I personally did not like NEC, the only reason I have it in my TSW2020 dlc folder is because I got the bundle with GWR and RT Did anyone like it (not because it had Amtrak)
I didn't mind the CSX scenarios, but didn't much care for the Amtrak stuff, also never bought any of the DLC for it either.
Personally, I don't like NEC from the passenger perspective (doesn't matter if it's high speed or commuter). But not Amtrak itself since I do like a few Diesels that were made for them (Genesis, F40PHs, P30CHs, & SC-44s). Now, the freight side of it is not bad so to speak. A little disappointed that CSX is the freight represented on nearly any part of the NEC route from TS1 and TSW so far. Would've been nice to have a little bit from NS on the track. Either on the main or adjacent to the route (Like Fresh Pond Jct.). But, that's just my thoughts though.
If it wasn't for the poor implementation and the bugs, I would have loved it. I enjoyed the freight services anyway, pretty well structured.
I must admit,I liked it, especially the freight side, seemed to be plenty of variety. I would love to see it back in TSW2
Build quality was the main reason I didn’t like it. It could have been a good route and still could be with some rebuilding and tweaks here and there. I might fire it up and have a bit of a drive around with the freight soon just for another look. I’m sure there a places I’ve never been on the route and as I gave up playing on it before I’d really got to grips with the GP38 I’m sure I can get a few hours enjoyment out of it every now and then. Passenger runs weren’t so good as I recall.
I never picked NEC up due to the bugs and issues surrounding it. If it had been preserved and a few fixed applied then I would most likely have picked it up. It's the only TSW 1 route I don't have.
I liked it. Althoug the signalling and speed limits confused the hell out of me, the landscape was interesting and different to the other routes, and the Amtrak train looked pretty cool.
I liked it mainly for ATC and ACSES, while bugged in some places (near NY IIRC) and it was quite fun having to adhere to all the various speed limits. Also I liked the suburban feel of the route
I didn’t hate the route. It wasn’t my favourite, mainly because of the bugs and relatively poor graphics compared with other routes. I’d like to see NEC make a return - preferably with the Acela.
I'm in the middle on NEC. I really liked the freight activities, the timetable of the GP38-2 was setup to be like a driver's day shift. The passenger services were ok... If you didn't have the safety systems active, they were a tad on the buggy side and could make it impossible to keep to the timetable. I did like the look of the ACS-64 though and it's a shame the loco isn't usable in TSW2 even if only in scenario planner. I would be all for having NEC rebuilt from the ground-up, some of the scenery in the original could be spiced up and maybe the route could be extended too for some extra mileage with a new loco throw into the mix. There's definitely the potential for a great route in NEC but as it was in TSW2020, I didn't dislike it but it was just, eh...
The main reason why I liked the route was due its rolling stock. ACS-64 locomotive and passenger cars are beautiful from a design perspective including the locomotive paint scheme (I don´t mean in game but in the real case). The locomotive was really detailed and nicely done, including the possibility to access the engine room area which is a feature not even available in many of the most recent DLCs. It has been a rare exception indeed (few german locos also have it). But it had many cons too: the route layout itself was nice but the engine was not ready for such a heavy scenario workload at that time and the urban details were not very high. Also yard was barely used by services, even after the shunter release. The freight branch was unfinished and rushed just to be able to use the CSX engine there (many floating buildings and missing objects). There were also missing catenary cables at some places, ATC had several bugs including a brake application at the bridge that was never corrected, Penn had phantom signals at platforms giving all aspects at once (that were replicated also at LIRR afterwards), etc. I think it was either created at the wrong time in the roadmap (too early so to say) or they were too ambitious with the content and run out of budget for it, as it looks as if it was abandoned before finishing all that was planned for it. Maybe if it had been planned as a TSW2 DLC instead the results would have been much better and mature. Who knows... Cheers
The route was filled with bugs, but I really loved it. The Northeast Regionals were a fine drive with ACS-64s and the freight operations were short but nicely branched. I definitely think this one needs to return, but have it be remade. NY Penn platforms were clipping through everything, other stations looked mostly flat. Add more stations southbound, throw in NJT and I am willing to buy it again for a full DLC price.
I only did the CSX freight scenarios, because I didn't think the Amtrak services were all that great. I would definitely like to see a new NEC route in the future.
From a purely gameplay prospective, yes I did, I enjoyed doing a service from an airport into a city terminus and then the run out to New Rochelle. I also liked the ACS-64. The only thing that really put me off was the lacking route Traffic, and the scenery, it was not a very good representation of NYC, and I also think that the route was a little too short.
Yes, the ACS-64 was nice. The bugged signaling and lack of services are what drove me to only do the freight services.
ACS-64 was a cool little loco, the abysmal route building (shock) was the main reason I voted no. Can we please find the Shukal screenshots
I'm going with a "yes, but" answer: + I like the CSX portion quite a bit. + The ACS-64 was fun to drive and well modeled. + The Amtrak switcher is fun to drive and well modeled. + I like the urban/industrial setting very much. - the portion of the route represented was poorly chosen, with Penn Station as the midpoint slowing down an already short route. - Keystone cabcar is pointless/barely usable given the portion of the route modeled (see above) - Various signalling/speed limit/ATC issues that were never fixed. Since it seems like most of the routes in the near-term will be TS ports, i'm thinking we'll see the DC-Baltimore section come to TSW2 before too long. It's a pretty boring section IMO, but at least it has one logical terminus, so I'll reserve judgement for now.
i for one would like to see dovetail bring back NEC New York for one the USA Has a lack of routes and locos now due to them not remastering this route like they did with Sand Patch Grade i think if we didnt have the covid they would of done so and had it for launch for TSW2 i hope they take the time to do this know i dont see why not it was built on a old system and thats why they cant bring it over but they can rebuild it from the ground up for me know i wish dovetail would start taking more time to get things right before release of stuff have the lighting right and FPS And memory issues sorted out and go back to PC Release before Console like it used to be anyway NEC New york is for one for me very cool in one part the Hells Gate Bridge reminds me of going over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as i live in sydney australia its very cool and i do know the hells gate was built before the sydney harbour bridge anyway we will wait n see if dovetail pull the trigger on this i for one never have had issues with this route no fps issues or that
NEC had its problems, but since it was a route I had plenty of first hand experience on - I enjoyed the runs anyway - was always flying out of Newark and taking the train from the city - Ran over the same tracks when taking the Acela to DC. While I would definitely not classify my self as a casual - I feel mature enough to accept some problems with a route that I can enjoy it even with some major warts. Really enjoyed the freight runs as well.
I'm surprised by the number of people who actually liked the route. I went with a no, simply because I'm a passenger buff. And the two endpoints made no sense whatsoever. Like I can't past the fact that someone who had the power to greenlight the route thought it was even remotely a great idea. It felt very much like a payware demo. Only 5 stops, and the included loco, only actually utilizes 4 of them IRL. The route was so poorly received, that it wasn't even worth porting and preserving. Effectively making it the only reason people will go back to play TSW2020.
The shunting drives are nice, but I did not like the passenger drives very much. So, my answer would be yes and no.
NEC is something special to me. When I bought tsw 2020 collector's edition I had 8 routes to choose the first one I would play, and I decided on this route. I hadn't played any trains since MSTS many years ago and this was LOVE at first sight. For me it was amazing that feeling of immersion. Seeing those trains so well modelled, those cabs. To have that freedom to walk... I will never forget that feeling, this game hooked me since then and that's why this route is in my heart. I also bought the shunter SW1000R DLC which also included the Amfleet cab car, both spectacular. I'm not going to deny that when I played other routes I realised the shortcomings of this one, but despite that I still like it. It has a lot of good details, the Amtrak locomotive is very well modelled and as an anecdote, we haven't seen the open bar in the restaurant car since on any route. I was sorry when they said it wouldn't be part of the preserved routes but I'm still playing it on TSW2020.
Do I like NEC as a route to drive in a train simulator? YES absolutely. There are 3 NEC routes for TS1 that I drive often. Did I like the NEC as it appeared in TSW? NO. It was a buggy, half finished mess. I have little doubt that the NEC will appear in TSW2 at some point in the future, but I think the TSW1 route is dead and buried, as it should be.
I enjoyed the freight activities, but was disappointed with not being able to actively work in the Budweiser sidings,,,
The overwhelming impression was robot trains in a dead world. You were glad to leave the urban areas.
It was just simply a poor choice. On the freight side of things, maybe okay, but I don't know because I'm not a freight buff. On the passenger side, it was a poorly received effort, which I feel they indirectly acknowledged when they decided not to bring that route forward. Additional content supplied for the route, being the Ex-metroliner Cab car, which would have served a much better purpose on TS1, didn't help it much at all.
IIRC it was because the way it was built would not allow them to easily port it to the new UE used by TSW2, of course not being very popular might have helped
No and no. Federico is correct: NEC was the first route built using the TSW/Unreal engine, they didn't really know what they were doing and were making it up as they went along, and a lot of it was kludged together. It just doesn't match up with the systems used in later routes, and so it wouldn't port without being hand-tailored -- to the point it would be less work to start over from scratch. It had nothing to do with "poorly received" (after all, it was part of the original TSW bundle so there were no individual sales numbers to track).
Just chiming in here... I actually like the NEC route at least for its CSX freight action- especially the Fresh Pond Junction to Oak Point Yard run, which is a good example of a longer freight run with some decent scenery along the way. In general, I’m more of a fan of the North American freight action modeled in 2020 (CN in Oakville Sub, CSX in NEC, and at least some UP action in Peninsula Corridor)... although I do enjoy the Peninsula Corridor passenger action as well (tedious with all of the stops, but rewarding as well with 2 locos to play with). I hope DTG brings back the NEC route at some point... and certainly hope they release it in decent shape right out of the gate, without a lot of issues in it. P.S. Here’s a link to a video of my run in the NEC ‘Back Track’ scenario... just posting this for anyone that’s interested: