Hello everyone. Steam summer sale is coming up and I would like some help. I got tsc on launch day this year and was wondering if y'all had any recommendations on what dlcs to get. I like American stuff and uk stuff since pzb and German signalling is difficult for me. And other countries interest me as well. I like both passenger and freight, but prefer more passenger. Steam routes are okay, but not really a fan of it. I want dlc that are like decent quality without any game breaking bugs that make the scenarios unplayable. I've also heard that safety systems are on by default in most dlc so is there a way to turn it off?
You can play German routes without PZB. I actually do that because Career timings in some cases are already impossible enough, so adding PZB to the mix just ices the cake. PZB is an optional element and you can take the trains and go fast, so do not be afraid of it and try the route itself, and add PZB when ready to try it. The route from Dresden to Leipzig is a good one, and the second half is bundled with WCML South and Tehapachi Pass, both upgraded since initial release. Not a bad mix.
For North American passenger friendly routes I'm partial to the Miami - West Palm Beach Route. It is fairly flat, but it has several additional passenger DLC that use the route which expands the usefulness (i.e. Amtrak Dash8-32BWH, Amtrak E8, Amtrak F40PH 'California Zepyhr', Amtrak P30CH, Amtrak P42DC 50th Anniversary, Miami Commuter F40PHL-2). https://store.steampowered.com/app/277752/Train_Simulator_Miami__West_Palm_Beach_Route_AddOn Other more modern day routes are the Hudson Line: New York – Croton-Harmon Route which I have just started playing. It seems pretty good (https://store.steampowered.com/app/...udson_Line_New_York__CrotonHarmon_Route_AddOn) and The Racetrack: Aurora - Chicago Route which simulates the Metra workings and feels very true to life (https://store.steampowered.com/app/258648/Train_Simulator_The_Racetrack_Aurora__Chicago_Route_AddOn). For more historical lines, I enjoy the Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven Route which is set in the 50's and has some good passenger runs (https://store.steampowered.com/app/...field_Line_Springfield__New_Haven_Route_AddOn). If you want something totally different, try the Sacramento Northern: Suisun Bay – San Francisco Route which is set in the 30's-40's and features some electric Inter-urban sets that go right down the middle of the streets https://store.steampowered.com/app/...orthern_Suisun_Bay__San_Francisco_Route_AddOn Have a look through the routes and pick a couple that appeal to your playing style. Other NA lines that feature passenger runs are: Pacific Surfliner® LA - San Diego Route https://store.steampowered.com/app/222606/Train_Simulator_Pacific_Surfliner_LA__San_Diego_Route Peninsula Corridor: San Francisco - Gilroy Route https://store.steampowered.com/app/...la_Corridor_San_Francisco__Gilroy_Route_AddOn Northeast Corridor: New York - Philadelphia Route https://store.steampowered.com/app/...t_Corridor_New_York__Philadelphia_Route_AddOn Northeast Corridor: Washington DC - Baltimore Route https://store.steampowered.com/app/...Corridor_Washington_DC__Baltimore_Route_AddOn North Jersey Coast & Morristown Lines Route https://store.steampowered.com/app/...th_Jersey_Coast__Morristown_Lines_Route_AddOn B&O Kingwood Branch: Tunnelton - Kingwood Route -- lots of tough grades using an old GP9 (but the stock horn is awful) https://store.steampowered.com/app/...ngwood_Branch_Tunnelton__Kingwood_Route_AddOn
I'm like you and I have a dislike of PZB - I got so used to British AWS where you cancel the alarm after passing a magnet. Virtually all safety systems can be switched off on the German/Swiss/Austrian locos so it make them easy to drive Checking the Manual and it is normally a combination of Keys This is a good video for German/Austrian Signalling The Signals are based on the Speed you should be travel as you pass them and not the maximum track speed. Peter
For USA passenger route I can recommed Pacific Surfliner it's pretty fun for over 3h of driving and no safety systems. For UK definitely London - Brighton is worth a try and if you happen to like third rail you can get London to Dover and London to Portsmouth routes. Just Trains made an amazing Western Expressways if you want some diesel operations. Generaly for UK there is so much to chose from that it's very hard to point on something specific. More or less a matter of taste. If you want a really long ride whole GWR, WCML and ECML are modelled giving 5-6h rides but they require several purchases each.
