Tale of Two Passes

[sgtmajor]

Over the holiday's, I drove back to Kansas to visit the parents and I'm always amazed at the VERY long freight trains along that route. They are pretty much back to back trains traveling in both east and west direction, and almost all have several engines up front as well as several in the back. Occasionally you'll see one with a couple engines in the middle of the train.

So....I've been doing some "quick drive" scenerio's and building my trains accordingly. (smile)

My first run was with the Steam Engine PRR-k4 on the Horse shoe curve route. I placed two engines up front.....two in the middle and three at the end of an 88 mixed freight load. The sound of those engines was amazing, however, the lead engine sure used a LOT of water for the trip, so I'm not certain how the program calculates the water to steam use etc.

My next run was with Marias Pass, end to end. (About 160 miles I believe.....over 3.5 hours....whew!!!!) I've always enjoyed that route...very nicely done. I placed two SD-40's at the front and two at the rear of my 100 mixed freight and was really very pleased with my performance. I had only one operational error (speeding) when I was 23 miles from the finish. I apparently missed a speed change sign somehow......anyway, it ruined my perfect run!!! Rats!!!

My last run was the Stevens Pass route end to end. I haven't used the SP Route that much.....however, it too is very nicely done, and I think it will become a well traveled route also. I once again used a mixed load of 100 cars, however, this time used 3 ES44 DC's at the front and three at the rear.

The Steven's Pass was very nice, as there were other trains on the route as well as mine. Hmmmm....I didn't remember seeing any other trains during my quick drive scenerio's......but it made it much more realistic.


Cheers,



Here's a shot of my Horseshoe Curve run.

[bhk]

Steve,
That's an appropriate wintery screen-shot!

If you like Marias Pass, I created and published a three-part Scenario (or three Scenarios that link together, parts 1, 2 and 3).
These are available on the Steam site. They are based on a DVD recorded in 1997 and feature the traffic seen in that recording, the player's train being a heavy coal consist moving from Shelby to Whitefish.
Just look for hbp on Marias Pass.

Bruce

[sgtmajor]

Thanks Bruce.....downloading now!!!!

As far as long hauls go....Marias Pass is one of my favorites!!!

Cheers,

[stewstewart]

Before reading the text, the original picture took me to Altoona and the Horseshoe Curve. Bin there, took pictures, ridden the rails through - all this a long, long time ago in a galaxy far away!!!

Thanx for taking me back!!!

Stew

[sgtmajor]

Stew....you're dead on....that is Horseshoe curve......I should have titled this thread Tale of three passes. (smile) When I started, I was only going to talk about my two diesel runs....but at the last minute threw in my Altoona run with the steam engines and just never renamed the thread.

See what happens when you breath in too much coal dust and diesel smoke......(smile)

Cheers,

[sgtmajor]

Jan 8, 2014 15:22:26 GMT -5 bhk said:

If you like Marias Pass, I created and published a three-part Scenario (or three Scenarios that link together, parts 1, 2 and 3).
These are available on the Steam site. They are based on a DVD recorded in 1997 and feature the traffic seen in that recording, the player's train being a heavy coal consist moving from Shelby to Whitefish.
Just look for hbp on Marias Pass.

Bruce.......AMAZING Job!!!! I ran the first scenario this evening and to say that is a "heavy coal consist" is putting it lightly!! (smile)

I have never been a big fan of the `75 engine....I just never have gotten used to the throttle setup, however, I did better towards the end of the run. Had some wheel slip, even with sanders....but overall, not too bad.

You did catch me on the final signal light though.....even though I was prepared (I thought....Smile) I had slowed to 25 mph just in case that final signal was red....sure enough, it was....but I still didn't have time to stop. Had about 3 cars go through the light, so got dinged for passing a SPAD.

Oh well....maybe next time. (smile)

Too late this evening to run the second scenerio, however, I'll give it a go tomorrow sometime!!!

Many Thanks......but you REALLY should do more!!! That's one of the best scenarios I've ran.....you have quite a talent for that!!!

Cheers my friend!!

[bhk]

Jan 9, 2014 2:39:47 GMT -5 sgtmajor said:

Many Thanks......but you REALLY should do more!!! That's one of the best scenarios I've ran.....you have quite a talent for that!!!

Cheers my friend!!

Thanks, Steve. I'm really pleased that you enjoyed it and I'm sure you'll like the next two sequences.

I'm in the middle of creating one for the Pacific Surfliner route, also based on a DVD (Facing Point's 2005 cab-view ride for the entire journey) and also one for Steven's Pass, again using a DVD plus an Activity from MSTS for inspiration. It's another coal-haul, set in the BN/Santa Fe merge era, so there'll be plenty of green and warbonnets.

If you have Cajon Pass then you'll find yet another video-based effort I did for that route. It's in the file library at trainsim.com.
If interested, just search under "kennewell" (without the parenthesis).

Cheers!
Bruce

[sgtmajor]

Jan 9, 2014 3:00:25 GMT -5 bhk said:

It's another coal-haul, set in the BN/Santa Fe merge era, so there'll be plenty of green and warbonnets.

Great!!!! Looking forward to it.

Growing up in Kansas in the middle of AT&S country, I remember very well the warbonnet paint schemes.....always been one of my favorite. I still remember seeing a few old steam engines....however, mostly the F7 series engines, which are still a favorite also.

I basically grew up living in my home town of Ellinwood, KS., because of the Santa Fe railroad. (smile)

My father was working for Santa Fe in Hutchinson, KS., however, with WWII over....not many jobs available, and that really wasn't Dad's first choices of jobs. He and my mother were engaged to be married the following year, and he was hoping to find a better job, closer to his home town in western Kansas where my mother lived. (He was born and raised in Kinsley, Kansas out towards Dodge City.)

Anyway, one fall day, (October I believe)....one of the rail guys needed to go to Great Bend, Kansas and pick up some wire or something....but needed someone to ride along to help set the rail car off the tracks as he was expecting to meet a freight train. So....Dad was the lucky guy to ride along.

On the trip to Great Bend, Dad said the other guy would check his watch from time to time....and eventually they had to stop their little motor car...set it off the track and then wait for the freight coming through.

This all happened just about at Ellinwood, KS. (smile) Dad said it was a nice fall day, and the little town of Ellinwood just looked so peaceful. He still remembers telling the other guy as they traveled through the south end of town, that he'd love for him and his bride to live somewhere like this.....and he still smiles and say's he remembers the guy saying something like....yeah...right....you're just going to march in and ask someone for a job....get hired and move in....good luck.

As luck would have it....about a week or so later, Dad was off for a few days....went home to Kinsley to see his girl..(smile)....and happened to bump into a guy he had worked with a few years prior at a small lumber yard there. Dad asked if they needed any one at the yard....or if he knew of any work around that area.....they guy didn't, however, stated he had heard someone mention of the yard in Ellinwood looking for help.

Long story short....Dad got the job and that's where I grew up....and Mom and Dad still live there 65 years later.

So....yes...long story, however, I'm still fond of the Santa Fe Railroad.......(smile)

Cheers,

[bhk]

Steve,
That's a lovely story.....and a bloody good reason to have the Santa Fe as your favourite railroad.

I just Google-Mapped Ellinwood (and the other two towns you mentioned on that route) and was delighted to see that there is a Santa Fe Boulevard (E and W) in that town.

How could you NOT like it?!