Well it has been rather long since any kind of update has been delivered by us, either here or on the website.

We are still progressing on the Cal-P as well as a few other route projects.

CAL-P
The track building is coming along nicely, but we are waiting on a few items from the Cal RR Museum before we progress too much further so we can be sure of the historical accuracy.
Most of the mainline is in from MP 90 to about MP60. At one time it was complete, but we have since decided that it needed to be completely rebuilt with Scale Rail. This also means that construction is halted at times while we ask Marc to create custom pieces.
Most of the stations have been built, with the exceptions of the Mole and the Sacramento Depot. Alot of the original buildings we had built early on for this route have since gone into the trash as we have found better ways of doing things.
There will be noticable differences between winter and summer. Since snow does not fall around here too much, we have come up with a different plan.
So far we have different 4 steam engines completed with a 5th on it's way. We also have 5 diesels completed as well. All the freight cars are being built historically accurate, as is the passenger equipment.

SHASTA ROUTE
Before Scale Rail was introduced, all the track work was completed. However we decided to use Scale Rail and use some other techniques we have come across building the Cal-P.

Krausse Maffei
These are being slowly completed, with accuracy in mind. There are 2 paint schemes, DRGW and SP.

N&W 1218
We are still diligently working to complete this. The screens that we have posted are now out dated. The engine has been completely rebuilt from the ground up. There are less polys and more details now. We are also working on several N&W freight cars and a caboose to release it all as a set. More will be forthcoming on this fine model in the next few months.

ELVAS TOWER forums
As some of you know, I also operate the Elvas Tower Forums and recently we added a file library.
ELVAS TOWER

Keep pushing Erik!

The best things take time and you are right on target with "historical" accuracy. A little bit of artistic license is fine, but for those of us living and working around the Cal-P, there is no substitute for relative reality.

As with all your team's work-to-date, this will be worth the wait! Never lose that dream....You are pursuing a priceless piece of the Train-Sim puzzle!

Dave

Thanks for the update. It must be tough finding time for anything what with the new carear and all.

Well for me it is, but I have finally managed to get a fine team to help and things are really starting to come together.

What will the Shasta route cover? Roughly from where to where?

Duncan

Approx Weed or Black Butte in the North to the Red Bluff/Gerber/Tehama area in the south.
The original design was Black Butte to Red Bluff, but there are a few items that we are interested in including.

Dear SLW-team,

are you already in a position to state an ETA on the Cal-P route and furthermore to post some preliminary screenshots of both routes mentioned above?

If not that's okay too...

Sebastian,

Every time I have posted a release schedule we have blown past it, usually because of the team falling apart a month or so before the "release" . Now I am not a superstitious (sp?) person so I will release a temporary date.

I would like to see the Cal-P completed around Feb '05 and the Shasta Route mid spring '05. As for pics, I will see what I can pry out of the developers.

That is more than I hope for since at some stage I was afraid of the whole Cal-P project never emerging... Looking forward when it comes out...

Well we have invested too much time and resources to not see it released.

N&W Update pics, we are in the process of re-texturing the engine and tender.

Holy Crap Eric! You trying to give me heart failure or something?

That is awesome! And, so is the news about the Cal-P route. I've been waiting patiently for this for a long time and this is really great news. Now, if we could only get some info on the Powder River route as well- - -

Keep up the great work and I'll be waiting in the wings with my credit card handy

Larry

I think banging my head against a wall best represents the current texturing of the class A engines. Building it was pretty easy, but trying to texture/paint in black is a major PITA! But do not worry, progress is being made!

Mykel

Good to hear you guys are still working on the Cal-P

Longhairedwizard

I just love the title of this thread!

Okay, try and remember the name of the movie... IIRC it goes kinda like this:

Man w/ cart of bodies: Bring out your dead!
Man w/body: Here's one! <<plop>>
Man w/ cart of bodies: Hey, wait a second, he's not dead.
Man w/body: Yes he is.
Man w/ cart of bodies: Noooo, he's not.
Man w/body: Yes he is.
Plopped man: I'm not dead!
Man w/ cart of bodies: What's that?
Man w/body: Nothing, nothing.
Plopped man: I'm not dead!
Man w/ cart of bodies: Ha! See?
Man w/body: He'll be dead soon.
Plopped man: <<sitting up>> I'm Happy!
pause
Man w/body: Umm, do you think you can help me out here?
pause
Man w/ cart of bodies: <<Whack!>> There.
Plopped man: <<slump>>
Man w/body: Thanks.
Man w/ cart of bodies: Anytime.

Anyway, the Cal-P is still coming along. Every now and then the wheels are on the ground for lack of the right Scale Rail piece. Like now for instance. But the intention to finish and release it is there and plenty of effort is going into getting that done.

I know I was not really thinking when I named the topic.....you can shoot me later

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A classic!!!

Seriously, I have been waiting patiently for the Cal-P and can't wait to get me hands on her. Love the work you have been doing!

Can we have an update pic on the 1218? Will she have real sounds and cabview when done?

The 1218 is coming along. Unfortunately I got a little behind this month with work and computer troubles, but it will be going to the paint shop this week. The plan is to have custom sounds and a cab as well as a few other goodies.

Mykel

EDIT: Just remember, Always look on the bright side of life......

Will there be a coupler between the tender and the locomotive instead of a bar? Will there be all the hose's between the loco and tender and on the front coupler will there be an air hose or is it the coupler and nothing else?

Locomotives and tenders were connected by a drawbar not a coupler, thus a bar would be accurate.

As Chris pointed out, there will be a drawbar between the engine and tender, as well as other details such as the water lines and stoker details. As for the pilot, yes, the airline is there (completed after the pictures) and the plan is to have the pilot in both the closed and opened position using the freightanim option.

Mykel