Challenge - Inglenook, Tysden and Fallingdon

[NeutronIC]

I'll throw my hat in to the ring here and have a go at this!

I first built this route (never released, never finished) in MSTS. My goal with this project will be to re-develop it and make it much more how I wanted it to be. In MSTS it was only a couple of miles end to end so the goal now is to make that more like about 5 miles and provide a more interesting journey between the three stations (in the title of the route). Easiest way to think of the route is that it's an old line that's cut off from anywhere else. Standard gauge stock, three stations and three yards. One port at one end of the route, and one town is on a small island at the other. It's principally single line with some passing places.

Matt.

[NeutronIC]

A small amount of progress today, doubt this one will make it to a sensible level but we'll see.

I've got the first 3.8 miles of track down which gives me the main two stations (Inglenook and Tysden), the locations of the two primary shunting puzzles, both of which are now fully laid. I've spent much of this evening starting on the terrain between the two, wow what a way to lose a huge amount of time

Still, the results aren't looking too bad. The idea is that Tysden is on a different island to Inglenook station, you cross over the water along a viaduct at its narrowest point and then because of the height difference (Inglenook is a fair bit higher) and the unfriendly terrain (rock faces around that edge of the main land) your journey winds along the coast, rising all the way until you're at the right height, at this point the road takes a sharp left and plunges in to a tunnel and shortly after you come out the other side you're arriving at Inglenook station.

This route really isn't about the journeys between stations, but it does provide a bit more interest and purpose for the shunts.

The two puzzles are Inglenook (of course) and the Timesaver puzzle.

Thanks to Geoff for the tutorials on how to put the template, loading picture etc together, that worked a treat. Geoff - you spoke in one thread about doing the description text, did I miss where you did that or did you not do it yet?

Matt.

[karma99]

Sounds good, looking forward to some pics Matt

[NeutronIC]

A little more progress this morning, the coastal side of the climb is now much tighter to the track. I've re-laid the track inside the tunnel through the mountain now so that it's using Tunnel track.

I'm having a problem with the tunnel decal though - it's not just a nice smooth decal at the edges, which means that if I cover up enough to get the mouth sorted then half the mountain side is missing too.

I've added an engine shed to Tysden though it needs some trimming as it's a tad long. I've also added a turntable there too to meet that requirement of the challenge. Platform is in place at Tysden.

On the suggestion of my mother i've changed a small portion of mountain side so that it has a bit of a feature with the track having a bridge to get over it. Some chimneys under the water make the water look like it's foaming nicely - shame I can't put the waterfall itself in really!

Matt.

[RSderek]

Come on Matt, don't be shy, show the crowd...


regards

Derek

[NeutronIC]

LOL I've been meaning to, it looks pretty awful but it certainly does the shunting puzzles well enough

Only had about 8 hours work on it though for the week unfortunately.

I'll try and get some shots up at the weekend if not before.

Matt.

[NeutronIC]

Ok finally got the chance to do some screenshots.

I won't be submitting it for a couple of reasons -

1. As a judge, it can't be included in the judging process anyway, for obvious reasons.
2. It doesn't mean many of the requirements yet, no signalling, no scenario, no jump markers, only two stations, not enough track mileage etc

Only got to spend about 8 hours on it, quite pleased with what I got done for that amount of time though personally, but then i'm easy to please


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The loading screen, bland, was only meant to be a place holder until the route was more complete and then I could use screenshots of the route instead.



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Looking out over the back of Tysden station to the engine sheds.


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From the end of Tysden platform at the run-around point.


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Sitting by the wheel of a rusty black 5 waiting to get on to the turntable at Tysden.


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An aerial overview of the track layout showing Tysden station, sheds and turntable.


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The Timesaver puzzle yard at Tysden.


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The coal ramp. Brick supports done just using the offset tool once the track was angled correctly.


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Back of the coal ramp, used a couple of containers to block up where the buffers are and bushes etc to fill up where the track sticks out


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Aerial view showing all of Tysden.


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Crossing the bridge from Tysden to the main land where inglenook will be found.


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Beginning the climb up the cliffs of the coast on the main land.


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Continuing the climb.


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Around one of the sharp corners.


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A double layer bridge with a waterfall - no falling water but plenty of splashing courtesy of a deep underwater cooling tower


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FInally we're at the right height to turn a sharp left and vanish in to the tunnel for a journey through the mountain.


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Coming out the other side of the tunnel.


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Showing the exit of the tunnel in the rocky faced mountain.


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Inglenook station.


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Aerial view of Inglenook station and the puzzle yard.


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The solution template! The objective (which is set up by the scenario author, this is just a normal bit of track) is shown here - the aim is to shunt the wagons in the three sidings using the rules of the puzzle and end up with the wagons in the indicated order when deposited in the holding siding (where the brake van is sitting on the main yard in the screenshots).


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Another shot of Inglenook.


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A more distant view showing the rise up the coastal cliffs.


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Map.



Overall, pretty pitiful compared to the other entries in the challenge however the goal of this project was to get the two shunting puzzles in to the sim and that's been achieved.

Inglenook is a simple enough idea - one siding takes 5 wagons, the other two take 3 wagons. You can only deposit wagon(s) in a siding if it stays within those limits. Other than that, it's up to you to re-arrange the wagons to achieve your goal.

Tysden is usually one wagon per siding and you need to re-arrange the wagons so that they end up in different sidings, usually using the run-around loop to get to either side of the wagons.

I took a simple enough exercise where I brought the 7F out of the shed, turned it in the turntable, drove up to the two wagons in the holding siding at the Tysden yard, brought them in and ran around them and finally pushed them up the incline to the coal drop. That simple short exercise took something like 25 minutes

Where I see this route going is joining the puzzles together to try and blend them with a fictional railway - what you might have for example is arriving at Inglenook with a train of 8 wagons and a brake you have to then use the Inglenook sidings to re-arrange them in to a given order ready to proceed to Tysden, then take them to Tysden and deposit a specific 5 of them in to the 5 nominated sidings - that ought to provide a nice long shunting exercise The aim of course is to use as few shunting moves as possible ideally!

I still need to add the additional staged track around the Tysden yard to enable a scenario author to specify what the desired end-goal should be but that's just small single-wagon versions of the big one I placed in Inglenook.

So, overall, quite pleased with progress - not bad for about 8 hours in my opinion!

Matt.

[y10g9]

Looks like a good route there Matt.
Are you going to continue with it in your spare moments and one day release it?
Regards
Nath

[NeutronIC]

Absolutely. I want to get Fallingdon station and docks in, then put some nominal scenery in there and then create a shed load of puzzle scenarios. I'll probably make copious use of Karma99's GWR wagons and Kevin Martin's or Matt Ivey's GWR steamers for the scenarios though - this route is best run with tank engines.

I do plan on uploading it shortly though, in the spirit of the challenge, to get routes uploaded so that they can be enjoyed and not have to wait years for them to be "perfect". Besides, people might have some excellent ideas on how to extend it, tweak it, or even more shunting puzzles to add (though i'm only aware of the two so far ).

Thanks for the feedback!
Matt.

[Acorncomputer]

Hi Matt

The route looks really promising and I particularly like the shunting aspect. I also like the rock effects, much better than trying to texture vertical terrain.

[hertsbob]

I'm particularly fond of your double-decker bridge/viaduct. I think it's excellent, with an especially good use of the cooling tower. Nice one.

Bob

[NeutronIC]

I can't take any credit for the idea to (mis)use the cooling tower - I first saw that by Jim Ward in his RW route, I just appropriated the idea to give me a nice bit of spray and it works really well.

That said, I do like the way the double decker bridge came out and I haven't seen that elsewhere

I spent a good two or three hours today shunting in Inglenook, wow that's seriously good fun and a way to lose lots of time Shuffle the wagons on the podium to a random order and then start solving!

Add extra challenge by saying "you can only move three wagons at a time" and it becomes more difficult and requires much more planning

Haven't had a really good go with the Timesaver yard yet to see how well that one works.

Once i've tarted the route up a little i'll try and get it uploaded in a week or two and if I don't get anything done in the next week or two i'll upload it as it stands!

Matt.