First of all, can you guys make the manifests and Autoracks longer than the 18 cars that most of them are... second of all, ethanol trains require buffers on both ends so add boxcars or any other car on the front and back of the train... Third, could you guys add in some widecab 6 axle locomotives for the road trains... maybe an SD75I or ES44AC/DC Thanks! Do you guys agree with what I said?
I liked your idea about the buffer cars... based on your post, I spent a fair amount of time yesterday digging up info all about those on the web! And I like your idea on the larger locos as well... I’m really waiting for some of those to appear in the sim. I did find one post that suggested they don’t use any buffer cars at all on unit trains in Canada, but then I saw some youtube vids where they were used on at least some Canadian unit trains. Not sure what they do in real life at this point (especially CN)... if I were en engineer on any unit train- especially hauling anything hazardous/flammable- I’d sure want them. I might post some of the links I ran into yesterday in this thread later today.
...here are some of the links I ran into on buffer car usage (on unit trains, and on any train where there are dangerous goods being transported): https://www.up.com/customers/ind-prod/crude/equipment/index.htm http://www.boe.aar.com/boe/download/US_HMI.pdf http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/227069.aspx http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/217277.aspx https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,4031515
...here’s a nice drone video of a CP/BNSF unit train with quite a few buffers, including around the helpers in the middle, plus two more buffers at the end.
Glad you guys like my ideas... if they do add the bigger locomotives in, hopefully the trains will be more than 20-30 cars... maybe 50-100
...pics of my current DPU unit train in Hamilton Explorer in Oakville- I added buffer cars to it where they should be (based on the earlier video I posted). TSW 2020... is it a train simulator, or is it a train set? Well, it’s actually both! ...head end: ...helpers in the middle: ...tail end
...all you have to do is start up the ‘Hamilton Explorer’ scenario in Oakville Sub. What I also do is reserve my single saved-game slot in the sim for Hamilton Explorer- that way I can always come back to it and pick up exactly where I left off with whatever I’ve put together there. Very handy.
...no problem- hope you have as much fun in the Explorer as I have. One caveat- sometimes after restoring my Hamilton Explorer saved game, I have various minor issues with the trains I put away in fully working condition. Just listing these for posterity in case anyone else runs into any of these after restoring a saved game. - have had issues with the ditch lights no longer being on in the lead loco, even though the ditch lights switch is still in the On position. The fix- turn the ditch lights switch off then back on. - have also had issues with the helper units in my DPU train no longer throttling up and down in sync with the lead units (this happens every time I restore my saved game). The fix- turn the Banking radio in the lead unit at the front of the train off then back on (fixes it every time). - and just today, I had trouble with the auto-brake in the lead unit up front in my DPU train (brake pipe pressure never got high enough on the loco to release the brakes). The fix- move the auto-brake cut-out valve to Cut-Out then back to Freight. Note this is the first time I’ve seen this issue.
I believe in the NEC add on a similar buffer car like train can be seen with an inbound mixed CSX freight train that arrives at Oak Point yard at 10:30AM. The exception with this train is the tanker cars are within the train itself. But their are CSX hoppers & boxcars acting like buffer cars. A very early example of this in TSW. Note the NEC script is from march 2018. I unfortunately don't have any screenshots to share but bare with me it does look like that. It is really an amazing site to see such a long train. I believe it is a 30-car mixed consist that arrives, Being hauled by 2 either a GP38-2 or a GP40-2.
...I liked your buffer car pics btw, thanks for posting these. Not sure on your first pic, but that buffer might be marked in the middle saying ‘Buffer Svc’ or something like that... I’ve seen online pics of buffers recently showing some marked for this service.
Thanks for posting this info- will be checking out some of the early morning NEC traffic later today, maybe even grab a few pics if I can!
...links to a couple of nice videos of unit trains. The first is a long (and I mean long) oil train with some big-gun CN helpers in the middle... and the second is a grain train led by 4 CN locos. I wish I could get some of these CN locos in the sim... maybe one day.
I finally checked out that 30-car (manifest) train you mentioned... it looked pretty cool rolling into Oak Point yard nice and slow around 10:15A. I took over the train and grabbed a few pics for you (incl some tanker/buffer car combos)... thought you might like that. And it had 2 x GP38-2s up front btw.
Thanks appreciate it. Whenever i'm bored I usually spawn at Oak Point Yard to collect that train and bring it over to the Hells Gate Bridge and try to recreate an unstoppable scene. I use the locomotives independant brakes to stop the train and uncouple the freight cars. It then becomes a RUNAWAY TRAIN. As it goes down the slope back towards Oak Point Yard it gets up to 60+mph. Not the most positive idea but it's really cool.
Hi First of all, I also agree bigger new locomotives must be added to the sim, for PS4! I will prefer ES44AC, and SD70ACE. So it is possible to modify the wagons on a train, on PS4? Or your image is on PC? Regards
Yep, those images were taken on my PS4. And it is possible to build a train like this using several locos with any available cars in the Hamilton Explorer scenario (part of Oakville Sub). For me, it was a lot of fun... especially learning how to get this helper-unit train up and running. Just wish they had free-roam scenarios like this in all of the routes for TSW 2020.
Would I be right in assuming that once you’ve made a nice train in Hamilton Explorer that it doesn’t allow you to take that train onto the mainline and actually drive it to the other end of the route? I think I heard that when the route came out and thought that it was daft. Is that still the case? If I make a train I want to drive it somewhere too.
You are totally correct... about not being able to run said trains from end to end in the route, and about that being pretty daft. I might actually submit a feature request to them about that today... can’t hurt, and I would sure like to see my 2 unit trains runnin’ that stretch of track to Oakville yard. Thanks for chiming in on this- your note gave me the idea to submit the request.
That extra feature could be the difference between me buying the route and not buying the route. At the moment it’s right at the bottom of my list. I like the idea of building a train but to then just have it in the yard seems like such a waste. At least in NEC you can drive somewhere.
I’ve got a feature request ready to submit tomorrow to: A) open up the entire route in Oakville Sub for use when using the Hamilton Explorer free-roam scenario, and B) consider adding free-roam scenarios to other routes supported by TSW 2020 as well. I also plan on getting polls up and running in new threads for all TSW 2020 platforms to find out what players think of these two ideas... need to find out if they like these ideas (or not), and if adding these features would influence their decision to purchase new routes. Finally, I plan on adding a link to all of these polls to my ticket to make the poll data visible to back-end DTG folks. How does all of that sound to you guys?
Yes, NEC allowed people to travel the entire distance of the freight line all the way to Fresh Pond yard via the Hells Gate Bridge. This was because of the Manual junctions and no signals restricting the player to the track. I think DTG should add an option to choose which track the player wants to switch too. On any route before passing the junction that's a SIGNAL CONTROLLED junction. The player would be given an option to switch tracks using the contact signaller feature. There are many flaws with this approach as well, since the routes were built with services into the signaling network. This choosing track system would not work unless DTG overhauls all the routes to support this. But this is unlikely to occur. But is a good proposal.
Wait, NEC has that feature? I tried once and the stop marker started to glitch out bcuz of distance away from it (1+ miles), I couldn’t exit the scenario with progress anymore unless I restarted it
Anyways, I do agree with this post and buffer cars would make the ethanol trains more realistic, and, to make it even more realistic, to add heavy haul mainline freight locomotives
...yep, *please* give all of us some big-iron freight locos- SD class at the least, maybe even a 4400 variant, etc. Really hope we see this soon... it’s long overdue.
I was talking about the service mode not the scenario. In the service mode you can get a freight train and pull it along the entire freight line. It is actually really fun to just drive up and down the long length of track. You can also switch tracks and play with the various freight around the line. This should and could be implemented on other routes (Were freight lines are present). Overall I was explaining how TSW 2020 would be really mice if we had an option to switch the current track we were on. I would love to see this on the LIRR so we can switch between express or local. Anyways enough with my rambling, Let's go back to the threads topic lads.
I am very happy to see that my post has created a discussion... I am really hoping we get a Heavy Haul route for over here soon whether it is the CN Oakville sub eith 6 axle locos or a completely different route
Yep, you started the thread... and I’m glad you did. I guess we also have something new coming our way from DTG on 6/9... I would like to see a new US freight route, or at least some new heavy-haul locos in either Peninsula Corridor, Oakville or NEC. One can always hope... I’m willing to wait, and willing to pay!
We finally have a heavy Haul coming to console.... CSX HH! I'm excited as I live closeby to the route
I was very surprised about the scope of the announcement on 6/9. I would’ve been happy with just getting a new US freight route or CSX HH coming to the consoles- but instead, we get CSX HH and a completely new engine coming our way (incl several key new features). And they even have plans in the works to come up with what they called ‘loyalty’ (discounted) pricing for the new sim- and all of that is definitely working for me right now. I just hope TSW 2 delivers on the promise, and is pretty much bug-free on delivery... this launch needs to go well for them, otherwise a lot of paying customers could be disappointed. P.S. That must be awesome living near a CSX route... if I did, I’d be out there daily filming as much action as I could!
Wait, they’re gonna offer a discount for the new game? I didn’t hear anything of such. I only know it’s gonna cost £24.99, which makes for $29.99, but I didn’t know of a discount. Is that on PC or also on consoles? If it’s on both, then I just hope the MS store offers a discount too bcuz they’re always kinda late when it comes to DTG’s sales.
I’m positive I heard Matt mention ‘loyalty pricing’ in the Q&A live stream with Sam... but also mentioned that the details on this haven’t been worked out yet. I assumed that the 24.99 (UK) price is the normal price, and the lower loyalty price is yet to be determined. And I don’t think they mentioned platform during this same conversation, so I’m assuming for now that this discount applies to all platforms that run TSW 2. Let me know what you think!
i got that CSX HH is coming to consoles (thanks!)... I was just commenting that not only do we get CSX HH, but an entirely new train sim as well. Much more than I expected coming our way in Aug... can’t wait.
Well I really hope they do offer a discount on all platforms as a way to “celebrate” the coming of TSW 2, if they do I’ll be so happy they did!
My apologies as I read your post it came across as that, I am looking forward to the new changes and new routes as well.
...not your fault- upon rereading my note I can see it’s a little unclear (will correct that shortly).
No worries I have has the same issues with mine have everything planned what I want to type out. But for some reason it doesn't always work out that way.
One easy thing Dovtail could do, is to make available the repaint of the AC4000CW in CN colors , for Oakville Sub. Canadian National it have the same GE locomotive as CSX with its special bogies, So even I do not have this route, I believe it will be nice for the ones who have it. But you will have to wait to use it on TSW2. As this locomotive is not possible on current sofware. May be they want us to use the Repaint tool.instead.... The problem is each one will have to do it by himself, as could not be possible to share it, unfortunately.
Hey, I definitely like this idea! I think it would be awesome to make the AC4400 loco available in any routes supported in TSW 2 (preserved or native to TSW 2) that use it in real life. Being able to expand all routes this way moving forward is a key feature for me... and it has to be a lot easier for DTG than creating an entirely new route.
That is a great idea, and wouldn’t be a bad thing to do since both railroads practically use the same model, it would be nice, and I wish DTG would do “repaints” like this for TSW 2020 routes!
Lots of great notions in this thread, but since DTG has apparently decided to abandon modifications and changes to TSW after TSW2 comes out, they're probably all just pipe dreams. DTG continued to modify, improve, and expand TS after the introduction of TSW, so this abandonment of TSW really puzzles me. As I read the TSW2 announcement(s), we will be able to "import" TSW content we already own into the new version, but that's about all. How odd that they will abandon so much creativity (yes, warts and all) in favor of a new version of TSW. As old orange likes to say, "Sad!"
Yes, so the only option is to everyone would like to have CN loco, it will have to repaint it by itself. Or... Other possibility is they make it for TSW2 Sand Patch, considering railway companies leases locos to other ones, then CN one could be there too. Furthermore if you consider they mentioned the difficulties get the approval and agreement of railway companies, but they already have with CN, it is possible they launch a new canadian route for this railway. So they could use CN the loco there!
And not just that, but, like Raildan said in the Baseless Speculations Thread, CN also runs down into the Mid-American territory, from Canada all the way to New Orleans, so they could also make an American route based on the CN railroad, or they could make another Canadian route, but a lot longer and with more services and long haul locos, kinda like sand patch.