Hi All:

Quick update about the Ozark Northern:

If you'll recall, the long delay caused by activity creation was discussed in a previous thread and the clear majority of those voicing an opinion wanted it released "as is" with no activities. In that thread I made the decision to release it with a minimum of activities (5) to at least get the route out there in your hands, and then I hope to add to the activity list, or end users will build activities for it.

Along this vein, I now have 3 activities nearly ready to go. Only 2 more! However, my ON progress will be delayed a bit on account of the wife and I will be heading off to Colorado for a vacation soon. But... you know me... the digital cameras are going along, as well as nearly 5 gigs of memory capability, and I hope to be coming back with a new Colorado texture library!

While piddling in the sim, I thought would take a quick Ozark Northern pic and share it with you, below is the result...

Great news Andre - and a fine screenshot. Have a good break when you go .

Rod

Thanks Rod. We're sure looking forward to getting back to that part of the country.

FWIW, here's another pic taken a few minutes ago within an activity...

And since I'm on a trestle kick... here's another pic of another trestle on the ON. I really like the way Jon's reefers look in the train...

Very nice shots. Give a good "old time" RR feel. Looking forward to the final product.
Bill Hobbs

Hey Andre where abouts in Colorado you going to be at, Cheyenne Wyoming ain't to far from it lol.

Good looking route by the way as well.

Hi all!

A happy new year from Munich, Bavaria!

I am very curious about the ON`s progress :-)
Is there some news to report?

Thanx!

Christian

That first shot looks like something out of Back to the future 3, only it's not a film set!

Marvelous

Thanks to those of you that have expressed recent interest in the Ozark Northern. At this time I will try to the best of my ability to update you as candidly as practical.

Here are the factors that have led to the decison I am making about the Ozark Northern:

1. As most of you know, my life is quite different now than it was when the Ozark Northern project was started. I am no longer self-employed and thus no longer have flex-time. Currently I am still on a 55-60 hour work week. With the arrival of January, the Winter passenger train kicks off this weekend. More often than not, for me this will likely mean 6 days a week at 60+ hours now until April. Unfortunately there are only two Passenger Qualified engineers at the Ft. Smith terminal, and the other one works the night shift so will not have enough legal rest before the Saturday passenger train crew comes on duty. That leaves me.

2. Family health issues. My widowed mother started radiation treatments yesterday. This will cause my weekend time to be even more commited than it is now.

3. MSTS-Bin vs Activities. Apparently, though we enjoy the nice features we enjoy with MSTS-Bin, it may have caused some changes in pathing. This results in all the knowledge I had in regards to creating workable AI meets on a non-signaled route moot. I do not have the time/energy to attempt to figure out new work-arounds and then create something like 20-24 new activities.

In view of all of the above, I am making the decision to release the Ozark Northern with only Introductory Activities for a reduced price. ($25)

Essentially you will be purchasing a Jon Davis MEGA-equipment pack and getting a route thrown in almost for free. Because the delay was on my part, and not Jon's, Jon will receive the majority of the proceeds from any Ozark Northern sales. Included in the Ozark Northern equipment will be something like 12 NEW rod engines, 70-80 (or more?) NEW pieces of rolling stock... and the fabulous Shay that Jon built.

As for what remains:

I will need to create the documentation and maps, clean up the folders, and doublecheck the Intro Activities. After that is completed, I will get it packaged, uploaded, and posted for release.

LASTLY:

With the release of the Ozark Northern, I will be officially retiring from MSTS commercial development. I will continue to keep the VSC website/store open as long as there is interest in VSC product. I would also like to continue to interact at this forum as well as other forums. In addition, I would like to dabble with MSTS... but NOT with commercial application in mind. Instead, I would like to get back to being a hobbiest and ENJOYING the hobby without the pressure and obligations (even if personally imagined) the commercial side brings.

So there you have it. Many factors have brought me to where I'm at right now, and thus, have contributed in my decision on where I need to go.

I am by no means going to disappear. In fact, now that I'm making this decision, and once the Ozark Northern is released, I will feel more free to interact with fellow MSTS/sim enthusiasts here and other venues.

Sincerely,

That's great news about the route Andre. I looked in this section by chance during lunch yesterday , and I was blown away by the quality of the structures, and the atmosphere depicted in the screenshots.

Loved the humour in the various threads about it I must say. What would sell this is not necessarily the given number of hours of operations in activities, but the variety of prospective operations, lifelike atmosphere and general uniqueness, given that aren't many westerns with this kind of detail. Personally, I like to examine new routes in the route editor when they are released, to see if I can pick up on any new techniques that would help improve my own skills.

A few questions-

How long is the modelled route?

How many branches and towns?

Are there any towns along it that are now ghost towns/nonexistent?

Will there be passenger timetables/operational info provided with the final product?

Would you have any screens of the track from the activity editor?

Regards
Michael

Hi Michael:

Let's take your questions one at a time:

Q: How long is the modelled route?

The mainline is 16 miles, plus there's the short Buckhorn Branch, Mulberry Lbr. spur, Phipps Lbr. spur, etc. The length is deceiving. It will take you nearly 1 hour to run a heavy freight train to the end of the line. You will work long and hard to get over the long northbound 4% grade to Fly Gap. Better watch your fire!

Q: How many branches and towns?

One actual "branch". (See above. )

Towns: 11

Q: Are there any towns along it that are now ghost towns/nonexistent?

Not sure I understand your question.

As a model, the Ozark Northern is set in the 1893 time frame. Using the "real world" as a guide for the ON world, there were no ghost towns then in the Ozarks. For the most part, places were experiencing settlement and growth.

Now, in the "real world", the Ozark Northern is set among a region that had two primary railroads: The Frisco's St. Paul Branch, and the Black Mountain & Eastern. (Later known as the Combs Cass & Eastern.) I have used the actual Cass area for the ON's interchange with the Black Mountain & Eastern. The prototype BM&E terminated at Cass. The ON is freelanced from Cass to Brashears. At that point, I pick up the roadbed of the prototype Frisco St. Paul Branch for the run to St. Paul. St. Paul proper contains essentially all of the rail elements (with some additions) that existed "back when" the Frisco's St. Paul Branch was booming.

Q: Will there be passenger timetables/operational info provided with the final product?

Operational info, yes. Don't know about working out a timetable schedule.

Q: Would you have any screens of the track from the activity editor?

I do now!

We'll work our way north from the southernmost connection/terminal town of Turners Bend.

Notes about Turners Bend: As with 99% of the places on the ON, Turners Bend exists, but not in the scope depicted. In the ON's world, Turners Bend is where the ON connects with the Arkansas River & Northern, a shortline that (in theory) runs north out the Arkansas River valley at Ozark, Arkansas northward to connect with the ON. At Ozark, the AR&N theoretically connects with the prototype St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern at the river town of Ozark, Arkansas. (Historical note: The St.IM&S became the Missouri Pacific, which is now is the UP. The rails still run through Ozark, Arkansas and sees many trains per day.)

Here is Turners Bend:

Next up is Cass, Arkansas, Black Mtn. Jct, and the joint yard with the Black Mountain & Eastern:

Then Mountain Creek: Right at the foot of hard climb to Fly Gap:

Mt. Airy: Right on the side of the mountain...

The summit at Fly Gap:

Zinc City: Junction of the Buckhorn Branch, zinc mines, etc...

The Buckhorn Branch and large zinc mines:

Elam and its big sawmill:

Brashears:

Wolf Pen (named after a hollow nearby):

St. Paul proper:

Note: All the sawmills were based on prototypes. In the late 19th century, St. Paul was touted itself as the "Hardwood Capital of The World". The Phipps Lbr Co. was the largest of them all, and is depicted so on the ON...

Lastly, the railroad town of Esna (freelanced), Arkansas. Named after the arrival of the Eureka Springs & North Arkansas from the north. The ON and ES&NA tied the knot at this location and dutifully named the new town "Esna". To the north, the ES&NA (theoretically) ties in with the prototype Eureka Springs Rwy... which was by then contemplating expansion in a southeasterly direction toward Harrison, Arkansas. (Which it eventually did in the "real world"... and then on down to Helena, Arkansas. We all know the ES Rwy by the name of St. Louis & North Arkansas!)

Welp... this completes the maps!

Great News, Andre! I am normally an early diesel fan, but the ON has really caught my imagination. I'm looking forward to it!

You've got a lot on your plate, so I wish you health, strength, and joy to keep up with your responsibilities. I've enjoyed your railroad stories so much on the forum.

Take care

Randy

Thanks very much for the pics Andre. Any chance of a quick snap showing the whole route in the AE?

Sure Michael,

Here you go:

Thanks for that. Looking great!

Andre,

Hope you have a great time on your trip. In my opinion, $25 is too little for this route; activities or not. While there are 100s of routes for MSTS, there are few TOC routes. Using StL&NA as a benchmark, it would seem $40 is more reasonable price point.

On activities, one option is to create textual instructions; possibly including illustrations but not necessarily. There are plenty in the mod community who could impliment activities, if they knew what realistic TOC railroading was all about. You could simply, "tell us what to do". Just a thought.

Hi Steamed:

Actually, this thread has been revived, so some of the content is not current. The Colorado trip was in August of last year, and yup... we enjoyed it tremendously.

Thank you for your vote of support in expressing that you feel $40 would be appropriate. The jury is still out as to what will be the final price. I forgot that I'll have to account for bandwidth and CD costs, the former of which will be more on account of the size of the packaged route in comparison to the StLNA or the A&O. There is a LOT more custom terrtex involved. Still, at this point my feeling is that the $25-$30 range seems appropriate.

Route Update:

I dodged the passenger train one more Saturday!! So, I am devoting most of my weekend freetime to wrapping up loose ends on the Ozark Northern. I have proofed Intro 1 for typos and consistency. It is ready to go. I just finished creating/proofing Intro 2, and it is ready to go. Since I'm on a roll... I am going to take a look at a couple other acts that were developed to see if I can go ahead and fix/whatever those and get them out the door with the release. Who knows from there?

I will have to say that it's been a while since I've toyed with the ON, and I am surprised at how enjoyable the views and ON experience in the sim are. It should be a very fun route to live in virtually.

Anyrate, here's a couple pics from Intro Ride 2:

First up... sitting on the engine track at Zinc City looking out the cab of your steam engine... care to guess what type of engine you're sitting in?

Glancing over across the cab... you see this arriving at the depot for a station stop. After the northbound passenger train pulls out, you'll be free to start your trip!

While I was digging among the ON pics folder where I saved the above shots... I came across some ON snow scenes I snapped. Had in mind creating a Christmas card to share with all of you here at the VSC forums as well as other forums.

Unfortunately, something called "life" got in the way and the Christmas card idea fizzled.

BUT... here's a shot that was among the top picks for the card idea:

Hmm, you mentioned something about bandwidth costs. Is this a hint that a download option is being considered?

$25 is quite cheap compared to some other payware routes, and activity packs. But at the same time, wouldn't this help sales at a time when the MSTS payware market is volatile?

Wow, Andre! After seeing those AE route maps, my mind starts to work. There are better TOC activity creators out there, but I might have to take a shot at one after release.

All of the best,

I'd say we'er sitting in the Shay.

Michael:

I hope to offer a download option. Depends on how much the route can be trimmed for packaging and compressed for transfer. Right now the installed route is a whopping 330 megs for a SHORTLINE route. And that's not including the huge equipment assortment.

Steve:

It's a fun little route. I can't see any reason whatsoever that "operation" enthusiasts won't be able to exploit all the features I've built in for a loooong time to come. Off the top of the head, there looks to be the potential for:

1. North/South Red Ball bridge traffic freights.
2. North/South Drag bridge traffic freights.
3. North/South Locals freights.
4. Interchange drags
5. Yard classification switching in three towns. (Tuners Bend, Zinc City, St. Paul.)
6. Industry switchers in three different towns. (See above.)
7. Mine runs to Zinc City.
8. Mine switching on the Buckhorn Branch
9. Helper service.
10. Tonnage "turns" to the summit at Fly Gap.
11. Hot passenger trains.
12. Accomodation passenger trains.
13. Mixed freights.
14, 15, and ???

See whatta' mean??? Also, there's enough equipment to make this thing really come alive and be a very interesting virtual world.

EdavilleFan:

Right you are!

Be still my sidewinding heart!

Careful! You'll cause Uncle Herb to seize up!

Steve:

Wouldn't take much to cause Herb to seize up... would it?

All:

I'm still pecking away at wrapping up loose ends... AND... since I'm having quite a bit of fun seeing the finished product come alive with some activities, I'm in the process of putting a few more simple acts together to ship with the route.

Was just testing an act and running No. 2 (First Class Passenger Train) and enjoying some 4 key views. As the engines slugged upgrade over Broken Link Trestle, we are again reminded that railroading can be some dangerous work!

FWIW:

Speaking of dangerous work... actually it is! Just tonight at work I took the nose off of a semi-tractor that decided to dispute with my train as to who gets the right-of-way. Thankfully, no injuries to the (unobservant) trucker. Sheesh... this makes 3 grade crossing accidents in less than 2 years.

"It's the big one, 'Lizabeth!"

Looking good. I haven't bought any payware routes, but I think one has made my list of must haves. One minor thing though, wouldn't the wooden wagon have split into pieces on impact?

Soft ground


Looking very good Andre

Rod

Michael queried:

"One minor thing though, wouldn't the wooden wagon have split into pieces on impact?"

Some of them should have... yup.

Owing to the soft ground, the infamous Broken Link Trestle wreck was miraculous in that no crew members were injured, and the cars were virtually intact!

Amazing.

I love historical fiction!!!!!

This seems to be coming along nicely I have the St Louis & North Arkansas RR and it is great although it lacks passenger activity which I am in the process of rectifying as I found coaching stock made just for the purpose.
So when will this one be ready, sorry but cant wait if its as good as the above it will be great.
Regards
Barrie