PRR Fort Wayne Line: Crestline to Fort Wayne (1950s)

[Antwerp]

Still in its infancy (but coming along nicely) is my WiP Pennsylvania Railroad Fort Wayne Line route from Fort Wayne, IN (Somewhere not far west of JUNCTION) to the Eastern Division Post at Crestline, OH. A distance of roughly 135 Miles.

This project has actually been under construction since 2015, but University shelved it until now.

I am doing things bit by bit, and have absolutely no estimated completion date. Though after roughly a week, I have already completed about 57 miles of the track from ADAMS to NS (Lima, OH). (It's pretty easy when the route consists of long sections of straight and predominantly flat trackage). Only bits of scenery are down in places to act as position markers (Mostly where depots, roads, and towers are located).

Beginning with what I have completed farthest west, I am moving East in this thread. (I will share what I currently have completed to date, that is of any note as of 1/8/20)

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Update 1a

The 'farthest' west I have gone with any amount of detail of trackage is Adams Center Road east of Fort Wayne. The tracks go to Linkers (Meyer Rd.) but there is only the main at that location where a large classification yard begins.

Adams Center Road.jpg

We're a little west of ADAMS at the crossover, looking towards Adams Center Road.

ADAMS2.jpg

Here is ADAMS looking east towards Ohio, the track curving off to the right (South) of frame is the PRR's Grand Rapids & Indiana line towards Decatur, IN.

ADAMS.jpg

Moving east, we are at West Monroeville where a siding on the Eastbound main begins. The PRR Fort Wayne Line was only signaled directionally (and dispatched by area towers) with the Eastbound Main being the right-hand track looking east, and the Westbound Main being the left-hand track looking east.

West Monroeville West Switch.jpg

This is the current view of Monroeville, IN. The abutments in the distance were an old interurban bridge, abandoned and removed by the date of the route.

Monroeville Switches.jpg

Update 1b to follow shortly.

[Antwerp]

Update 1b
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The west end of the Richey Siding.

West Richey Switch.jpg

The fun of this project is finding out there was a town called Richey at this location west of Van Wert. You can still Google Maps it, but it's certainly no town, just a few houses.

Richey Switch.jpg

ESTRY is the crossing of the NYC (Cincinnati Northern) and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Remember that story about the crew who had one last chance to run a T1, this is where they began their dash to Fort Wayne that culminated in an unofficial 120mph east of ADAMS.

ESTRY.jpg

An overview of a barren Van Wert, still missing some tracks for a freight depot that I can't find a decent picture of to know how that worked out.

Van Wert.jpg

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Update 1c to follow shortly (I can only post so many photos at a time )

[Antwerp]

Update 1c
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Moving east, were are at Delphos' West Switch for the east main siding.

Delphos West Switch.jpg

An overview of Delphos. The track turning north is the Nickel Plate Road (Cloverleaf Route).

Delphos Full.jpg

Just east of the station, the east main siding ends, and the west main's also ends.

Delphos East Switches.jpg

About 2000 feet further east, the westbound main siding starts.

Delphos East East Switch.jpg

This is where I am now in Lima. NS Tower, the crossing of the B&O. (Today's CSX Toledo Sub)

NS.jpg

[RailWanderer]

Antwerp, are you using any real terrain data?

[Antwerp]

Antwerp, are you using any real terrain data?

Unfortunately, everything I've found doesn't work in-game, or requires overly precise track placement (we're talking pixel perfect alignment to run the direction I would need and even then) that I can't make work properly without massive modification to the terrain, or my sanity.

I have quick access to the route irl to get terrain pictures, and Google Earth makes it easy to see from crossing to crossing. This part of the railroad is pretty flat on average to begin with. I'll see what I can do, but nothing has worked so far. It's just the scenery around the railroad that might be higher or lower than the tracks.

I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises that I will be able to find terrain data that doesn't just make everything look like the outskirts of a mountain range.

Let alone one of the programs required in the tutorial above was blocked on my computer as a potential risk to the computer, and I'm not going to argue with my computer's security. If they wanted it to run on every computer and not be considered a security risk by both Defender and Malwarebytes, they'd put together an .exe file correctly.

[TheTeenageFoamer]

I presume the DEM you've been trying to use is probably the kind you download and it's already set up to just drop in the folder and go, am I correct? These sites usually have dem of 3 arc second resolution (very very poor in quality). Working with dem can be a pain, but in the long run it makes the scenery much more realistic, and if you can get your hands on track charts, those can also be a lifesaver for making realistic track, because as much as we wish it, the world is not perfectly flat.

[Antwerp]

I presume the DEM you've been trying to use is probably the kind you download and it's already set up to just drop in the folder and go, am I correct? These sites usually have dem of 3 arc second resolution (very very poor in quality). Working with dem can be a pain, but in the long run it makes the scenery much more realistic, and if you can get your hands on track charts, those can also be a lifesaver for making realistic track, because as much as we wish it, the world is not perfectly flat.

While my interest was not to keep the route completely flat, I was going to manually edit it where I deemed necessary (ditches, rivers, raised roadbeds, etc.). However, after some digging, and help from my brother at the DNR, I've found what appears to be 1 arc second resolution files that don't require dubious programs to run on my computer to make work. I have a webinar with BGSU in about 30 minutes, so I will get back to you on whether this stuff actually works or not after that (and also after I do some bug testing).

I do have track charts from interlocking to interlocking. It's just some of the bits that don't translate well on those charts.

[Antwerp]

...because as much as we wish it, the world is not perfectly flat.

Upon getting my data from this link https://dds.cr.usgs.gov/srtm/version2_1/SRTM1/

Importing it into the game, I can confirm, according to these USGS files, this area is about as flat as a billiard table like I anticipated. No variation for creeks, ditches, etc. For the most part, if the land does not raise or fall in incline over 10 feet, the USGS data isn't going to differentiate that.

Want me to get pictures from outside my hometown on the RoW? You'll see for the next 10+ miles on a sunny day. There's documented stories of a depot agent near Defiance, Ohio (Probably the ghost town to its west Emmett.) getting wind that a train just left Antwerp, and could see the distant headlight 10-15 miles away when there were no trees in the way.

I will concede the point that the world isn't flat, but no maps I have access to will show in-game that the railroad is raised 3 feet off the ground. Or that there is a 5 ft deep ditch along the RoW. I'm working in an incredibly flat portion of Ohio and Indiana.

20200110135512_1.jpg

20200110135342_1.jpg

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Flat

lel.jpg

Flat but getting warmer

Thing.jpg

[Antwerp]

For more evidence why this 1 arc second terrain stuff is useless in this area. Exhibit A:

National Lime & Stone Co. at Lima's Sugar Street

In-game

20200110181959_1.jpg

Reality

Interesting.jpg

It's so laughably bad I would pretty much have to manually do it anyway.

[Antwerp]

I'm still missing a few tracks here and there. Others need a bit of modification. This is a considerable amount of progress on the trackage, so here's an update.
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JUNCTION's tower is in the wrong spot in these pictures. It was across from the GR&I turnout.
Looking north from JUNCTION towards PARK. The track going north on the left is the Nickel Plate Road, and the one going north on the right is the Grand Rapids & Indiana (PRR) (all tracks at PARK are gone, but the Nickel Plate still survives at this location heading south as the NS New Castle District, as does one main of the Pennsy.

20200112132718_1.jpg

Looking east from JUNCTION towards WABASH. The switch is the turnout for the GR&I. The westbound main (left main) is gone today.

20200112132709_1.jpg

Looking southeast down the Pennsy main from WABASH towards Piqua Yard (Doesn't exist in-game yet). The tracks heading east is the Wabash Railroad.

20200112132649_1.jpg

Looking west from WABASH towards JUNCTION. This is the area where the Wabash and Pennsy's main remain close for their stations that are across from each other in downtown Fort Wayne. The Wabash remains intact to this day as the NS Huntington District. The interlocking has seen incredible change since the 1950s.

20200112132639_1.jpg

An overhead view of WABASH (known as MIKE today)

20200112132808_1.jpg

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At this point, around 62 miles are down from around JUNCTION in Fort Wayne to just east of SUGAR STREET in Lima.

[Antwerp]

BONUS: It's not a perfect match due to limitations of the game when working with tracks and the HSC track rule. But I'd say it's pretty close.

In-game WiP

20200112133106_1.jpg

1943 (http://contentdm.acpl.lib.in.us/digital ... 580/rec/45)

default.jpg

[buzz456]

[Antwerp]

A small update, the station tracks in Fort Wayne are largely completed. Piqua Yard is underway

Note: The roads will cross under the tracks. I will not be working on the specifics of scenery or terrain at this location until Phase 2a.
We're presently about 3/4 the way through Phase 1a: Trackage from JUNCTION to NS.

Secondary Update An Hour Later: I found some archival aerial photos of some locations I have yet to get to, currently working on, and past locations from around 1949 that are great quality. It has cleared up a few assumptions and has actually shed light on some adjustments to various interlocking around Fort Wayne that will need updating.
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Just west of WABASH looking west.

20200116190904_1.jpg

Fort Wayne's Baker Street Station looking east. Yes, each main has two passenger tracks and 1 freight track.

20200116190921_1.jpg

Roughly the same spot looking west.

20200116190925_1.jpg

Near Broadway Avenue looking east towards the station.

20200116190932_1.jpg

What little of Piqua Yard that has been worked on. This is only the westernmost end where the roundhouse is located. A little research is still necessary before this part can be completed.

20200116193845_1.jpg

[Antwerp]

I figure I'll update progress on a weekly basis. Here are the current changes in the last week.

The roundhouse area is mostly complete, save for finding a roundhouse model that works.

20200124171509_1.jpg

ADAMS has been updated to more accurately reflect the 1950s alignment based on aerial photos between 1949 and 1962

20200124182633_1.jpg

[Antwerp]

Not a lot to update on, work is still progressing around Piqua Yard.
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UPDATED: 9:31PM

The engine servicing area is practically done with trackwork. (save for some crossovers on the mains)
(The church sitting over the main is a placeholder (in length) for a large coaling tower that I need to find or build a decent replica of.)

20200207173656_1.jpg

Piqua Yard's Westward Classification Yard and Eastward Receiving Yard from Anthony Blvd. looking east.

20200207211826_1.jpg

Piqua Yard's Westward Classification and Eastward Receiving Yard from where Pontiac and Wayne Trace meet and become Pioneer under the yard's hump (then split again).
The "hump", if it can even be called that, it was just one track very slightly raised compared to the rest.

20200207211818_1.jpg

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Work will commence on the Eastward and Westward Receiving Yards to the 'humps' east.