Railworks America

Has anyone ever done anything or thought about doing something featuring Stampede Pass?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stampede_Pass

I was at it several years ago, but my computer crashed completely, corrupting the files. (Or at least when I tried to open them, railworks crashed.) And on my new computer, it does not show up. If we could build a team and work on it that would be better, my idea is we could have several people on scenery, a person on buildings, 2 people on trackwork, etc...

I was thinking about it but my patience has other plans


Would be a neat run though. Would someone make a 1970's version with early BN or would someone make a present day route?


IIRC BoostedFridge does have an interest but is busy with the Siskiyou.

ErikGorbiHamilton wrote:Would someone make a 1970's version with early BN or would someone make a present day route?

My vote will always be an older version of anything. Northern Pacific

What ET said. Also without going nuts and making a zillion mile long route what's a good start and stop point?

buzz456 wrote:What ET said. Also without going nuts and making a zillion mile long route what's a good start and stop point?

Auburn Yard to Ellensburg is traditional. Used to be a a crew that ran trains from Auburn to Ellensburg on a pool but that pool has since been abolished with the implementation of the "Triangle". Pasco would be a neat extension going through the Yakima River Canyon, but would be a really long run.


The Stampede Sub is also one of the last holdouts for a jointed rail mainline, so if this route is made that has to be emulated otherwise it wouldn't feel the same

Any idea how many miles we're talking here?

buzz456 wrote:Any idea how many miles we're talking here?

From what my father says it's Auburn to Ellensburg is 102.9 miles. East of Ellensburg it becomes the "Yakima Valley Subdivision". That runs from Ellensburg to SP&S Junction in Pasco. From Ellensburg to Pasco it's 127 miles. Combined subdivision length would be 229.9 miles.

A hundred miles or thereabouts is a big job for any route. You can always go on when you get that done. Large towns are the time killer and you would have a couple of them. I know a super terrain and track layer guy if you could talk him into doing it. We are trying to get the first chunk of the MRL done so we can put it out there. It's amazing how the details take so much time...............

I'm slowly doing the NS Norfolk District and it took me multiple days just to do a couple miles... Route building is for those who have good amounts of patients... and coffee...

I generated all of the 1/3 arc second DEM, and marker files for Stampede Pass AND Snoqualmie Pass which was the MILW road route just to the north of Stampede. The NP and MILW were literally side by side for most of the miles east of the summits. I think I did all the DEM for Tacoma to Othello, and Auburn to Yakima. I had dreamed of making the route after I was done with the Siskiyou, before I realized how much of an undertaking I had bitten off with that route.

Auburn to Ellensburg would be the natural portion of the NP/BN/BNSF route to model, but Auburn to Cle Elum (~80 miles) would get the complete pass, as well as the logging branches to Roslyn & Ronald for switching opportunities. The only major difference in the route between NP days and modern operation is that the west side of the pass was double tracked under the NP.

The nearby MILW route was arguably the more scenic with 6 high trestles, and huge snowsheds, but would be quite the undertaking on its own.

I also have all the MILW track charts, and BNSF track charts for the route(s), as well as a collection of images of the structures on the line.

I would be happy to send the files to an individual or group SERIOUSLY interested in taking it on.

Below are some photos of the route in its 'mothballed' state in the 90's, as well as after the BNSF resuscitation of the line in 1996. Photos copyright their respective owners.

I think this would be a good route for later, I could make some custom buildings for it when I have the time such as I've been doing for the Big Sky.