Norfolk and Western was a class 1 railroad in the early and late 20th century. The Blue Ridge route is between Roanoke, VA and Crewe, VA 120 miles. The route has a massive grade and beautiful scenery. Motive Power N&W J 610 4-8-4 The first kind of power would be the streamlined J's. The J class was built in the Roanoke shops and was put on passenger service. They had a top speed of 110 mph which they could operate at on the route. The trains they hauled on Blue Ridge were Powhatan Arrow all coach train and the Pocahontas a coach and sleeper train. Also allowing passenger mode on the route. N&W A 1218 2-6-6-4 The A class was the N&W's Challenger also built in Roanoke. The A class was not streamlined at all. They had a top speed of 70 mph. The A's would haul Fast freights and heavy coal trains up Blue Ridge. They would haul passenger trains if they were the only locomotive available. They would double head 100 to 140 car long coal train up to the summit then drop off the second locomotive. Afterwards they would grab 100 more cars at the summit siding from a set out train. N&W Y6b 2172 2-8-8-2 The Y6 class had 3 types Y6a, Y6b, and Y6c. The Y6 class was built in the Roanoke. The power of these locomotives exceeded any other locomotive at the time. The Y6 mostly hauled heavy coal trains. They were the primary helper class on the grade. They had a top speed of 60 mph. Besides the main coal trains they would haul set-out trains to the summit and leave the consist there. They would double head trains with the A until the summit. Operations Operations on the routes would be passenger trains over the route at high speeds. Hauling Fast Freight or coal units to the summit and to Crewe. The only other operations would be helper service or yard work. Helper service in the game's current state is not possible. They way helper service could work is allowing the AI to blow the whistle to signal movement. Allowing coupling and uncoupling to AI consists without taking control of them also. This route could bring all new experience to Train Sim World.
No please. The eastern-most part of the Norfolk & Western's mainline from Norfolk to Crewe would be a lot more interesting and unique since that would include the massive Lamberts Point Yard in Norfolk with its coal unloading port as well as the 52-mile-long straightaway from Suffolk to Petersburg where we can really rip it on the throttle of the J Classes and unleash their full potential. The Norfolk to Crewe section also has a much better diversity of scenery than any other section of the Norfolk & Western's mainline since it's got urban environments, harbor environments, rural environments and mountain environments due to where it's located. Roanoke to Crewe is too similar to other mountain pass routes Dovetail Games has made like Horseshoe Curve and Sand Patch Grade where it's just out in the mountains only, but Norfolk to Crewe is truly unlike anything else they've done before, and I encourage that. Now, if Norfolk to Roanoke were made as one route, then I think we'd all be happy with that and I would support that, but that would probably be too long to do since that's about 300 miles or so.
I'm late, but YES! This would be the PERFECT North American steam route! When/if DTG ever gets around to making steam locomotives, I seriously hope this happens. That being said... I wouldn't be surprised if the immense amount of effort needed to make steam locomotives means that DTG will only release them as individual loco DLC. This might be a route for the community to take on (it's also a bit... long). Meh, but this has more interesting scenery and steeper grades. Sounds like a perfect route extension to me- perhaps combined with a switcher to work the yard.
Well, I would certainly buy it, but I would never get to play it. My son just had the J-class #611 on his birthday cake so it would belong to him.