Route Length: ~133 km (83 miles) Comprises of: N Line (Seattle King St. - Everett): 35 miles S Line (Seattle King St. - Lakewood): 48 miles Rolling Stock: F59PHI MP40PH-3C Bombardier BiLevel Coaches & Cab Car Freight wagons - 89' Fuselage Flat, Skybox Car, 60' Idler Flat Layers: BNSF locos like ES44C4 and SD70ACe, switchers like GP38-2 and SD40-2 at yards Gameplay: Commuter, freight, shunting Scenery: N Line: More scenic - Puget Sound coastline, Olympic Mountains, ferry terminals S Line: More industrial - King Street Hub, Boeing Renton Factory, Puyallup River valley, Mount Rainier Licenses: Sound Transit, BNSF, Amtrak (if Amtrak loco ever made) Time Period: 2018 Similar Add-ons: Antelope Valley Line (US Commuter rail, BiLevel stock) Why this route: This would be a beauiful and diverse US route featuring both heavy freight and heavy passenger traffic (featuring a new operator to TSW - Sound Transit). The route would include 2 new locos: F59PHI - this has a few differences to the Metrolink F59PH. It has an isolated cab, and has a more streamlined rounded nose. MP40PH-3C - the exterior is very similar to MP36PH-3C, but it would need a few physics changes because it is more powerful. Bombardier BiLevel Coaches & Cab Car - these could be reskins of the existing ones. It contrasts two distinct biomes—the scenic coastal track of the N Line, and the complex urban signaling and industrial grit of the S line. The N line is more scenic, running directly along the Puget Sound shoreline for almost the entire journey. The S line is busier, it is a heavy-rail commuter corridor that serves the dense population centres. One of the most unique aspects of the route would be the 2 - 3 mile long spur branching off the N line, immediately south from Mukilteo station, climbing from the coast up to the Boeing Everett Factory at Paine Field (the largest building in the world by volume). This would allow for iconic services where you deliver 737 fuselages. This would require 3 new wagons: 89' Fuselage Flat - custom flatcar, carries 737 fuselage Skybox Car - gondola or flatcar with custom metal hood, carries other plane parts 60' Idler Flat - standard flatcar that goes between fuselage cars to prevent them from hitting each other on curves F59PHI Country/Region: United States (Pacific Northwest / Seattle, Washington) Operator(s): Sound Transit (Sounder Commuter Rail) Type: Diesel-Electric Passenger Locomotive Era/Years in Service: 1999–Present (Refurbished to Tier 3 standards approx. 2015–2017) Top Speed: 110 mph (177 km/h) Power Output: 3,200 hp (2,386 kW) Notable Features: Streamlined Aerodynamic Design: Distinctive fiberglass composite nose and cowl body designed for high-speed passenger service. Isolated Cab: Isolated from the frame to reduce noise and vibration for the crew. Separate HEP Plant: Equipped with a separate diesel generator for Head End Power, allowing the prime mover to focus entirely on traction. Electronic Fuel Injection: Electronic unit injectors for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared to the older F59PH. MP40PH-3C Country/Region: United States (Pacific Northwest / Seattle, Washington) Operator(s): Sound Transit (Sounder Commuter Rail) Type: Diesel-Electric Passenger Locomotive Era/Years in Service: 2012–Present Top Speed: 93 mph (150 km/h) [Service speed typically limited to 79 mph] Power Output: 4,000 hp (2,983 kW) Notable Features: Rare Sub-Fleet: Unlike the ubiquitous F59PHI, Sound Transit only operates a very small number of these units (Road numbers 921–923) acquired to expand service capacity. High Horsepower: The 16-cylinder EMD 710G3B prime mover offers significantly more traction power (4,000 hp) than the older F59PHI (3,000–3,200 hp), allowing for longer consists. Visual Differences: Distinguishable from the MP36 by having only two large radiator fans on the roof (rather than three) and slightly different side vent arrangements. Boeing Everett Factory Fuselages being taken to factory:
I have suggested this route before a few times, and it would be a fantastic passenger route in the Pacific NW. Also, I'm glad you included the Boeing Facility at Renton, MJCKP in your suggestion. That would be an awesome operation because: planes on trains! Speaking of the Boeing Trains, I recently ordered a set of these unique freight cars (both a fuselage flatcar set w/ both 89' and 60' flatcars w/ a fuselage load, smaller Skybox, and other details and a BNSF Skybox car) for my O-Gauge model railroad from Golden Gate Depot. So excited! We are also getting the GP60M/GP60B in the near future for Cajon Pass, so those would be great to run on this route too. Other BNSF power: Cajon's SD40-2 and ET44C4; also BNSF EMD SD60M-3s (ex-BN rebuilds), SD75Ms/SD75Is (common sight on heavy manifest and trash trains in the Seattle area), GP39-3s (ex-BN GP30s/GP35s that were rebuilt into GP39Es/Ms/Vs), GP50s/GP25s, and GE B40-8s/B40-8Ws. Of course, we need more freight equipment too: Autoracks, Intermodal Well Cars, Boxcars, Gondolas, Tank Cars, Hoppers, Trash Cars (for Seattle Trash Trains), etc. As for other passenger services, this route could also include Amtrak's Coast Starlight and/or Empire Builder w/ P42DCs or Siemens ALC-42 Chargers, and also Amtrak Cascades with SC44 Chargers and either Talgos (w/ cab cars included), Horizon Coaches/F40PH Cabbage units, and/or the new Siemens Venture Coaches/Cab Cars. These could also be DLC packs. As for other DLCs for this route, we could get GN and/or BN packs for a Seattle-area route. This route has a bit of everything: passenger, freight, and great scenery. Let's make it happen, DTG. This could be the new Peninsula Corridor. Plus, BNSF is one of my favorite railroads.
