Hi, I've been wanting to buy some Steam train DLC recently, and I don't know where to get started because there is so much on the store. I would appreciate recommendations for some good Steam DLC for a beginner steam train driver.
Hi Blazin, personally I recommend the BMG Rebuilt Royal Scot, it is the one I used to learn about driving steam locos. It looks as scary as hell at first, as this is one advanced piece of kit, but don't let that put you off. I struggled with a lot of the more basic offerings as I didn't understand what did what and what affected what, resulting in inevitable failure. (Ran out of water, not enough fire mass etc.) The beauty of this loco is that you (as the driver) have practically every valve / lever etc. available to you, so you are able to learn bit by bit what does what by trial and error. Now the good bit, there are 5 levels of Auto Fireman available to you as a beginner. For starters set to No. 5 level and you only have to worry about learning the driver's side of things. As you get more confident you can start to lower the Auto Fireman level till eventually you are in total control of everything. I do recommend having the manual to hand for added guidance. (See Attached) Don't get me wrong, you are not as a beginner going to master the art of kettles in 10 minutes, but this beauty does give you a masive pat on the back feeling when you complete your first run succesfully. Hope that helps
I would choose one of the more recent steam locos by Victory Works. They come with three operating modes: simple, standard and advanced so you can ease yourself in gently. The GWR Large Prairies would be a good start. Have you tried the steam locos that come with the European asset pack? They are cheap (if you don't have them already, but you probably do) and will give you a straightforward introduction to boiler management and how to use the throttle and reverser.
If you want to start with a basic steam engine that will behave, the 7F on WSR was one of my first steam drives and is able to hold the brake pressure for downhill runs brilliantly. On the other hand, the Hall needs constant babysitting on a downhill, so make sure you hire a fireman to handle the coal and water while you focus on not speeding. I also found a wheelslip bug after a save with the Hall as scripts reset the brake pressure after it's fully applied pre-save. Good sir, I am quite capable of making tea if I want to. I just don't want to.
Riveria Lines in the 1950s offers a fantastic route, fantastic range of locomotives and roll stock. All the engines have a setting where you can get step by step tutorials on how to drive each locomotive.
Hey! I totally sympathise with your frustrations as some of the more pro tier steam addons can be a handful and as much as some of us love that quality they are somewhat repulsive to players who just like the qualities of driving steam without the hassle of driving them, I ran into this when creating my own locomotive and I would recommend that to you as its nice, quirky and small so that you can enjoy getting the feel of how it works without getting too bogged down. Its the LNER Y6 steam tram, available over on The Forge Simulation it comes with 7 liveries and a 21 piece rolling stock collection which is a nicely put together bundle to enjoy, totally not biased: https://www.theforgesimulation.co.uk/p/lner-y6-pack/
If you want to buy some simple to drive Steam Locos try the Flying Scotsman which is a basic to drive Steam Loco operating everything from the F4 HUD. For a newbie to Steam Bossman Games Steam Locos which are very good and I own most of them are for advanced users. https://store.steampowered.com/bund...man__LNER_Class_A3_Flying_Scotsman_Twin_Pack/ and another is the Tornado which is based on the restored one. You might have to buy routes to run these on if you don't have them. https://store.steampowered.com/app/208351/Train_Simulator_LNERBR_Class_A1_Tornado_Loco_AddOn/
The Settle-Carlisle Specials Pack is a collection of some nice looking but older models of preserved steam loco's that are quite easy to get to grips with (V2 Green Arrow, A1 Tornado in BR Green, GWR Wootton Hall and GWR King Edward II which looks lovely in BR Express Blue but can't pull the skin off a rice pudding). You don't have to have the S-C route to use them but of course if you do you can run the scenarios- and, come to think of it, the route itself includes a couple of kettles (LMS 4F and Stanier Jubilee). Both together have gone for less than £5 in the last couple of sales. Similarly the A4 Pacific Pack represents all six preserved streaks in running order with scenarios for London to Brighton a bit randomly. The Robinson O4 is of about the same vintage as the above and includes a "secret" V2 in BR Lined Black. Scenarios are for the (original) Woodhead Line which itself includes LMS 5MT and 8F both in BR Black though the included scenarios concentrate on the DC electrics the line was most famous for. Woodhead is another older route but well worth having and goes for a fiver or so in sales. Flying Scotsman mentioned above is another older model but nice to have and of course there is any number of scenarios for it in the Workshop. I too would endorse Riviera Line in the '50s- there are five GWR classes from Pannier Tank to King and the models are a bit more advanced than anything I've yet mentioned but the driver advice feature talks you through nicely- rather more useful than the scant lessons in the Academy.
I would recommend the Settle Specials pack myself, as JJTimothy suggested. I would also recommend Netherfield as it gets you the classic 8F Loco, an old DLC at 24025 and thus including scenarios for GWML and ECML as well; the Fowler 4F also comes bundled and shares this distinction, but the 8F is only found now in this pack. Netherfield also gets you the O4 and B1 in their separate packs, all bundled, but also includes an exclusive V2. There is an old V2 pack that is no longer available for purchase, but these two possible options give you some replacement material where the V2 is summoned to action in its original DLC. Fun fact: duiing sales, Netherfield can be had for cheaper than the O4 at times. And you get it with the route. It's a steal to get three more locos with it. Don't buy the O4 or B1 on their own.
I would suggest the Flying Scotsman add on from steam. It is really outdated and the textures are terrible, but the driving model will help you get into steam easily. Alternatively, if you are looking for multiple steam locomotives, I recommend the riviera line in the fifties route from steam. This comes with a GWR King class, a GWR Castle class, a GWR modified hall class, and a GWR 5700 class. There are also many ‘pro’ tier addons such as the GWR county class which can be operated using standard controls and will fit nicely with said route oh wait JJTimothy already said all of this
In reference to the SC specials pack, I do believe you need the SC route to use them, as I tried this when I didn’t want to buy said route, but I was forced to anyway Unless that’s just my scuffed installation XD
I forgot about the B1- I'd put it in the same basic but fun to drive category as the others I mentioned and there are lots of Workshop scenarios for it in different routes. Didn't know about Netherfield but I'm not really a steam buff- I was interested in the Woodhead route for its DC electrics and at the time it was offered with the O4 and B1 for a couple of quid each. As noted the V2 is part of the O4 DLC and can be driven. Hmm. I already had the S&C when I got the specials pack (for a £5 each and I don't regret it even though you've been able to get both together for less than a fiver in more recent sales) so I didn't run into any such issues. Obviously you need the route to use the included scenarios. Are you sorry you had to buy the route? It's a bit older and there and back again but I like it.
This is inaccurate. While in TSW2 you generally have to have the route the locomotive is used on (a bad design flaw IMO), in TSC you can buy a locomotive and use it anywhere. The limitation is that you need\ the route to use any included scenarios. Nothing is stopping you from buying S&CS and running the O4 on Woodhead in Blue if you are so inclined. The V2 does not come with the O4. It comes with the Settle to Carlisle Specials DLC. It also comes with the Netherfield route. They are different skins, I believe; Specials has the Arrow in there.
This is inaccurate. A V2 does come with the O4. There is no QD or scenarios bundled with the O4 pack, but it can be found by creating a custom QD consist and it is fully drivable. Here is a custom QD using it and the Mk Is from the BR Clan pack.
Doh! Typed this last night then forgot to hit post. The S&C Specials pack includes 4471 Green Arrow in BR Green as you say. The O4 certainly does include the lined Black V2 although there are no scenarios driving it (for Woodhead at least). I was having a first go with the O4 when I was very surprised to see a passenger train pass with the V2 in charge. I recall it took a little juggling to make it available in Quick Drive but there is at least one Workshop scenario (for the W&T) that uses it. I think you're right about them being the same model in different liveries- the reverser indicator in the cab works the wrong way round in both. Niether is anything to do with the Pro Range V2 made by Just Trains.
It is in the O4 pack, to my surprise as I was unaware of it even though I have had it for a longgggggggg time.
Indeed- that's why I was surprised to see it. It does get mentioned in one of the reviews if you dig around.
There is only one number 60834. This comes up in multiple in the Netherfield route a bit annoying seeing the same engine passing itself in opposite directions even as AI.
Honestly, I think that’s just an issue I experience, my installation is completely broken Every time I want to play the game I have to delete player profiles otherwise the screen glitches and crashes my pc so honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just me
Also the S&C pack has the Arrow in LNER grass green, not BR green unfortunately, although if anyone wants to make a skin for it, let me know XD
4771 is indeed in LNER Apple Green- my mistake (what do you mean, "unfortunately?"). Perhaps I was thinking of Tornado.
I second people recommending older DLC, like Settle to Carlisle, the 8F DLC (included in Netherfield), SC Specials, the EU Loco and Asset Pack, the 4F, etcetera. They're good to learn the basics, then you can jump to more advanced stock.
If you want some steam loco DLC, I'd recommend the original Woodhead route. If you also have Netherfield which also gives you the Thomson B1 and Robinson O4, then you'll get access to the scenarios that come with those locos for woodhead. If you have the EU asset pack or Woodhead etc, I'd recommend going over to Steam Sounds Supreme and purchasing a few sound packs - it'll make the locos sound more prototypical, update the physics (you can toggle between legacy and advanced driving modes) and will also update textures of the smoke. 8F: Black 5: S&DJR 7F: 4F:
