I think I put the original post in the wrong topic area, where it could be easily missed, as it was bit off-topic - so, I thought I'd bring it out into the Routes topics, as that is where it really belongs!!!!!

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Well, I suppose I can make an early announcement - Mike Simpson has given me permission to upgrade his Blue Mountains route.

The one I'm working on will NOT replace the current V4, which will be left for 'modern day' users, to use to their hearts content!!!

The one I'm working on is to take it back to what it generally looked like in the 1955 to 1960 era - that is, it will have all the missing sidings, relief loops, etc, before they were ripped out in the 70's and 80's rationalisations. By choosing the 1955 to 1960 era, a user can choose to either pretend that the electrification is not yet complete and not switched on yet (say 1955-1957), so can run only steam and early diesel over the mountains, or, can assume that electrification is now complete and run mostly electrics, with only early diesels and minor steam (say 1958-1960).

If I can work out the complex batch files, etc., I'm hoping that I can setup the route for dual running, with alternatives of pre-electrification, and post-electrification - by running the appropriate batch file, one will remove all the overhead wiring gantries, and the other batch file will put them all back - basically it will be a system that the gantries will always be there, except that one set of shapes are 'invisible' and the other as 'visible'. There still needs to be a lot of experimentation, to see if this concept can work!!! However, as the signalling is directly tied into the track database and all the World files, when running without electrification, there will be the full post-electrification colour-light signalling instead of semaphores - a small price to pay for the ability to run steam over the mountains without a single overhead wire in sight !!! Remember the 'triple-headers' from Lithgow Yard to Zig Zag box!!!! Just need some 57's and 58's to complete the picture!!!


However to get back to the original question - the new 'Blue Mountains - Steam Era' route has been extended to both the east and west!!!

The eastern extensions cover from Penrith through Kingswood, Werrington to just east of St. Marys (about half way to Mt. Druitt), and will also include the Ropes Creek Branch, from St. Marys through Dunheved and Cochrane to the terminus at Ropes Creek (remember the Ropes Creek Branch was substantially upgraded and electrified during 1957, so it will give some additional interesting traffic options available).



The western extensions cover from Lithgow through Cooerwull, Bowenfels, Marangaroo to Wallerawang (and includes about a one kilometre 'stub' of both the Main West line to Bathurst and the branch line to Mudgee), and will also include the colliery lines from Wallerawang to Angus Place, Wallerawang, Cal and Commonwealth collieries, the branch to Marrangaroo Army Camp, and the local lines to Lithgow Valley, Lithgow State and Hermitage collieries. (this will allow W44 with a single 'reversed' Garratt to run through Marangaroo Tunnel the way it was intended!!!).



The track extensions are all in place, but no scenery yet, I'm working on all the rail infrastructure (eg. track changes, signalling, mile markers, speedboards, etc. at the moment), then when the east and west sections are fully finished, I'll work my way over the mountains upgrading the scenery for all the other stations.

Overall detail and quality in the upgraded route will be something similar to my Main Illawarra route. I'm anticipating release sometime within the 4th quarter, most probably November or December, but certainly hoping before Christmas.

Regards, Brian Bere-Streeter

Wow!!! Brian, this looks great

Regards Phil

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DONE!!!!! It was a bit more complicated than I thought at first, because I forgot about the section of electrification from Emu Plains towards the city will be electrified in both scenarios.

Both versions work really well!!!!

One batch file removes all overhead wiring west of Emu Plains to Bowenfels, whilst still keeping the Emu Plains to St Marys section electrified.

And the other batch file puts it all back in again, for full electrification from St Marys all the way west to Bowenfels.

It really is uncanny when you run a steam loco over the line, with no overhead wiring or catenery masts to get in the way - the line is quite open.

I overcame the problem by setting up three separate sets of OHW masts, one set as per the originals for the full electric treatment, a second set of duplicated masts, but with the shape files made 'invisible' for the pre-electric era, and a third set of masts, again duplicated, but with a X in the filename - these are used on the section from Emu Plains east to St Marys. This was done so that the batch files which add or remove the masts west of Emu Plains, do not overwrite the mast filenames east of Emu Plains - quite simple really once you get the hang of things!!!

However, I've now proved that the concept really works, and it works well!!! This will spur me on to get the rest of the route upgraded and finished!!!

Regards, Brian Bere-Streeter

Hi Brian,
Sounds really good and I am sure given the Brian Bere-Streeter treatment we all will enjoy this route even more.
Regards Geoff

Well I'm getting there!!!!!!!!!

Drum Roll!!!!!!!!!! - I've now passed the half-way mark.

All the western section from west of Wallerawang is done through Lithgow all the way to Katoomba. Only the section from Katoomba down to St.Marys to do!!! - but this is still a substantial amount of work left to finish off.

The second section might take a bit longer - a few weeks ago, my wife injured her back and spine and crushed a vertebrae - she has to wear a spinal brace 24/7 for the next 6 to 12 weeks, depending on how long it takes to heal!!!

She can't work for that period, can't drive a car or do most of her normal 'everyday things'. So, as I'm now her 'daily' carer, and having to constantly transport her to have various tests and x-rays done over that whole period, I will have substantially less time on MSTS for a few months.

However, in spite of that, I'm concentrating my MSTS efforts in getting this one finished before all my other MSTS projects.

Regards, Brian

Sorry to hear that Brian. I hope your wife's recovery comes along speedily.

I'm still working on the other project we discussed and I should have a scrubber and a breakdown car ready in the next month or so.

Cheers,
Matt

Firstly, an update on the post two above this one - my wife is OK, her spine has healed, but she will have to be careful for the rest of her life - no heavy lifting.

Now - the updated news!!!!!!!!!

Blue Mountains - Steam Era is finished!!!!!!!

It's gone off for some independent testing - still got to find a place to host it yet though!!!!!!!!

I'll report further news as it comes.

Regards, Brian

Thats great news Brian, I'm glad your wife is recovering well.
I've been a "bad back" sufferer for years so I can quite sympathise with her.

Looking forward to seeing the route. I worked over the Mountains quite a bit as an Enfield Guard.

It's going to be interesting to see it sans wires !

Thanks in advance for your efforts.

Marc H

Just as a little bit of a teaser!!! - here's what Katoomba looked like before electrification. Note the 'old' Great Western Highway level crossing immediately east of the platforms - it was replaced by a road overbridge to the west of the station.



Note also the Hotel Gearin on the right, and the old Railway Gatehouse on the left.

Regards, Brian

Hi Brian, Looking at the screenshot brings back memories how Katoomba used to look in the 50's when the steam train from Sydney would arrive and a bus would take us down to Echo Point. If this 1 screenshot is a teaser for the Route I'm certain this Route will be a winner, can't wait to download it.Regards and a Merry Xmas,
Robert.

how just wondering how this route is coming along? has it been finished`?

Yes - the route has been finished -

it's in the final testing stages - then got to find a place to host the route!!!

Regards, Brian

I've just made a couple of new models for the Wallerawang station buildings.






While I'm sorting out where to host the Blue Mountains - Steam Era V1, I've made a preliminary start on the V2 extentions:

East from St Marys to Lidcombe (where Peter's CTN ends).




Just track and platform markers at the moment - a LONG way to go to finish, but hopefully sometime before the end of June. The extensive yards from Granville through Clyde to Auburn were a real challenge - I've had to greatly reduce the number of sidings, but I've still retained the character of the area.

Regards, Brian

Phwoar...lovely!

Now all we need is Russ' 57 and we're set!

Excellent work Brian!

After having laid the V2 extension track from St Marys to Lidcombe, the Tracklaying Bug bit me - really hard!!!

I've now added part of the Main South line from Lidcombe to Liverpool, via Sefton, and the Main Suburban line from Lidcombe to Liverpool via Granville. Also added is a small section of the Bankstown line from Sefton Park Junction to Birrong, and the Metropolitan Goods Lines from Sefton Park Junction to Chullora Junction (where Peter's CTN leaves off).

The Warwick Farm Racecourse branch is added as well, and a small part of the Holdsworthy Rifle Range line over the Georges River at Liverpool to round it all out.

The first part of this V2 extension from St Marys to Lidcombe, includes about 1 kilometre of the Richmond branch (out of Blacktown), about 1 kilometre of the Carlingford branch (out of Clyde), a small section of the abandoned Prospect Gravel Company line out of Toongabbie, and a small section of the abandoned Rookwood Cemetery line out of Lidcombe.

All in all it is quite a comprehensive slice of western Sydney in the 1950-1960 era. This is as far as I expect V2 to go - maybe some more in V3 at sometime in the future???

This extra work has put the release back to probably July / August now!!!



Regards, Brian

Hi Brian, As the saying goes"Rome wasn't built in a day" neither was the Sydney suburban rail network,looking forward to whenever you can release V2 the B red rattlers will love it.If I've read your info correct we should be able to drive to end of track at Lidcombe on Peters CTN then start at Lidcombe station on V2? FANTASTIC.Regards,
Robert.

Great to hear Brian! I'm really looking forward to it. It's really good of you to include part of the southern line.

Is there any chance that you could include some of the CTN tiles between Lidcombe and Central in your Blue Mountains route?

Pity CTN didn't go as far as Clyde Yards as this was a major changeover point heading west.

Would have been nice to come off the north into Clyde, do an engine change and then head west.

Speaking if the West, there are only a couple of gaps to do Lithgow all the way to Orange, Molong and Dubbo.

Any route building takers ?

I'd do it myself, but I have a total lack of route building skills and a case of cronic laziness to deal with first !

THanks for all the hard work you guys .

Just the other day my 'track laying' finger got rather itchy!!!

By the time I had finished 'scratching it', I found that it had dumped in a whole lot of new track:

Blacktown to Windsor and Richmond, and
Liverpool to Campbelltown

Unfortunately, this puts the route release back by another three to four months!!!

But, with all the new stuff, maybe I should think about renaming the route to "Short West / Short South"



Regards, Brian

That route is comming along. Cant wait till its finished
Will be nice to drive a train past my home suburb.

Great work mate.

Mat

G'Day Brian. Thanks for the update for V2. all I can say is WOW bring it on.
P S If your track laying finger is still itching for more. the Branch Line from Campbelltown to the Milk Depot at Camden would look good. the 30class tanks had to work hard over Kenny Hill. Just a thought. Regards.
Robert

I have a few 'possible additions', in that, I might finish the Liverpool to Holdsworthy and Anzac Rifle Range branch (I have a book coming that gives me the details) - I have considered doing the Camden Branch - but this is VERY much harder - all traces of the branch have been eradicated, the current roads and town structures around the line have changed out of all recognition (Google Earth is no help here!!!), but the biggest problem - the MSTS 'track creep' to Campbelltown has put the DEM out of whack with the route - where I think the 'big hill' at Kenny Hill is, in the DEM is just a small hill, and the rest of the DEM around that area just doesn't look right - it all seems to be about a half to three-quarter mile out of synch!!! Also there is very little information available about the Camden branch, and I don't have a gradient diagram for the branch!!! If I do finish up adding the Camden branch it would be considerably more of a 'work of fiction' than reality!!!.

However, there are a couple of further developments in the pipeline - one is a definite goer and the other only a possible at this stage - can't say too much yet until the possible is actually confirmed.

Regards, Brian

Thanks Brian for the info about the Camden Branch. I understand why it would be difficult to recreate accurately. if you decide to go ahead with it I'm sure you will do a great job. I can still remember the wigwam crossing at Narellan on the old Hume Hway when I travelled the line as a youngster[showng my age] AHH NSWGR memories. Regards.
Robert

Are you put off by the difficulty in recreating the line, or just insufficient interest? If the former, some of these problems can be resolved with access to archival aerial photography. Unfortunately in South Australia, it is really stuffed up. It is still in copyright to the government, and there is only one place to get it, it is called Mapland and it costs nearly 30 dollars a print. They also get a bit aggro if you go in there just to view it for reference purposes, and they'll ask you if you're gonna buy anything. I hope NSW is a bit more casual and tolerant in regards to the viewing of historical aerial photos.....

Assuming that fails, old street directories can be useful, as can a trip to the state archives when you're in Sydney again. If you can source a curve and gradient diagram, obviously it will assist you enormously in laying the track accurately. Don't give up until all avenues are completely exhausted

If you can manage to pull off a lifelike representation of the line, it will certainly gain you much admiration from the MSTS community in Sydney. You are known for releasing work of decent quality, not just promising it and having it disappear off the radar quietly.