Creation Sharing Route - Lafayette Sub Houston, Tx - Lake Charles, La

Hello, Just recently getting back into the modding sphere and wow are things different! Any who, just wanted to have a place to share all my images of my freight map I am working on.

Location: United States Tx to La
Route Length: 130 - 150 miles
Railroads: BNSF, CPKC, UP, AMTK

I live in this area and know most of the trackage and train schedules for most the trains that run through here, plus I know many people that work on these lines and get all kinds of incite of how each rail line runs and operates in this area so scenarios will be really cool and detailed. Not to mention I have the real life time tables for this area for a few of these railroads so signaling, speed limits, and track names can be accurate to the real life counterpart.

Anyways, enough of my yapping and here are some images of areas that are nearing completion.

I also need to finish the trackwork too, (Most of these pictures are subject to change)

 

I’m always happy to see freight routes to the US and I wanted to ask how this project is going?

 

Wow! Looks amazing!

 

I'll definitely be looking out for progress updates on this route

 

Excellent looking work!

 

Thank you all for your kind words. Its a bit of a slow progress as im back to work now. I work at one of the rail facilities in the beaumont area so i know this area a little too well lol.

But anyways, figured id share some more progress of some other things i was working on.

(Note that this isnt set in stone yet and could be subject to change)

 

Very good! Very good!

 

Small update.

• More scenery in Beaumont
• Grass changes colours based on time of year
• Fine tuning textures and colours
• Added on/off light curve for light post
  
• starting to add world barriers (will be able to venture farther than the tracks for stuff that might come later on)

 

WOW.. that looks amazing..

 

Very nice!

 

In case you do decide to make your route as an official add-on here is the email for the 3rd party team tswpartners@dovetailgames.com

 

This is hot!! All we need is Amtrak stock. I’ve been learning 3D editing for a while now. First project is a free to use Amtrak SC-44 diesel locomotive. Will make a fresh post in the forums as things progress.

 

A P42 is also in development.

 

Thank you. I will probably message them as I get a bit closer to completion. I don't want to give false hopes as I work in the rail industry and don't have as much time to build from time to time. Really appreciate the info though.

Also might post an update here soon as a good bit has been done.

 

Haven't posted an update in a while but I have been slowly working on the map. So here is what I have I done since the last update.

• Crossing gates now function
• Track extended out to Orange, Tx
• Trackage for BNSF has new scenery to Lumberton, Tx
  
• Reworked some track to make them smoother
• Overpass lights now use Volumetric shadows so foggy nights are dark under bridges
• Some slight planning on how far the map will go and scenarios that will go with it
  
• BNSF will terminate at Silsbee instead of Conroe as of right now due to the long distance with no yards
• possible collectables, not going to spoil them but hopefully people will like them

Trying to work with the editor and juggle my job and life has proven challenging but I am really fighting to get this done with the best quality I can give.

Center Beaumont
BNSF Yard Beaumont

Updated trackage map

South Lumberton

North Beaumont

 

North Beaumont
South BNSF BMT Yard

 

Here is an updated map of where and what will be running where. (Sorry I am not a great free hand artist lol)

 

Wow!

 

This project looks really promising, the scenery looks great.

 

Truly looks like it is gonna be a fantastic route

 

Latest Update

• Scenery expanded towards Orange, Tx
  
• Milepost signs properly placed
• New water (Curtesy of Space) THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH
• Speed limits in place where milepost are set up (Using a real timetable from this area to get the most accurate track speeds)

That's it for now everyone. I am currently busy with my job so updates might be sparse. I do post a bit more on the TSC discord from time to time if anyone wants to see stuff as I work on it.

 

Aren't you too ambitious for the route of 130-150 miles? For one person, this is a very, very long development

 

Maybe. Even if it is too much it would be a dream come true for this route to come to any train game. Not to mention I am self teaching myself on easier and faster ways to do scenery without cutting quality. Also there are a lot of forest and farm lands between these big cities.

I hope that it doesn't take to long but I will still keep everyone updated on progress here.

 

Working on the East side of Beaumont and it is probably one of my favourite areas with all the buildings and the huge lift bridge in the distance.
Anyways, here is some of my favourite images taken on this route so far.

 

LOVE IT LIVE IT LOVE IT!!!!

 

Thank you

 

Absolutely outstanding Work!! Top tier mapping!

 

This will be a nice long route to haul freight on. Keep up the good work!
Looks like you are a fairways down the track too, any eta?

 

I think the length is what makes this route stand out, after all US freight is all about hauling stuff long distance.

 

I haven't checked in here on the forum in a while. Wow! What an amazing amount of progress Ethan. Not only that, but the work your doing is of very high quality. This route really captures the look and feel of the real thing in this area! Thanks for posting the updates.

 

Hey Ethan. I hope that you manage to finish this project. These type of routes are missing from TSW5. The company is focussed on European content more than US routes. I'm Australian and would love to see some Aussie content. The huge iron ore trains in the Pilbara would be an amazing add on. Maybe I should get off my ass and do something about it. The learning curve for the editor looks pretty steep for a beginner. Anyway good luck with this. Hopefully you could market it and get some reward for your work.

 

I have a suggestion for this route: Expand it to New Orleans!

 

As much as i would love to i am already having to cut back on a bit of the route as it is already so large. Would love to but at the moment that is not in my view to do.

As of right now the route will go from Houston Tx to Lake Charles La for UP, CPKC, and AMTK and from Beaumont Tx to Silsbee Tx for BNSF.

The trackage is already made its way into the start of Houston and on the opposite side is on the border of Louisiana. And the bnsf is already built into Silsbee. Just have to make the yard.

Scenery is mostly built up around Beaumont. And leaving Beaumont in all 3 directions. The scenery is the part taking the longest though as i can only do a few miles when I am not working my real job lol.

 

Take the time you need and keep us posted
Rather have the same level of quality throughout the route then some random spots where it looks barren and rushed, like the clinchfield route.

 

Latest Update 6/22/2025

• Small progress on scenery towards Orange, Tx (Lots and lots of trees)
• Scenery extended past Beaumont, Tx into Amelia, Tx
  
• Scenery Rework throughout parts of map
• Added more crossings and linked them to track
• Added more street lights to dense and populated areas
• Finished water features in Vidor, Tx

I wanted to get more added and more done but with life, family, and mostly work, time has been very sparse to have to put towards this project. I plan on making videos of some of the key areas when I get more time just to show off how it looks with trains running through these areas.

That's all for now! See y'all on the next update

 

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing your progress.

 

Question for you. Will there be any functional industries where we can load or unload cars, similar to Peninsula Corridor, Cane Creek, Oakville, etc.?

 

Im thinking about it but I will be completely honest, I work in a facility that loads and unloads tank cars and I personally am not happy with the way the loading is in the game. I know its a game but the proper way is a bit more fun and has a lot more steps to it. I might look into it more when I get closer to completion of the map but as of right now it isnt on my to do list.

Plus when UP, BNSF, CPKC brings a train into a facility it is then taken over by the facility or its contractors to load or offload said train, then when the train is loaded or offloaded the railroad is contacted to get a crew on the train to bring it back to its origin which I do have lots of scenarios in mind for these type of runs though. Will keep it in mind though.

 

Another question: What engines are in the timetable for this route?

 

as of right now i dont have a full timetable set up and only know how to place trains in for now. Still a big learning curve for me but basically I would like to have all UP, BNSF, and hopefully future AMTK and CPKC dlc added for the route timetable. I still need to get area markers set up first before I start making scenarios and timetables.

When I get the route done further I will look into either making repaints or making some freight stuff to go in the route. I want variety in game for once lol

 

This project is absolutely phenomenal. If you ever decide to set up a Patreon or PayPal, I’d be more than happy to contribute, and I’m sure many others would too!

 

Thanks for the good work so far, I'm here after found this out from the Train Sim Society Video, by looking at the map for this route I assume you will include the Exxon Mobil PE plant in there? If so will you build the new yard next to the Plant a few years ago? Thanks again for making this!

 

Hello! I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Train Sim Society for bringing my project to light to many others that did not know about it in a great video, a very huge thank you to SpaceyKat for helping me with all my technical problems and guiding me back into the modding sphere, and a big thank you to every one of you for your words of encouragement and enthusiasm for this route. Every comment made about this map makes my day and pushes me to work harder on this map

Now, time to show off the many things I have been working on. (Granted I have been working almost 20 to 25 days out of the month so I am not as far as I would like to have been)

• Added realistic rail singing that is more accurate for this area
• Map scenery almost done in Orangefield
  
• Scenery DONE in South Vidor
• New realistic water
• Signals from Beaumont to Orange in place and working
• Milepost in place from Beaumont to Orange
• Added a realistic temperature curve for the area (100° F in the summer and rare chances for the temp to go below 32° F in winter)
• Added siding names and locations
• Fixed track speed to be as accurate as possible

I'm sure there is more stuff but it is all internal stuff that wouldn't be visible on the map or wouldn't be interesting to add to this list.
Anyways, it is picture time. Also have a video of the rail singing in action. Thank you all again for y'alls encouragement.

 

New Water Shader