New York Division-Bergen Line: Episode III, The Erie Rises

[AmericanSteam]

After a sync error, unsubscribe, delete route folder and subscribe the route shows in quick drive and is playable without any crashes.

[minerman146]

After a sync error, unsubscribe, delete route folder and subscribe the route shows in quick drive and is playable without any crashes.

Thank you Sir for letting me know. This would then be a good time to test the waters and release an update this week. I talk about it more tomorrow.
Here is a taste of the new work.

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I do test runs in the winter to find "floaties".
Carry On.

[minerman146]

Another week and another Wednesday Route Report.
So, lets get it on!

Friday Route Status:
[ ] Spilled Bourbon on PC, House caught on fire
[ ] Built Fusion Reactor built from Patent diagram by US Navy, House caught on fire
[ ] Extreme localized Global Warming, House and property caught on fire
[ X ] I'm on fire figuratively, so lets take a shot for Friday.

I really put in the hours the over the past weekend. A good deal of the work was filling in gaps of scenery. These gaps were areas that were complex and required some thinking on how to execute them. The images below are good examples of my challenging spots. Much time over the past Month was spent on the track to Otisville and the Tunnel. That will be there for you to drive on and look at, but the scenery will be absent for some time. As always, thanks for hanging in there for all this time. We are making progress. With that said, lets look at my progress map.

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My pink arrow is very close to green arrow. I did track work and fill ins and over all didn't make much progress in scenery miles. But we are just about 6 full miles east of Middletown, with 4 to go to Otisville. Now is a good place to update, at Howells Junction. The Scenery is going to change a bit as we hit the foot hills of the Shawangunk Range and then go through it to the Neversink-Delaware Valley.

I trust you will enjoy the addition and soak up on the great detail you have come to know and appreciate. Lets take a look at some scenes then.

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This post is short and sweet as I want to get back to the office and plant some more trees. Update could be Friday night or Saturday Afternoon. This depends on progress over the next 48 hours.
Carry On!

[ET44C4]

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Although this might be unrelated, I saw this photo on Facebook and it made me think about you, Adam.

Outstanding work on the route as always!

[minerman146]

ET44C4 - You know, sometimes I get a little scared by some EL fans.
I want everyone to know .. I dont even own an Erie T-Shirt, so I got a tat instead!

OMG that even has a black vinyl roof!

[minerman146]

Happy Birth Day to you
Happy Birth Day to yooooou
Happy Birthday Dear Erie Lackawanna
Happy Birth day to you.

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[AmericanSteam]

ET44C4 - You know, sometimes I get a little scared by some EL fans.
I want everyone to know .. I dont even own an Erie T-Shirt, so I got a tat instead!

OMG that even has a black vinyl roof!

Not a vinal roof just some extra tar paper installed by the EL back shop. Anything to keep them rolling.

[minerman146]

I have been busting my buns all day and last night trying to bang out something for release. (as promised ) Its obvious from this route builders perspective that I completely underestimated the time I needed to put in. This is probably because if I did have an accurate time assessment, I would throw my hands up in despair. Holy cow I had to put in some detail. Here are some pictures … say some nice things already!

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So what you will get is 5 and1/2 miles from Red Onion to Derby Road with da scenery. And you get da track to da tunnel. Like I am saying .. .West of Derby Road - NO SCENERY.

Now I am getting some beer and a steak. Later, I will come back half in the bag and detail up all the stuff I can. Maybe release around Midnight.
Carry On!

[minerman146]

Here are two more shots to build up some interest.

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Looks like New York? Your gosh-darn right it looks like New York ! Do you have any idea how tedious it is to put in every darn pine tree I see on da satellite imagery. Gosh-Darn tedious! This is suppose to be 2 track … but noooooo Conrail tore it up and Metro North put their stooopid platform where track 1 is supposed to go at Middletown. Dopey modern era!

One more thing... hey kid get off my lawn!

[OpenRailer90]

Nice shots! You should try out my Comet IV/V sound pack, which adds Comet V "trailers", which should expand your screenshot opportunities.

[minerman146]

**Route Updated**

Route Update Number 225
New York Division-Bergen Line 9.9.5.9: Howells Junction

Additions: Scenery Update from Route 17M to Derby Road at Howells Junction. Scenery now extends 5.5 Miles West of Middletown. Track extended to Otisville, NY. Otisville Tunnel is included. *Note West of Derby Road the scenery ends. Extend Passenger QDs to cover new scenery. Import more terrain into the Neversink Valley

Fixes: Miscellaneous updates at Suffern, Hillburn, Sloatsburg and Croxton.

Old file size: 192.426 MB
New file size: 201.209 MB

Its been exactly 2 months since the last update and now I can go to bed.
Carry On!

[Spin]

Hey Minerman, do you use videos when researching a line segment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d91AWnxKhgU

I haven't been able to post much, or work on new scenarios. I've been trying to fix a bug in our ancient PHP programming on our website, and I am NOT a programmer!!! Then there's work... I still read the forum and get out on the rails, not often enough. When I do get out on the route I always find something new I haven't noticed before.

[minerman146]

Hey Minerman, do you use videos when researching a line segment?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d91AWnxKhgU

I haven't been able to post much, or work on new scenarios. I've been trying to fix a bug in our ancient PHP programming on our website, and I am NOT a programmer!!! Then there's work... I still read the forum and get out on the rails, not often enough. When I do get out on the route I always find something new I haven't noticed before.

Spin - Not only do I use whatever I can get my hands on to see what cant be seen, I used that video specifically. If you want to compare the video to the route - for fun, I suggest it. My "Test" QDs were accidentally uploaded last night. They go from Red Onion, at signal 71.1, and travel on Track 1 and 2 to Otisville, then beyond the tunnel. So for 2 months I used those over and over to test the signals and scenery against that video. It is(the video) right from my year 2001 that try to adhere to. With the video, for example, I was able to keep the pre-2001 signals and put the bridge as Bowles Rd. as they were. This also helped with telegraph pole placement and confirm signal box location.

I also lurk on your ovsrails forum as do here, so I know all about your trials with php. Keep up your great scenario work and DO put the old NY Division on your route map!

Last and on a separate topic. I was testing the Overshoes QD out of Hoboken (its now 83 miles long btw) and couldn't help but notice the scenery, West of Garfield. I remember how I struggled when I first worked on the route with having only Sherman, Munich and the 2 asset packs. Those issues really show with the foliage. I am sure you all notice it … I read a comment once that said, I am paraphrasing, that the while the Eastern half, from Suffern looks dated the Western part is outstanding.

I do go back and rework sections on the existing part of the route to 'warm up' prior to working on the new sections. A great example from this release is Ho-Ho-Kus. I saw some photographs from 1972 and notice there were rock faces opposite the main station. So, working from the photo I put those in. Since I have worked on the route for years - I benefit from new research material I have found and then update the route.

[minerman146]

I was thinking about what Spin said:

When I do get out on the route I always find something new I haven't noticed before.

He is absolutely right. You just never know what your going to find. In the pictures below I start with a shot from the cab on the fireman's side. Its Winter, and as I always say " do Winter to see the depth of the route" . This is case in point - Howells, New York, a teeny-tiny Village. Why does it go in? Well history of course. Howells was a stop on the original route of the Erie RR. way back in Eighteen Fourty-Six and the track ran pass here for another 40 years after the Graham eliminated the need to go OVER the mountain instead of through it.

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And while my Dad maybe went over the top, my Grandfather definitely did as an engineer on the Erie. Sure it takes a bit of extra time to put something in that you might or might not see out of the corner of your eye, But its there at 1/2 mile from the track at that angle. HISTORY!
Carry On!

[buzz456]

Pls stop showing Winter scenes. It'll be here soon enough.