Narrow Gauge - State Of Play

[bigvern]

I originally posted this in the "Special Interest" forum, but it seems very few people visit down there:

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 7&t=112269

Just wanted to muse really that with all the main line UK routes and motive power - payware and freeware - that we are currently being bombarded with, poor old NG (and to some extent tramways) seem to have taken a back seat.

Nice though they are, there's a limit to what you can do with the Corris locos and Little John, unless you put coal and water points every five or six miles a la Railroad Tycoon.

Unfortunately for practical purposes, this does mean either NG routes not getting built, unless they are suitable to be built as standard gauge which, as I mentioned in the other thread, many would regard as outrageous heresy.

Before anyone says "build it yourself", while I'm more than happy to tackle the routes I don't have the skills to do intricate 3D modelling so this is something of a plea to those who do - from RSC down the chain - please give a bit of consideration to narrow gauge, especially some more potent/powerful locos with a longer fuel range and modern coaching stock.

[Retro]

The Central Route has a short Narrow Gauge section and I am doing a Tramway on my latest Route. I personally find both these areas very interesting. We could do with some more Trams and Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock. It would be nice to see more of these two areas in Railworks. I have no great 3D modelling skills although I am trying to learn. I agree Vern that if RSC lead the way a little in these areas they would become more popular. We did have the Project Platform of course but a distinct lack of sound from the Trams is a problem here. I have emailed support about this but I don't think it will be updated.
Kind regards James.

[RSderek]

Hi,
I've been thinking about narrow guage for some time now.
To bring something to steam I need:

A person who would like to build a narrow guage route, a person to build narrow guage stock (with help from me) coupled together with Someone (me) to build narrow guage station and assets to help the route stand out from the rest.

Anyone interested please get in touch.

regards

Derek

[pjt1974]

Hi

I'm a third of the way through building the full Isle of Man Steam Railway Network.
Just need some 3ft track to replace the standard gauge that's there at the moment and exchange the freeware assets to default assets, RSC assets(Falmouth, Isle of Wight or the Free asset Pack) or custom made assets.

Can't help with narrow gauge stock or assets as yet but I'm trying my best to get my head around it.

Regards
Phil

[bdy26]

I am pondering what to do after CKPR is finished (and that has a couple of NG quarry lines that I need to finish off). With my route building hat on, i'd want something to build that (i) had enough information to do it justice and (ii) had enough stock and assets to make it convinving. I've no objection to fictional routes, but I find the engineering of the route in the landscape is an important part of getting the right feel of the route.

My first inclination was to do something GWR (Oxford to Princes Risborough came to mind) but I'd be more than happy to look at something narrow gauge if there was stock and assets in development.

How many biscuits does a WHR Garret require then Derek?

Ben

[bigvern]

Encouraging responses so far. I'm not sure if my level of route building these days is up to the required standards for commercial work but more than happy to support whatever project emerges.

There are so many different prototypes to choose from - everything from our beloved UK routes (the WHR would fantastic), to lakeside routes in Sweden (the Lennabanen from Uppsala) or for something really way out one of the Sardinian mountain lines such as Mandas to Arbatax - which comes in at an incredible 157km run (a bit beyond a "speed" route building effort).

[rwaceyw]

Hi

I'm a third of the way through building the full Isle of Man Steam Railway Network.
Just need some 3ft track to replace the standard gauge that's there at the moment and exchange the freeware assets to default assets, RSC assets(Falmouth, Isle of Wight or the Free asset Pack) or custom made assets.

Can't help with narrow gauge stock or assets as yet but I'm trying my best to get my head around it.

Regards
Phil

Phil,

As before, you can freely use my stuff from the MSTS IoM Railway project if you can get it converted over...

I'm sorely tempted into doing the M.E.R - I have the research and items but no 3ft track and little knowlegde of any modelling software beyond TSM....one day..!

Dave

[plewsy2105]

I agree we do need more narrow gauge routes and rolling stock . personally I would like to see the County Donegal Railway done (I Love my heritage ) although the WHR sounds good

plewsy2105

[haddock1000]

Ben, I think the WHR/Ffestiniog would be a popular one, as it is a long route, but it would take time, although there are many resources for it.

Thanks,

chaddockdk

[rhysicus1989]

I Think this has already been mentioned in another thread, but I believe there could be a good place in railworks for a rack railway of some description, and there are many examples all around the world that inspiration could be taken from, and i believe it could be of interest to more people than just steam fans, as some railways are using modern and heritage electric and diesel traction to this day.

some examples are.

Snowdon Mountain railway, with Steam, diesel and those railcars that they have.

Brienz Rothorn Bahn, in Switzerland, in fact most of the Rack railways in the Bernese Oberland as part of the "Jungfrau" Railways region would be a significat addition to railworks, in my opinion.

Theres also, the Washington cog railway in the USA, for the american fans, and even the one in India, (Appologies but I cannot remember the name of it at present).

It would take some significant modelling, not only the scenery and route but creating the new track with the rack rail on it. although there is already a 3rd rail electric loft out there, something similiar could be done I suppose?

There was talk about this some time ago but I havnt seen anything since. Rack railways are one of my primary interests in railways and I would love to see some for railworks, sadly my contribution to railworks has been tied to route making which I still havnt finished yet

Hope that may have been of some interest to somebody!

[bigvern]

I think the Indian line referred to is the Ooty Branch, though of course India has (or at least had because a lot have been converted to broad gauge) a large number of narrow and metre gauge lines.

Some of the more famous are Matheran Hill, the Kangra Valley and the line around Haflong Hill - not forgetting of course the famous DHR - but doing anything for India that looked authentic is going to require almost everything building from scratch!

[transadelaide]

Most of the rail networks in Queensland and Western Australia (all but the single interstate line leading out of each and the WA iron ore lines), and a smaller isolated network in South Australia all run on 1067mm narrow gauge track. The Qld and WA railways have scope for commuter, intercity and heavy freight usage (both electric and diesel as well) on the same lines so would be quite suitable for a fully realistic RW2 route or a fictional-prototypical route.

Just to make things real confusing, Australia also has a large network of standard gauge rail including two of the world's greatest transcontinental railways. Then in South Australia and Victoria there are still intrastate broad gauge (1600mm) lines. The strangest consequence of this is that a number of towns in South Australia were formerly triple-gauge junctions (prior to rationalisation and standardisation), including Terowie where Douglas Macarthur made his "I will return" speech while changing to a different gauge train.

[rivimey]

It would be lovely to have a good model of some of the famous narrow gauge lines - esp the DHR and Ffestiniog.

On the route I'm helping with there are a number of basic quarry lines - 2' or thereabouts... are we at the stage of being able to model them from what exists now?

Ruth

[bigvern]

It would be lovely to have a good model of some of the famous narrow gauge lines - esp the DHR and Ffestiniog.

On the route I'm helping with there are a number of basic quarry lines - 2' or thereabouts... are we at the stage of being able to model them from what exists now?

Ruth

With the Project Platform assets, I would say yes, definitely. It's the longer distance/heavy haulage lines which are more of a challenge at present.

[alexedwin]

Derek you have a PM