Empire Bay: Green Meadows

[nbvc]

Fantastic work.

[WannGLondon]

Absolutely amazing. One of my favorite MDs.

[noahclem]

Best update yet 

The terrain mod looks perfect, I'm glad you've "gotten serious" about seasonal flora, and I have a feeling there are wonderful things to come. Absolutely fantastic pictures!

[Swordmaster]

Nice one for a second home     Very well-placed flora, though.

Looking forward to that railroad update!

Cheers,
Willy

[Framly]

great saisonal-shots!

Fantastic work with the VIP-Flora

[sim_link]

Outstanding work! The seasons look great - 12.6 is my favourite. Something about snow covered pines I suppose... 

[Ol.S / Benoit]

Great work on this update !

Last picture is amazing...

I like your work with the flora but I think you should mix it a bit more. Keep it up !

[FrankU]

Very nice terrain detailing!
The first image with the small path and the rowboat is very realistic. The seasoning looks convincing. And the last image is one for the challenge!

[chester]

Your seaport and harbor look amazing. Nice work.

[kelis]

Great job Rick, these last pictures are so realistic, I like so much the water and the little details, Great job 

[Kergelen]

Great location of the castle. I love to see the different seasons and my favorite in this pictures is in winter.
Picture 12.3 have an special light effect

[namspopof]

Very good work and great last update. 

[threestooges]

Quick post before bed (I'd like to write more, but work in the morning and all). I really need to post here more. I liked the three seasons update and everything is coming along quite nicely. Picture 10.6 of the STR trestle is *exactly* the sort of situation I had in mind when I made it. Nice use of it there.
-Matt

[RickD]

Previously on Empire Bay:
Until now the only way to access the region is by ship over the Simlantic Ocean. But in winter heavy storms and pack-ice can interrupt ship traffic for weeks.

Warning: Huge update ahead. Prepare for impact in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

All Aboard!

The Empire & Kinbasket Railroad (callsign EKR) has announced an ambitious project: They are going to construct a railroad track over the Kinbasket Mountains. Planned is an over 400 km long, non-electrified, double-track mainline.

13.1

Picture still showing the old terrain mod.
This is an early draft of the route through Empire Region. The line begins in the town of Empire Bay, where a passenger station, freight, and maintenance facilities will be constructed.

The first huge challenge the engineers are facing is crossing the strait between Empire Bay and Blackwater Bay at Windy Hook. The tracks then continue along the southern shore of Poor Man's Leg until they reach the farming areas on Flatlands Peninsula.
There the line curves slightly north to connect Jacksonvale where grain and cattle loading facilities will be constructed.

Another challenge is crossing Frostlake. Here the engineers are taking advantage of the "Three Sisters", a group of three islands. Three bridges will be needed there. Not easy, but otherwise the line would have to make a considerable detour until the southern arm of Frostlake becomes narrow enough to be crossed with a single bridge.

The line then turns to the north along the lakeshore and leaves the region eastwards through the Eastmore River Valley.

Construction starts in April 1919. Thousands of workers complete the line in record time. We will now make a little jump in time and follow one of the first passenger trains headed for Empire Bay:

13.2

Our journey begins at the eastern banks of Frostlake. The train has already travelled over the Kinbasket Mountain Range. The last part through the Empire Region is comparatively easy.

13.3

The tracks closely follow the lakeshore southbound until they reach the Three Sisters Islands where they turn west and cross the lake over three bridges and two islands. Short but heavy rainstorms are common in late summer.

13.4

The train traverses the largest of the three islands...

13.5

... and crosses the second bridge.

13.6

Now we are approaching the main bridge. Its total lenght is 466 meters, the clearance below is 39 meters at tide. Ships pass under it to access the harbors at Kolskegg Mine and the sawmill.

13.7

Frosthelm is an abandoned castle on the smallest of the three islands. Train passengers have a spectacular view from the bridges.

13.8

The train is descending the western bridge approach through the agricultural areas on Flatlands Peninsula. The bridge needs to be high enough for ships to pass under making a long slope necessary that heavy freight trains can master.
The rain has stopped as sudden as it started.

13.9

Then the train arrives at its first stop, the rural town of Jacksonvale.

13.10

The journey continues. Next stop is Empire Bay.

13.11

The farm fields are a change in scenery for the passengers after travelling over mountain passes for hours.

13.12

The train passes the vinyards of the Dovahkiin Monastery.

13.13

The tracks have been carved into the rocks along the southern shore of Poor Man's Leg.

13.14

The original plans have been partially revised. The curvy route along the shore has been dropped in favor of a straighter one, allowing higher speeds. This made several tunnels necessary.

13.15

The 1 kilometer long and 83 meters high bridge over the bay is one of the greatest works of engineering along the track. But it also cost the lives of 14 construction workers when a part of the structure collapsed due to substandard rivetting of the iron beams. This incident resulted in a six week long strike for better work conditions and higher safety standards. After a hard fight the railroad company finally gave in and granted higher wages, more resting time and hired more qualified workers.

From an artistical point of view I should not have built the bridge so close to the tile border. The picture would look much better. But technically it was not possible to build it anywhere else. At least not without extensive terraforming.

13.16

The hilly area on eastern Empire Island is called "Pleasant Heights" for its lush deciduous woodland.

13.17

Our train is now descending the hill towards Empire Bay. You can already see the new freight facilities at the harbor.

13.18

A closer look at the freight sidings serving the eastern harbor.

13.19

We are approaching the Empire & Kinbasket passenger station. It is conveniently located right at Broadway in the town center. From here it is only a few footsteps to Murphy's Bar where you can relax from the wearisome journey.

13.20

Another, smaller freight facility serves this side of the docks.

13.21

The E&K Station is nothing spectacular with its two tracks and a couple of switches allowing the engine to run around the train. But it fulfills the needs of the small town.
The tracks ending so abruptly at Dock Road is due to an unexpected change of plans. Originally the railroad company wanted to extend the line further towards the power plant for delivering coal. Also maintenance facilities and an engine shed were to be built there. They made a verbal agreement with the town council early on but never actually bought the land. When the tracks arrived at Empire Bay, the proposed right of way had been built over and the council voted against demolishing those buildings. Now the rail has to find another route around town to reach the plant.

13.22

And here is another partial region view. This time with the new terrain mod and the rail line in place. I still need to replant most of the trees. But this is a very time consuming and boring task since I have to do it all by hand.
All tree planting and no play makes me a dull boy.



Next on Empire Bay:
Probably a couple of smaller updates while I prepare the next big project which will take the town to the next level.



Replies:

nbvc, WannGLondon, noahclem, Framly, sim_link, Ol.S / Benoit, FrankU, chester, kelis, Kergelen, namspopof:
Thanks a lot. I appreciate all your comments.

Nice one for a second home     Very well-placed flora, though.

Looking forward to that railroad update!

Cheers,
Willy

Thanks Willy. The castle is actually modeled after my pool house. 
I'd appreciate reading your professional comment on my railroad.

Quick post before bed (I'd like to write more, but work in the morning and all). I really need to post here more. I liked the three seasons update and everything is coming along quite nicely. Picture 10.6 of the STR trestle is *exactly* the sort of situation I had in mind when I made it. Nice use of it there.
-Matt

Many thanks. You know, at first I considered building a road to the mine. But when I saw the valley I just had to build a railway just to use the trestle.

[art128]

That was a really interesting and great update, Rick Raphael!

I loved following the train through each pass, tunnels, bridges and slopes around the rocks. Plus, the way the weather come and goes is a good thing to make sure it really follow a day.

The new planning at Empire bay's industrial area are great. The freight stations and siding areas well made and coherent.

Can't wait for more!

-Arthur.


edit - Woops, seems like I mistaken your name with your username... 

[Paul 999]

Verry good update! I think that you had a lot off work on the surrounding area of the rail line, i looks spectacular.

This big project can boost the economic of this little country! I am looking forward to the next big project.

[noahclem]

Spectacular work Raphael 

The rail line is fantastically crafted and your work with MMPs and photoshopping is phenomenal! Really top notch. It's funny, I remember you saying earlier in this MD that you didn't know how to make landscapes like some of the masters--and I think you've now proved yourself wrong 

One suggestion: that long bridge on the edge of the tile could be shown in a way that you don't see that it's the edge of the tile--you just need to splice in the scenery from the next tile and it's probably not as difficult as you think 

[apeguy]

Excellent update, the railroad looks so natural as it winds through the mountains and across the river, you've really done a good job with the terraforming there.

[WannGLondon]

Absolutely stupendous update Raphael! Your images are astounding.

[benedict]

You've done a fantastic job of evoking the major railway projects of countries like the US and Russia - just spectacular scenery that is best viewed by train. I also like the names you have - things like Frostlake and Frosthelm (make me think of Winterfell in A Song of Fire and Ice).