The Cascade & North Western (C&NW) is about having fun with the Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS) program.

The C&NW management thought it might be fun and entertaining to try and emulate real world railroad operations using MSTS as a base. So we put our heads and talents together and built the C&NW.

With the agreement of Robert Reedy, it was determined that the existing ADF route would make a good foundation. With operations in mind the A Dual Fictional Railroad (ADF) was analyzed by our team to determine changes that could be implemented to make the route more prototypical.

Track layout, yards and industries were all analyzed to determine what changes would be necessary to improve on a route that was already at the top of the list with the MSTS users. Track alignment was adjusted for smoother operation. Additional industries were added to provide additional work for our engineers and revenue for the Cascade & North Western. Scenery was enhanced by the addition of numerous trees, people, mini scenes and signage. All sidings and passenger platforms were named. In the long run, an entirely new route with a completely new personality emerged.

With the new C&NW well on the way our attention was turned to the motive power that would be needed to service all of the new industries and passengers. A fleet of trains was then developed from existing freeware and several in house models. All motive power physics were reviewed to include the latest techniques developed by the MSTS community to enhance reality and insure compatibility. An attempt was made to evenly balance our physics to be as real as possible with in the limitations of MSTS but also to keep it fun.

The equipment was then incorporated into several hundred work orders that you will get to drive as an employee of Cascade & North Western virtual railroad. These work orders, aka activities, are designed to simulate what you would do if you worked on a real railroad. Upon completion of your entrance exam you will be dispatched to your work assignments.

Each work order was created to be run in sequence. Not just a few work orders, but the entire VR is in sync. You have a definite path of operations to follow. Each work order you receive must be completed to receive the next work order. You can not skip the sequence.

Our dispatching system, Locomotive Engineers Dispatching System (LEADS), will delegate everything you need including equipment and new work orders. Your work and position on the railroad will be tracked by LEADS.

As you can see we are not just simulating driving trains, but simulating working on a railroad.

To be employed by the C&NW you must own Microsoft's Train Simulator program. It would also be to your advantage to have a working knowledge of the simulator. You should be familiar with all the function keys, views and monitors available to enhance your driving abilities. You should also be able to download and install activities (work orders), motive power, rolling stock and the C&NW route.

All of our items are packaged with auto installers to speed things up and get you in the game faster. If you should need help we do have a forum where you can ask questions about the route, trains, real world railroading as it applies to the C&NW and our work orders.

Simply put, we know about our trains, our work orders, our web site, our route, LEADS and MSTS and are willing to assist you with problems of this nature.

We are not set up to train you in the operations of Windows XP or downloading files and installing files or finding them on your system. Please take your questions involving computer set up/operations, your operating system, video card installation, etc. to one of the other virtual railroad forums such as NERR, OVS or GL&A.

The C&NW is designed to capture the feel of working on a railroad so a system was setup to dispatch you to a new job after completion of the current assignment. We have named this system LEADS.

LEADS is basically a computer or AI dispatcher. It was built on the NETS program which was programmed by Bob Artim and Brian Element and is used by many other VRs for their callboard and application processing.

Engineers are required to login to the system. Upon entry you will have a personal record book or logbook of your statistics and have access to the LEADS system to retrieve new work assignments.

When you are dispatched to a new work order you will be notified which pieces of equipment are required to complete the current work assignment. You will also be given the option to download the items not previously downloaded.

In order to keep expenses down from bandwidth usage we will be restricting you to 2 attempts at downloading a piece of equipment. We highly recommend that you create a back up of all downloads on a different hard drive, thumb drive, CD or DVD. In the event of an equipment failure you will be able to reinstall from your own source rather than downloading everything again.

We understand circumstances arise and you may need to download something at some future point so a form will be available for you to request additional downloading quota.

The C&NW is about fun; please do not abuse the system. Within the LEADS system you will be able to view all of our items available to download. However, if you have not progressed far enough into the game some items will not be available to you until you need them. This will help take the pressure off of you to download and install everything at once. LEADS will also allow us to avoid the occasional person who joins with the express intent of downloading all available equipment and never returning.

To avoid this situation the management at C&NW will utilize LEADS to restrict downloads to the motive power and rolling stock required to complete the currently assigned work order.

All downloading of equipment and work orders will be handled by the LEADS Dispatcher.

Downloads are also available on the Roster page, however, you will only be able to download equipment that you need for the current or previously run workorders. If you are unable to download it, then you don't need it is the simple rule of thumb.

As stated above, you will only have two opportunities to download an item. To avoid having to fill out forms stating reasons why you need another attempt we recommend that you burn your C&NW downloads to a CD or DVD for safe keeping. Every time you download bandwidth gets used. This bandwidth costs money.

Although we are not in a business here and C&NW is free for all to use there is a link set up for you to make a donation. If you elect to make a donation to the C&NW then the two download restriction will be lifted. You will still only have access to motive power and rolling stock that you have earned the right to download by completing work on the C&NW!

The first thing you will be expected to do is have fun! But that is obvious.

C&NW would like you to complete at least 2 work orders a month. We have put a lot of time, love and effort into this project. Since the majority of work orders are under 45 minutes we feel that you should be able to give us at least 2 work orders a month back.

C&NW also realizes that you have a real life and we understand that you won't always be able to do the 2 required work orders for one reason or another. You will have ample opportunity to make them up. There are also forms for you to request a leave of absence for whatever reason you may have. In a nutshell, if you can't do the work, please tell us about your situation. We will work with you.

The Management at C&NW has decided that only real names will be used in our forums and on the callboard. Real world engineers may have nicknames but it is not on their paycheck. When you apply be sure to use your real name. No handles will be accepted. Your application to C&NW will also take care of registering you in our forums. So the name and password you use in your C&NW job application will also be what you use in the C&NW message forums.

You will be expected to handle and present yourself in a pleasant way in our forums. Politcal or religious discussions will not be permitted. We expect you to keep to the topic at hand which is the C&NW Railroad. Some people may feel this is censorship, but we disagree. We are here to play trains on the C&NW with MSTS not debate the issues of the world. Only the issues of our small imaginary virtual world are our concern.