Greenacre

[threestooges]

Quick response for you woodb3kmaster:

Bridges are add-ons to the NAM. They are added into the controller, yet are separate downloads so you only need to get the ones you want. The two I used here are the Wooden Trestle (STR only) and the Howe Truss. Both are available on the LEX, and more bridges for all sorts of networks can be found by searching under the NAM Team name.
-Matt

[Tomas Neto]

Awesome update, really fantastic!!! 

[tooheys]

You know I've never really considered going back and updating an earlier city. But looking at your pic's it's amazing what some different mods and a few small changes can do. A very interesting update there, and the final result looks great.

Dave

[Jmouse]

In this, the third week of our 4-IN-1! series, we are proud to present another popular MD, this time from the Best Sellers list.




Congratulations, Matt (threestooges). Hope you enjoy your week as much as I know we will!

The SC4D Staff

[CasperVg]

Congratulations, Matt! I'm sure we'll see some excellent stuff during the upcoming week (and further!).

[Tomas Neto]

Congratulations! 

[Earth quake]

Congratulation for your OSTIM matt. 

[ecoba]

Congrats on OSITM, Matt.

Ethan

[threestooges]

Replies:
-Battlecat: Thanks! As for the rocks, I had a steep bit of the cliff that I wanted to keep, and your recent work with rocks and landslides gave me the idea. Part of the reason I think it looked off was the lack of surrounding rocks and material. Most vertical faces fall apart a bit due to weather and all, and that would leave stuff at the bottom. The colors don't quite match, but I think it works. The logging area has been one of my favorite areas, in fact that little section of the map has produced several fun photos. Always good to see you.


-Robin (rooker1): Yeah, the logging company must be slacking off a bit in their maintenance work. But at least they have ample material available to replace the old ones. The slight changes are what can make the difference in some pics. The trick is knowing where, when, and how to make them. I find people here have been a great aid in that. It's amazing how often you can look at something and not see the obvious thing someone else will pick out in seeming seconds. It's always fun to see what people notice in the pictures. Great to see you here as always.


-Vivien (Earth quake) x2: Thanks Vivien. It was fun to make, and I am glad you enjoyed it.


-Joan (Jmouse): The other lesson one could take from this is that I just make this stuff up as I go. It's a matter of trying a few things and seeing what looks good. That's part of what makes, and keeps, this game so interesting. It offers so much to play with. It's just a matter of knowing what you want and finding a way to make it work. Glad you liked it.


-Zack (woodb3kmaster): I already posted a partial response for you but for anyone else who didn't see it, the files are: the Wooden Trestle (STR only) and the Howe Truss. You're right that the little details help make all the difference. You show that quite well in your MD too. The thought you put into the story behind each update really gives it that extra meaning. It's sometimes just a matter of testing a few things and seeing the reaction, if it gets what you thought it would. Always good to see you around.


-Thomas Neto x2: Thanks Thomas!


-Dave (tooheys): Hard to improve on brilliance when you do things so well the first time through Dave, not sure you'd need to go back and revisit a city. It is interesting though to look back and see how styles and building ability has changed over time. I have a few images left from early endeavors that are pretty funny looking back. Great to see you Dave.


-Joan/Staff for OSITM: Thanks guys. I'll be sure to give it a good shot for this week. I have a few things in store as some of you may already know.


-Casper (caspervg): Thanks Casper. I have a few things planned. It should be a busy week. Glad to see you here.


-Ethan (ecoba): Welcome to Greenacre! Thanks for the thoughts. I plan to make the most of this week. Hope to see you around for it soon.


I would first like to thank all those who selected Greenacre for this week in OSITM. It's an honor to follow MDs like Tales at Tea Time and Commonwealth of Marathon. What with it being the site's birthday this month, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at what makes this site such a special place. Part of that, and in many ways a very significant part of that, is the people. Whether it be someone seeking help on a technical problem, or someone commenting on an MD, the people here have consistently been some of the most helpful and amazing people around.

But even within Greenacre itself there have been many voices that have helped shape it and have provided their feedback. All of them have been a pleasure to read, and this has been an amazing experience to create this work. With that in mind, I thought I'd also look back a bit through the progress of Greenacre over the course of this week (and perhaps throw a few other things your way too). One thing I wanted to start with was something that has been a long time coming.

Way back when Greenacre was first started, in fact perhaps when it was still just being considered, one person had a request. That person was Joan. She asked for traffic data on the region. Not a bad idea, and also something I thought would be good to finally assemble.

I just got back from a trip today, so I wanted to at least post the initial part of this before I went to bed. I expect to have a few more variations done soon. Until then, here is documentation on Greenacre's Congestion Data (Clicking on the image will open a new window with a full scale version 1638kb):


-Matt

[tooheys]

Matt, you realise Joan won't sleep for a week once she sees that 

Well done on being part of the 4 in 1 challenge mate. That is a great traffic view and looking forward to the next week. 

Dave

[rooker1]

Congratulations Matt,

It's really no wonder why your MD is in the third week of 4 in1 OSITM. 


Here is my challege.... Let's see what you do with this.

News Braod cast from the Local channel 3.....

"The SS Central Gremable has been found!
What does this mean to the rest of the world you ask?  Andrew Patterson, a university historian says this find gives us the chance to rewrite what very well might be incorrect history.
The SS Central Gremable was built just to transfer the gold from the Greenacre islands to the SC4 Mainland World Banks.  On it's maiden voyage on May 27, 1838 the ship came under attack by Sam Blacksmith, called himself the last Great Pirate.  There was a chase through the tight corridors of the islands passes, but Sam Blacksmith finally sunk the Gremalbe.  But what was unknown to this day was whether or not Sam had taken the gold or if it had gone down with the Gremable.
Now, the 1850s marked an extraordinary growth period for Greenancre.  After the discovery of gold at Buttin's Mill, "49ers" came from all over the SC4 world to strike it rich in the gold fields of Greenacre.  On March 21, 1837, the Greenacre Cronicle reported to the SC4 world that "gold has been found in considerable quantities."  It could be argued that this was the greatest news scoop in SC4 world history.
The soaring SC4 world economy, fueled by the rapid influxes of fresh real money from the Greenacre gold fields, set the stage for the most powerful industrialized nation in the SC4 world to develop. This was the decade when all the islands transformed into one government per se.  Gold was more than an economic boost to the country.  It was the catalyst that caused great numbers of Europeans, Chinese and South Americans to prosper in a region that just years earlier was sparsely populated.  The Greenacre Gold Rush relics are symbolic of the SC4 world dream.
Captian Steve Trusher's salvage team will be the ones bringing up the gold and Channel 3 will be there to keep you all up to speed"



A newspaper article, Channel 3 update, pics of the crash site and salvaging. 
Just have some fun and I'll see you around.

Robin 

[Battlecat]

Congratulations on your OSITM!  That's quite the traffic map there, looks like you've got a few places that might need attention someday!  Looking forward to seeing what else you've got coming up! 

[threestooges]

Replies:
-Dave (tooheys): Thanks Dave, and if you think that one will keep Joan busy, just take a look at what I have for today.


-Robin (rooker1): Heh heh, I went back looking for a few things and noticed that I was in OSITM the last time you pulled one of these things. This looks like an interesting challenge. I think I can come up with something. Until then, I hope you enjoy today's update.


-Battlecat: Thanks! It was something I'd been pondering making for a while now, especially since Joan had asked. I've seen the technique used before and it's not as much work as I would have though. There are a few spots that may need some work, but I'll get to those in time. It's a good thing Greenacre is mostly low density, it's less likely the roads will clog.



So yesterday you saw the beginning of something I was working on, Today I plan to finish that up. Joan, since you asked, here's:

Greenacre Traffic Data (clicking on each picture will link to the full-size version):

Car Volume:



Bus Volume:



Passenger Train Volume:



Rail routes of Greenacre (The upper four are railroads, the lower four are rapid transit/tram/trolley lines):



Now then, you've already heard of the Greenacre Valley Railroad (GVRR):


And you've seen glimpses of the other railroads here and there, but here's a little trainspotting tour  of the other lines for you railfans out there.

As mentioned, the Greenacre Vallery Railroad caters to much of the agricultrual needs of the area, but it also extends to the Mt. Sierra area (near the Sierra Camp campgrounds). This picture was taken from the hiking trail leading up the hill to the camp.



North of it, serving the farms of the Foxenfir area, as well as a significant number of passengers too, the Foxenfir Railroad has a monopoly on the rail-based transportation in the north. It was built on a principle of good service though, so the rates are still pretty reasonable. It helps that most of the farms here are maintained for personal pleasure (and thus funded with sizeable pocketbooks).



The Capitol Corridor Railroad, not to be confused with the Capitol Corridor Railway (the metro line), provides access to some of the best cultural venues in the area, as well as to the governmental sector. It runs fairly short trains, but they run frequently. It also provides access to the major industrial areas of Greenacre.



Probably one of the most photographed lines in Greenacre is the Surfliner route (also known as the Coastline Railroad. It has the longest length of track of all rail services in Greenacre. The GVRR might have more track miles, but the Surfliner's run is the longest single run of them all. It stretches around about 1/2 the perimeter of the island, connecting several major cities, and many towns en route. The route's northern terminus is shared with the Capitol Corridor lines and the station is indeed grand to support both entities.



There are four light rail groups that operate in Greenacre too: The Capitol Corridor Railway (a subsidiary of the Capitol Corridor Railroad), the South Coast Trolleyway, the Newport Rapid Transit lines and the Shelter Island Trolley Lines.

Capitol Corridor Ry provides shortline service to areas where the Surfliner and Capitol Corridor RR don't stop or can't easily reach due to development in the area. The tracks are both ground level and elevated, and plans are in the works for a subway connection too if demand warrants it. It has recently made an extension toward the Government Sector, and growth is expected to follow it around the stations.



The South Coast Trolleyway is a simple point-to-point line that runs along the beach. It provides easy access to shops and such for tourists and does provide some use for residents who work in the area, but it is primarily a tourist/sightseeing line, and with the views of the beach it provides, it certainly does a good job. Surfboards may be attached to the sides of the trams too which is a big plus with the locals who want to get over to the inlet without paying for parking. The best surfing is near the Aristocat Inn, down near the bridge, but the Trolleyway makes accessing it much easier.



Newport Rapid Transit is a combination ground/elevated network that connects the commercial/industrial mixed core of Newport, with the airport and many residences of the town. It reduces the load on the streets, runs very efficiently, and gets the job done, but it does require additional funding from the city to keep it running. As the area grows though, it expects to generate a profit.



The last major light rail system is the Shelter Island Trolley Lines. This company provides exceptional service to the Shelter Island community. This island serves as a jumping off point for cruises, and is a favored spot of tourists in general. The SITL links residents, the cruise ship port, the harbor, fishing docks, and major commercial areas together as it rings the island. Population density here is enough that the system does generate a profit. Expansion plans are already in the works to develop the island's eastern side, and the SITL is already laying rail to it.



Hope you've enjoyed the look into Greenacre's transportation options, and the overview of the rail options. Tomorrow, since Robin has posed a challenge for me, I'll have a challenge for you all as well. Who knows, there might even be a prize of some sort. Until then, take it easy.
-Matt

[rooker1]

Hey Matt,
Great update.  I am super happy that you were able to catch a train in each and every picture.
As for my challenge to you, glad you like it and yes the last time was when you were in OSITM.  I like to keep you on your toes.
As for your challenge, I am truly intrigued and I look forward to finding out what you have up your sleeve.

Robin 

[Battlecat]

Nice update, Those volume maps look pretty good, and they're actually pretty informative!  I also like those rail shots, good job catching those trains on the go!

[Earth quake]

Excellent update matt.
The maps are just splendid. Wonderfull work.
The pictures of the Greenacre Valley Railroad are beautiful.
The 8th pic is my favourite.

[threestooges]

Replies:
-Robin (rooker1): Thanks Robin! Catching trains isn't too tough. Finding the right areas to take the pictures was fun too. It brought back some of the older sections I hadn't been to in a while. As for your challenge, it gives me some ideas, we'll have to see how they play out over the course of the week. As for my challenge, you don't get to play now that you know part of it, but thanks again for offering up the prize.


-Battlecat: Glad you enjoyed. The volume maps were interesting to make, particularly for things like freight rail (didn't show it) where it would just stop at the edge of a tile. Wasn't the most realistic for what I was going for (though it did show the freight flow per tile well enough). The maps should be easy to maintain too: just overlay a new map after the development is done. I enjoy taking pictures of trains in real life, it seemed only natural that I add a few here.


-Vivien (Earth quake): Thanks Vivien! It took a while to put them all together, but the end result seems worth the effort.


So for today's update, I've decided to take a page from David, Robin and others and have a bit of a contest. You've seen this before; just tell me the author of the picture and where it can be found on the site, do that for all 11 pictures and you win. Why 11 instead of 10? Because I like to go one step beyond. (It's not SC4 related, but bonus points if you know what that was a reference to.) No editing your posts once you have submitted your picks, and the first one to post with all 11 correct will win. As you will see, these are from all sorts of places on the site.

Additionally, thanks to a generous gift by Robin (rooker1) Jeroni (thanks for the correction there Robin, and thanks for the generous gift Jeroni!), the winner of this contest will receive a subscription to the site. If you win and already have a subscription, you may donate yours to a member of your choice (or you don't have to, either way it's cool). Have fun with this.

1:


2:


3:


4:


5:


6:


7:


8:


9: (part of a moasic)


10:


11:


Good luck!
-Matt

[TheTeaCat]

Matt 

What can I say but fantastic updates you've made.
Love the traffic views and then you top that off by showing the rail ones too. All 8 lines, marvelous
Wonderful pics, really enjoyed looking at them,and such a variety of locomotives too

Then you top it all off with a little bit of Madness and throw in a comp too.
I know pics 3,7,10 and I'm off to hunt the others down
Hopefully I'll be back with the answers before anyone else gets here
but knowing me I'll be too late

regards
Derry

[Jmouse]

Wow! The traffic seems to be flowing pretty smoothly, especially so for a region the size of Greenacre. The overall transportation layout itself is interesting, too, and I thank you kindly for posting the maps.

Now, on to the screen shots. The trains look great - the cars and locomotives in the rural scenes are the kind I've been looking for. If I ever get some tracks laid out, I'll be able to see for sure what I've downloaded.

I can see you've given much consideration to the placement of railways and railroads. Makes me wish both long-distance and commuter passenger trains were more widely used in this neck of the woods.

When I asked about transportation data, I didn't expect such a thorough and enjoyable response. Quite a pleasant surprise, so thanks again for posting it.

Now let's see if I can locate some of those pics in the challenge.

Later...
Joan

[rooker1]

Hello Matt,
Awesome contest.  Brings back a few memories. I know a few of the pics, but I am definately stuped by two of them.  I'll just have to sit back and relax and see who answers these questions all right first.
The subscription is from Jeroni as a thank you for your participation and being a great members of SC4D.  I look forward to seing who wins this.

Robin