Copied from another thread Like others, my TSW enthusiasm is really not there and hasn't been recently. The crashing, the graphics glitches and the lack of any content that really excites the imagination are the main drivers. TSW must move away from constantly reusing the same small family of rolling stock for new routes, after all this is a train driving sim, or have they forgotten this? In my personal opinion, only two things will help bring back my interest long term and get me spending money. 1. Bring out a route with plenty of operational complexity, with a mix of fast and slow running. SWML is a prime candidate. 2. Stop the modern era. I can go out and see it whenever I want. Take us back to the 1960s to the 1990s, Southern Green to NSE, slam door trains, 455s, 442s for example - real traction with bite. Stop obsessing over Electrosilents, or Desiros. Spend some money actually making this game fun and interactive again. Just an opinion, but doubt I'm alone.
100% agree. I am actually quite dreading what they have lined up in the Direct as regards the TSW7 route pack. One of the reasons I recently reinstalled TSC was to get some more classic traction, whether the Alco’s on Feather River, the Class 25 on the Buchan Line or the numerous steam locos (though least said about the LNWR G2 the better) with a huge diversity of content. And without singing the praises of SimRail (again), there too you can choose between driving the latest Impuls EMU or the venerable (and noisy!) EU07, amongst others. Whether UK, Germany or USA, TSW is saturated with too many identikit routes and trains and I have no enthusiasm for paying £30 or £35 just to repeat the same experience.
You're completely right! And I was very tempted to grab TSC again and spend a load of money simply to do some CEP/455 driving on the Waterloo to Woking route. But luckily and rarely sanity prevailed. I am hoping SWT is coming to TSW7, as even if in a modern setting - it will stick get the excitement going. I could just about justify sticking a 313 into SWT to drive it up and down and pretend with gritted teeth its a 455 esque unit, but I'd prefer them to do it proper if they do decide to bring Waterloo to the table. But as we've both said, the real game changer here would be allowing the player to step back into the past, and although it has issues, TSW will always have that immersive pull over TSC, every time. A route with proper 80s or 90s traction, in a good setting like NSE Kent Link EPBs for Charing Cross to Dartford via Sidcup, or SWT units on a slam door operated route ie Woking to Southampton, or LTS 312s/307s on a backdated Misery Line route, take my money. DTG really need to stop this illusion that everybody just likes the present, we see it every day. Why would anybody want to drive a computerised silent 700 over a bulky, clunky, EPB or example, with it's classic loud bang at departure, those wonderful EE507s, and the absolute orchestral delight of 100s of slam doors opening and shutting at a station. Oh, and some good old fashioned wheelslip!!!!
Backdating some of the modern routes, such as Sherman Hill, Horseshoe Curve, and Cajon Pass to the 1950s-70s would be awesome. There were some amazing and unique locomotives in the US back in those days. Alcos, Baldwins, FMs, EMDs, and early GEs would be great to see. Also, steam locomotives are a must for classic routes (if we could get them, of course). There were also some really unique loco models built in the 50s-70s, including some of the biggest and most powerful (but not so successful at times) locomotives in the world, including UP Gas Turbines, Baldwin Centipedes, UP DD35s/DD35As, UP DDA40Xs, UP U50s/U50Cs, UP C855s, PRR Duplexes (S1, T1, Q1, and Q2), and Steam Turbines from UP, N&W, and PRR. Also in the 1950s-70s, we'd get some great passenger trains, including the famous Super Chief, Daylight, Broadway Limited, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, and 20th Century Limited, among others.
I’ll be honest I’m not really one personally for non UK routes but there’s no reason at all why a solid period of time focusing on nostalgic routes and traction shouldn’t include non UK. It’s so nice to read people so passionate about non UK railways
And I can't understand why we still haven't got a decent set of UIC coaches for Germany and other European countries (though being worked on for the TSG route, possibly). SimRail has a delightful set as seen here on the Lodz North Region Railtour:
Totally agree that more historical routes are needed for multiple reasons. Mainly for the historic aspect itself, steam traction and more variety in DLC releases. Anything from the first steam engines to the early 2000s could work for me. With larger yards, more stations and industries to serve, and broader use of locomotives, one would generally get more complex operations with routes set in the past. Even if it isn't a route with operational complexity though, a well crafted route set in the past would still have increased value just for the historical aspect imo.
Agreed. I get annoyed with TSW when I want to create a realistic freight scenario that runs from a siding to a siding, without any (illegal) station stops, only to discover that over 99% of the sidings cannot be accessed & the ones that are accessible are far too short, a 300m+ freight train won't fit on a 78m siding I find the TSW standard freight & passenger timetables extremely boring & not in the slightest bit challenging. Thus I create & upload full shift passenger services & freight services that are very challenging, with a preference for the Class 37 over everything else as it out performs everything including the Class 66, especially in slippery conditions, new isn't always an improvement
I've got a great route suggestion that would satisfy both the modern-day US railroad fans and the vintage US railroad fans: The Delaware-Lackawanna RR Shortline in Pennsylvania. The D-L operates on 88 miles of former D&H and DL&W trackage, which would make this line a great choice for TSW6. The route begins in Scranton, PA (where Steamtown is located). Industries on the line include a cool military ammunition factory and 24 other local industries. Everything about the D-L RR is modern, except for the locomotive roster. The D-L RR operates a large roster (over 30 locos) of old 60-70+ year old Alco and MLW (Alco's Canadian subsidiary) diesels (yes, you heard that right: Alco diesels!). The D-L even has a couple of heritage units: ex-EL Alco C425s #2452 and #2461 which wear original EL paint and an ex-D&H Alco RS-3 #4068 that wears her original D&H livery. The D-L even painted M630 #3007 (now #1776) in a D&H-inspired USA 250th Anniversary livery in May 2026. Probably the coolest loco on the D-L's roster is Doyle McCormick's Alco PA-4, NKP/D-L #190. #190 is a must-have loco for this route, along with #1776, #4068, and the EL-liveried C425s. The D-L also runs a few restored passenger cars for excursions, which should be included too. In addition, we could get the NS interchange with the D-L. We could get a new NS route in the Scranton area for more operations in the area. Could we get the Delaware-Lackawanna RR Shortline in game? It could be awesome to run some old Alco/MLW diesel power in game.
Not to be rude, but your age doesn’t really reflect the main buyer demographic of TSW. A large majority is quite a bit younger, and that group isn’t waiting for UIC coaches at all. Matt did mention in a livestream that BR Blue is great fun, but there’s simply very little demand for it. He said that JT already covers that, so DTG didn’t feel compelled to do the same. It’s a small market, and if DTG also tries to compete there, they could end up hurting each other quite a bit. Besides that, there’s plenty of fun content that doesn’t reflect the 1960s to early 2000s.
