Raton Pass route

[ElphabaWS]

Release-date article: https://live.dovetailgames.com/live/train-simulator/articles/article/rails-over-raton

[RudiJaeger]

Grabbed it this morning; here are a few shots heading south up the pass from Trinidad:

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My first impression is very positive and I'm happy to have paid full price for this one. I've accumulated quite a few routes and I must say this is among the best regarding scenery, detail, and content (I haven't gotten into the mechanics yet, but if it's anything like the scenery it should be great). This would also be a great route to back-date for some aspiring route builder. Btw, my Father's family were both natives and pioneers in Trinidad and the surrounding area, so I'm familiar with the region, and I think the scenery looks as close as it can get considering the available assets and DTM data (Fishers Peak could be a little flatter on top ...that's Fishers Peak in the distance on the last screenshot). All rivet-counting aside, I actually felt like I was there; and to me, that's what counts. Great work DTG Team!

~ A Happy Customer

Edit: I should clarify that the passenger consist in my screenshots are not part of the route package; they are from the DTG Cal-Zephyr and EMD E8 packs. I just couldn't help taking some retro-shots on the route. Hope that clears it up for everyone; sorry for any confusion.

[ET44C4]

Beautiful...

[Tomcat]

Very preliminary thoughts;

Scenery in places can be quite good, seems as if most foliage and rock assets are the same as in Soldier Summit - didn't really notice anything new while looking through the assets, but I didn't look that long or hard.

Provided engines look very, very clean, not a trace of weathering. Hopefully the community will provide us with some proper dirty, grimy repaints - even some light weathering would go a long way.

From pictures I have seen it looks like there is super-elevation on the real route but it has not been implemented here.

The gradient changes are numerous and have not been smoothed resulting in a bumpy ride in many spots (Many .4/.5/.6 changes). Some gradient changes are just meters apart and I think that trying to smooth over more than one gradient change in one go will many times have an undesirable outcome. There are also many places where there are short (under 10 meter) sections of track, sometimes several in a row, which can make for a bumpy ride.


Of interest to route creators/modifiers:

If you are considering adding to the route or creating a new route from the Raton Pass template then you should try creating a simple new route with the template and see how you get on; I did and noticed the following,

While laying track with the Raton Pass track rule I noticed that no speed limits are set by default, the fields were empty as was the track rule field in the properties box that opens up when you initially lay track or when you select a piece of track with the select tool. You can add speed limits as you go or later on but you can't add a track rule in the first field. I then tried laying 2 tracks at once and noticed that they appeared very close, so close that you cannot place engines side by side on parallel tracks. Using the select tool and then offset it appeared that the default spacing is 3.2 meters. Since even with the Raton Pass track rule selected in the options box no track rule is actually applied to the track and you can guess that junctions can not be created, at least I could not create any junctions. I took a quick look in the AP and there is a track rule there but I have not unpacked it at this point - I'll do that at a later date.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

i value Tomcat's expert eye.
So track it seems laid down quickly with an easy mindset, not bothering with a proper track rule?
All track the same?
No superelevation?
Are there mileposts?
Grade crossings working properly?

About the included rolling stock:
I noticed different couplers with or without brake hoses on the Steam advert page's screenshots.

How do the unbranded locomotives look? BNSF colours without road name?

How are the Superliners, have the trucks been corrected or do they still both point at the same car end?

How are the articulated spine cars, the only new asset I believe?

[trev123]

I will wait to buy until someone does some Santa Fe skins.

[PNWR1854]

Wow that didn't last long before the rivet counting began.

[buzz456]

Anybody from outside the US bought this yet?

[trev123]

This is what the Santa Fe skin looks like outside the USA.

[ET44C4]

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.26719--104.39503_17-01-25.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.26724--104.39481_17-01-31.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.26620--104.39608_17-01-58.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.26331--104.39714_17-02-09.jpg

I've never purchased any DLC on a day-one release, but I couldn't resist getting the Raton Pass route today. I have not explored the route yet, but so far it looks beautiful. A hi-rail truck is included for AI use as well. More shots soon...

[buzz456]

I should have what it takes to provide proper signage to the world soon as soon as I get the file structure figured out. It will of course be free and only for one's personal use.

[NStrains]

How are the spine cars and whatever the other new cars are?

[ET44C4]

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.25315--104.41121_17-04-49.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.22549--104.45152_17-08-57.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.21099--104.47086_17-10-44.jpg

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Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.17358--104.50667_17-17-39.jpg

Certainly one of my favorites... The code lines look great as well as the searchlights and semaphores. I also spotted a new wooden trestle.

[dr1980]

That’s about what I expected the non-USA version to look like based on what they did for the Metra route.

Thanks Buzz for the upcoming “patch”!

[Brickrail782]

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.25315--104.41121_17-04-49.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.22549--104.45152_17-08-57.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.21099--104.47086_17-10-44.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.18076--104.49939_17-15-40.jpg

Screenshot_Raton Pass_37.17358--104.50667_17-17-39.jpg

Certainly one of my favorites... The code lines look great as well as the searchlights and semaphores. I also spotted a new wooden trestle.

The assets included are going to be great for backdating modern routes such as the Surfline and Cajon Pass.