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

[minerman146]

For those of you who commute into the city via the Bergen, ever wonder how New Jersey Transit got it to look so much like this route of ours?


Inquiring minds want to know! I swear they copied my route.
Carry on.

[AmericanSteam]

Yes, all of NJT is an incredible simulation and exists on a gigantic server farm someplace in Kansas.

[MaineLines]

A short local works out of Croxton.

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[TheR62Fan]

If anything these are samples of the upcoming scenarios for this route.

[minerman146]

I am very happy to see you also hitting the reworked East Rutherford sections. And scenarios...I built this to be a cornucopia of operations. You will be impressed with all the new signaling in the yards done by kris120. I am hoping for an epic reaction with the release.

This is great!
And carry on.

[MaineLines]

Finishing up before heading home.

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[MaineLines]

Poking around Hoboken Terminal reminded me of hours spent in MSTS shuffling cars on the Hoboken Shore Line.

[minerman146]

Mainlines. I didn't know that was done in MSTS. My research says 1972 Hoboken would do the trick. At that time there were still a few freighters trying up in Hoboken.

Someday...if I can get buy-In from the powers that be and the ability to create assets then we could see in game what we both know was there.

Oh and after a long...very long break!


Carry on.

[kris120]

Port Jervis, only tracks and the links of the signals in green and yellow:

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Just some checks on the entry signals are still necessary. Then this masterpiece gets my blessing

[minerman146]

Yes! We are still at it and this is the cultured Wednesday Route Report and Update Status for this Friday, May 21st, 2021.

Sure, we have discussed alcohol and hookers here on several occasions. But we are so much more than that. It's the allegory my friends, and it is everywhere. For tonight's operatic interlude we have Rossini. Apologies to the Saturday cartoon matinée contingent, we will not be playing William Tell.

Let's cut to the chase for the customary route update status:

[ ] I am ready to close the lid on this thing
[ X ] The lid is stuck!


This is Cecilia Bartoli singing the Riedi al Soglio from the opera Zelmira by Gioachino Rossini.

I know some of you look up the lyrics. Allegory!

Where the heck are we? Well, I am in Croxton working the "Merchant's Lead" and Kris is working Port Jervis and submerging signals all over the place. And Kris said "Masterpiece". I owe him a 20 Euro note now. So, we're both working and rounding out the route. For me, I am reworking and enhancing areas, like Croxton, that really need it. I imagine this area becoming more prominent, as Mainlines is demonstrating, with more local traffic.

I want to put an update out this weekend in a bad way and get Kris's work out there amongst you and let it burn in.

Lastly, I am finally at a place mentally to finalize the route and let it go. Its summer and I have plenty of projects on my property that I would use my creative energy on. I will also be starting a new job in June and it would be good to devote some time to the ole career thing. You get the idea. And you guys - keep 'er movin!


Carry On.

[AmericanSteam]

Bravo, la voce di un angolo.

[minerman146]

This is a good sign - almost done in Secaucus.

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I was thinking of all the work it took on these custom buildings to get us up to 100 consignees. Plus we have the surrounding scenery. So, just to bust chops, it would be soooo much easier to do a 40 mile run through a narrow valley then cap it off with ONE consignee. One that has a working coal tipple. (ooooooh.... ahhhhhh) That just cracks me up. But if this was so easy (the NY Division) it would have been done already.

Carry on.

[minerman146]

Perhaps this would work better if I make declarative statements instead of soliciting questions.

Purpose of building the New York Division Bergen Line

1. Proof of concept to encourage Dovetail to consider it.
2. Promote the Erie Lackawanna which was eviscerated by Penn Central renamed as Conrail.
3. Prove an assertion by my father, which was that the Erie Lackawanna was unique in that it had everything. So much so that other railroads would send their engineers to train on the EL.
4. Showcase the stunning scenery of the Southern Tier of New York State.
5. Demonstrate that modeling the following adds emersion in Train simulator:
- Modeling the road grid
- Matching the physical position and dimensions of structures.
- Following the natural slope of terrain particularly when doing roads and structures
- Extending trackside scenery to beyond 3000 feet on each side.
- Modeling water wherever and however it exists.
- Emphasizing and detailing rail side customers
- Modeling a division with a terminus at each end.
- Maintain accurate proportion and height to all elements of scenery.
6. Take recycled scenery used by the developer and create new assets by kitbashing
7. Raise the level of expectation by the community by setting a new standard for route building
8. Out build, outwit and outlast other route builders who promised large routes and never came close to completion.
9. Adhere to the Steam Workshop ruleset to create something unique an so make the route accessible to everyone including the beginner TrainSim user.
10. Prove beyond a doubt that there is more honor in building your own dream route than begging the developer to build yours.
11. Also prove that the developer not only takes every possible short cut in constructing routes and new route development for North America is proposed not by the community but by a single person.
12. To create something of beauty that has purpose and brings enjoyment to other people.
13. To learn more about my father's, grandfather's and other family members job.
14. To learn transportation economics and study the development of the small to mid-sized industrial sector in Northern New Jersey.
15. To honor those who worked for this railroad and recognize that what they considered just a job impacted millions of lives.
16. To remember a time and place where people made an honest living.
17. A hobby to relieve the stress of life and give a sense of purpose.
18. To learn commitment and how to keep a promise
19. To show that route building not just takes time but takes years to complete.
20. Encourage others to build routes, with a realistic expectation of what it takes to do so.
21. To reestablish the rivalry between the Pennsylvania, New York Central and Erie and show that, to this day, that this route builder has a visceral hatred for the PC and he is not alone.
22. To thank my father, in that, in spite of all the time he spent away from home, that what he did and how he did it, was more important that he realized.
23. To thank Dovetail for giving me the tools to make my dream come true.

And I could go on ... but I will revisit that story at a another time. I said years ago that I was highly motivated. Looking back, it is unreal how much motivation I had.

Carry on.

[MaineLines]

I would definitely say "mission accomplished" and I am now ready to give Secaucus a try. Not sure where locals were made up in Croxton but this one is working the arrival tracks.

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[TheR62Fan]

21. To reestablish the rivalry between the Pennsylvania, New York Central and Erie and show that, to this day, that this route builder has a visceral hatred for the PC and he is not alone.

Is working on a repaint pack that will attempt to cover as much of Penn Central's roster as possible.