Route Proposal: Norfolk Southern R-line

Discussion in 'Route Suggestions & Proposals' started by Daniel Gibbs, Sep 26, 2019.

  1. Daniel Gibbs

    Daniel Gibbs Active Member

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    We only have a few NS routes, so I do have a suggestion for another one. The Norfolk Southern R-Line between Charlotte, NC and Augusta, GA. The Norfolk Southern R-Line, formerly owned by the Southern Railway, runs approximately 191 miles between Charlotte, NC and Augusta, GA via Columbia, SC.

    Here's where things start to get more interesting. Unlike a typical mainline, the R-Line runs under Track Warrant Control (TWC), also known by NS as Track Authority (TA). The section from Charlotte to Columbia uses Automatic Block Signal (ABS). The section from Columbia to Augusta is Dark Territory (Non-Signalled), which makes train operations more complex, yet interesting.

    North of Augusta is the town of Graniteville, SC, the site of a deadly train accident. On January 6, 2005, NS 192, a mixed freight en route from Macon, GA to Columbia, SC, was diverted onto an industrial track by a misaligned switch and crashed into NS P22, a local that was parked on that track for the night. A tank car hauling highly toxic Chlorine ruptured, and a toxic cloud hovered throughout the town. The engineer of NS 192 and eight other people lost their lives to the toxic gas. Over 550 others, including the conductor of NS 192, were treated for Chlorine exposure. Over 5,400 others were evacuated. About a year after the accident, the textile mill near the site of the accident was closed for good.

    While the R-Line is not so busy, it does see a decent amount of traffic. It sees NS 191/192 all the way from Charlotte to Augusta. 191/192 carries 337/338's cars, as 337/338 is currently abolished. 337/338 ran the R-Line between Charlotte and Columbia before taking the SC-Line down to Charleston, SC. Additionally, 191/192 also carries 155/156's cars, as 155/156 are also abolished. The R-Line also sees a couple of coal trains, several grain trains, an empty ethanol train, as well as several locals. On rare occasions, the R-Line also sees reroutes. NS 191/192 typically works in Rock Hill, Columbia, and Augusta. Occasionally, 191 will work in Charlotte.

    I think the NS R-Line would be an interesting route for Train Simulator, especially the 80+ mile section from Columbia, SC to Augusta, GA. Not to mention, I live near this line. This route shall include appropriate NS power, such as the ES44AC, ES44DC, SD70ACe, SD70M-2, and/or the Admiral Cab Geeps and SD40-2's, as well as a variety of appropriate freight equipment. Other NS locomotives could possibly be done as separate addons for the route.

    Cast your vote, and leave a comment down below!
     
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  2. elyonpc

    elyonpc Member

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    Sounds like an amazing NS line
     
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  3. treid09

    treid09 Guest

    Sounds good to me.
     
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  4. JGRudnick

    JGRudnick Well-Known Member

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    While a CSX fan at heart, this route sounds like one I would spend my money on.
     
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  5. treid09

    treid09 Guest

    By the way, since it seems that you are a NS fan, Travel by Train has an EMD SD70 in standard and horsehead liveries for sale. They are the same developer that created the CN SD70 on Steam (the locomotives are the exact same, just different paint schemes). I highly suggest you look into it. God Bless.
     
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  6. jedi247

    jedi247 Well-Known Member

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    What about an NS GE C40-9W, ET44AC, or EMD SD80MAC?
     
  7. Daniel Gibbs

    Daniel Gibbs Active Member

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    I like both NS and CSX.
     
  8. andyns1701

    andyns1701 New Member

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    As someone who lives along this line, the most accurate locomotives to the line would be quite the same as every other TSW2 Route. Units I mainly see are the Tier 4 ES44s, SD70ACes, and SD40-2s usually ex NW which is surprising for it being an SOU line.

    Now to go into more detail on what Daniel said. All of the train symbols you gave are inaccurate for a modern rendition of the route. The line currently only sees about 6 trains on average a day (Columbia - Charlotte) I don't know a ton of the southern portion of the line but for trains that run on this part are trains 12R, 15R, P36, 786, and some grain trains which the symbols are slipping my mind currently. These trains or at least the symbols could be used from a version ranging in the late 2010s - now with some being different such as 13R. Now I think that this would be an amazing line to recreate, but with dovetails lack of appeasing detail and overall realism on these routes, I wouldn't get my hopes up. I would much rather see a rendition of the line done correctly rather than a half-assed "recreation" of the route.
     

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