A Most Uncommon Railroad
May 17, 2022
Coming soon, Penn Central Pack 01 recalls a troubled but nonetheless extraordinary railroading goliath of the 1960s.
The Penn Central – it was a railroad goliath created in May 1968 through the merger of two of America’s most legendary railroads, the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroad. Later that same year, another famed road, the New Haven (NYNH&H), also was merged into Penn Central. What resulted was at the time America’s largest railroad company, with more than 20,000 route miles stretching from New England to America’s Midwestern heartland. The massive Penn Central was destined to be troubled financially throughout its life, but for the railroad enthusiast and train-watcher, the sprawling railroad behemoth nonetheless offered extraordinary experiences and the most diverse diesel locomotive roster perhaps ever assembled.
Coming soon, Penn Central Pack 01 – from High Iron Simulations – will bring the Penn Central and the diverse railroading of the late 1960s and early 1970s to Train Simulator, offering six types of Penn Central diesel locomotives, thirteen types of authentic passenger and freight equipment, and ten realistic career scenarios on the popular Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven route, an ex-New Haven line that was a bustling double-track passenger and freight artery for Penn Central.
The creation of the Penn Central was one of the most anticipated railroading events of the 1960s as the grand (and sometimes bitter) rivals New York Central and Pennsylvania became one, with New Haven joining soon thereafter. At trackside, the operations of Penn Central provided a railfan’s menagerie as the rosters of NYC, PRR, and NYNH&H were intermixed. But as a business endeavor, the marriage proved profoundly troubled. PC struggled to successfully integrate operations of its three predecessors and fell into financial bankruptcy in 1970. In 1976, after less than a decade of existence, the Penn Central, along with a number of other eastern railroads, was rolled into Conrail.
With the upcoming Penn Central Pack 01, you will return to those uncommon but extraordinary times as you climb aboard Penn Central first- and second-generation diesels to haul passengers and handle tonnage on one of Train Simulator’s the popular Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven route, which is now updated in a visually enhanced edition!
Penn Central Pack 01 will include six types of diesel locomotives, in multiple variations and a variety of authentic Penn Central and Pennsylvania Railroad liveries:
- The stylish and long-lived Electro-Motive FL9, created by EMD for the New Haven, will be featured in Penn Central and New Haven liveries and will reflect the FL9’s “as built” 1960s appearance and details.
- Another first-generation classic, the Alco FA (including the FA1 and FB2) will be provided in cab and booster configurations and Penn Central livery.
- The landmark Electro-Motive GP9 will be included in multiple Penn Central and Pennsylvania Railroad liveries and with a range of detail variations. Liveries will include PRR early and late liveries and PC standard and unique “red P” schemes.
- The uncommon Electro-Motive cabless GP9B will be included in Penn Central and Pennsylvania Railroad liveries.
- The six-axle second-generation 2,500-horsepower Electro-Motive SD35 will be provided in Penn Central livery
- The veteran “yard goat” Electro-Motive SW1200 diesel switcher will be included in Penn Central livery.
Each of the locomotives in Penn Central Pack 01 will be equipped with the advanced and authentic air braking systems as developed by Mike Rennie of Smokebox.
Joining the diverse mix of motive power in Penn Central Pack 01 will be a selection of freight rolling stock, including Penn Central’s noted Nb5 (ex-PRR) and NE-5 (ex-NYNH&H) cabooses, Penn Central (ex-NYNH&H) streamlined parlor-baggage-lounge and coach cars, and a selection of nine types of period-authentic freight rolling stock in multiple variations and including Penn Central, New York Central, Pennsylvania, and New Haven liveries.
The upcoming Penn Central Pack 01 will also include a selection of ten realistic career scenarios based on actual Penn Central operations and train symbols of the era on the busy Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven route. Whether hustling passengers aboard a distinctive FL9, handling tonnage with FAs and Geeps, hustling piggybacks with potent SD35s, or switching industries with a veteran EMD SW1200, you’ll experience a full range of Penn Central era railroading challenges.
Note: The locomotives and equipment of Penn Central Pack 01 are authentic for and can be used on a variety of popular Train Simulator routes (including Horseshoe Curve; New York New Haven; and the Northeast Corridor). The included scenarios require the Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven Route Add-On (route available separately).
The goliath Penn Central may have taken its place in the long history of railroading, but the experience of Penn Central and 1960s and 1970s railroading is soon to return – with High Iron Simulations’ upcoming Penn Central Pack 01 for Train Simulator!
Coming soon Penn Central Pack 01 will bring the goliath Penn Central and the diverse railroading of the late 1960s and early 1970s to Train Simulator, offering six types of diesel locomotives, thirteen types of authentic passenger and freight equipment, and ten realistic career scenarios on the popular Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven route! A menagerie of Penn Central power is on hand at the Springfield (Massachusetts) roundhouse.
It’s a typical snowy New England winter morning as Penn Central passenger and freight trains meet at speed on the always busy double-track Springfield Line north of New Haven. Heading the southbound freight is a set of potent Penn Central Electro-Motive SD35s. Note: Screenshots may depict content while in development.
A trio of ex-New Haven EMD GP9s are hustling Penn Central freight SN-4 through Windsor Locks (above), and later meet another freight at Hartford, Connecticut (below). On the head-end of the opposing freight is an ex-Pennsylvania Railroad GP9 wearing PC’s “red P” livery. Penn Central Pack 01 will feature the EMD landmark diesel with a range of details matching ex-NYNH&H and Pennsylvania Geeps and will include multiple Penn Central and PRR liveries.
Handling switching chores along Penn Central’s Weathersfield Secondary (New Haven’s old Valley Line) in Hartford, PC EMD SW1200, an ex-PRR switcher, has a cut of cars in tow as it nears Meadows Yard. In the ten career scenarios included with Penn Central Pack 01, you’ll tackle everything from local switching service to passenger duties to handling fast freights.
During the Penn Central years, the ex-New Haven Springfield Line, together with the ex-New York Central “B&A” across Massachusetts, formed a busy artery for freight traffic moving between giant Cedar Hill Yard in New Haven and points west as far as Chicago. With three PC SD35s providing the power, hot “trailer train” symbol TV-7 makes it nocturnal run north (above). Another set of Penn Central SD35s has just arrived via the ex-NYC B&A at Springfield with PC manifest freight M-7 (below) and will soon swing onto the ex-New Haven Springfield Line.
Cedar Hill bound, an A-B-A set of black-clad Penn Central Alco FAs lead tonnage along the wide and scenic Connecticut River. Both the New Haven and the New York Central contributed classic Alco FA diesels to the expansive Penn Central roster.
From the head end to the rear markers, Penn Central Pack 01 will deliver a wealth of equipment, including six locomotive types and thirteen types of passenger and freight equipment in a variety of liveries. The unusual GP9B cabless booster will be included in PRR early and late liveries and PC’s standard black scheme (above). Ex-New Haven streamlined parlor-baggage-lounge and coach cars will be included in the pack, as will be ex-Pennsy and ex-New Haven cabooses in multiple livery variations (below).
A duo of stylish Electro-Motive FL9s, wearing Penn Central’s black livery and the memorable McGinnis scheme of the New Haven, are hurrying Springfield-bound passengers across the Connecticut River bridge. The goliath Penn Central may have taken its place in the long history of railroading, but the experience of Penn Central and 1960s and 1970s railroading is soon to return – with High Iron Simulations’ upcoming Penn Central Pack 01 for Train Simulator!
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