Just out of curiosity, I wondered what it would be like to run a train and service for the day, a sort of loose replica of a real train drivers day. The train has to be in the game now ( not a wished item) but can be from a different a route if you choose. It would be a three hour stint, then a break, followed by a further three hour stint. After much consideration I finally settled on the following: Train would be a Class 47/4 diesel blu Route would be Darlington to Middlesbrough (Tees Valley Line) I would be interested to know what you would choose? Thanks to all who reply.
I think I would take control of the Peaks over the MML for a day as it would certainly be different to what I am limited to at the minute and after many cab rides in the 80s on them I have always wanted to see want they can do with my hands at the controls on the mainline. A small part of me would also want to just take the VP 185 HST on the MML for a day as I, rather stupidly looking at it now, missed an opportunity to move there a few years ago when the VP 185s still ruled the MML.
I mean, the timetable for the new Bakerloo Line has crew running numbers, but I'm not sure how realistic it is. There are about 35 drivers working from about 6 am to 11 pm. I'd probably go for that, London Commuter, or East Coastway.
See how it goes but the current save game will probably not resume correctly after taking over a subsequent service. Probably going to be easier on something like BML or Cathcart for the UK, where there is a frequent service. For Germany RRO could be interesting followed by RSN. US probably Peninsular Corridor though you would not actually fit that many round trips in an 8 hour shift, allowing for breaks.
For UK routes BML, SEHS (class 395 services) Cathcart, Glasgow to Edinburgh and Cross City I find are the best and the class 313 on the Seaford are good for being the driver for the day. There is the 166 on GWML although the timetable is a bit short. There are also the class 101 services on NTP which I like doing as you see a bit of variety. However as said if you intend saving your progress and resuming it later then pretty much forget it as certainly in my experience the save game does not work once you have finished one service and taken on another. I would like a route where you could drive a diesel (or electric) loco on passenger and/or freight and it be self contained within the route but there are none apart from the West Somerset I suppose but I couldn't spend all day pootling along at 25mph, it is okay for an hour. Boston Sprinter has plenty of services which stay in the route as has Harlem. Many German routes have services within the route too although some annoyingly don't. Niddertalbahn does of course and I think most of the 110 services on LFR do, Hamburg to Lubeck has some.
Thanks both. I only drive on the uk routes, but I hadn’t thought about the save feature, that could be a deal breaker.
I mean it is worth a try, it might work for you but I haven't found it to work yet. Although I have given up trying it for now. It only works for me if I save during the original run.
Doing any of the Cumberland to Shaw Mine and return series of 4 services is also a favourite of mine.
LBN with the 377 is the obvious answer for me, maybe Boston to Providence and the MBTA trains too. But could not see myself getting bored with the variety of services on the Brighton mainline.
As it's basically my local route my choice would be shunting the yard in the 08 at Thornaby on TVL. Spend my first 3 hours prepping consists and then after my break head out onto the mainline in a 37 to send some of that frieght onto its destination
But you drive that everyday though Bradley I would say a Class 33 on the GWE on Railtour duty lol. Hentis
I’ll go with the Acela Express on Boston to Providence. gives the variety of traffic and not the most intense drive for 3 hours straight on the first run. Bit of a thrill from high speed too.
Driver's shift you say... Try this one on SPG. You even get a 500 yard walk at the end. Very nice though as you start off in daylight then get to see the route as dusk falls and finally night as you draw close to Cumberland. Luckily the save game held up (three times).
