Wcml London Euston - Milton Keynes And Frankfurt - Fulda. Any Good?

Hi all, sorry to make another thread but I promise this is my last for a while.
On Xbox, TSW 5 standard is only 10$ and was seriously considering buying it just to get the other 2 base routes with TSW 5. I’ve been wanting to get into UK content but I’m not the biggest fan so I haven’t payed full price for any routes. I figured this was a good opportunity to expand my collection. I heard WCML had a very hard launch, but it’s been over a year so I’m wondering if it’s had good updates. Also, I heard the class 390 is a necessity, is this true? Is there any other layers you really need?
To be honest, I don’t really care for German content anymore but having Frankfurt - Fulda in the back pocket could be good.
Thanks!

 

WCMLS is still not a great route but not quite as bad as some would have you believe. No one else is likely to do that section so is what it is. Biggest problem is the short length, should at least have gone to Northampton and/or Rugby. Not much of a chance to stretch the Pendolino legs.

Frankfurt to Fulda is longer but another cyclostyled German interurban route. Doesn't really offer anything new though has a few sections of nice scenery.

 

For $10 I would buy them they are good routes. And they also layer into a few other routes as well.

 

The Pendolino is necessary only if you know the route at all. If you have no idea what the route is like in real life, you really won't notice the lack of Pendolinos since I believe the 350 that comes with the route also does some express services (though I'm not 100% sure about that).

As for other layers, it again comes down to how well you know the route. If you're aware of London Overground's contribution to the WCML, the Suffragette Line DLC is a must-have, but if you don't, you won't notice any gaps.

 

They are amongst my favourite routes. I don't feel WCML South is nearly as bad as some would have you think, I do agree it would have been far better if it had been longer. There is plenty to do especially if you have the layers. Frankfurt to Fulda I enjoy, again plenty of different services and quite scenic at the Fulda end of the route. Frankfurt is one of the busiest stations in the sim I imagine.

I would definitely recommend them at that price.

 

I really enjoy WCML South.

But then I have all the layers, so it makes it quite busy and also it's my area in real life, which always helps.

You probably would want to get the Pendo add on as well though (plus you would be sorted for this new route if you wanted to get it in future).

377/2 and 350/1 are little gems for me on this line, as well as doing a nice bit of freight with the Class 66 (if you have the right one).

 

*double post

 

Actually I would mildly disagree with that. Having bought the full package and having all layers on the Steam version, when I fire up the PS5 version with just the 350 it feels bare and empty. The Pendolino greatly adds to the experience on this route.

 

Get the pendolino and make sure you have Goblin line. Really adds depth to the route.

 

Fair enough. I've mainly been playing guard mode between Euston and Tring on that route so... yeah I probably underestimated how many Pendolinos run on the route. Good to hear from someone who's actually played it without the Pendolinos.

 

For $10 you can't really go wrong with either of those routes. I have both on my PS5 and they perform fairly well bearing in mind a have a swath of other layers and DLC installed as well (and I hear anecdotally that can affect your perf overall).

WCML South is probably the one I play more of the two, mostly because I am thick and cant get that Pzb to Lzb transition figured out without a penalty brake, but at least in my opinion the WCML has seen some pretty good improvement in texture stability and frame rate since its launch - your not constantly watching the 390 and 350 textures go on a vacay now and you can run into Euston and not have a coin flip to see if it would crash.

I don't know the route at all in real life and I did have this route without the Class 390 for a little while on my PS4 and while I personally can take it or leave it as a layer. im not going to be *mad* not having it if that makes sense - you kinda do need it along with the Watford DC (Goblin layer) for fleshing out the railscene and of course London Euston.

Guard mode is 50/50 for me and really doesn't factor into my choice to buy a route or not - you'r enjoyment miles may vary but at least it does work now, so that's good.

Freight is a little bit on the lacking side unless you grab the HKA Bogie Hopper pack and/or the Cargo Line Vol.3: Intermodal pack which may or may not be your thing (MbTG loves himself a shed ngl)

And lastly the WCML will be getting a new (2024 or 25 iirc) timetable to go along with the Class 805 DLC soon to be coming, so this may also be up your alley in terms of stopping patterns.


Frankfurt to Fulda - if I am being honest, I really only play for the Class 193 frogtrain and freight (how good is the Vectron). And while I don't have as much German DLC as UK DLC I have noticed a touch of stutter (very similar to the S-bahn) but this sorts itself out after a few runs and in the less packed out peak times.

sorry if none of that made sense, I am a very jump from A to D to H to B kinda train of thought person

 

Agreed, if you want good freight services on there, get the cargo line v3 pack and play the intermodal timetable.

 

Thanks for your feedback everyone
I decided to pick the 2 routes up and I’ve been having a blast. I’ll have to pick up the pendalino some time down the road. Is it worth the 23$ or should I wait for a sale?
Thanks again everyone!

 

I think it is worth it - its a very different drive compared to the 350 on the express runs straight through to Milton Keynes.
But it also adds a good bit of variety to the railscene along your journey, as well as AI to the railscene of Edinburgh to Glasgow and the Cathcart Circle.

It will also be layering onto the (at time of post) soon to be released Birmingham to Crewe for some nice runs and it does add AI to Birmingham N.S. if you have the Class 170 timetable for the Birmingham Cross City.

Its a matter of taste though and in all honesty you aren't really missing very much if you decided to wait for a sale and pick it up then - I guess if you can afford the $ then grab it af full whack (you won't be dissapointed) but otherwise wait for a sale (you still will be happy with the WCML 'till then)

 

honestly the Cargo Line Vol.3 is actually turning out to be a very very good little dlc