Route build?

[PapaXpress]

Throwing yourself to the wolves so soon?

Route building is a lot of fun but a few words of advice. Start small, and learn the editor and tools. Take your time, because it _will_ take a lot of time. You will make mistake which will test your patience.

and above all...

back up your route, back up your route, and back up your route.

oh... you may find that people will start asking for the moon and the stars if you make such an open request.

[BlueLight]

Best of luck to you.

[imnew]

Throwing yourself to the wolves so soon?

Route building is a lot of fun but a few words of advice. Start small, and learn the editor and tools. Take your time, because it _will_ take a lot of time. You will make mistake which will test your patience.

and above all...

back up your route, back up your route, and back up your route.

oh... you may find that people will start asking for the moon and the stars if you make such an open request.

So true ! I echo papa's post. :-) Im still hoping someone will do the MRL !

Good luck on your project.

[g_nash]

Lots of choice

Don't need to be the entirety of any of these larger regionals.
pick something from an area of interest.

Genesee & Wyoming USA

http://gwrr.com

http://gwrr.com/operations#center

or here

http://www.american-rails.com/regionals.html
http://www.american-rails.com/shortlines.html

Potentially usefull,a portion of this,given that Marc Nelson is building in this region,
scenarios could been written to cover SJVR interchange with UP/BNSF Bakersfield

http://gwrr.com/operations/railroads/no ... ailroad.be

Lots of choice

[5292nate]

MRL would have some absolutely beautiful scenery!

[PapaXpress]

Why not this...

Download the freeware ScaleRail, ScaleRoads, Rural Landscapes, and RCAP v1 (not sure when v2 will be ready), and what is available from The Golden Age of Railroading. This will give you an idea of what is attainable using some pretty nice stuff and only having 3DTrains, RCAP, and GreatNortherner checked off in the object browser. When RCAP v2 is released it will include a ton of new models, including signals, grade crossings, and water lofts and decals.

For your first route don't pick a real place. Just imaging one based off what you have seen on Google Earth (or maps, or books). Lay some tracks, lay 5 in paralelle, make a yard ladder, learn to weld track, and use easements. Placing models down is simple, so after the track I would recommend placing trees and pants which is much harder than you can image.

There are some freeware locomotives available: GP15-1. F40PH, SD7/9, and some of the Britkits offerings. The Golden Age of Railroading has some freeware rolling stock. Learn to make a few simple scenarios.

Then give it to the public (and run like hell as the rivets fly!) and gather some feedback.

Some of the best routes which have stood the test of time (ie they were built in RailSimulator) are fictitious... and small. I recommend following this learn path before taking on something prototyped off a present day or history line (which then demands a higher level of attention to detail).

[harryadkins]

I have been working on a model railroad layout plan to learn route building.

[Chacal]

I would recommend placing trees and pants which is much harder than you can image.

I'm sure it is. I have to admit I never tried.

[hertsbob]

Thanks for that.

I was going to say something helpful, but now all I can think about is PapaXpress planting his y-fronts... It's quite unsettling...

[PapaXpress]

ha ha

ha

... can we move along now?

[5292nate]

The 5292nate railroad sounds pretty nice to me...

[5292nate]

On a serious note. Idk. Maybe "America's Premier Railroad"?

[5292nate]

I'm thinking something plain like General Transport CO. INC.

Why not use that? ^^^ Sounds pretty good to me!

[hertsbob]

Sorry, I'm new here. Is Mike 'Spanish' Mike, or someone else?

Make your first route very short and be prepared to throw it away.

Don't underestimate how long everything takes either.

[BlueLight]

How about the Great Swamp & Southern Railroad.