Continuing from my post yesterday with the old MSTS screenshots, I have for you all screenshots from my time with Trainz as a content creator. I had published several reskins on their freeware Download Station (DLS) and was regularly reworking the legacy in-game map Highland Valley with a New England vibe over different time periods. Unfortunately the PC I was using at the time suffered a catastrophic failure and I lost almost everything. I've tried getting back into it with the newer editions of the game, but the community just doesn't feel the same and it's almost impossible to port older content into the current game. But, at least I have all the screenshots I've taken over the years saved in my Google Photos. Here I present to you not all of these, but some of my most atmospheric and favorite selections. This thread will be a few pages, but I hope you all enjoy my work from years past. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Here's a couple of RDCs that I reskinned into Amtrak and Metro-North liveries. The original author of these units, MagicLand, left the game some time prior to me getting more involved, and I was unable to reach them for permission to publish to the DLS. I think this was the first time I tried "photo-skinning", using photos of the prototype on the model. These shots were taken on my 80's/90's "decay" version of Highland Valley. A few more reskins, this time of the default stock provided with the Trainz Classics Harlem Line. I reskinned the Shoreliners into their old MTA and CT DoT schemes, and the ACMU into old MTA paint. The FL9 is untouched, and an excellent model by author PWeiser. I provided him with a ton of build diagrams and material to develop New Haven diesel and electric units for Trainz and he created some beautiful content. This was also taken on Highland Valley. Here's some New Haven power on my New Haven-themed Highland Valley map. The FA's were existing skins that I just weathered and swapped the trucks and horns out on. The EMU is a DLW unit that I reskinned as at that time there were no NH EMUs in game. On a test map I made, here we see some Housatonic GP35s I reskinned. The Housatonic Railroad is a shortline operating over the ex-New Haven Danbury to Pittsfield "Berkshire Hills Route". I grew up with this railroad and would watch their trains pass by my high school almost every day. Today I'm friends with the chief mechanical officer and visit their engine house with permission every now and then. They operate five GP35s, a GP7, and a mix of leased motive power. In the past they've also run two GP9s and an RS3m "DeWitt Geep", the latter still being stored on property.
A bunch of atmospheric screenshots of New Haven and similar eastern roads on the 50's/60's era re-theme I was working on for Highland Valley. I tried to incorporate several off-screen junctions giving access to roads like the New York Central, Boston & Maine, and Canadian Pacific. I added overhaul shops that would take on contracts for foreign power, a small streetcar system, and an interurban. I spent hours and hours adding details and new trees, tracks, buildings, etc.
The Highland Valley map being relatively small just sort of, ended, off the baseboard as Trainz maps tend to do. I added a few boards off the more noticeable blanks and added water. In turn I created port and dock scenes along the edges, and even included era-appropriate military bases along the map.
Last one for today before I annoy the mods and everyone else. The Highland Valley map for as small as it was provided the chance to create a variety of different scenes and environments. From mines, to city centers, to fields, to rail yards... the world truly was my oyster and I enjoyed trying different things at different locations as I learned both more about route building and real life railroading. I have more I will share tomorrow!
I haven't gotten banned or screamed at yet, so here are some more for you all today. These are all from the New Haven-era Highland Valley map, showcasing different skies and lighting effects for some very atmospheric scenes. The NYC EMUs are MagicLand LIRR EMUs I reskinned, but like his RDCs never released due to lack of permission. Like the New Haven DLW EMUs, these were purely fictional but served the purpose of filling a gap in Northeastern EMU equipment.
With the original map being fictional I was able to treat it as my own personal model railroad. Being a teen at the time I could lay track, apply detail, and use motive power and rolling stock I couldn't afford for myself at the time.
I got my first train set for my 10th birthday, an O-Gauge Lionel NYC steam freight set, and my second a couple of years later a Lionel NYC diesel passenger set. Relatives would regularly take me to train shops in Connecticut, give me the thick Lionel catalogs with the rich illustrations and detailed layout scenes, and bring me to museums like Danbury and the Naugatuck Railroad. This developed sort of an old soul within me and an appreciation for equipment from the 50's and 60's, inspiring me as I got older to create a world for myself in Trainz that could replicate the scenes in the Lionel catalog I pored over as a child.
Looking back at these, while I really wish I knew then what I knew today as far as route building skills go and how railroads really worked, I'm very happy with what I created. For being a teen at the time that was just starting to learn the nuances and history and everything involved with the vast details of railroading I don't think I did half bad. Last round for today, I'll continue next week so I'm not spamming the board.
Some more for today. No commentary, just more shots from my re-theme of Highland Valley in the New Haven-era.
Getting to the bottom of the barrel for New Haven-era screenshots, tomorrow we'll explore the 80's/90's era re-theme I created for the Highland Valley map. Today's screens portray some steam power along with the usual mix of diesel and electric units, including some foreign power.
Last two for the older time period. Tomorrow we'll explore some preserved trains, Conrail, and early Amtrak and MTA...
A new day, time for some new screens and we're finally getting to bottom of the barrel. These screens are from a later iteration of Highland Valley I spent several hours working on. The time period is based off my experiences growing up with Amtrak, Conrail, and Metro-North, showing a New England theme when some branch lines and lesser routes were in decay or abandoned but still visible, and other lines and areas showing promise for the future. This iteration of the map included a museum/tourist railroad at the small yard at the end of the branch at the top of the plateau (based off the Danbury Railroad Museum), Amtrak shuttles based off the Springfield Shuttles, early Metro-North and Amtrak electric and commuter power, a trolley museum based off the Connecticut Trolley Museum, a dock industrial railroad, a mining railroad, and a private repair shop that contracts out to foreign power. Conrail ran local freight and trackage rights were provided to Guilford and Canadian roads. The owner of the repair shop had a private trainset that ran excursions a la Bennett Levin's PRR set.
Last batch for today. Tomorrow will be the last from the assortment, with some night shots saved for the end.
Alright folks, last batch of screenshots. Today we're continuing on the 80's/90's decay theme of Highland Valley, showing some freight and industrial operations and ending with some night shots.
Annnnd big finish... Thanks to everyone who took the time to look through these, and especially thanks to the mods for allowing me to indulge in some train sim nostalgia despite showing screenshots of a competitor's sim.
