The LIRR: To millions of New Yorkers and “Islanders,” the railroad needs no introduction. Indeed, the Long Island Rail Road is, and has been for decades, a familiar part of life to those who live in and around “The Big Apple.” And soon, in a masterfully created route, the LIRR is coming to Train Simulator Classic, July 14!
The Railroad
The Long Island Rail Road is not only America’s busiest commuter carrier, but it also is the country’s oldest commuter railroad. Chartered in 1834, the Long Island Rail Road was originally envisioned as a rail-ferry-rail route between New York and Boston but emerged instead as one of the world’s busiest commuter railroads as Long Island’s suburban population grew dramatically in the early twentieth century. LIRR came under the control of the giant Pennsylvania Railroad beginning in 1900 and during its half-century of PRR-control was notable for using Pennsy-style equipment and signaling and for being an innovator, including the D. C. (third rail) electrification of much of the western end of its route system beginning in 1905. Following World War II and into the 1960s, the LIRR became a siren for New York train-watchers, first for its late operations of classic PRR-design steam locomotives, then for its eclectic diesel locomotive fleet that featured Fairbanks-Morse and Alco locomotives.
Like virtually all U. S. commuter carriers, the LIRR struggled financially and endured bankruptcy after WWII. What can be considered the modern era of the Long Island Rail Road dates to the mid-1960s, when, after more than a half-century of control by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the LIRR was taken over by the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority in 1966, and then in 1968, by its present owner and operator, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which is also the entity which governs the Metro-North Commuter Railroad and the region’s public transportation systems. The years of MTA ownership have been marked by continued enhancements to the railroad, including electrification extensions and fleet renewal and replacement programs.
The Route
Carefully researched and created with meticulous attention to detail, signaling, and accuracy, the upcoming Train Simulator Classic Long Island Rail Road route will extend from the LIRR’s trio of iconic New York City area terminals (Penn Station in Manhattan, Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, and Long Island City), eastward across “The Island” to Hicksville, New York. Included with be LIRR’s many famous and fascinating locations: the Big Apple, Woodside, Forest Hills, Jamacia, Hillside, Hempstead, Mineola, and Hicksville among them. The Train Simulator Classic edition of the Long Island Rail Road will include LIRR’s City Terminal Zone and its multi-track electrified “Main Line,” plus the captivating Hempstead Branch and the railroad’s short extension to history-rich Belmont Park of “Triple Crown” horse racing fame. Also included will be the LIRR’s East Williston station on the Oyster Bay Branch and St. Albans on the Babylon Branch. In total, the Train Simulator Classic route will include more than 45 expertly re-created route miles of trackage and 30 served rail stations.
The Equipment
On the upcoming Train Simulator Classic LIRR route, you will climb aboard the Long Island’s modern workhorse, the Bombardier-built M7 electric-multiple-unit (EMU). Once aboard the sleek silver, yellow, black, and blue-liveried M7, you’ll handle the EMU’s advanced controls. Like the route itself, the M7 for Train Simulator Classic promises superb realism, with authentic control features, cab and lineside signaling and safety systems, exacting performance, and actual sounds.
The era of the M7 on the LIRR began in May 1999 when MTA issued orders for Bombardier to begin construction of what would eventually become a fleet of 836 M7s for the LIRR. Following testing and trials, the first M7s entered LIRR service in 2002. Of stainless-steel construction, the Bombardier M7s receive power via LIRR’s 750-volt DC third rail and are equipped with asynchronous AC motors featuring IGBT inverters and ride upon outboard-bearing bolster-less fabricated trucks. The M7s employ traction motors each rated at 265 hp. Stretching 85-feet in length and weighing approximately 125,000 pounds per copy, the M7s were built in married pairs. Each married pair has a capacity of 211 commuters and on the LIRR, the M7s typically operate in consists of eight and up to 12 cars in length facilitated by the cars’ “pin and cup” couplers. Maximum operating speed for the EMUs on the LIRR is 80 mph and the M7s are equipped with regenerative braking and in-cab signaling and safety systems.
The Experience
To put you right to work as an engineer tackling the challenges of America’s busiest commuter railroad, seven challenging career scenarios, along with three railfan scenarios, will be included with the Train Simulator Classic route, which will also be Quick-Drive (QD) enabled. Undoubtedly, the talented creators in the community will develop a range of additional scenarios to be available at Steam Workshop.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1922043/Train_Simulator_Long_Island_Rail_Road_New_York__Hicksville_Route_AddOn/