Wanted to share my Sand Patch map with people. This is my 3rd map for TSW but much evolved. Including two version with and without detailed background. Used proper QGIS mapping software. Features are from OSM data, signal locations are taken from TSW, and elevation is USGS 1/9 arc sec resolution. Each set of objects is a layer with controls for the symbology, lines, display, rendering. The topographic background is also custom for the colors and elevation ranges with hill shading and contour lines. I've balanced the layer display to what looks good to me, but can still easily change all this, and have fiddled with it long enough. Only the street backgrounds are from an existing map stream OSM. I may do a PDF with the layering features later, so this one is just output images. Bottom of each section is a grade profile in % Grade, not elevation, so it fits better and is more useful. Has a 0 line and 0.5% grid lines. It is read for south to north movement. The route has 1/4 mile tick marks as well. While this took a bit of work, it was part of learning mapping in general and creating repeatable workflows that can scale. Welcome any feedback for future version and suggestion for next route to do. Enjoy! P.S. Also added a CSX sourced, extracted timetable schematic for the route, which I used for reference and is handy as well.
Very nice, thanks for putting in all that effort! All those special instructions on top of everything else engineers have to rememeber/pay attention to just reinforces that I'd be unfit for this job IRL. Very happy the sim doesn't enforce all of that.
Sure. I'll post any improvement updates. I'll be playing Sand Patch for some time, and will make another map when ready for a new route. May also do new maps for LIRR and Boston Sprinter which I've been running before starting Sand Patch. I'm actually referencing your guide right now v2.1, as I am just starting Fully Fueled. I wanted to finish the map before getting too far into the route scenarios, to get some use out of it. Good info in your guide, especially useful for me right now with the MU settings. Trying to figure out setting the lights in the rear engine, but found a game issue which I just posted about. When switching between front and rear views of this long train, a splash screen pops up, and the rear engine runs the engine start sound every time. It's like a more annoying version of the load screen. We'll see what happens.
Ha. Everyone has their preferred level of realism is sims. If you feel this way about trains, then you'd probably not like Flight Sims too much. Comparing a fully realistic Airbus in XPlane to a train in TSW is like 10x more. I have enjoyed learning all the Airbus A320 systems and flying with online human ATC. The more details to pay attention to, the more fun. I prefer to turn off all game assists, and turn on all realism enforcements.
Here's a Google Drive link to the files, if you'd rather use that, than linking to this post. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o-65uAFedS0fNj_5-AiZ-1rIDmhEjqny?usp=sharing
Great job my friend !!! Recently i revisited this beautiful route with its scenery. I mostly select eastbound traffic, because in my opinion it much more challenging. Negotiating 1.7%-1.9% eastbound downgrade, keeping the train in control. Sometimes i have a dream that someday, this route would get updated with new locomotive handling performance (correcting the minimum reduction amount & dynamic brake strength), new consists physic & new train length system from the Sherman Hill.
Yes, agreed that descents are more challenging. Especially if you follow proper CSX rules for Sand Patch. Can't cycle auto brakes and can't reduce more than 18 without stopping to reset. As quoted from time table notes: 5559-1 AIR BRAKE INSTRUCTIONS FOR DECENDING SANDPATCH Brake Pipe Pressure - The brake pipe pressure on the rear of eastbound loaded trains must be 70 lbs. or higher prior to passing over summit at Sand Patch. - A running release of the train brake will not be made on eastward freight trains operating in this territory. - When the total brake pipe reduction exceeds eighteen (18) pounds on any eastbound freight train operating in this territory, train will be stopped and sufficient hand brakes applied to the head end of the train to hold it on the grade during the recharging procedure. Three (3) hand brakes for each ten (10) cars in train will be sufficient.
