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

[MaineLines]

Screenshot_New York Division - Bergen Line_41.46131--74.35005_15-18-37.jpg

[minerman146]

This will not be in lieu of the Wednesday Report, but is it supplemental to it. I had the day off yesterday so I spent to serious time on the route. In the past 2 days until now, I have put in 13.5 hours of work. I am cranking to get an update in by next Friday. The map below shows where we are.

2019Derby-Otisville_1.jpg

In the picture you can see my points. We start off on the right at Derby Road, which is where we left off over a month ago. Everything East of the yellow arrow is now done. What you cant see is that I have roads, buildings and half of the forests to the Red Marker. This is where I am working the 'box' I talked about the past few weeks. I am NOT doing that again. The box was too big. I will just work 2 square kilometers at a time going forward. Usually, I talk about the work being a challenge. Well, its always a challenge just different challenges. This time I had a great deal of rock work to do as seen in the picture below. As you know by now, I just don't slap some assets down and call it done. Everything is layers and changing sizes to keep it random and natural.

20191129214218_1.jpg

Yes, a winter shot. I have to do it as you cannot see any further than 100 yards as this whole thing is a wall of trees. Its really a shame this all 60 mph territory as you will buzz right by all this. In the shot below, you can see how all the detail work falls in place on the side of this small mountain. Years of hunting and living in New York helps me to capture this kind of terrain and scenery!

20191130112838_1.jpg

In all honesty, what is taking so long is really the limited amount of time I am putting in each day. If I was back at 4 hours per day, we would be in Otisville by now. It is what it is. In the last shot, I always like to show the depth. A this time I am extending trees from 1km to 2km on each side of the track - so lets call that 3000 to 6000 feet. All the houses and roads up to 3000 feet go in as you can see them in Winter. Additionally, because of the amount of rolling hills, I want to capture the depth of the terrain so you can see the rise and fall of the land.

20191130132153_1.jpg

In conclusion were got some diverse scenery here: Rolling hills, cuts, houses on ridges, Pine forests, farms, the Shawangunk Kill, roads, overpasses and coming soon, a small gravel operation. Tree density is through the roof yet fps is running in the mid 20's on 32 bit, except when I run VRC or Searchlight locos.

In other news - DTM has posted some pictures of the cab car. I got the go ahead from Cesar to talk about the project. And I will do so in the coming days.
Carry On!

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Looking great as always.

[AmericanSteam]

Eerily, Erie

[jalsina]

It is too cold out there!

[AmericanSteam]

Pluckin' and putin'

[jalsina]

Where did you get that little cute thing?

[mindenjohn]

The 44 tonner has been in the library for awhile.

[minerman146]

It time again for this week's Wednesday Route Update Report

Lets go to the Friday Route Update Status:

[ ] Sure
[ ] Youbetcha
[ ] Heck yeah
[ ] Uh huh
[X] Yep!

Ok, so there is an unusual assortment of affirmative check boxes. This is a first! I want to say I have no idea how this happened, but it was this past weekend that pushed it over the top. And looking at my logs, since the 28th of November, I have 32.5 hours in game, working the route. The objective will be met and the sweet irony is I am soooo close to Otisville. Take a look at the shot below.

20191204005032_1.jpg

I have to put something out, and it has been over a month since the last update. So what you get is four more miles of full scenery. This is a good place to release, as it will take the pressure off to crank on the route where I will get bogged down anyway in putting in the Village of Otisville. Looking ahead, once I release Otisville and go over the top, this is truly the last leg of the route. I still cant believe I have worked this long, going past several points I thought were impossible, to get this far. Its over 80 miles from Hoboken to this point-it is just astounding!

In addition to the scenery - there will be quite the list of fixes that were performed over the past month. All fixes will be enumerated. I will recommend a route deletion for this round of updates, because of the signal changes/additions. Credit goes to Kris120 for identifying fixes and improvements to the route.

Carry On.

Nice caboose shot right here:

20191202205301_1.jpg

[jalsina]

Nice boxcar too!
I was three days ago at Campbell Hall just to seat the JR SS NS SD40-2 (for the first time in my TS2020) and moved it backwards from the yard to the position in the screenshot.
I will soon take a train to go exploring the West of the Bergen (not beyond the end of the track )
I will find some free time to take some pictures, as I am somewhat busy now building a set of QD scenarios for Tomcat´s Cajon-Mojave.

[minerman146]

Jalsina, I have this model from JR SS, the sound, the effects are mind blowing! Go read the manual and tune the radio to channel 52. ( instructions are on page 11 of the manual) I love these guys!

I cant remember the last place you were at on the route. What should be new is Carlton Hill and everything West of Campbell Hall.
And you know how much I love pictures!

[jalsina]

Jalsina, I have this model from JR SS, the sound, the effects are mind blowing! Go read the manual and tune the radio to channel 52. ( instructions are on page 11 of the manual) I love these guys!

I cant remember the last place you were at on the route. What should be new is Carlton Hill and everything West of Campbell Hall.
And you know how much I love pictures!

Actually I already have a good grasp of the UP version of that SD40-2. Thanks for the tip on the radio channel 52.
I have to look at the HOTD if there are any differences with the UP versions.
And there are Conrail´s too.

[minerman146]

So Close - but still need to do the Village of Otisville!
****ROUTE UPDATED****

I recommend you delete the route and reinstall because of the signal changes.

Route Update Number 227

New York Division-Bergen Line 9.9.6: Hidden Hollow Farm
Additions: Scenery Update from Derby Road at Howells Junction to Route 211 in Otisville. Scenery now extends 9.6 Miles West of Middletown. NY. Otisville Tunnel is included. Extend Passenger QDs to cover new scenery. Import more terrain into Greenville, NY. Lastly, our final station is now 13.6 miles to our West.

Fixes: Courtesy of Kris120's recommendations:
1. 06_Hoboken_2019-11-03_15_49_07
Response: 3Nov2019: Days Yard Portal Removed-Manual Switches Placed as they exist.
2.10_Ramsey_Portal_2_2019-11-03_22_13_45
Response: 3Nov2019: Remove Ramsey Portal 2 WEST.
3.24_Red_Onion_2019-11-03_16_47_01
Response: 3Nov2019 a. Extend Point 1 Signal 71-5 East beyond Signal 71.1, b.Extend Point 1 Signal 71.1 East beyond Signal 71-5
c. Red Onion Sigals Submerged D71-5A,D71-5B and D71-1. d. Portals: Red Onion East, West, Runaround Track.
4.15_Mahwah_2019-11-03_16_03_14
Response: 3Nov2019 a.Replace Manual with Automatic Switches. b. Label Signals at MP29, Signal 29-31 Diverges to Siding. Label Signals at MP28 Move Portals East before signal and West Before signal. Signal 27-31W Diverges to Siding
5. 18_Ramapo_2019-11-03_16_07_28
Response: 6Nov2019 . Move Rampo Portal to Signal 32-3, and 2nd Ramapo Portal E., Label Drarf Signals D33-1E,D33-2E, D33-1W & D33-2W. Extend 0 markers 5m back on all signals from MP31 to 39.
6.14_Allendale_2019-11-03_15_59_51
Response: 7Nov2019 a. Reposition Portals in Allendale b. Extend 0 markers 5m back on all signals from MP23 to 24
7. not completed
8. not completed
9.22_Campbell_Hall_Signals_2019-11-03_16_19_23
Response: 7Nov2019 a. Remove 64.7-2 replace with 1L and extend 1 marker beyond yard entry. b. Extend 0 markers 5m back on all signals from MP63 to 66. c. Remove Dwarf West of O&W Bridge, Elevate 2 Dwarfs and name D010F to protect yard egress. d. Move Campbell Hall Portal North to CH Junction. e. Elevate Dwarfs D013R and add 2L Signal 013R at wye.
10.10_Passaic_Juction_Portal_1_2019-11-03_15_54_24
Response 15Nov2019: Move Fairlawn Portals to signal 16.6 to cover EB and WB, add dwarf 17.1 at Nabisco Lead. Extend 0 markers 5m back on all signals MP 16 to MP 18
11. Duplicate
12. 17_Dykes_2019-11-03_16_06_44
Response 14NOV2019 Add Portal at end of Piermont Branch

Old file size: 201.209 MB
New file size: 205.920 MB

But we did the station up real nice!

20191206155552_1.jpg

[MaineLines]

Screenshot_New York Division - Bergen Line_41.45970--74.35837_15-05-45.jpg

Screenshot_New York Division - Bergen Line_41.47198--74.52918_15-10-12.jpg

Screenshot_New York Division - Bergen Line_41.47248--74.53104_15-10-12.jpg

[minerman146]

Mainelines, did you like the tunnel, super elevation and all those cuts? I keep running this at 0645 in winter cloudy to see the pines and all the deep details.
Thank you for running this part of the route so soon after release!