Jamaica

[arop]

I have just submitted a new map to Hawk, called Railways in Jamaica. When it becomes avaiable any comments or suggestions are wellcome.

[Ray of Sunshine]

Well Arop,
You have done it again. A very interesting concept scenario of Jamaica. I only played it in a Medium level, and did manage to get the Gold by 1925, with more than 4 dozen trains operating. I also would build multiples of the same industry to obtain the necessary LIP goal. Half way thru, I jacked the dividend to its max any time that the economy was beneficial. The goal of the LIP did require laying track to every available industry supply, and then establish my independent demand industry. Usually when a player builds a demand industry, the default will not build to be competitive. My engines were not kept longer than 20 years, unless the economy pervented replacement Although there isn't any steel mills, there is adequate steel at some ports, as well as oil. The only problem I had, was that of the Rocks. There isn't enough Quarries to keep the Furnace supplied. Even though the Furnace was close to the Quarries, there wasn't any profits, although they were close to a "break even' level. A player does have to watch for the "disappearance" of Cattle Ranches, and othere commodities which are to supply the "alcoholic" industries. Seeing that I was able to get the Gold 5 years early, I would make the suggestion of those better Tycoons, to play the scenario in a Hard or Expert.

Thanks again Arop for your talents, time, and imagination.

I am a little partial with this Jamaican scenario, as in the 70s, my Wife and I spent a vacation, basically in the Montego Bay area. Due to the rioting in Kingston at the time, our planned trip across the island to Kingston was cancelled. It would have been interesting, as there are many cities along the line, and people travel with any thing that there are taking to market. Becomes a real zoo, so to speak.

We did take a trip up into the mountains to a alcohol distillery on what was called the Governors Coach. A real fun group, and fun was added, as there had to be "honor" used, as the door fell off its hinges, so some one had to either hold up a blanket or the door.

Our opinion of the people themselves were very rewarding. They all had such 'happy' eyes. A lot of courtesy from all, from adults to the younger children. It was one of the better vacation trips which we enjoyed. This scenario brings back some very happy moments of my Wife and my life.

[arop]

Doing my research when building this map, I can inform you, that although Jamaica Railway Corporation still exists, the remaining trunk line between Kingston and Montego Bay has been partly mothballed since 1992. Only freight (bauxite) traffic on parts of the system and isolated lines are open for traffic. There are plans to reopen the Montego Bay line for passenger traffic, but the disused parts of the system are in a very derelict condition, -time will show!

[Sugus]

There is a German version of this map in Molse's forum ...

[moblet]

Hi arop,
I'm really happy to see this map, as I lived in Jamaica for two years (working at bauxite mines at Discovery Bay, power plant at May Pen, NGOs in Kingston), and travelled all over the island, so it was fun to revisit some of the places I knew. I also remember old railway buildings such as Caladupa station full of squatters.
Have only played the scenario once so far. I started at the earliest year possible (on Hard or Expert, can't remember which) and after 26 years (1901) had connected all the towns (plus a branch line out to the western part of the island), reached $38M PNW and $97M LIP, and lost interest in playing on for however many years it would take to reach the targets. (I usually lose interest when targets are so high and require decades of managing a massive company.)
I've since opened the scenario in the editor and noticed that most of the events happen after 1910 (as would the bauxite industry) so in hindsight I should have started later. Will have a go at that sometime.
Meanwhile the thought that ran through my mind from the moment I opened the map, and still does every time I look at it, is that the RT3 map's terrain is much flatter than the real Jamaican terrain. The east-west ridge through Jamaica is very high and lumpy and it would be impossible or hideously expensive to build a railway through most of it, and where a route is possible it would be steep and tortuous. The route through Porus and Caladupa to link Kingston with Montego Bay is the only sensible route available in the real world. From Kingston to Porus is nice and flat, but west of Porus any real railway builder would be challenged. I was expecting to be challenged myself but found I could put track just about anywhere.
On a minor industrial note, there is agricultural land east of Kingston (not close to the city, but further east), with dairy in the shadow of the mountains, and sugar in the south-eastern corner.
Thanks again!
Mike

[brunom]

:)

Well, moblet, you just created an impossible problem !

You see, changing how steep the terrain is at this point means arop would have to start from scratch. Because that is the first thing to do when importing a heightmap, and it can't be changed after. (i'm assuming you mapped jamaica from a height map, arop)

So all the painting, seeding cities, defining territories and industries, programming events, etc.. is done after. That means, if arop wants the map to look a little more like "real" jamaica, a fresh start.

I am really just writing to say i feel your pain, arop. But the scenario still looks great and you can always choose to say moblet is plain wrong.

[moblet]

Well, moblet, you just created an impossible problem !

Yeah, I know. I have eyesight problems and could never imagine doing what you mapbuilders do. I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for your efforts

In theory it might be possible to manually raise the inland terrain without messing up the map too much, but I know it would be too much for me to do so I wouldn't expect anyone else to do it.

I wasn't trying to say that the map or the scenario was rubbish, only that having traversed the actual terrain, the map wasn't as challenging as I expected it to be.

[Wolverine@MSU]

You see, changing how steep the terrain is at this point means arop would have to start from scratch. Because that is the first thing to do when importing a heightmap, and it can't be changed after. (i'm assuming you mapped jamaica from a height map, arop)

Which is why it would be very useful to have "hgt2gmp" and "gmp2hgt" utilities similar to the "bmp2gmp" and "gmp2bmp" utilities written by PJay (anyone heard what he's up to lately?). If anyone ever figures out where and how the heightmap data are stored in a scenario file it would be pretty simple (for someone with more programming saavy than I) to extract and replace the data.

ANY TAKERS?

[brunom]

.. that's out of my league

[arop]

I have found a map covering the Jamaica railway Corporation's network from about 1945.

[Ray of Sunshine]

woowooo. I don't know a dam thing about what you fellas are talking about. Well, maybe the exception that I know that Jamaca is mountainous. My wife and I spent a holdiay there, and took what was called the "Governor's Coach" from Montego Bay into the mountains, to a rum factory. A great bunch of tourists, so we had a lot of fun.

However, we had intended to take the then operating train, from Montego Bay to Kingston. We thought better of it, as there was some uprising and rioting, since the country was in a state of trying to get their "independence" from England.

But I did not know that the railway was that extensive with its off-shoot lines. May not have had time to tour them anyway, but this was to be an adventure, as the populas ride with their bartar of animals. Everything rides the rails as other means of transportation at the time was minimal.

Will give the scenario an attempt in the near future as it is a great scenario and a remindar of a great trip.