Texas pre-research tips

[Blackspots]

I went to Fort Worth Alliance Airport for the airshows a few years ago. Did it two years in a row. The second year we determined that it wasn't worth it, because actual viewing of the airstrip to see what's going on was behind a literal paywall. I prefer airshows at military bases, because it doesn't cost anything beyond the food. Luckily, living in Wichita Falls, Sheppard AFB has an agreement with the city. The base does an airshow every other year. When the base does an airshow that year, the city does the 4th of July fireworks and when the base doesn't have an airshow that year, they do the fireworks show.

[rbsanford]

For my US in concept maps project (https://m.imgur.com/a/qJz8VSm) I made a concept map a bit more complex than yours, flight (maybe it's a little too complex, lol): https://i.imgur.com/0QMbLvK.jpg

It also includes Oklahoma, so just ignore that. Yellow locations are marked, white locations are just scenery, or outposts of marked locations.

I figure that the Red River Army Depot at New Boston could be included, either as a job terminus or scenery prop. It could be a terminus for the Chinook special transport cargo, or maybe cargo could be transported between there and Yuma Proving Ground.

[Blackspots]

I'd say your map is perfect, rbsanford. However, you forgot to connect US-87 from Lubbock to Big Spring. You also forgot the fact that in Oklahoma, I-44 is a toll road. North of Burkburnett, TX and just south of Lawton to north of Lawton to outside Oklahoma City, OK, then from north of Oklahoma City to Tulsa, OK

[flight50]

Rbsanford, that link is pretty sweet. It looks like your US concept map took some time. You definitely had to put some thought into all that.

@ShirBlackspots. Thanks for mentioning I-44 is a toll road. That I didn't know. Is it a road in which commercial vehicles can travel?

[rbsanford]

Thanks, it's a pretty big project. It's kind of ongoing, since for each map DLC I update the concept map-style ATS map. For the next version I'm figuring out a way to represent terrain without it looking too cluttered.

[Blackspots]

Rbsanford, that link is pretty sweet. It looks like your US concept map took some time. You definitely had to put some thought into all that.

@ShirBlackspots. Thanks for mentioning I-44 is a toll road. That I didn't know. Is it a road in which commercial vehicles can travel?

Its an Interstate road, what would you think the answer to that is?

(yes, commercial vehicles drive on it all the time)

[flight50]

You stated it is a toll road. That is why I asked. Not all companies want to pay for tolls I'd imagine. I am not familiar with any Interstates in Texas being a toll road. As far as I knew, all Interstates are free of charge. To me toll roads are more or less express roads and most commercial vehicles don't ride on them as there are free options. Besides, I did not ask the question just for myself. SCS does not need to make the road if trucks were not allowed on it. It's was to get them an answer as well.

[Blackspots]

Yeah, commercial vehicles use I-44 all the way. The rural county roads in Oklahoma have no shoulder, and are rather narrow for a truck. (That would be US-277 as an alternative way around the toll between Burkburnette and Lawton)

[BK Vissers]

This is exactly why I brought up toll roads as a route for truckers elsewhere. I know for a fact they do use toll routes, especially when it is a huge time saver. The complaint I heard from several is that they have to do a mental calculation based on weather, destination, traffic, and expected delivery times to determine, does it make sense to go the longer/slower/busier way, or will the money they spend on tolls make up for it in other ways. The absolutely do use toll roads in the US.

[flight50]

The absolutely do use toll roads in the US.

My reference was Texas only as mentioned above. I have no idea how the rest of the US is setup. I only know about where I am from. No 2 digit Interstate that I knew of here are toll roads. 3 digit Interstates (loops and spurs) could be different. I-10, I-20, I-30, I-35W, I-35E, I-40 and I-45 are all Interstates and none are tolls. They do however have hov lanes/express lanes. I-27 and I-44, I just learned of from doing this research. I don't know anything about them.