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GM_Grande_Valley beta

REQUIRES HL2 EP2

DISCLAIMER. MAP IS IN BETA and is subject to change over the remainder of 2017 and following 2018. Any and all issues with the route will be happily taken by either silver streak or rockon in professional critic fashion. That being said this route signal system and some area details have not yet been completed but are in working condition so as to not cause accidents, or any other issues. Track infrastructure was tested before launch and has not brought up any issues with height restrictions or track alignment. Please take all of this into consideration before commenting or coming to either creators with comments and suggestions. Thank you. [Railroads in the map are to remain nameless as well as a few cities to allow others the freedom to imagine and suggest names if they wish to]

What it has:
Steel Mill
2ft track
Farms
Yards
ect..

Grande Valley is the spiritual successor to the Rio Grande Railroad Colorado area and other surrounding cities. This map has been loosely based off of a Model Train Layout track plan seen in Model Railroader Magazine's February 2017 issue, where layout creator Ed Miller modeled Wakita, Salt Lake City, and Denver portions of the Rio Grande route. Many changes were made from the original track plan, the idea was to use it as a base and make many changes to that plan rather than just rip off the layout or start with no layout plan in mind. Here on Grande Valley you may notice a large lack of passenger stations. Two small ones have been placed on a short route to be used as a commuter service from the town of Shoe Horn to a quick stop closer to the city for business travelers put off by the long distance the road has to take in order to make it to the city. However this really means this map is 95% freight, medium or slow speed, short haul or long haul. This is not meant for high speeds though a few curves have been placed to allow faster than average travel speed for the Intermodel or Autorack trains looking to zip cargo to port in a quick manor. The main industries include a medium sized Steel Mill, Autorack Yard, Intermodel Yard, Oil Refinery, a Misclnious Industries spur track for the switcher/short distance fans, and a Saw Mill that exports raw logs or cut wooden boards.

The secondary trackage, narrow gauge has been put into this world with Ron's 2 foot Pack. This mimics the Rio Grande narrow gauge railroad that climbed the Colorado mountain range, which today is known famously as the Durango and Silverton who's best quality is the use of geared steam locomotives. In Grande Valley this Narrow Gauge railroads story is simple but important. The Apex mountain holds a massive deposit of coal, however the only pass the railroads could find were narrow and steep. This would cost way to much money for standard gauge railroads to flatten out the route and widen the path, so the founder of this line simply used narrow tracks and the low speed, high traction geared steam locomotives that simple out weigh all other narrow gauge locomotives. The railroads main task is simply hauling minors and work tools up the mountain and bring down large coal loads to keep their trains running and to supply the town and standard gauge railroad with enough Coal to support the way of life today.

With Coal being said, I think it's best to mention this era is meant to be the transition period between Diesels and Steam. Meaning both are still in use at the same time and that both need equal resources to keep running. Lucky for steamer fans, this area is time locked and will never lose the coal and water loading areas well stocked and ready to fuel any steel behemoth you want these tracks to endure. And equally, Diesels will never find an empty refuel pad for those easy, efficient, and low maintenance Alco's, Baldwins, EMD's, and G.E.s.

We hope to create a happy harmony in time where steam is just as important as diesel for any job! So be respectful to the other half, and enjoy the up hill crawl or mid speed run by as the freight is handled to Industries and Harbors alike!

P.S. Electric locomotives need not apply.