Train Sim World 2 - First Look Metro Norths Harlem Line

Well the scenery looks better than LIRR, which is a start. The big thing here is traffic density, 260 services playable is mentioned but I’m really interested in knowing what the AI levels are.

A route like this really depends upon how busy it is.

 

One interesting note from the article:

The section down to Yankees - 153rd Street seems to have been represented on this route, which is sometimes used by Harlem Line services on match days. I also hope this means the maintenance facility at Highbridge will also be represented on this route.

Also, 260 services is the most of any US route to date and hopefully we will soon find out what this number consists of.

 

Hmm this is about the only thing on the roadmap that interests me currently, and I've been looking forward to it. But, 260 timetabled services is a lot lower than I'd of thought for such a commuter-based route - especially as the article says it's one of the busiest in New York. As mentioned above, we don't know how much AI traffic is there too?!

On the contrary though, initial screenshots look nice, which is encouraging. In the early days of TSW, LIRR was one of my favourite routes thanks in particular to the rolling stock, so I'm still looking forward to it nonetheless.

Edit: Just noticed further down near the screenshots that it says 230 timetabled services!? Can DTG confirm if it's 230 or 260, thanks.

 

The screenshot of Harlem-125th in the rush hour is strangely deserted rather than " abuzz with evening rush hour action ". I hope this doesn't represent the passenger and AI levels in the final release version.

 

Happy to see that the article is structured to put the basic facts at the top and the background info later in the article. However, there is a typo in the first sentence. The word "site" is used place of "sight" two times.


I'm also curious if New Haven traffic will be layered in using Harlem stock or if it will be omitted entirely. I would vote that it should be there, but I know that freaks out a lot of purists. (I'd even vote for them to paint some M7As red and pretend they are New Haven M8s, but I know they won't do that.)

Still crossing my fingers for some sort of modular DLC some time in the future that might allow all of New York to live together in one happy timetable.

 

230/60 scheduled trains sounds about right for Harlem Line only trains. The busy part of the route towards the southern end is due to the three Metro North lines merging so hopefully the team has included many ai services.

 

Have to say...Looking WAYYYY better than LIRR,

 

Route looks great looking forward to the first preview stream.

 

Well at least they listened to the community....Somewhat

 

Screenshots are nice so far. Now I'm looking forward to hearing from it soon.

 

Yea, screenshots look pretty good! Harlem bridge, hartsdale station, north white plains station all look pretty close to reality, impressive attention to detail based on what they showed us. The only shot that looks out of place is the one small bridge over the Bronx river, odd asset they chose but it’s between stations in a wooded area so not a huge deal.

Nice surprise about Yankees 153rd, that increases the chance we get local Hudson line drivable services from GCT and of course the 1-3 Yankee Clipper services in each direction on game days.

 

The branch to Yankees/153 is nice to have, but you're right, after Brighton Mainline, i don't think it's viable to go back to a deserted timetable like LIRR had. Proper AI for the traffic near GCT is a must.

Otherwise it's looking good!

 

This looks amazing finally some screenshots. But one concern I have. The destination boards look like they don't work. Hopefully they are functional before release.

 

Not suprising since lirr was one of tsw's oldest routes. The technology has improved since then

 

Good to see my new cloud visuals being used in the promo shots

 

Looks pretty nice, I would like to know if the PIS works on the M7A because it's not the case on the screenshots.

 

It's about time they came. I'm looking forward to see the improvements done.

 

Yeah that's my concern as well. That was one of the improvements I was looking for on the M7A. If it doesn't work it's going to be bummer.

 

I hope that when they release this line they will also correct the sounds of the M7 that until today have not been corrected, we ran with this loco without the traction sounds. (West to East)

I also hope that in the game they consider the same locomotive, just changing the livery, not making other locos as they did for the Dresden and LBN lines.

 

TrainSim-Adam said that they are working on the sounds on the M7A so fingers crossed that the sounds are improved. Really hoping that PIS works.

 

It's a shame this route is going to North White Plains instead of southeast making it a incomplete route. So much work only for a small portion of the line to be made. The backlash to that wasn't surprising and hopefully we don't get excuses of scenery in 5 years time when a full line route is 50-60 miles but we get less than half of that in game. Main line routes like this that aren't 100+long in reality but we only get a quarter of the length is getting annoying so hopefully there are improvements to make more full lines the whole line of a 50-60 mile route instead of half. The experience will be effectively the same that you got in lirr since the m7a and m3a are very similar to the lirr m3 and m7 with only minor differences really. I don't blame some who may think it's a rehashed lirr because it effectively is but in a different setting.

I am hoping this route has proper track noise and isn't acting like the line is just grinded rail because that is simply unrealistic since the MTA Metro North Railroad is notorious for it's track noise.

I suspect they will have working pis but the player won't be able to set the destination. It'll probably automatic.

I am curious though as to why they chose this line though? Probably because this line was never made for ts. The Hudson and New Haven Line was made for TS. If I was dtg I would've chose the Hudson Line since that is the most scenic route in the railroad and would open the the possibility of Amtrak services and Metro-North P32s or the Port Jervis line since that line runs in conjunction with NJ Transit and runs diesel trains from Hoboken, New Jersey to Port Jervis which would've given players a different gameplay experience. I'm glad we have a Metro North Route, but I don't think this should've been the first to be honest

 

I know NYC ain't as grimy as it was back in the day, but it kinda bothers me how clean and clinical all the buildings look? And seeing as the route runs through the city, buildings kinda play an important part.

I think even among the "old" routes LIRR isn't very good. Not as bad as the NEC though IIRC. But I'm looking forward to this, I could never get into LIRR, hopefully this'll do the trick.

 

Alright, this looks lovely so far!

The Manhattan skyline looks properly modelled, we can see the skyscrapers as approaching Grand Central. The buildings also seem to have properly lit windows, so it will probably look great at night too The stations look very well built, nicely weathered platforms, etc. Foilage also seems to be very good, grass and bushes extending close to the track, it doesn't look empty and bad like some routes. The M units also seem to be well made, I can see headlight flares, which is always a good sign (many locomotives in TSW miss them). The headlights also don't seem useless either, the tunnel shot shows they lit up the tracks pretty well. It also seems like the elevated section towards Grand Central features actual metal elevated tracks, just like in real life, and that's a big plus from me, as I really missed those from LIRR!

Some weak spots seem to be the tunnels, as they appear to be a bit too bare, based on that screenshot. Also some buildings have a bit ugly texturing (Rivet-style repeating patterns).

So visually I'm pleased, I'm really hoping it will work well as well. The base is there for the good sounds, as the original LIRR sounds were really good (except the horns and the bugs), so I'm not too worried about that. Recent routes also feature good track unevenness and bounciness, so I'm also optimistic about it being a good bumpy ride just like LIRR was.

 

Better then nothing I guess. That's the type of treatment we US Passenger fans get so am not surprised.

 

A question that often crosses my mind when routes are made in tsw , how will it differ from a route that we already have (lirr in this case)

 

Well am hoping for improved scenery, sounds, more passengers, more train traffic. There's good amount ways for this route to differ from the LIRR even though the trains are kinda the same. But LIRR has to many issues.

 

It might actually be good and enjoyable, lol

Jokes aside, it doesn't have to be "unique". If every route would be completely different and offer something new, then at some point you would be out of routes to make. For example, the CalTrain route and the MBTA part of NEC are pretty similar, but I love both of them very much. Sand Patch Grande and the upcoming Horseshoe Curve are also similar, yet people are excited for the latter as well. Or look at the british folks getting excited over every similar looking british EMU, lol.

 

Yes, the bridges and stations look properly weathered. So the buildings could also use some more. I really dislike this repeating-patterns no-weathering type of texturing that Rivet started and now DTG started doing as well. Give assets proper UV maps and texturing, for god's sake.

 

BTW, nice to see one "extra" station from the Hudson Line. Just hope it wasn't a too late an addition and end up looking like Reigate! And that one day we'll see the rest of the Hudson Line from Train Simulator as well.

From what I was told, it has a different (and clearer) safety system than the one that was used on LIRR, for one.

 

You have a point. Also I heard Joe was doing the timetable for the route. If this is true then I have a good feeling about this.

 

Well LIRR runs from Penn Station in The New York City Borough of Manhattan via the New York City Borough of Queens to Hicksville or Hempstead in Nassau County Long Island. It also goes to Atlantic Terminal Brooklyn which is in Brooklyn.

The Harlem Line on the other hand goes from Grand Central via the New York City Boroughs of Manhattan and The Bronx to White Plains which is in Westchester County, New York. This route has a mix of Urban which you would find in the New York City Boroughs of Manhattan and The Bronx. Also in White Plains as well. The route has a surburban environment which you would find in places such as Bronxville or north of Mount Vernon West so the environment is somewhat similar to LIRR in terms of being a mix of urban and surburban. The Metro North Railroad does use atc which is the same found in lirr with some differences

This route is really a rehashed version of LIRR set in a different part of the city and state but at least the trains will be an improvement over the LIRR M3 and M7 with hopefully an improved atc system as well

 

The current onboard PIS DTG uses is automatic-with-manual-override, as in Brighton Main Line's 377s and 387s..

 

DTG is now fighting with Rivet, who will make the shortest route?
But Rivet is slightly ahead on points because at least they are building new locomotives instead of just recycling old ones.

 

Yeh that's the 377 and 387. In the 377 you could always change the destination manually even before bml. In bml they just added more destinations. I'm talking about the M7A. In lirr you couldn't set the destination so I wouldn't expect to be able to change the destination on the M7A. You can't even change the destination on the DB BR 612. I hope I'm wrong though

 

It’s looking good and I’m looking forward to this route, but will it use the crappy sounds from LIRR? Or has DTG took the time to make sure the sounds work properly across all parts of the train? If sounds have been improved, are the improvements being put into LIRR?

 

Looks awesome!

 

Looks awesome but if one takes a look at the M7A it's straight up Reskinned LIRR M7 with Modified cab because the air conditioning vent didn't get modified Metro-North has a vent pointing upwards unlike LIRR version the Yellow colour which has the air conditioning vent absent. For those that are coming in from Long Island Railroad Metro-North Harlem Line will play identical to Long Island Railroad and don't have to worry about Red button drivers reminder Appliance UK DMU/EMU Modern followed by PZB All German and Future ÖBB Austrian routes

 

Can't wait to have them ported to previous content.

 

It works on all the latest DTG content and it is being added to previous DLCs. It will work on release day unless there is any kind of unexpected bug.

 

Keep in mind that this is Still a WIP, there is still hope for a change

 

It's funny you said that because I was just thinking that it would be awesome if the Harlem River Lift Bridge actually worked. That would be something really different to anything else we have seen in the game before.

 

This route actually looks really interesting, the urban scenery looks very unique. Great that we get two EMUs too. Overall I'm really looking forward to it.

 

Still haven't played much of LIRR (waiting for the grand update) but I'll be getting this route for sure

 

Yeah, it looks good but I'm less hyped for this route since we’ve already seen these trains once before. Maybe the preview stream will change that though

 

True but history has shown us that something that is "WIP" is effectively what we will get on release

 

From a local who's ridden on this very route in real life a few times, I'm happy to say it's looking really good so far! I was able to recognize plenty of things straight away in the screenshots so I suppose that's a good sign

With that being said, I'd love to point out a few things that (hopefully) the devs can address before launch!


Here we see a fantastic shot of an M7A looking southbound towards Manhattan, presumably taken very close to the junction near 149th Street where the Hudson Line diverges. The background skyline feels right, however the immediate surroundings could perhaps use a pass for weathering details, particularly with the third rail. They're not quite as shiny in real life.
Another point: on board the M7's, there's a cab door that can swing open to allow for through traffic between carriages, or swing close to...close off the cab. I cannot recall ever seeing the door being opened as such in the picture (where you can see into the passenger compartment.) This makes for some very cramped conditions for the engineer, and is usually therefore closed when the cab is active.


Possibly one of my most favorite shots in the article, with an M7A stopped at the White Plains station. The clock tower in the background is modeled fantastically, and I really appreciate the new detail of giving a subtle glow to those lights along the side of the train. The train also appears to be weathered appropriately. It's worth pointing out however that the PIS doesn't seem to be turned on (its those red boards just above the windows, located between the set of doors.) Hopefully these will be modeled before release?


Here's a shot of the cab on the M7A, and right away I noticed that the MFD displays are different to the ones on the LIRR.
An interesting detail: take a look at the left hand display, it's showing details such as the destination and next station. Does this mean the train is aware of where it is, and therefore will display things dynamically on the PIS? Much like the PIS on the Class 377 on the BML? If so, that would be a very nice touch!
Speaking of touch, I hope these displays will offer a few more options to turn on and off. If memory serves correctly, I think the HVAC and lighting on the LIRR M7 was toggle-able, but only on the PC version. Hopefully DTG can extend this functionality for console players as well.


I just wanted to give props for how great this shot looks. The bridge is modeled very accurately


Finally, here's a shot of the Harlem 125th Street station. The background skyline is fantastic, and the general shape and structure feels about right.
However, I'd like to point out that the yellow strips along the platform edge are much more faded and weathered, while the underlying structure of the station should have a much more vivid red/brown color. The coloring along the viaduct is very recognizable and is a strong characteristic of this area.

Regarding the 260 services number, it feels just about right for this route actually, as long as these account for the playable services. Remember, the Harlem Line shares tracks with other services as well, and therefore the amount of AI traffic should (in theory) be a bit larger.

With all that said, I'm very much liking what I'm seeing so far, and I cannot wait to get my hands on this route. Hopefully that first preview stream isn't too far away now!

 

OMG, i am blown away by the scenery especially they got the bridge right, as in terms of the trainset i don't know if they reused it from the current lirr M3 and M7A but the scenery is definitely a huge improvement. I just now worry about if the got all the realistic sound right, and track noise rumbling, curving, crossing the bridge, and the city ambient and atmosphere, and station scenery correct and especially got the train sound and horn and bell correct. Also let hope the team also get the signal system and atc correct. Overall I am just blown away despite the fact that they can't extend all the way to Southwest, hopefully, they will in the future.

There is some station photo that isn't in the article still from what I saw which I believe they are saving until closer to the release date in order to surprise us. Along with the Grand Central Terminal still not shown at the moment.
Anyway, Amazing Job to all those who work on this route? Can't wait to see more photo and wait till the release date, which i am thinking its next week or the week after but still going to be my first day purchase.

 

Great observations!

 

That's what I also saw yesterday while researching the M7 suppose to have an air vent coming from the top,

What does this mean, does that mean that we will see Hudson line added later?