Blackwood Creek Revisited

[mindenjohn]

A couple of years ago I posted an "expanded" version of Blackwood Creek. This was with Mark Howarth's permission. I have learned a heck of a lot since then and I thought that there were some things I could improve (?) on what I did before. In 2021 I added a pair of interchange sidings at Whitestakes, a cement works at Cranston an inter-modal terminal off the Sparta Branch plus a turntable at the Preservation site.
I have now added a yard at Whitestake alongside the mainline, a steel fabricators alongside the branch at the Whitestake end, re-vamped the inter-modal to take longer trains, completely rebuilt the Cement works, added roads to the turntable and extended the line beyond the cement works by about 2 miles including a mile long tunnel. I have some scenery to do i.e. gardening and it will be ready. I have always thought that Blackwood would be ideal GP9 ground so we now have one and the cement company has it's own covered hoppers 2 and 3 bay with logo.
Just for now 2 pics of the GP9 and a view of Whitestake yard, afficionados will know where it lies - the sign on point is bottom left.

Edit: The GP9 livery was inspired by the Blackwood Creek GP15s, in the RWA library, by Stephen D. Myers (tagsdm).

[mindenjohn]

A miserable day in the summer of 1990 Blackwood Creek GP9 #233 picks up a short train for Baumann from the Interchange #1 track and heads for Baumann. Just after leaving the main line and heading up the branch it passes the well established but rarely seen ACME manufacturing plant where steel is fabricated into all manner of wondrous things including pipes. ACME slogan is "If you can imagine it - we can make it", there's nothing like ambition is there?

[PullmanCar]

I so enjoy seeing various interpretations of the Blackwood Branch and extensions, it seems a favourite route to make changes to. I once did a sort of NP restyling to it, as if it ran in the albeit rarer flat rural, wooded lands of the PNW. I enjoy seeing your growth since the route initially was very much it seemed shrinking, a sold off Class I line turned Class III.

‘PullmanCar’

[pkz19]

I'm really looking forward to this!

I've stopped and started a backdated version of Blackwood Creek a few times because it feels like a great stand in for some of the classic eastern roads like the Pennsy, AC&Y, NYC, etc.

[mindenjohn]

It is coming. I am running tests on some scenarios at present some minor scenics to finish then post to Chacal for the library complete with some custom repaints.

[mindenjohn]

Unusual visitors - BN and SP&S C424s visit Whitestake.
Diesel Workshop do it again

[mindenjohn]

Blackwood Creek RailRoad has been acquiring some more used EMDs and putting them through the shops; at the same time the GP9s have been hard at work earning the crusts.

How long before those trucks on the GP30 lose the shine?

[mindenjohn]

Been writing scenarios and touching up various scenic bits and found time to repaint some GP20s.
WP sold their GP20s Hi-nose to the Blackwood Creek RailRoad who quickly repainted most of them and put them all into service (some of them patched) but there were only 10 units. The units were so successful the BCRR wanted more so they got another 10 from Southern Pacific (chop nosed). Now they have a reasonable fleet of 20 maybe they'll paint the patched ex WP units (probably not).

The route which is an extension/revision of the Revised route posted by me in 2021 will soon be posted to Chacal with scenarios. The locos and other custom assets involved will be posted separately.

[Mikeov1985]

Very nice work John! These look great!

[mindenjohn]

The revised track Plan

Link for Route & Custom Assets

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/eaqa4n8t ... jjr9y&dl=0

The spiel to go with the trackplan and pics.

Blackwood Creek 1990 Revisited/Revised - Route ReadMe

The original “Blackwood Creek” route is the creation of Lt. Bligh (a Steam Workshop route) and this version is very heavily based
on the original.
I am grateful to Lt. Bligh for the original and for permission to post this version. In 2021 I published via the RWA library a "back dated"
version (with permission) and this version is an extension of it plus some inspiration from Ironcat60. Due to changes in track markers and indeed
track positions in some cases the scenarios written for the original and the 2021 version no longer work however where I could I have
amended the scenarios used to suit and these are included in the package. The scenarios amended by me carry my numbering before the name ofthe
scenario and where applicable the original author's initials, name or? after the name. It is more complicated to explain than to see.
The scenarios have been tested.
In addition I have added to the package some custom assets - repainted engines, repainted freight cars and some billboards for specific customers.

Changes made to the 2021 version are:
Switching yard at Whitestake with engine facility
ACME Manufacturing site just N of Whitestake on the branch (inspired by Ironcat60)
Extension to the Intermodal Yard at Baumann North (in effect a rebuild to allow 20 wellcars per road).
Complete re-laying of track from Baumann 3 to the Intermodal yard.
A Team Track in the Baumann triangle
Fertilizer and Feeds depot at Baumann (inspired by Ironcat60).
Chemicals Plant East of Baumann (inspired by Ironcat60).
Partial rebuild of Blackwood Historical Railway site with additional tracks on turntable.
Rebuild of Cement works East of Cranston with company switcher facility , company switcher repaint and company repainted covered hoppers.
Extension of track beyond the cement works, scenicked inc. a tunnel and signals. This allows trains to start beyond the tunnel Whitestake bound)
and gives AI EB trains somewhere to go passing potential switching operations being conducted in the cement works.

Custom Assets included in package

Cranston Cement Alco S2 (Dogmouse)
Cranston Cement 2 & 3bay hoppers (Kuju)
Blackwood Creek Railroad (BCRR) GP9 (RSC)
BCRR GP30 (DTM)
BCRR SW1200 (DTM)
BCRR GP20 (Reppo)

Billboards - Cranston Cement, ACME Manufacturing (Kuju)

If you have read this far you are a Blackwood Creek fan, I hope I haven't let you down and you enjoy it as much as I have and do.
Problems? contact me via the RWA
The Freeware Assets included and the Route are Freeware and you can do what you wish except make money from them. If you wish to publish
your work to this/these you may do so subject to credit being given as appropriate. Payware items are the copyright and intellectual property
of the original authors and this must be respected.

Mindenjohn
November 2023

[hobo1960]

Thank you for creating and sharing.

[Chacal]

https://railworksamerica.com/index.php/ ... collection

[mindenjohn]

Don't ask where the Blackwood Creek RailRoad gets its money to buy locos but it does.
When Rock Island finally had the doors closed on the road it had 25 mono screen U25Bs on the roster and 14 split screen versions. These had been supplied in three batches. The split screen ones were both later and in much better condition and were quickly snapped up by the likes of MEC, The other 25 were in shockingly poor condition such that the Leasing Company decided they were only good for scrap.

Here endeth reality and here followeth the fiction.

BCRR, always having an eye for a bargain did a deal with the Leasing Co and the scrapper and eventually 6 healthy locomotives appeared along with some spares. The biggest problem was getting hood doors that would close as they were sadly "neglected". The six were numbered by BCRR as #401-406 and here are photos of #401 on test at Marshalltown North Yard on the Bedford Junction Lines (W-I-P) after its rebuild.

Back to reality
Edit: Submitted to Chacal for the library