Dec 20, 2013

VNHRR Springfield Line 1.0 Released

Version 1 of our Springfield Line has just been released by Trains and Drivers. The routes includes the New Haven trackage from Springfield, MA, to Windsor Locks, CT, and the Suffield Branch that connects the small town of Suffield, CT, and Bradley Field Airport to the New Haven mainline.
The route comes with eight Standard Scenarios, QuickDrive and Free Roam. The route requires an installation of Train Simulator 2014 and the US and UK Community Assets packs.

http://www.trains-and-drivers.net/epages/63266424.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/63266424/Products/2013VNHRR01

Dec 18, 2013

VNHRR Springfield Line to be Released Before the Holidays

The upcoming version 1.0 of the VNHRR Springfield Line will be released before the holidays. Our friends at Trains and Drivers have kindly agreed to publish the route.

Please visit the Trains and Drivers facebook page for more info. When the route has been released we will also announce it here and on our own website. You will then be able to buy it at the Trains and Drivers online shop.

Customers who bought the 0.9 pre-release version from us will receive the update instructions to version 1.0 by email.

Dec 11, 2013

Weather Forecast: New Skies Ahead

The upcoming VNH 1.0 will also come with better looking skies and more weather options, now also including some versions without "TS12 cloud bands". Some previews below (sorry for the red tint of the images. That happened after the upload to Blogger, no idea why).





Dec 7, 2013

Update: VNHRR 1.0 Now in Beta Status

We have recently started beta testing the upcoming version 1.0 of the VNHRR Springfield Line.

Version 1.0 includes new rail vehicles, new scenarios, signaling & scenery improvements, and bug fixes. Most of the new rail vehicles have been revealed here on this blog before (the Budd RDC will not be part of the VNHRR Springfield Line, but released as a seperate add-on when it's done.)

New scenarios will put you in charge of passenger services, mainline freights, and local/switcher services. A new set of Quick Drives with more start points, destinations, and drivable trains to choose from will also be included.

Testing has been going quite well so far, so unless some unexpected major bug shows up we should be able to set the release date of version 1.0 very soon.

Nov 29, 2013

Windsor Locks Station

A local passenger just arrived. For some reason the train pulled in on the wrong track. Northbound trains usually stop on track 2 and passengers have to cross over track 1 and access the train via the narrow wooden platform between the tracks. (Of course nearby southbound traffic gets stopped during such a station stop.)


I wonder what these two are talking about? 

All aboard! Next stop is Thompsonville.





Nov 28, 2013

Heayvweight

More rolling stock for the upcoming version 1.0: a heavyweight coach. Still work in progress, but almost done.


Nov 16, 2013

You say potato?

I say newsprint!

Here's a quick preview of one more freight car that will be part of the upcoming version 1.0 of the VNHRR Springfield route: the iconic State of Maine potato reefer. Those cars were also used to haul clean cargo, typically newsprint, instead of standing around unused waiting for the next harvest season.



Oct 12, 2013

Trailiner in Springfield

Some screenshots of our new Trailiner equipment (New Haven's pioneering TOFC service) in downtown Springfield, and a picture of our new Boston & Maine caboose in the Minuteman paint scheme.






Sep 4, 2013

More Rolling Stock for 1.0

A preview of one of the new rolling stock items that will ship with version 1.0, a TOFC car, loaded with AeroVan trailers built by Thomas Pearce of Broadway Limited Locomotive Works.


 

Aug 1, 2013

First Version is Available


The first version of the VNHRR has just been released on our website:
http://vnhrr.golden-age-rails.com/index.html



ImageIn order to not keep you waiting any longer, we have decided to publish a pre-release version of the first phase of the VNHRR. It includes the complete route of version 1.0 (Springfield to Windsor Locks and the Suffield Branch), but an incomplete selection of rolling stock and scenarios. This pre-release version is being offered at a 20% discount over the regular retail price of version 1.0 ($19.99 instead of $24.99).

For more information, details and screenshots please visit the new VNHRR website:
http://vnhrr.golden-age-rails.com/details.html

Jul 31, 2013

New VNHRR Website; First Release Almost Ready

We have launched a new website for the Virtual New Haven Railroad.

On this website you can find a wealth of information about the route, lots of new screenshots, download the manuals for the route... and soon will be able to buy it too, at a special Version 0.9 Pre-Release Discount!

Jul 26, 2013

The next pre-release milestone

The VNHRR Springfield Line is now Quick Drive ready, with AI traffic and static consists that spawn at random.


Jul 8, 2013

Edging closer to the release

We're not done yet with our work on the route, but here is something that we didn't want to have to do last minute: creating the documentation! At this point we already have a fourteen page manual, a two page signal chart and a three page scenario guide, which will grow even larger before the release.


Jul 1, 2013

Switching at Windsor Locks, CT

A single RS-3 has just brought in seven loaded boxcars from Bradley Field airport and is now switching cars at the small yard in Windsor Locks.


Jun 30, 2013

Jun 18, 2013

Feeling Blue?

The B&M and NH interchanged a lot of cars at Springfield, so naturally we needed some B&M cars on our route.


Jun 9, 2013

First Scenario Test

Some screenshots from our first scenario test, "Winter Coal Deliveries".
Still got some way to go, but we're getting closer and closer to our first release.






Jun 5, 2013

Rolling Stock

It's been a while since our last post, but we return with some good news: our rolling stock pack is taking shape nicely! We now have two new engines on our route, an ALCO FA/B-1 built by Mannu Pach and an ALCO RS-3 built by Dick Cowen, and our freight car roster is growing too. Only a caboose is still missing, then we can begin writing scenarios.