LAST EDITED ON Dec-26-03 AT 03:57 AM (EST)
Good day, traction friendsin a post date late November 2003, I had mentioned the release of the reworked "Europe2" default route to the 7.2 metre electrified MountE route would not be before Christmas, or probably even in the new year only. I'd like to take this occasion to update you on the current status of the route and the progress made since November. The screenies tell some of the news, but in a nutshell, the "press text" would go as follows:"Installing of Interactive Objects Completed - Beta Test Runs to Begin Shortly on Mount EWe're done with placing & wiring up all the signals, switches, and gates protecting grade crossings, spokesperson says, but some bugs will certainly surface when we begin simulating scheduled traffic on the route. We expect to get down to addressing any such issues in the first two weeks of January. Until then, the test crew will run a few trains and trolleys up and down the hill to test the signalling works, the schedules are realistic, the consists have enough power to tackle the grades, and the motorist on the roads get used to the trains and trolleys and learn where to stop to let them pass..."Here come the screen shots, all but the winter picture taken while testing the first two activities (one get-to-know-the route ride each for the Mainline and for the Interurban) that are in the works and in fine tuning now.
The afternoon local to Stanton has just left the terminus of Bridgeport and accelerates to 55 mph while a Priestville-bound interurban passes overhead and the oncoming noon train from Stanton disappears in the haze behind.
Fourty minutes later, the same local is seen passing through the town of Salmon River, running parallel to the state road to Stanton for a mile.
Wouldn't you like this to be your porch? A residents view of the afternoon train notching up after leaving Salmon River depot. 
From what I've heard, there will be no "quiet zones" on that route, and some more grade crossings than on its default "mother".
If you are brave and stick to the timetable, then you'll be just in time for a parallel run with the interurban for the two mile stretch from Priestville to Sulphur Springs.
Both trains cruising along at 60 mph - a mighty view for the lucky guy along the track with his camera ready for the snapshot.
The interurban in the head-out view from the cab, as both trains have arrived at the stop of Sulphur Springs. The interurban will soon pass under the main route and branch away to its terminus on the other side of the valley.
An hour and a half out of Bridgeport, the local meets an oncoming service in one of the tourist attractions along the route, the historic Western Town of "Boghetto's Delight". Don't ask me where the name came from, but rumour among crews has it that the name had something to do with a particular building that was up there in the days of steam trains...
Winter on the interurban branch from Priestville to the "Grand Hotel" which is located in a lush forest three miles out of town. A railfan special proves that main line motors running light can navigate this far on the interurban without stalling in a turn.
While a Priestville-bound interurban passes the wye at University Hospital (not visible - picture taken from its third floor), a city trolley inbound from Trinity Church waits for the signal to clear the route back to town.
Meeting the "down" train en-route to Priestville Interurban Yard. Sidings are built for each train to enter via the default (straight) position of the switch, and thus only the right track is protected by signals acquired from the default Marias Pass. 
Approaching Priestville Yard where intrurbans from Bridgeport terminate, or use the wye to continue on the branch to Alexville. The track in the foreground of the picture marks the beginning of said bracnh which includes the parallel track with the mainline we saw in some screenies above.Some facts on the MountE:Main Line
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Route Length: 65.8 miles
Speed limits: Max. 80mph, speed zones range from 25mph to 70mph depending on terrain
Branches from Mainline: 4, varying in length from 1 to 8 miles
Reversal Wyes: 4 along the main, 2 at the end of respective branches
Single or Double track: Mi. 1-30 double track, mi. 30-65.8 single track with passing sidings. Branches single track.
Depots / Sidings: Circa 20
Time to complete a run along the entire main: 1:45 to 2:00 hrs.Interurban
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Route Length:
- City trolleys: 4 branches, ca. 1-2 miles each
- Interurban Bridgeport - Tagish Wye - Priestville New Yard: 20 miles
- Interurban Priestville New Yard - Alexville: 7 miles
- Interurban Tagish Wye - Priestville Old Interurban Depot: 4 miles (dead-end, no junction with Priestville New Yard)
Speed limits: Inner city tracks 25mph, interurban 60mph, speed zones from 20mph to 55 mph
Branches: See above.
Reversal Wyes: 14, including wyes where branches connect en-route.
Single or Double track: Inner city routes mostly double track, interurban single track with passing sidings
Depots / Sidings: circa 20 inner city stops, another 20+ along the various branches of the interurban.
Time to complete a run: 45-50 minutes from Bridgeport to PriestvilleI hope you enjoyed this tour. I'll be away from the fora for a bit over a week or so, but feel free to post questions and comments that I will address when I'm back - hopefully with some more activities in the works Lukas a.k.a Swissie
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RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), pacmancreator, Dec-26-03, 08:30 AM, (1) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), wacampbell, Dec-26-03, 09:38 AM, (2) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), tryagin, Dec-26-03, 12:33 PM, (3) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), dvdhoven, Dec-27-03, 01:31 AM, (4) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), Interborough, Jan-17-04, 09:58 PM, (5) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), Swissie, Jan-18-04, 11:38 AM, (6) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), Interborough, Jan-18-04, 05:10 PM, (7) RE: MountE Route: Status Report (56k Warning), Swissie, Jan-19-04, 10:57 AM, (8)
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John