Route Riviera Line: Exeter – Plymouth & Paignton (incl. Class 150 & 802) - Feedback

Small point but I noticed the cl 150 max speed on the HUD shows full line speed rather than the 75mph of that class.

 

This speed difference has been around for a while. It is up to the driver to obey the correct speed limits.

 

Generally really liking the route, my main issues are:
-The weird clicking artifacts in the 150's audio when applying power, similar to the 153 in Cardiff.
-The "The next station is..." announcement coming before the "This is a ... service to ..." announcement, although that might actually be prototypical, I don't know.
-The clipping trees

Edit: Service 2E31 gets into a gridlock caused by a 166 not moving just outside Exeter

 

But failing to do this won't cost you any point...

 

This is ridiculous, it's like this on the 220 as well.

 

I’m not sure if this happens with the 802 or other rolling stock, but I ran into some issues at Laira on a 220 stabling - 5V50.

Firstly the whole move from Plymouth is separated into 3 parts, which even when staying in the train & continuing the next part, results in AI taking over the other cab, without you getting that pop up to abandon the service.

The real issue for me was at Ocean siding. When trying to move down the train back to the other cab, there seemed to be an invisible wall in the carriage preventing this. When I exited the train via the cab (to the side of the tracks rather than into the ML) there was an invisible wall preventing me from getting back into the train at the other end too, so it seems like that wall isn’t a 220 issue rather than an issue with the siding. The only way I could find my way back into the train was by finding a door I could get close enough to, to board again & didn’t have the wall inside the carriage.

 

DTG have not proven themselves averse to inconsistent features in the past! This was the excuse used for no announcements in the past as well.

 

Not a fan of the fast travel to other platform when there is a perfectly viable route which has for some inexplicable reason been invisible walled off from the player. Why?

There are more pressing issues currently for console players and the like, but that really ticked me off.

 

They did the same with Fife Circle at some stations and it's a really lazy thing to do. I mean, teleporting just to get to the other side? Come on...

 

Noticing the same, also PS5.

 

This is what I was worried about with the "random faults" feature. I think it is a good idea fundamentally but too many faults won't be realistic. I have it turned off as well. This sort of reminds me of when the dynamic weather was first added and they went overboard with the dramatic weather (basically every run was thunder and lightning storms striking 2 ft from your train within 20 minutes). They later made updates to tone it down.

Back to this route, one thing I am noticing so far on TSW6 which is a bit of a step backwards is the "alive-ness" of the stations. In TSW5 they made a big deal of including things like shops, restaurants, etc that had interiors, staff, people sitting at tables etc. That seems to have disappeared from what I can see in TSW6. I saw a cafe I think at Exeter with the interior/tables/chairs modelled, but nobody was in it and the doors seemed closed an inaccessible to the player. Other spots, Newton Abbot for example has a Liquid Bean that TSW stations had before, except it is just a sign on a blacked out window, no interior modelled at all or kiosk like was in ECML. Again not the most important aspect of a train simulator but it did help the world feel real and it is always odd when something they showcase in some routes disappears for the next. The invisible walls also seem to be aggressive even by TSW standards, you can't wonder too far off the platforms at all on any of the new routes. As others have pointed out some stations don't even let you walk across to the other platform. Not the biggest deal if you spend most of your time in the cab but it does reduce the "world" part of the game compared to DTG routes in the last couple years and of course the JT routes that let you wander all over the place.

 

Approx 6 miles from Ivybridge is this building, and approx 4.5 miles from Ivybridge is this bridge

 

On some routes DTG set the max speed in the HUD to the max speed of the loco and rolling stock, whichever is the lowest. This is how new routes are supposed to be but it does not always get applied (devs forget or a bug). Not sure what your point is, but it goes without saying the driver should obey the correct speed limits.

 

On two runs I've had HST stuck at a station, with green light. With a 'Stopped Arrived at Instruction', door open. One of those was a 2C69 stucked in Exeter.
What is weird, saving and realoding unstuck him.

Can be reproduced by just spawning on foot in Exeter at 11:20 and wait for the 11:25 HST,
Doesn't happen 100% of times, but roughly 50% of times he get stuck there.

PC, Steam, Tested with No Mods

 

So, playing on Early access on PS5 so no layers.

Overall I think the route is a triumph, the section between Starcross and Newton Abbot is incredible. Clearly a lot of time and effort went into it.

I can't wait to play it with the layers on Tuesday.

There's the usual bugs involved, trees clipping into the windows in sections, the loading is hit and miss, sometimes takes several attempts to load up.

There has also been some... interesting choices made that I hope can be altered in the future. Such as not being able to walk through the subway at Dawlish Warren to access the two platforms. Other routes have this ability so why not here? Not being able to walk most of the seawall at Dawlish is a shame.

It's a favourite walk of mine in real life and would have been nice to do it here.

Also the old bridge at Dawlish not being accessible is a bizarre choice as well


Overall though, I'm loving it so far.

 

If its the controller speaker I already have it set to 0. I can here safety system sounds on morristown line and any other route. Its just the Riviera line there's no safety system sound.

 

Why is there no bridge/tunnel reverb?

It totally spoils the immersion travelling on the 150, these are loud things IRL

2yrs ago reverb was introduced in TSW yet here we are 2yrs later and it's just inconsistent, one new route will get it, another new route won't.

Please go back and reverb all bridges and tunnels for a future patch.

Also noticed there is no PIS display on the 166

 

As I noted in the other thread, seems some structures are generating it for the 150 but nothing audible on the Cucumber and not tried the Voyager. I can certainly testify from travelling on Cucumbers IRL you most certainly get quite noticeable reverb passing under bridges and through tunnels. Another ooops either for the route building or audio department.

 

Noticed some strange lighting in cabs as you enter a couple of the tunnels or pass under bridges. Just as you enter one of the affected tunnels/bridges, the cab lights up incredibly brightly for a couple of seconds, revealing very odd textures in the cabs, before going dark as you proceed through the tunnel. Not sure what's going on there...

 

Yes, this is poor. It's really loud and if playing on headphones is a very unpleasant experience.

 

Regarding draw distances and 'fill in' on PS5 Pro. I think the Speedtree implementation needs looking at as the draw distance and LODs are really close on PS5 Pro and it looks poor. The console is capable of drawing pretty much to the horizon and to have LODs appearing a few meters in front of the camera is really poor. This is more of a general engine issue but happens a lot on the Riviera Line and is painfully obvious.

 

Why do I get slapped in the face by branches all the time running the 150?

 

Indicates a lack of "snagging" by whoever built the route to check the over abundance of foliage not fouling the line. And there should be collision detection to push these off to one side as the train passes as happens IRL when Network Rail's linear forest gets out of hand.

 

2T12 (150 operated) doesn't have its service speed limited to 75mph.

 

The PIS on the 166 is just super dim because of using a TOD3 train in a TOD4 route, hopefully this is fixed with the GWE remaster but for PC players this mod makes the PIS more visible amongst other things - https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/mods/c3-train-sim-world/c19-patches/i6881-gwr-class-166-tod4-patch

 

How are you using the 166, isn’t that not available until Tuesday from GWE?

 

On the 802 setting and resetting the DRA seems to stop the unit from being able to take power. I’ve tried keying off and on again but haven’t found a way around it. I’ve also tried isolating the DRA after releasing it and that also hasn’t worked.

The route also seems very dark at night and it’s difficult to see whistle and speed boards. However I’m not a driver so maybe that’s true to life, particularly in this part of the world without much light pollution. Alternatively this may be an issue with the 802 headlights not being bright enough.

 

PC Player - STEAM

4 Miles from Plymouth

 

It seems to me there should be more forward illumination - IRL the headlights on these are really bright even on the day setting and dazzle you when running into a station platform.

The other issue is that nights are generally way too dark in TSW. We need to be able to adjust things to at least see some of the surroundings, the equivalent of a full moon lit night, but sadly seems we are up against the arrogance of the game designers once more in that respect.

 

Have to agree. Night time in TSW is just too dark and headlights do nothing.

I don't care if it's "realistic" (it isnt) but sitting and staring at a black screen for however long a run takes is not entertaining or enjoyable. If I see a service is likely to have any chance of night time I abandon it and either pick another service or adjust the month.

Night time should not be pitch black with 0% visibility. It is not fun, nor realistic.

 

PC players have access to their catalog during the early access period unlike consoles.

 

Class 150 conductor mode.

Just ran 2F06 Paignton - Exmouth P2 as a conductor and I got booted out of the train just after it started to depart from Teignmouth.
I'd closed the doors, given the driver the 2 bells and headed into the passenger compartment to start checking tickets.
As I was checking the first ticket, I fell through the train and ended up on the platform halfway down.

 

The thing on the other routes the nights are ok you can see quite well.

 

Is anyone else's mastery tier 2 not working on this route? I've completed a few services and scenarios but it hasn't updated

 

PS4 and PS5

Driving the 220 and the 802, there is an impression of negative tilting. The train leans to the side because of the tracks, but the driver stays upright. Thus, the cockpit tilts around the driver. It is very noticeable around the seawall.

Edit: I have watched some streams on Youtube where people play on PC and the phenomenon exists there as well.

So I assume it is a general issue. It does not happen on the other TSW 6 routes.

 

Sadly I’m unable to take any shots in the cab due to policies, but the headlights on the IET are designed to allow the front of the train to be non yellow, yes a livery thing! There is a railway standard set out by the RSSB on this, and train visibility.

Having the bright LED’s substitutes for the lack of yellow and allows track workers to see the train oncoming. Headlights on trains are sadly not there for us to see where we’re going, but allow trains to be seen.

When the IET’s first came out, drivers complained about the lights and how bright they were.

There was even an instance where a driver dipped them approaching an oncoming train, and this got mistook for a hazard flash, and nearly resulted in the driver of the oncoming train throwing all the brakes in! After this we were told via notice about the lights.

In daylight, we must use the full light, and dim setting at night. When you key out the lights will revert to tail automatically, regardless of the position of the switch.

Now, the class 150, in reality the day light is again better at night than the night setting.

With the lights set, you can see to the effect of dipped headlights down a country lane in your car, for comparison.

At night we drive to the signals, and the new LED signals do glow, which makes it easier to drive than in the day. We memorise things such as structures or specific objects to mark our braking areas and adjust for weather etc.

A lot don’t know, that drivers also have their own speeds they accelerate to between station stops as well as the permitting speeds.

For example, between Exeter and Exeter St Thomas, I’d accelerate to 40mph and coast before the braking area.

Between Exeter St Thomas and Marsh Barton 50mph or the 100mph sign and shut off, then braking area.

 

The IET’s also have issues with overheating regularly, and yes the generator sets do shut down a lot more than they should! This believe it or not is due to there being not enough space underneath to allow adequate cooling, as the generator sets were not designed to be there initially.

When we book on, we are told which sets are diesel only on the late notices, so that we don’t pan up by mistake!

If we do loose a generator set on the move, it can only be reset by tripping a series of MCB’s in the affected carriage. The TM’s are taught how to do this now, and we often IC them to help on the communication system.

Once they have been reset, we can then press the diesel button to bring it back inline on the desk, or it will do nothing but idle.

 

What the actual love???



I get that it's pretending to be a Southwest 159, but, really, a 159 doesn't much look like its 158 parent, and the livery is utterly bizarre (Besides, SWT stopped running west of Exeter several years ago, and according to the PIS this unit is preparing to make the Paignton run)

 

I thought it was quite nice, and you can disable it in the layers menu if you don't wanna see it. I'm glad it gives players the option

 

Saying the 159’s don’t look much like a 158 is quite a take, I must say.

The liveries are both their Stagecoach era counterparts & incredibly similar, with only subtle differences that many likely couldn’t point out without comparing directly. I do think it would be pertinent to look at debranding stock in these instances though, they’d make the layer much more passable.

Going to Paignton is very odd too, it’s been a long time since SWR(T) went that far west.

 

That's Informative thank you, many times I've been on the Dawlish Seawall in day time and have seen the headlights of an 802 coming out of Parsons Tunnel towards Dawlish and the headlights are so bright.

 

Thanks SuperSprint87 that is quite insightful. My (authorised) cab rides were only ever in daylight and years ago anyway, so never got the chance to observe how little illumination the forward headlights actually provide. We have been spoilt by TSC and Run 8 floodlighting quarter of a mile in front of the train, I guess. However still think we need a bit more ambient light at night time, particularly with clear skies and a full or nearly full moon.

Re the IET diesel power packs shutting down, well Mrs Vern has declared tomorrow’s Tuesday Cucumber Club outing will be down to Stroud, so will pay particular attention on the return journey when climbing back up to Sapperton Tunnel.

 

Not quite the SWT operation but there is some precedent for seeing EMT livery in the West. Some years ago, I believe Cross Country hired in spare EMT HST sets on Summer Saturdays to provide additional capacity on their services into the area.

 

Sadly, the thing that is putting me off buying this (Until the sales at least) is simply the Class 802. Now, I am quite a fan of the Hitachi AT300 fleet in the UK, but from what I have seen, majority of it is fine. However here’s a short list of some of the things I had hoped for which are part of real life simulations - not implemented:
- Pressing/ holding the ‘Diesel’ and ‘Electric’ button for around 10 seconds will automatically switch the power systems for each respective form of traction (Lowering/ raising the pantograph and starting up/ shutting down the engines).
- Same as above for individual power control buttons for the pantograph and engines.
- The VCB indicator still illuminates when the engine is on and pantograph is dropped (After checking a video, I have discovered the VCB light is not supposed to continue illuminating when the engines are fires).
- When raising the pantograph under OLE with the correct settings for British AC stock (25Kv 50Hz) the line indicator illuminates but the VCB light doesn’t (which is what is supposed to happen).
- DSD Holdover button doesn’t function, by overriding the sounding vigilance alarm. (although the button can be pressed).
- TPWS lights do not illuminate during AWS/ TPWS self test (This includes the TPWS ‘Override’ Button).

These are really basic things, I know, but when simulated correctly with those minor details, really improves the overall driving and simulator experience, for me at least. I don’t believe any of these were very hard to simulate at all by DTG, it’s just shoving things to one side hoping it doesn’t bother anyone, and hence being lazy. It bothers me also partially given my OCD.

All opinions are mine, and everyone else is entitled to theirs. Hope everyone who has purchased it is enjoying it!

 

It's really fun to drive though. Could be a reason to buy it ;-)

 

I'm waiting for all the layers for the base routes to be installed, and the list for Riviera Line is the most complicated one. The lists I have encounterd so far (release article, FAQ and route database) are all a bit different. For example: the 'china clay' services for the class 20 are listed in the article, but not in the FAQ. So my request: please make one list with all layers and required content, so we can easily see which DLCs to install.

(goes for all routes, but seems most prevalent in this one).

 

You have a point. I’ve actually ridden on the line between Torquay and Dawlish. It was spectacular! For me though, my first TSW6 purchase is probably going to be Birmingham - Crew. I’ll see what happens in the sales though.

 

There is a missing signal on the track monitor 2 miles on the approach to Totnes. Signal Number: E1R

 

It is a repeater/distant signal for the type of MAS used on this section (cheap replacement for the old semaphore absolute block) which I wouldn’t expect to appear on the monitor.

The biggest issue with this signal is thus far it has only displayed a single yellow aspect which means crawling for a mile at 30 MPH expecting an approach release but come round the corner and the home signal is green with a feather.

 

Ahh thanks, not used to that style of repeater