Railroader (Train Sim): Southern Railway 2-8-4 Berkshire No. 2716 Crests 4.5% Red Marble Grade!

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New train simulator! Still in the dev phase, but is highly playable and very enjoyable if you like steam-era operations (and the operations-side of railroading vs just running trains). Think of it as Run-8 but with steam power. If you're interested, PLEASE check the game out and support the developers by picking it up here: store.steampow...
Red Marble Grade is one of the famed steep hills in North Carolina, and happens to be in relatively close proximity to Saluda. Located on the old Southern Railway's Murphy Branch between Nantahala and Topton, the 3-mile long grade hits a sustained 4.5% in two sections, sandwiching a stretch of 3.9%. Here is the Southern 2716 cresting the grade near Topton with a 7-car passenger train weighing in at ~850 tons including engine and tender. Enjoy =)
Full cab ride and operation: • Railroader (Train Sim)...

[@royreynolds108]

This is an interesting concept but I have reservations that a 2-8-4 could negotiate the sharp curves of this branch as it was last operated with 2-8-2 locos by the Southern Rwy. This line is now home to a 2-8-0 to operate on the maximum 14* curves.

[@FanRailer]

I believe most 2-8-4’s could negotiate curves approaching 14 degrees, albeit with speed restrictions. It’s when you go beyond to 10 drivers you start running into non negotiable problems at those curve radii.

[@fluxthelycanroc9603]

Nice to see you playing railroader. Yeah its nice running big trains over red marble but if you get to a point your running around doing so much work you just tell the ai do it and slap enough geeps on the point to make sure it can make it. Even so ive had to break a train or two on the grade and run up to topton before bringing power back down for the other half

[@FanRailer]

Oh I A.I. everything on the mainline anyway and just work the switch jobs myself with the yard A.I. What I do have at RMH is an 0-8-0 stationed at the bottom of the grade in Nantahala which I run manually in pusher service when needed. That’s manual so that I can cut off on the fly at the top of the grade then A.I. it back down the hill and into the siding.

[@fluxthelycanroc9603]

@@FanRailer ive gotten to the point where i just diesel everything west of alarka jct. Trains so heavy west that even with a helper im still have to break it and run half up before coming back for the other half. And even the passenger trains gonna need a swap for power at some point so i can just ai it and focus on switching

[@MYVP.]

Railroader is by far my favorite train game, even more so than Railroads Online.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

it's C&O 2716 in is southern form and 2916 is getting steamed and restored.

[@SSTHECAMARO]

That's not actually southern 2716, that's a L&n big emma 2-8-4

[@FanRailer]

I am aware….

[@noahtheplane4825]

Slow motion

[@noahtheplane4825]

Here comes the polor express