[buzz456]

I asked Cesar if it would be out next week. His answer was "I hope so."

[minerman146]

Inside dope- I am testing the brakes. They are greatly improved.
And next week is looking good.

*Cesar is ecstatic that I am calling them very good.

[PennCentral670]

I was wondering when this DLC was gonna be announced. Congrats on finally getting what you wanted my friend! A lot of good DLC has been coming out this year from the M2’s to this! I’m so buying this the day it comes out to run it on my PVL Route and show you off.

[Chacal]

I hope you get credits in the manual, Minerman.

[minerman146]

Chacal - I do, as well as some surprise help from guys right here on RWA!

[minerman146]

Its time to let you know about the brakes. We did all we could do. On March 26th I got version 29, and 2 hours ago I got version 41. After working at testing all weekend, we not able to to translate the working brakes to the cab car. I was on this for 11 hours yesterday. We did have it at one point. Version 32, had an active service quadrant where the brakes didn't start until at 65% on the HUD. To use electric hold, you would feather past 65% put on 10 or 15lbs pull it back to 50% an the brake would hold and charge. If you needed to touch up the brake, you released and went past 65% again. It worked - my father was happy, I was happy, Cesar was overjoyed ... then we tried to apply the settings to the coach and it broke both sets. EH still worked, but the braks would go on after 20% and go on hard. ( it was like a different brake script took over) If anyone can shed light on this... or better yet if Smokebox reads this - please reach out to me man!

So we got for brakes - is just the regular old brakes with 5 positions that we all know and love.

On the good side - we do have a believable HEP set up. And the train takes off like a rocket (Im exaggerating - but its fast) All the other little details that I had put in are there, so lots of stuff to click. AND you have to set HEP every time you get on the train. (move the switch from Standby to HEP)

And soon this will be you ....

20200330151129_1.jpg

20200330150428_1.jpg

[Railfan722]

Out now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1211 ... oco_AddOn/
Gary's article, if you want to read that: https://live.dovetailgames.com/live/tra ... ken-u-boat

Overall, it looks pretty good, and it'll be something to go near the top of the ever-expanding "things I want" list. Can't wait to go tearing down the Bergen to Port Jervis

[rarecommonsense]

Doing a test run with it now. I personally love it so far. Sad that it took this long for those coaches to be done at all. But Thanks to 3rd party support, as well as Minerman aka The Da Vinci of route building, we finally now have this. Thank you, DTM and Minerman for all of your collective efforts in getting this to become a (Virtual) reality.

[minerman146]

Rarecommonsense:

The one thing that no one had, is what I have - blueprints.
I know for a fact that no-one ... not even anyone from the Model Train industry ever requested the plans.

This is an opportunity for me to talk about where my head was at getting the project started. I sought out the 2 developers that had built GEs before (Dash 7s) AFTER I got the plans. Then, I pitched the project as modification of existing models to make the U34CH, and I would provide all GE research, plus Pullman Standard research. When I was taking to Pullman they had gotten the original plans back from Bombardier about 18 months before and they had not been opened in over 20 years. My contact at the museum was pretty excited about having a request for something not seen before and also some thing from the 20th century! I had no idea what I was getting each time I ordered. I worked from a list of plans with a description.

I am not permitted to publish any of the documents, which frankly are so cool, that if I had the whole story of the interactions and motivations of NJDOT, EL, GE and Pullman... it might make an interesting story. Below I will type out the cover page for the 157 page bible of the PS Coaches

BUILDING SPECIFICATION

LOCOMOTIVE - HAULED

SUBURBAN PASSENGER CARS

FOR

STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION



ON

ERIE LACKAWANNA RAILWAY




LOT 7046 71 Trailer Cars Car #1700 thru 1770
LOT 7046 A 71 Trailer Cars Car #1600 thru 1609
LOT 7046 B 71 Trailer Cars Car #1500 thru 1523






Pullman-Standard
Transit Engineering Department
May 25, 1971

[minerman146]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L2MO5q5Weo
Watching Schnauzahpowahz's video - I will just say ... I hear ya talkin.. and I know
Very fair and thoughtful review.