The Mojave & Panamint Railroad

[NormHart]

Darn, I was hoping that my memory was correct and that Gary Hoorn's American 10 was 3' gauge but nope.



I'm sure you know about bdaneal's 30" gauge ten wheeler.



But nothing I could find in 36" (grrr). I'll keep looking at Prowler's #20 maybe something will occur to me.

"El Goob" was on the Tehachapi run so... maybe... perhaps a wye?

Edit: Ha! I knew there had to be at least one.



Togog's
4-6-0_OAHU_64,<kuid2:222925:13100:1>
4-6-0_OAHU_64_tender,<kuid2:222925:13150:1>

He uses Curtis' 2-6-0 engine spec but you will probably want to find a different tender since this one is oil and does not support refueling and you may want to add some scripting to get fuel usage going.

Doesn't look bad at all with the RGS #20 tender

[Kegg_Works]

I almost forgot about Togog's Ten-Wheeler! I think the only reason I haven't used it yet is that it's a bit different than what the N-C-O and SPNG have used, which was the inspiration behind Craig's M&P and in effect the inspiratiom behind the route. However I think I could shoehorn the Oahu engine into the M&P roster. I,could probanly use one of Trainboi's whaleback tenders for it.

[Kegg_Works]

Got another update for you all!! And it's a Big'un!!

First of all I reworked the scene for the north portal of the Summit Tunnel. But first, lets hop a Northbound train to Ballarat to see what's new!!



Leaving Slate Range Pass and plunging into the Summit Tunnel. (Tunnel No.1)



The North Portal of the Summit Tunnel. Here the switchback to the Whitaker mine can be seen. This is also the ONLY steel bridge on the whole railroad.



Did some rock work on the first major cut on the railroad.



Our train out of the gap and passing mile post 24.



Exiting tunnel 3 you can see I've added some rock work here also.



Continuing along down the 4% grade into the dry wash canyon and approaching milepost 25.



Entering another cut on the other side of the canyon. Now meanwhile at Panamint Jct I've been playing around with some textures and I have to give a shout out to Ferroequine for his Lone Pine, CA texture. It makes a GREAT base texture to build off of for the route. Here are some shots of me playing around with textures around the junction.

[Kegg_Works]

And now Part II of the update!!

Now meanwhile at Panamint Jct I've been playing around with some textures and I have to give a shout out to Ferroequine for his Lone Pine, CA texture. It makes a GREAT base texture to build off of for the route. Here are some shots of me playing around with textures around the junction.





Looks pretty good if you ask me! And here's another little surprise for you guys!



YEP! That's a Southern Pacific 4-10-2!! Since the LA&I would be absorbed into the SP system it would make sense that some decent SP motive power. And with that Russian Iron boiler jacket I just couldn't resist getting it off of Jointed Rail.

Anyway, I did make a goof on one part of the route. Although Mr. Tice mentioned there was a real Whitaker Mine he didn't specify as to where it really was. However I stumbled across the historical location while looking up Topo maps for laying down wagon roads in the route. So with the new info on hand I ripped out the original switchback to Whitaker and started over, albeit in the historically correct location.













So here is the new and improved Whitaker Branch. And no, the grade is not exaggerated!! That is a real 13% grade with a Heisler on loan from the Borate & Dagget. Whitaker is still under revision and sadly I don't know of any photos or diagrams for how the mine was set up. Or how big or small it is even. So I'm taking some creative liberties with the look and design. It's also supposed to be one of the Railroad's biggest customers so I thought I'd make it fairly sizable and imposing.

So what do you think guys? Am I still keeping your interest?

[Pencil]

That looks really good! Your scenes are nicely put together; your rockwork is especially nice! Might I ask (if it's not an imposition) what assets you used?

[Kegg_Works]

That looks really good! Your scenes are nicely put together; your rockwork is especially nice! Might I ask (if it's not an imposition) what assets you used?

To be honest I'm not entirely sure who made them, thoug I believe they came from the NG36 Rollins Pass route by TrainzItalia. (hope I spelled that right) That route has been out for a while, though I'm not sure if it can still be downloaded. I know Trainboi has it and he could probably give you some more info.

[Kegg_Works]

Hey all, it's been a while since my last route update and unfortunately progress has been slow.

Recently I acquired a second job and that, along with school and my primary job I haven't been able to get much done. But I have made progress! Mostly on the standard gauge portions of the line. I've completed grading from Panamint Jct. to Searles Jct. some 30 miles by rail away to the west. Here are some shots of the recent progress with a mock-SP period freight circa 1905-ish.





The first few pics here are of the flats south of Panamint Jct. Minimal texturing has been applied here. The one seen is just an experiment for a "base" texture to work off of.



Here the line has moved on from the long and reasonably flat straits and begins passing an area near the Trona Pinnacles.



And here is where one would get a clear view of the pinnacles in the distance. The pinnacles are a distinct feature here and I want to model them. I have an idea on how I can do it, but more on that in a later post.








I have some other shots for the rest of the line west of Spangler, CA. Though I need to make a correction with the siding. It's too long and on the wrong side of the Right-of-Way. I've also added some grade crossings and a few other small additions. Track has been laid on both the SP's main to Mojave and north of Searles Jct. towards Lone Pine. Sadly only a small portion of the Jawbone branch is on the map, but at least there's a fair amount of SG track. That's one thing I find ironic about this route is that, although it is a Narrow Gauge route there is more standard gauge track, by mile, than there is narrow gauge. The M&P line being about 37 miles long and the LA&I (Trona Rr in real life) is about thirty. Not including the SG track heading north to Lone Pine and the section heading south to Mojave. The SG line to Mojave ends a mile or two (give or take) west of Rand, CA.

This is a bigger route than I was originally anticipating, but it's becoming QUITE a fun project!! I hope you guys like the progress so far!

[Kegg_Works]

Sorry for being silent for a while guys. I've reached another major mile stone which is ALL TRACK IS FINISHED!!!!
No to start on all the wagon roads...

In any case, I'll post some more photos soon of the standard gauge now that all that is finished. But for now here are some updates on the narrow gauge M&P!

First up an updated shot of Valley Wells, CA. I've added some more structures as, in theory, the railroad would attract a lot of people to the area. And it's also the last place to stock up on water if heading north. The same goes for the railroad and hence the multitude of water tanks.



I also updated the depot scene a bit also.



After a brief pause and taking on some water we head north over the relatively easy going 2.5% grade up to Slate Range Pass.



Although there are some curves between Valley Wells and the summit, it is still a very desolate part of the line.







And after traversing some of the curves leading up to the pass we arrive at Slate Range.





The pass is also a transfer point for those who wish to take the stage, or vice versa.

[Kegg_Works]

The train waits a bit as goods and passengers board and transfer goods.



Also I've finally made some updates to the pump house at the summit! I've added an unloading dummy which will allow the consumption of water from tank cars. Thus making this an active "industry". the Pump House itself is a bit crude and "bashed" using several assets. The over all structure is a "Pole Building Shed" with a boiler, tank, and animated steam engine to serve as the "pump".





Now that we've watered up we continue our northbound treck, the train readying to plunge into tunnel 1.







As a side note, I have to admit that Trainboi's C&C locos look RIGHT at home here on the Mojave & Panamint!!

[Kegg_Works]

The train gingerly works around a sharp curve clinging to the mountain side as it approaches tunnel 2.





Skipping ahead to Ballarat for some updated shots.

[Pencil]

Wow - nice work! Thanks for sharing!!

Curtis

[cwtice]

WOW! This is totally awesome! What a fantastic job you're doing and what a huge honor it is to see my old layout inspiring people some 25 years after it was completed. Keep up the great work and please let me know if there's any way I can help.

[Kegg_Works]

WOW! This is totally awesome! What a fantastic job you're doing and what a huge honor it is to see my old layout inspiring people some 25 years after it was completed. Keep up the great work and please let me know if there's any way I can help.

Sorry for the late replay and lack of activity on the thread recently. And Mr. Tice, it's an absolute honor to actually hear from you! I hope that what I've managed to create lives up to the railroad you envisioned.

So anywho... the lact of progress and activity is due mostly because of a recent relocation. I moved to a more central part of the state (near Athens, GA) and it took me a while to get everything in order. That also included the move of all my personal belongings, which I had to make on a separate, later time than the initial move. But, now with everything settling in I have been able to go back to work on developing the Mojave & Panamint!

My recent efforts have focused on Ballarat and updating the reskins on some of the locomotives. I have FINALLY found the right file to swap out and replace the boiler jacket texture and make it Russian Iron! I was very pleased as the engine looks even better in my opinion, not to mention looks closer to Tice's interpretation. I also managed to swap the roof skin to give it a red color, as per Tice's design on his early 2-8-0s.




The previous two pictures show the updated color schemes. I still have yet to locate the right file for the Steam Domes so I can add the decorative lining to them, other than that they're just about done. I've also updated the lettering on the locomotive tenders to look a little more period appropriate. Here's a close up of the new tender lettering.



Personally I find that it looks MUCH better than the previous font I used! I have to give a shout out to Trainboi as it was his font suggestion, so thanks again for the recommendation. I've also added another locomotive to the M&P roster, No. 8! The line's one and only 4-6-0.



Yes, it is a reskin of Togog's Oahu Railway & Land Co. #64, but it's about the only decent and/or suitable 4-6-0 for TRS12. Now given that Tice was inspired by the Nevada-California-Oregon and the the SPNG railroad(s) I suspect that he imagined No. 8 as an SPNG style Ten-Wheeler. I had a theory about swapping out the drive bogie on Trainboi's NCNG 2-8-0 with the drive bogie from Prowler's RGS #20, though I'm not sure how well that would look... let alone function. So for now, M&P No. 8 is a small, outside framed little Ten-Wheeler. Oh, and I updated No. 2's tender also!



And now for some of the updates in Ballarat. First up, I added one of the historical structures which is the town jail. Although not and exact match, it's still a pretty darn good representation of the original. Which amazingly is still standing there today!



I also started adding vegetation to the area. More specifically Post Office Spring. It's pretty easy to spot as it is where the most green plants are. I tried to match as closely as possible what you see in real life. I'm also not sure where the spring's name originated from, and I don't know if a post office was actually there or not. I'll assume it was and I may add a post office later, unless you have any info on that, Mr. Tice.



I've also started finding places for all the people and figures I've accumulated, adding life to the town as it were.

[Trainboi]

No. 8 needs a bit of work, but that's a great little roster. No. 6 will fit right in when she's done...I have started updating my B3Cs so it won't be too long (hopefully).

[Kegg_Works]

No. 8 needs a bit of work, but that's a great little roster. No. 6 will fit right in when she's done...I have started updating my B3Cs so it won't be too long (hopefully).

Awesome to hear that the updates are coming along! One thing I forgot to mention in the forum post is that I mistakenly added a grey texture file into a Black one which kind of messed up the look of #8. I have since corrected it and I'll have to post some updated screenshots when I can. Good luck with bashing #6, I'm really looking forward to seeing it!