Marias Pass

[BillPeck]

When this route first came out and I saw the price I said no way Jose. Well I bit and am very glad that I did.

Back in my MSTS days I ran many, many, enjoyable hours on it's version of this territory.

When I ran my first Quick drive I was bitten. So far I have amassed over 100 hours and looking for more.

This route is well laid out with more than adequate yards at Whitefish and Shelby. The rail line is well laid with good easements. Total length is 150 miles plus of dual and single track. The scenery is delightful to run through.

What really appeals to me is the length that allows for long heavy trains over challenging terrain.

There are numerous industrial switching opportunities throughout the length of this route.

Would I recommend this route? In a heart beat

If you get this route beware it is very addictive.

Thanks for spending your time reading this now get back to railroading.

Added later: There is no horn penalty

[Jchillin]

After the Donner Pass fiasco, I was hesitant about Sherman Hill. I took a gamble on Sherman Hill and found it to be damn good far exceeding my expectations.

As a result, I had no doubt about Maria's Pass and grabbed it as soon as it was released and very, very happy I did. The changing elevations and scenery is nothing short of amazing. Definitely worth every penny.

Now, back to railroading as suggested.

[jwiv]

Picked this up over the weekend on sale. Before I talk about anything in specific, I noticed something, and I think it's worth noting.

There are 95 scenarios created for the NERW (NEPA) route. The next closest - 22. Marias Pass.

After that, most routes range between 6-12 scenarios.

So there's certainly something about this route that has captured people's attention and inspired an impressive amount of activity.

My initial impressions of the route so far is that it is flat out gorgeous (and I'm not saying that simply because I picked up a new video card). There's a nice bit of grade (as you'd expect) which means you at least have to pay some attention to what you're doing. It's probably a bit too much on the long run/slow speed side of things for me to say it's my favorite route, but I'm definitely glad I picked it up. I can easily see myself firing up a long run just to relax and enjoy the view on occasion.

Also - fantastic route and yard maps are included in the manual which is really nice to see (especially from a scenario creation pov)