RAIL USA [Quenched]

[Coleman]

I work at union pacific and we use 4 letter codes for all the road names and 5 for the interchange cities. Although I am a little blown away by the accuracy of most of the map. I could probably give you all the codes we use and another rail map if you wanted.

I am probably going to be the source of most of your criticism if you continue this map, lol.

[cairnswk]

I work at union pacific and we use 4 letter codes for all the road names and 5 for the interchange cities. Although I am a little blown away by the accuracy of most of the map. I could probably give you all the codes we use and another rail map if you wanted.

I am probably going to be the source of most of your criticism if you continue this map, lol.

Thanks Coleman...i look forward to hearing from you.
And while I'm here, i should probably announce...that Widowmakers and I will be working on this map for great visual affect.

The current stations and layout that you see are taken directly from the Amtrak web site lists, but I have only used selected services to create this map being the passenger routes.

You might like Coleman...if I could ask....are there any routes going north from Denver and/or Salt Lake City, up to Havre or Spokane? Up through Idaho, Oregan or Montana?
I 'd like to create a cross state route in that large empty gap between the Cal. Zephyr and Empire Builder with perhaps one or two stations in there.

EDIT// i know there are probably Amtrak bus/thruway services up there but i was looking for a passenger train that served that area, doesn't matter if it is a private railroad.

As to the codes...if you think that players will grab the "detail" in using the proper codes, then I would be happy to consider using them, however, I picked the first three letters from each road name as being the easiest for players to identify from the map when they have to chose in the xml drop list for attack origin/destination cities.

[cairnswk]

Sorry but i don't like the chicargo bit, it just looks wrong...

Hi Spinwizard....long time no here from you!
So if you think something looks wrong, as a cartographer can i say to you offer some suggestion as to what might look better, you should know this from your France map, which btw...how is it going? Are you still working on it?

[cairnswk]

I work at union pacific...

Although discontinued...would it be feasible to put the Pioneer route in: SEA-PDX-BOI-Ogden-SLC

[cairnswk]

V3 Update....

* Removed the duplication on the Lakeshore Limited line, this will make that area less confusing.
* Added the former Pioneer Service from Seattle to Chicago via Ogden and Denver.
* This makes 72 terts, 13 Continents.

I'm not sure how to do the XML but one suggestion might be something like this, shared stations where there is only one tert might not need to have a line code.

COA Seattle (SEA)
CAL Seattle (SEA)
EMP Seattle (SEA)
Portland (PDX)
Eugene (EUG)
Sacremento (SAC)
COA Emeryville (EMY)
CAL Emeryville (EMY)
COA Los Angeles (LAX)
CAL Los Angles (LAX)
SOU Los Angles (LAX)

Or it could be the other way around:
LAX Los Angeles SOU
LAX Los Angeles CAL
LAX Los Angeles COA
EMY Emeryville CAL
EMY Emeryville COA
SAC Sacremento
PDX Portland
EUG Eugene
SEA Seattle COA
SEA Seattle CAL
SEA Seattle EMP

[gimil]

cairnswk how many maps are you doing?

lol

[cairnswk]

cairnswk how many maps are you doing?
lol

gimil...i have to use these creative energies while I have them....they may not be around forever. I still have one or two more projects to put on the drawing board i think.

[gimil]

wish i had your enthusiasim

and your level of feedback

[cairnswk]

wish i had your enthusiasim
and your level of feedback

Gimil...if i can say wisely....some people have many ways to give...some have more ways to give....some have few ways to give....but the most important thing is to give. Thank you for your kind thoughts.

[gimil]

wish i had your enthusiasim
and your level of feedback

Gimil...if i can say wisely....some people have many ways to give...some have more ways to give....some have few ways to give....but the most important thing is to give.

Im sorry but that sounded very VERY wrong in my head

[cairnswk]

wish i had your enthusiasim
and your level of feedback

Gimil...if i can say wisely....some people have many ways to give...some have more ways to give....some have few ways to give....but the most important thing is to give.

Im sorry but that sounded very VERY wrong in my head

I think you know what i mean about giving....now back to the map and topic in this thread.... RAIL USA.

[onbekende]

ZOMG, I LOVE TRAINS

when desktop is again fine and working, review time

[Kaplowitz]

Design and colour
Black is not necessarily a good colour to create a fun map on.
But in this case, its meant to represent the smoke from the steam engine below in the pic

You cant really tell.

[cairnswk]

Design and colour
Black is not necessarily a good colour to create a fun map on.
But in this case, its meant to represent the smoke from the steam engine below in the pic

You cant really tell.

Sorry Kaplowitz...what are you trying to say here?

[cairnswk]

V3 Update below.

[Night Strike]

Who gets the bonus for PDX and SAC?? Or is it just whomever controls that stop on whichever line they control??

[Kaplowitz]

Design and colour
Black is not necessarily a good colour to create a fun map on.
But in this case, its meant to represent the smoke from the steam engine below in the pic

You cant really tell.

Sorry Kaplowitz...what are you trying to say here?

Im not saying the colors are bad, but it is hard to tell the USA is the smoke from a steam engine. The thing below the US just looks a little strange.

[edbeard]

I think it's best that it's subtle. you don't want that part of the image to stand out too much. if you look at it you can tell what it is, but if you don't it doesn't jump out at you. that's how it should be

[cairnswk]

I think it's best that it's subtle. you don't want that part of the image to stand out too much. if you look at it you can tell what it is, but if you don't it doesn't jump out at you. that's how it should be

yes i agree about the subtlty edbeard.

[thegeneralpublic]

Just looking at this map, I'm already sensing how hard it's going to be to control any continents. Look at the bonuses; all but one are four or more. Wouldn't it be better for gameplay to maybe have an Australia-like territory (easy to defend, small bonus?)

[gimil]

Just looking at this map, I'm already sensing how hard it's going to be to control any continents. Look at the bonuses; all but one are four or more. Wouldn't it be better for gameplay to maybe have an Australia-like territory (easy to defend, small bonus?)

no, beacause then the startigy pritty much doesnt change for any games.

[cairnswk]

Just looking at this map, I'm already sensing how hard it's going to be to control any continents. Look at the bonuses; all but one are four or more. Wouldn't it be better for gameplay to maybe have an Australia-like territory (easy to defend, small bonus?)

thegeneralpublic...welcome and thank you for your post.
in creating this map and others i have done, i always try to develop/work some new strategy into how the map has to be/or can be played.
as much as i like the australia map at times, it is only limited.
on this map...as you've seen there are many different options to attack terts and having to hold them will be difficult especially with all those stations on Chicago, and shared stations on two or more lines.
I think this will be challenging, but not impossible.
the large bonuses come mainly from all those lines that have terminals at Chiacgo. you will need the bonuses to make headway.

[thegeneralpublic]

I'm just thinking in the future...most of the "countries" have many points to defend; I can foresee that there may be a lot of frustration when you're trying to get your footing in the beginning. However, you seem to know what you're talking about, so I hope it works out!

[gimil]

I'm just thinking in the future...most of the "countries" have many points to defend; I can foresee that there may be a lot of frustration when you're trying to get your footing in the beginning. However, you seem to know what you're talking about, so I hope it works out!

thast the beauty of strategy

[cairnswk]

I'm just thinking in the future...most of the "countries" have many points to defend; I can foresee that there may be a lot of frustration when you're trying to get your footing in the beginning. However, you seem to know what you're talking about, so I hope it works out!

well. you see there is some "13 continents" on this map, so that in the beginning, most players would have opportunity to take at least one continent; I count 5 that are not conencted to Chicago, and if the 6 player takes a Chicago connection, then there is plenty of opportunity for players in a 6 player game to grab at least one continent before they start attacking each other for control of other continents.