Switching Routes

Switching routes are unique among model railroads as they don't offer major operations as much as allow the railroader to spend time trying to put cars in their place. Some, such as the Inglenook and Timesaver are puzzles, while others just represent a particular location as it looked.

These routes are a mix of both puzzle and prototype, and are perfect additions to larger routes. Alternatively, they also stand alone quite well. If you're looking for an interesting little route to poke around on, or something to add to an existing line, well look no further. (All routes are found on the DLS, but may be downloaded from here as well.)

King's Park State Hospital

The Kings Park State Hospital was established in 1885 by Kings County in nearby Suffolk County, adjoining the "Society of St. Johnland" established by William Augustus Muhlenberg, prior to the consolidation of Kings County with Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx, to form modern New York City. The official name of the hospital in its first ten years was the "Kings County Asylum," taken from the name of the county that Brooklyn occupied. The hospital was revolutionary at the time in the sense that it was a departure from the asylums of folklore, which were overcrowded places where gross human-rights abuses often occurred. The asylum, built by Brooklyn to alleviate overcrowding in its own asylums, was a "Farm Colony" asylum, where patients worked in a variety of farm-related activities, such as feeding livestock and growing food, as this was considered to be a form of therapy at the time.

From the earliest days, the hospital was unique in that a dedicated rail line from the LIRR serviced it. Daily shipments of coal arrived, and were delivered to the power house, while regular passenger service served a small passenger station on the property.

From a modeling point of view, the King's Park Branch is interesting for two reasons. First it's a hospital (of sorts) and not the usual type of branch one finds. The second reason is the operation. From the earliest days, to service the branch, trains needed to back down to the various sidings. It was impossible for a locomotive to be at the "front" of the train and work the various sidings on the branch. Even the passenger trains needed to back into place, in order to be able to travel on to their destinations when done.

In trainz, the route is modeled exactly as it may have looked in the early days of railroading, with some allowances for operation. In fact, the only two changes you will find on this line are the addition of a short run around siding, and a turntable at the far end of the route. Other than that, nothing has changed. The route is set roughly in 1900, when the hospital was receiving daily shipments of coal and materials, as well as sending boxcars of meat and bread out. There is signaling on the route, to some degree, but currently it is buggy. (this is being worked on). The route features a couple of portals for AI through traffic, and is a perfect addition to a larger route in the same era. As always, if you download and enjoy the route, please feel free to donate using the paypal link on the main page.