Legendary, rugged, and packed with Union Pacific and BNSF action, famed Tehachapi Pass is coming soon to Train Simulator! Please read the full article here.
Read the article via a link on Facebook. Disappointed that its going to be set in the modern era, would of really of loved to seen the route set before 1995. However I'm quite surprised to see that BNSF equipment will be included in the route. The Union Pacific AC4400CW is also something new, though not sure how it will sound or perform.
Perfect, great to see BNSF locomotives back in steam on routes created by DTG. Just don't rush the route, and launch it without problems. Taking the opportunity, how about bringing Maria Pass and Cajon Pass back?
I'm actually happy about the modern era, simply because for the majority handling grades with complicated brake systems is enough of a challenge. But I'm all for a scenario / loco pack by GWD, scanning the article I've seen the Cab Forward and some more. Problem is licensing again. I kinda wish that these new locos would use the same assets as the original ES44DC, enabling reskins and somesuch. Even if it means we'd have to use our brains and pick bundles. Then again, it might be upgraded. And I don't quite need more old stuff to play. :-D
I am happy to see them as well but sadly they will be unbranded outside the US. But that does not really bother too much.
Though unbranded, BNSF content brought back by DTG are great news! I can't complain about it as this is way more than what I was expecting, but it would be nice to have SD70v2 pack brought back without the BNSF branding, is a very important loco and we are missing NS, CN and CSX locos only because of the branding of another company. The AC4400CW is great news too and the route looks very nice and detailed, let's just hope it is not broken as people say Granger Heartland is. Something else: just six scenarios?
It is needed for many repaints and for other companies SD70s that are packed with it. It will be little effort for a lot of possible clients
There is also workshop content that require these loco's as well and would love to be able to play those routes.
I'm gonna guess roughly on par with the ES44's we're all familiar with at this point, maybe with the TSW sound set if we're lucky. Speaking of TSW I wonder if the model's from that? I notice that the front handrails are the wrong type, seem like the ones the CSX version has. Granger Heartland looked way worse when they showed it off, looked like a cartoon in DTG's shots! This looks pretty solid, not a guarantee it will function correctly by any means, but the fact the route itself looks fairly solid gives more hope that the team had plenty pf time to work on it.
Of course, for SP action, all we have to do is improvise! I actually hope that sometime, a skilled route builder will remake and release a pre-merger version of it on the Workshop!
Route aesthetics aside, a "new" SP loco is coming, too, so chances are there will be workshop stuff as well as scenario packs, similar to the Donner-Sherman-Soldier ecosystem. There have been a few route transformations. Only wishful thinking. I didn't note earlier but this pack seems to be rather well equipped with equipment, similar to Donner. This enables some consist versatility which is a pet peeve of mine for a while.
Well I'm sure a backdated version can be easily created, or if it's even necessary, depending on how much Tehachapi has evolved these past 26 years. The AC4400CW looks promising in terms of something simpler to reskin, as the Searchlight one is absolute insanity, but I have a feeling it'll be eclipsed by the coming variations of the Searchlight AC44.
HIS backdated their Hanover sub, I don't know if it is just the rolling stock or the route too, but with their experience maybe Tehachapi is a good oportunity for them trying isn't it?
Don't think a backdated route is necessary, as outside of maybe the Signals and some additions of double track in select areas on the Pass, the route has pretty much been the same since the Kern County earthquake in the 50's. At least with DTMs 3 loco dlcs, and Mileposts 2 Santa Fe routes, I can try and make something happen. Also, the modern era setting means we can at least run Coast Starlight detours on the line.
Watching this video I notice that there are mostly concrete ties, however, screenshots in the article show wooden ties (this happens with many DTG routes).
They seem to assume that since most of the route is wooden ties that it isn't necessary to include concrete ties, though I would disagree, the idea is to try to be as accurate as reasonably possible.
so this route will open up DLC ideas. like UPSD90MAC-H2. maybe those sd70ace themes like 1943 and UP1111 power by our people, bush 4141 sd70ace. who knows maybe unbranded BNSF ac4400cw dlc. yes i know searchlights simulator is working on bnsf ac4400cw.
Not sure what is realistically available for this route. The SD90MAC most likely won't happen due to the SD9043MAC being released for Grainger Heartland a few years ago. I dont see a BNSF AC4400cw happening, they don't have very many of them and are not commonly seen. Other options would be the Tier 4 units, the ET44 and the SD70ACeT4, but UP and BNSF own different models of ET44 (UP has ET44ACs while the BNSF orders are all ET44C4s) And Union Pacific is the only owner of the T4 ACe with barely 100 of them. BNSF last I've heard canceled their original orders.
i wondering if there been improvement on sd70ace like maybe the headlight is same brightness as ditch lights.
So, looking thru the photos now that I'm home from work, and I'm quite surprised that Dovetail modeled the Amtrak San Joaquin Station decently well in Bakersfield, not to mention adding actual platforms with people on it, especially since it has no use for anyone on this route (San Joaquin trains only go north from Bakersfield)
Looking forward to this route However I hope I'm not being picky but I think 68 miles is relatively short for this route and no Passenger services on this route is kind of a disappointment.
I played the version in Trainz 12 and I strongly disagree, the route might not be the length of say the Milepost routes, but it's pretty darn long as is. The included scenarios I imagine won't take full advantage of the length knowing DTG. But you're talking about two hours end to end in a straight run, plus a few yards, industries, and sidings which provide quite a few possibilities for scenario makers. Also while it gets detours the lines doesn't usually have passenger service, so I would much rather have another freight locomotive than the P42 all things considered. On paper I think this is the strongest route DTG have made for the US in a while, lots of stock, good length, and plenty of possibilities for use of stock from ATSF and SP by scenario makers. And in terms of the look of the route I think this is the best looking version of the route a good margin. Could easily still have screwed up signaling and signages, but at least from what has been seen it's promising.
I'm betting not, I find it telling that they show good pictures of all the stock with the route but the SD70ACE. Indeed I'm not even sure if they showed it off in the pics, I think I see them in the background of the header image, but even that I'm not even completely sure of that.
Two hours to do 70 miles sounds like the average speed will be around 30mph, which is a little disappointing for me on a route this long.
That's good news to hear, finally make it an enjoyable loco to drive. Do the bearings on the trucks rotate now, because that's something that has bothered me ever since I got them.
I'd love to get the new Tehachapi Pass route. Perhaps we could get a new Cajon extension to Mojave west from Barstow so that the routes could be merged. UP ET44ACs, BNSF ET44C4s, UP SD70AH-T4s, UP SD70Ms, BNSF SD70MAC(e)s, UP/BNSF GP60s, and UP/BNSF Genset Switchers could be added as DLC. I'd also like to suggest adding the SP Heritage SD70ACe. That would fit perfectly on this route. All the UP Heritage units need to be remade.
i saw that one of rolling stock is centerbeam car i wonder if the bulkhead flatcar will be included as well?
Just a note, if anyone is interested in watching actual traffic on the line, the Tehachapi Depot has 3 livestream cameras on the pass At their Depot At Cable And one at the loop
so looking closely at the UP ac4400cw the front trucks have shock absorber bars on both sides of the trucks. so i look and the southern pacific ac4400cw has that. so DTG has model UP ac4400cw after the sp ac4400cw but added the battery box step like the up ac4400cw model http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos...aring Yard Bedford Park IL 5-22-95 1024P.jpg http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0107/sp127.jpg
Huh. How fitting that I see a video of the Ringling Brothers & Barnum And Bailey circus train, [Insert moment of silence here pls], heading over the Pass whilst surfing the waves of bookFace. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2882783345304598
i will say if DTG wanted to make non-branded bnsf ac4400cw they just change widows to 4 side windows designed that it. they can make a bunch of ac4400cw dlc for this game now. i going to guess next dlc for this route would be bnsf ac4400cw or sp unit. http://www.qstation.org/5600/5600.jpg
Yeah, Railfan Depot has alot of great preview clips from various media that they sell. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1203549263429454 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=301986248169817 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1128631897561435 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=292770492450082 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=783224488978072
Just how fast can a 10000 foot long freight train negotiate the Loop? There's always German routes to give you that need for speed with the ICE.. Thanks DTG for releasing another US route which those of us outside the USA can enjoy.
Oh, I totally get that the loop itself would be a low speed section. I was thinking of routes like Marias Pass and Soldier Summit, where you do have the slow sections but also some parts where you can drive at a relatively high speed
70 miles, two hours, makes a 35 mph bulk speed, considering the slow speed sections there will probably be higher speed sections as well.
The part around Bakersfield I believe is around 60ish, and I think the portion around Mojave is also fairly high speed for a bit. But I think if you measured it you're talking around probably 10 miles or so of the route that are high speed, the rest is very much a slow trek. This route I'd say is more comparable to something like Donner Pass or Canadian Mountain Passes than Marias Pass in terms of track profile. Marias itself is fairly steep, but the portion from the CFAC plant to Whitefish as well as the portion from Glacier Park to Shelby aren't, and thus are much faster. The former two however have very steep grades throughout most of the route, thus have very low speed through most of it.
I don't have any of those three to compare but I find it good if it is over 30or 35 mph. Hannover sub, Feather river canyon, N-line and maybe coal district are under 25 through a big part of the route and those I find them slow but they are beautiful anyway.
If anyone wants a read, I stumbled across a Union Pacific employee timetable for the Mojave Sub from 2013. It includes grade profiles and track speed limits.