MODEL THE MOFFAT ELECTRONICALLY ! Software Architecture by Donald W. Karch Reviewed by Frederick Bauer PE © F. Bauer 2005

Among the Moffat devotees there are Locomotives, Equipment, and Stations: Building the Route: some remarkable HO layouts. Rand Twenty-five stations have been placed In constructing the line, Don Karch Hood’s beautifully-detailed modules have on the route over the pass from Moffat used U. S. Geological Survey DEM (Digital graced the pages ofModel Railroader and Depot to Granby. Besides the more Elevation Model) files,ie datasets other magazines. Dick Oldberg's rather obvious, these include Utah Junction, containing digital representations of fantastic model requires a barn-size Ralston, Leyden, Arena, Hotel Crags, topographic detail. There is one file outbuilding. I have not had the Miramonte Hotel, and Frantz. Others, of available for every 7½ minute Colorado opportunity to see others, but there is a course, are Denver Union Station and quadrangle, covering the same area as whole colony of Moffat modelers Winter Park. their quadrangle hard copy maps. Then specializing in three-dimensional wooden Karch didn't build locomotives or cars came John Stanford, who devised a support structures, remote control, and since many are available from the Website program to process these DEM files and brass engines. It is alleged they fantasize at Train-Sim.com (more below), and many convert the data into a form that Microsoft on the proper color of box-car red! of those can be repainted and relettered for Train Simulator could use to create real This article, however, is for the cerebral other road names, which he did. Most are terrain. Thus, the route has relatively contingent lacking the room or energy to Denver & Salt Lake, but some are Denver, accurate terrain on which to lay rails, construct real-life layouts, but who can thrill Northwestern & Pacific, and you can always reflecting latitude and longitude, to a real life experience running trains down supply your own. as well as elevation. the 4% while carefully nurturing the Although some route builders brake line pressure, driving through use more precise methods, Karch snow, or pushing a plow train through placed track by studying the detail Corona. Suddenly you will on USGS maps, both on-line and understand the dilemma of hard copies, and tried to apply that engineman Watkins who lost to the terrain so as to minimize control going downhill at Antelope terrain adjustments. Various in 1922. You will never experience markers were placed to keep the Moffat railroading more track going where it needed to go. realistically than guarding your The method worked out rather high blood pressure and trembling well. For the portion of the route hand as you avoid a run-a-way! that still has rails today, details in a Don Karch has created a cab ride video were studied, and he remarkable program - more about walked the areas on the pass that him later. Locomotives which are provided are by-passed today, such as include 0-6-0 #20 and #21, 2-8-0 #101 and Ladora (with permission), the Loop Overview: #102, 2-8-2 #400 and #408, 2-6-6-2 (sic) Tunnel, and the Riflesight Notch Trestle. This program for your PC computer #203 and #216 (no prototype 2-6-6-0 is Care was exercised to cross rivers and replicates the Moffat from the Moffat available), and 4-6-2 (sic) #300 and #303 creeks in the right spots. Depot in Denver to Granby, circa 1928. (there is no 4-6-0 available). All except the Included also were the Tabernash by- This is not a game! It is real work with the 400's have tenders for both road names. pass, the Presidential siding at Fraser, and same emotions as old-time Moffat Also available are two rotary plows, the hopper car windbreak on the Big 10 enginemen. tendered for both road names. Because of curve. Rio Grande hoppers were used for It took my son and me nearly six hours issues with the files, the plows could not be the latter instead of earth tone. The 1928 to go from Denver to the end of the numbered in the real 10200 series. The Red setting means that there are steam facilities electronic track at Granby, a little longer Devils (which turned black later) are along the route, and most buildings are than the actual timecard of the 1920's. Of designated #10101 and #10801. older ones. Many miles of Denver course, shorter trips may be planned to There is also a pack of 19 D&SL passenger suburban streets and buildings were suit your available time. Further, it is easy cars. Freight cars include cabooses, avoided that did not exist at the time. It to go over the Hill in any season, with any boxcars, reefers, cattle cars, flat cars, also means that the area between Union consist, starting from any station, and gondolas, hoppers, and tank cars. Karch Station and the Moffat Depot is crammed returning home via the Hill or the Tunnel. reviewed all issues of the Corona Telegraph with tracks, unlike today. Yards are based You will need Microsoft Train Simulator to in developing these cars. There are more upon 1936 information to a great extent. operate, together with free Moffat than 100 freight cars, with the differences The route includes reasonable software from Train-Sim.com. You will being mostly in car numbers and loads representations of Prospect Junction, Fox also learn how to download the free rather than style of car. Junction, Utah Junction, C&S Junction, software. and Tabernash yards. Included are the CB&Q yards north of the 23rd Street from Tabernash to Phippsburg. It is being may not qualify your enjoyment at Viaduct, and short leads to/from built in a modern day setting. all. As mentioned previously, there are DRGW Colorado Springs, UP Cheyenne, minor differences in equipment CB&Q Chicago, and CB&Q Cheyenne. The 1928 Window: numbering. After placing track, scenery items such Karch decided to make his model circa Bridges are generally longer than in as buildings were added. Many buildings 1928, a very wise choice in my view. It real life, caused by how the terrain were available from the original Microsoft permitted him to model both the Hill Line developed, and in some places the Train Simulator and, more importantly, as over Rollins Pass, together with the Moffat program terrain called for major bridges downloads from Train-Sim.com. Selection Tunnel line. In actuality, such dual track where the video shows none. It was was somewhat restricted by what was arrangement lasted for only days, and to decided that the bridges would make it available, but in general the selections my knowledge revenue traffic never more interesting. The classic example of worked well. operated over both coincidentally. As "route building creative license" is a noted in the D&SLHS massive three section fictional bridge Moffat Depot publication, The Roadmasters’ between Tunnels 19 and 20. Guide to the Moffat Road, the Although track charts were available Hill Line deteriorated for the present day route, they were used remarkably over a short sparingly. Curves and grades are not period of time. In designing precise in some cases, but they get the the software, it was decided overall job done. Normally, you would not to extend passing tracks on notice any difference. The Big 10 curve is the present day portion of prominent, however, and is an actual 10 the route to coincide with degrees; that was deemed important. their current configurations. Although the real Moffat did not use Thus the lap sidings at road block signals, they are necessary in Pinecliffe are now double the computer program in order to run track. activities involving meets and passes with The Tunnel occupied a additional trains interacting with the one critical role in designing the you are on. Karch was not willing, software. That is, the first however, for signals to be seen on the Hill electronic permanent track portion, so they are buried underground! Recreations of the Moffat Depot, placement made in the 1928 configuration Regrettably, there are no snow sheds several buildings across 15th Street from was the Moffat Tunnel. The rest of the on the route. the depot, and the Arrow depot with its route was built out from it in spur station track are truly outstanding. both directions. After careful The time required for creation of the video measurement, it has the art must have been enormous. correct compass heading, and Special credit goes to another "Train- after several attempts, the Simmer," Mark DiVecchio. First, he built correct portal locations -- several of the actual old buildings across which look quite accurate. The the street, including the Prospero Frazzini terrain even cooperated in & Brothers’ Italian American Bank. His providing the correct tunnel motivation was that the bank was owned length, within ten yards or so. by some of his relatives. He then offered to Complicating all of this was build the electronic Moffat Depot, if the correct upgrade and photographs and measurements could be downgrade inside the tunnel. provided. Karch got some very curious Users have been surprised to looks taking numerous measurements notice how their heavy coal around the old station. The building is trains pick up speed part way Rainbow cut perfectly square, by the way. Mark also through the tunnel. built the "Moffat Road" sign that was on the building adjoining the depot, and Non-Prototype Differences: made a "Dining Room" sign for Arrow. All There are a number of situations where Getting Microsoft Train Simulator: of these items are incorporated in the the electronic model does not match the Microsoft Train Simulator is necessary route. Renditions of the east and west actual. As mentioned above, the most to run this program. It was formerly portals of the Tunnel are equally skillful. outstanding is in the case of the series 200 available everywhere for perhaps $30 or By the way, because of the work engines. Because of the difficulty in so. Then Microsoft started working on involved, Karch has made no plans to building a new locomotive, the software Version 2, and later lost interest. Now extend the route beyond Granby. That is a author was forced to use an existing Microsoft no longer sells it, and most pity because of Byers Canyon, Gore model. As a result, the real 2-6-6-0 stores are sold out. As this is written, it is Canyon, the Rock Creek trestle, and other locomotives turn out to be 2-6-6-2 on the still available at Amazon.com for $9.99, sights you have learned that I treasure. screen. For the same reason 4-6-0, 300 and an Internet search suggests other Perhaps he can be persuaded! However, series, engines are modeled as 4-6-2. This sources as well. It comes on two CDs, another Train-Simmer, Mark Hyams, is is noticeable only to a real devotee, and with an easy automatic install. It takes working on a Moffat Road route a while, with a little train chugging The easiest way to find any of the files quickly realized that there was no across the bottom of the window to that are needed for either the route or the way that the Moffat Tunnel could be show the progress. rolling stock is to go to http://www.Train- excluded, and then realized that the route Microsoft continues to maintain a Sim.com and navigate to the File Library. should be extended all the way to Denver. support site, which offers updates to the Then simply conduct a search for the word That wound up as the Moffat Road from original software, and other downloads. Rollins or Moffat, which will bring up a list Denver to Granby, with a choice of either (http://www.microsoft.com/games/trai of all relevant files. The route itself is made taking the Hill Route over the pass or nsimulator). up of five files, each of which is about 25 going through the Moffat Tunnel. It didn't Good news is that Train Master Train MB in size. A broadband connection is a must. take long to realize that others wanted his Simulator is being developed and may be The various rolling stock files vary in size route too, once they learned that it was out within a year. It will be a major from about 1.3 MB to 14 MB. being built. improvement over MSTS, and is being To download from this site, you need Growing up in Illinois, Don's first designed so that all MSTS items, like this to register, which is free, and get a user experience with the route was in 1954, program route, can be merged into it. name and password. You will then need to when he came to Colorado on a vacation at compete with others for access, unless you age 12. The family stayed at Dwight Required Hardware: elect to become a paid member, in which Miller's Idlewild Lodge in Hide-a-Way The primary issue for some would be case access is assured. This is a great site, Park, now part of Winter Park. He rode in a required hard drive space. A full install (all with thousands of downloads, lots of lodge tour bus up the pass at least as far as six Microsoft routes) requires about 1.5 forums, and lots of information. There are Loop Tunnel and Trestle, where the bus GB, while a minimum install requires 500 several Colorado add-on routes available. got vapor-locked. Later, he browsed MB. The number goes up as various add- After you have downloaded the through the lodge's copy of Rails That on routes and trains are added. Each route necessary files, follow the installation Climb. Auto trips took him to West Portal, can require 200 to 500 MB of space. The instructions that are included in the files. the Tabernash yards, Fraser, Granby, and Rollins-Moffat route takes 329 MB. Kremmling. He says, "I never forgot it, or Adding lots of locomotives and cars can About Donald W.Karch: the Colorado Rockies, and remember the take another one or two GB. All of the Don tells me that because of his long- trip like it was yesterday." A few years D&SL items take 83 MB. It's all the add- time interest in railroads, he was happy to later, he came to Colorado for college, and ons, however, that make the program learn that Microsoft Train Simulator was has been there ever since, except for two worthwhile. Further, hard drives are released a few years ago. This allowed him years in the Army. getting noticeably cheaper and easier to to drive a variety of trains on a variety of Don misses the days when it was add. routes using a personal computer. After possible to drive the entire Rollins Pass A 16 MB video card can be a real buying it and learning more about it, he road, including Needle's Eye Tunnel and problem sometimes. A 128 MB video card also learned that it was possible for a user the Twin Trestles. The trestles were a bit will manage reasonably well.. to build his own routes for use in the scary, but he still gets up the Pass now and program. He doesn't call it a game, then. Downloading Freeware because it's a lot more serious and time- From Train-Sim.com: consuming than a game. Problems: The latest version, and perhaps the Since Karch always had a special I have found no bugs in his program. final one, is Version 4, which is available to interest in the Moffat Road, and Rollins Because of all of the track and buildings in all at no charge via download at Train- Pass in particular, he decided to build downtown Denver, frame rates in that Sim.com. There have been over 3,000 Rollins Pass/Moffat Tunnel Route for locality are quite low. That means the train downloads of the route from that site. It is Train Simulator. Initially, the idea was to does not always move as smoothly as it not available from any other site, nor on a model only the pass, extending only to should, but jumps along in spurts, as old CD. Rollinsville on the east and Fraser or time movies did. A higher quality video Tabernash on the west. However, he card helps.

Two trains on the Loop Plow train at Spruce