Atomic Systems

FoggyMorning wrote:Probably showing my own ignorance here, but a couple at least do suggest Boston (one picture was of some beans and this mornings clover and Guinness)

My guess is that the Guinness reference is to Irish Railroad Workers.

According to twitter, they are officially announcing their new USA route, via newsletter, tonight.

well, the route is Sherman hill guys

from the newsletter

A fantastic new US route is coming to Train Simulator 2012 this August, and it looks set to be a tough one! The railroad from Cheyenne to Laramie, Wyoming, has such tough grades that the Union Pacific railroad built locomotives specially to handle it, giving us the Challenger and Big Boy that are still revered today. With Union Pacific diesel horsepower on hand and some heavy freight trains to move, this will be a great new expansion pack for all US rail fans. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more information on Sherman Hill.

Another diesel route unfortunately. While I couldn't buy Sherman Hill set in the 40's fast enough, sadly not going to bother with this one. Boxes just don't do it for me...

Cheers

OZINOZ wrote:Another diesel route unfortunately. While I couldn't buy Sherman Hill set in the 40's fast enough, sadly not going to bother with this one. Boxes just don't do it for me...

Cheers

The email newsletter describes it as:

The railroad from Cheyenne to Laramie, Wyoming, has such tough grades that the Union Pacific railroad built locomotives specially to handle it, giving us the Challenger and Big Boy that are still revered today

so it sounds like steam will be right at home on it

Having just seen the screenshot in the e-mail from RSC, looks like two piles of giant elephant droppings.


C.

I have a feeling this may be the Sherman Hill route Marc from 3DTrains was working on which went very quiet (ie, now in partnership with RS) That being the case, it is set in the modern box era - there are no steam facilities, water, coal, turntable etc. That to me is a real shame...

Cheers

Please do try to engage Google before employing your fingers in future, if you'd be so kind...

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_train ... ndex.shtml

hertsbob wrote:Please do try to engage Google before employing your fingers in future, if you'd be so kind...

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_train ... ndex.shtml

That was sarcastic and uncalled for. The fact that UP runs a heritage steam program (which I have photographed several times while in the States, including a one on one private tour through the locos and the shop facilities in Cheyenne) bears absolutely no relation to the fact that the RW route (if it is indeed Marc's from 3DTrains) contains no steam operating facilities, water or coaling facilities and as RW is not capable of factoring in line watering from a water gin, which means you will be bone dry and have dropped a fuseable plug long before you get to Laramie. Steam in other places in the world is more than a 5 mile branch line operation

OZINOZ wrote:

hertsbob wrote:Please do try to engage Google before employing your fingers in future, if you'd be so kind...

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_train ... ndex.shtml

That was sarcastic and uncalled for. The fact that UP runs a heritage steam program (which I have photographed several times while in the States, including a one on one private tour through the locos and the shop facilities in Cheyenne) bears absolutely no relation to the fact that the RW route (if it is indeed Marc's from 3DTrains) contains no steam operating facilities, water or coaling facilities and as RW is not capable of factoring in line watering from a water gin, which means you will be bone dry and have dropped a fuseable plug long before you get to Laramie. Steam in other places in the world is more than a 5 mile branch line operation

I don't think they would plug the Big Boy and Challenger if they weren't going to be usable on this route, if there are steam locomotives still running over the line in real life then I would imagine there would be watering facilities somewhere along there. I think this route is probably considerably longer than 5 miles too!

I would also expect there to be a turntable somewhere if a locomotive depot is modelled, as US diesel locomotives are generally built with only one cab and thus require turning.

The only limit really is how far your imagination will stretch

OZINOZ wrote: That was sarcastic

I try to err on the wit side of sarcasm if I can, but perhaps you're right.

OZINOZ wrote: the fact that the RW route (if it is indeed Marc's from 3DTrains) contains no steam operating facilities, water or coaling facilities

Where do the heritage locos get their coal and water from in real life?

A "Wye" is common place in the US for turning complete trains, especially steam specials, as they usually have an observation car at the rear.
And most turntables aren't big enough to accomodate a Challenger, ( there are two, but fairly close to each other. )
Union Pacific only have the FEF #844 & Challenger #3985 restored for active service.
( don't need coal, they're oil burners. )
( no "Big Boys" are operational, and there are no plans to restore any of the static exhibitions. )
They are owned by UP and maintained by UP staff and have to earn their keep.
I don't know if it's still the case, but in the past, if one of them was required to make a positioning move, it would be put work on a regular freight manifest alongside the infernal combustion engine types.


C.

P.S. extra water is carried behind the tender in ex. "Big Blow" turbine fuel tenders.
P.P.S. There's eight surviving examples of Big Boys.

Sadly I can't change the original topic title to reflect the updated information.

Not personally interested in this one, but L-B is good enough for me until another one, more suited to me tastes, comes along.

Available in August? Who knows what TS2013 will bring, so maybe we'd get an update later to add more features to it (water troughs, etc.)

michaeldono wrote:Available in August? Who knows what TS2013 will bring, so maybe we'd get an update later to add more features to it (water troughs, etc.)

I doubt if you would see water troughs on modern day US routes?
UP didn't have any, ( nor did any of the Western routes, to the best of my knowledge. )
They were restricted to Eastern roads, ( Pennsylvania & New York Central railroads amongst others had them. )
Most heavy freight trains wouldn't be going fast enough to scoop water, with 40 to 45 mph being the lower limit.
They were known as "track pans" in the US.

C.