The New River Gorge-huntington To Hinton West Virginia (csx/c&o New River Subdivision)

Discussion in 'Route Suggestions & Proposals' started by Buynot, Aug 9, 2018.

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  1. 1940s-50s (steam era)

    16 vote(s)
    29.6%
  2. 1960s-70s (early diesel era)

    4 vote(s)
    7.4%
  3. 1980s-90s

    11 vote(s)
    20.4%
  4. Present day

    21 vote(s)
    38.9%
  5. I wouldn't want to see this route in Train Simulator.

    2 vote(s)
    3.7%
  1. NEC Railfan

    NEC Railfan Well-Known Member

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    Another consideration is whether this route would be in the steam or modern era. In terms of steam, all we really have is the freeware Kawanha and Allegheny steamers, while we have bucket-loads of CSX equipment.

    Plus there's the question of how much the New River Sub has changed over the years. Things like no-longer existent branchlines or industries.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2021
  2. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Well for a hybrid between the steam and modern eras, there's always the later 50's-early 60's to the early 90's. That line seemed to stay somewhat frozen in the steam era longer then other lines did. Or at least to me it did.
     
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  3. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Well I never. I didn't share the video I'd originally had in mind when I made this post. How neglectful of me. Well anyways, here it is:

     
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  4. Bookman60

    Bookman60 New Member

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    Oh man! Whatever era it made its appearance (if it comes to reality) would make an incredible piece of railroading available to everyone! Please please...
     
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  5. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Well would ya look at that? The 1993 New River Train makes an appearance in this film at the 27:15 mark, ironic considering that was a Kanawha's number and the (2)765 was the power for the '93 run. Also, the overall steam action starts off with the 611 at the 21:55 mark.



    Edit: I also found a near half-hour video of 614's 1997 NJ Transit runs:
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2021
  6. NEC Railfan

    NEC Railfan Well-Known Member

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    Ahh how this video divides me, I'd have loved to see these beasts charging down the tracks as part of everday life, yet I also have a soft spot for those that replaced them.

     
    Last edited: May 3, 2021
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  7. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    1) That's a feeling I can relate to on a near-spiritual level.
    2) That's some fantastic film.
    3) The 80's were cool.
     
  8. NEC Railfan

    NEC Railfan Well-Known Member

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    Everything starts with humble beginnings... RailWorks64 2021-05-04 03-34-10.png
    Yard in Huntington. The plan is to slowly go southeast, first to Charleston, then Hinton.
    Route assets are extremely light:
    - Sherman Hill (Track/infrastructure)
    - NS Coal (Everything else)
    But here's another question that must be asked, should this be a Workshop or 3rd party release? 3rd party does mean I can use the RCAP signals for C&O, and VP grass/trees.
    I'll also be doing scenery in sync with trackwork, so that way in case if I get tired, I'll have a functional route to upload.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2021
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  9. NEC Railfan

    NEC Railfan Well-Known Member

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  10. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Pardon my ignorance, but what's RCAP?
    I'm also guessing that VP is Vulcan Productions or something along those lines, but I reserve the right to be wrong.
    Also, I'd be inclined to ask why not make two versions of the line, one for Workshop and one for 3rd Party release, but then the thought of the amount of work that'd be for one person comes to mind, so I'm inclined to say go with what you find to be the more immersive of the options.
     
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  11. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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  12. NEC Railfan

    NEC Railfan Well-Known Member

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    Well Blacknred81 just explained it, but among those assets are some very good prototypical C&O color light signals resembling those of the real world route. VP is Vulcan Productions, and one of their third party assets is their grass and trees pack, which is among the best in scenery design, but also drops a lot of frames (in my experience).
     
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  13. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Oh! That. I may or may not've forgotten about that one. Guess that's what happens when you're out of the loop of something for a short while.

    Ah. Certainly wouldn't wish a bunch of dropped frames on ya just to make a freeware route. But hey, ultimately it's your call.

    Thankee to ya both for the replies.
     
  14. rare_common_sense

    rare_common_sense Well-Known Member

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    Wow.. this thread has over a million views. My proposal comes in at a very distant second, so I congratulate the author of this proposal on that, as well as the presentation and the support it is getting. Now.. I'll be honest, the two things I'm personally interested in this route would be the scenery and passenger ops. I'm normally not that into primarily single-tracked mountainous routes. But a route with a decent amount of pax stations, I can give a look into. But if the scenery is done well, and the included equipment is given proper care, upgrades, because we know a lot of it will be something we've gotten multiple times. I would put some coin on this. Some new stuff would be nice to have as well.
     
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  15. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Well it would appear someone digitized some film of the ACE 3000 testing, and I thought I'd come bump, erm, uh, I mean, share the video here:


    Edit 1: Also got some footage from when the Safety Express was in Arlington.


    Edit 2: Gotta photo from 614's 1981 Huntington to Hinton Safety Express runs:
    614 In 1981 Fall Colors.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2021
  16. wopflyer

    wopflyer New Member

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    Although my favorite would be the 1940s-50s (steam era), I am all for this route in ANY era!
     
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  17. jamsdead#6937

    jamsdead#6937 New Member

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    This route could have endless possibilities. During the 60s-70s the Kanawha Valley specifically Charleston through Nitro was known as the chemical valley of the world due to all the chemical plants. Having grown up in Nitro during the 70s I can attest to the incredible amount of train traffic on both sides of the river. In addition to the C&O on south side of Kanawha River you also had the old New York Central line on the north side to Charleston that was heavily used to service the plants into the 80s. Then the Coal River branch (still used) in St Albans outside Charleston and lines going up both sides of the Elk River (One a NYC and the other the B&O). From the mid 20s to sometime in the 50s NYC ran an RDC 'The Beeliner' up this line as a school bus. How many chances do you get to have a scenario like that? lol. Incredibly excited to see this area be recreated in game.
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2021
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  18. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Dear dia...... erm, j o u r n a l, today I learned that both the Baltimore & Ohio and New York Central have ties to the New River Gorge.
    Well, the more you know.
     
  19. jamsdead#6937

    jamsdead#6937 New Member

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    Were you being a smart ass here? lol

    I'm far from an expert and wasn't necessarily speaking of the New River Gorge but more directly the Charleston area. I apologize if I was wrong about something.
     
  20. steammaster4449

    steammaster4449 Well-Known Member

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    Well I do like to fancy myself as smarter then the average donkey. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
    Also, when I said New River Gorge in this post, I was using it as a general term for the C&O's Huntington to Hinton line and the towns along said line. My apologies for any confusion caused by that.
     
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  21. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    The route also features some of the lesser known operators, like RJ Corman . . .

     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2023
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  22. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    Anywhere I can read up on the status of the project ?
     
  23. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    Variety is no problem in this subdivision . . . .

    [​IMG]

    Hinton, West Virginia, October 2022: A loaded CSX coal train get going after a crew change in Hinton, WV. It’s seen here passing the New River train as it is loading for it’s return trip to Huntington.
    On the opposite track: The 2022 Hinton Railroad Days/City of Hinton Government and Autumn Colors Express are being celebrated from October 20-23, 2022 in Hinton, West Virginia. The two meet by Temple Street as The United Railroad Historical Society of NJ operated former New York Central "Hickory Creek" (RPCX 800733) of 20th Century Limited fame will hold the markers for the return trip to Huntington, West Virginia as seen on Friday, October 21, 2022. The Autumn Colors Express is returning for the first time since 2019, and its 700 plus passengers have a layover here to have an opportunity to visit the Hinton Railroad Museum and the street fair.

    Photo: Daniel Alls
    Source: https://www.railpictures.net/photo/816517/

    [​IMG]

    Huntington, West Virginia, october 2022: The ACE Train. The Autumn Colors Express deadhead move arrived in Huntington, West Virginia on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, running as CSX/Amtrak P937-17. Former Milwaukee Road "Cedar Rapids" (800040) will be holding the markers for the consist that will carry on the tradition of day trips from Huntington, WV to Hinton, WV for a weekend during the fall foliage season.

    Photo: Marc Glucksman/River Rail Photo
    Source: https://www.railpictures.net/photo/815025/
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2023
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  24. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    Not all is well all the time in the New River Gorge . . . this was just a few months ago, March 2023 . . . .

    An engineer, conductor and engineer trainee were operating the westbound 109-car empty coal train early March 2023 when it struck large pieces of rock on the track near Sandstone. Interesting possibility for a scenario where one would be informed about the rock slide and had to go-back, or wait, or something.


    Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . .

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]




    I hope the injured recuperated fully and fast.
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2023
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  25. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    Even passenger-service without a platform, this route has it all . . . .

    Click the thumbnails to zoom-in . . .
    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  26. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    The new and the old leading the Eastbound Cardinal. General Electric Genesis P42DC Phase V and Siemens Charger ALC-42.

    [​IMG]

     
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  27. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    Will be awesome to see the bridge in Tran Simulator 2024 ! . . . .

     
  28. WoodlandTracks

    WoodlandTracks Active Member

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    Besides the well know Amtrak the division also gives the opportunity to create scenarios for the lesser know RJ Corman . . .

    [​IMG]
     

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