DTG, now that you have mapped pretty much the whole bloody island, can we get some more American freight?
If you are referring to the UK, far from it. We have nothing in Wales and the West Country is represented by one semi fictional third party route. Eastern England and Anglia have nothing. By contrast USA has several lengthy freight routes, the latest ones being Cajon and HSC. What is Clinchfield if not a freight route? Not saying there isn’t scope for more but TBH would rather see DTG expand into other territories before yet more NA freight.
If by American you mean the continents then yes I'd love another Canadian route. Either that or perhaps a Mexican or South American route. If you mean USA then as OV above Id pass.
Well, however you slice it, we in NA are due another major route after a succession of short UK offerings, BCC, PFR, MML and MGH. Whether it will be passenger or freight, who knows. On the other hand, if they release the real version of NYT with a proper timetable and layers and add some UP playables to CJP, I won't worry too much about any new routes, though it would be nice to see Rogers or Kicking Horse as a second Canadian offering. Not sure if they have the CPR license though.
Well, not really, though I get your point. Actually it would be kind of interesting to compare the percentages of modeled track for the UK and US. Probably very small for the UK and infinitesimal for NA.
There will always be more American freight since dtg have the license. Remember dtg has to please both passenger and freight fans
More American freight with iconic routes ( Tehachapi Pass, Granger Heartland, Mount Shasta, Promontory Summit, Soldier Summit, Donner Pass... ) with fallen flag operators & exquisite rolling stock... YES !!!
We’ll get more eventually as US freight has a solid enough following. Lots of iconic routes left to be done. They did a decent job with CJP and my hope is that they have the ability to improve upon that. We still don’t really have things like working in cab signaling on us freight stuff, sounds aren’t always the best, layers are lacking (for a variety of reasons, many understandable) so the routes can feel mundane with the same couple of locos with the same couple of liveries, etc… That said I’m interested to see what they have up their sleeve for the next iteration of US freight.
I just ran Sherman Hill and love it!! As I'm a real world driver. I think the passenger stuff sells more but I am sure DTG hasn't forgotten us freight engineers.... I'm fond of seeing a Bryon route from Chicago (enabling passenger buffs to run to Pingree Grove from Chicago whilst freight interested drivers can run from Chicago rail yards to Bryon on single track and no hills. I want a few routes without mountains please. But Donner Pass as in TSC (but better scenery) and Marias Pass, Stevens Pass and Canadian Mountain Passes are due sometime I think. I remember there being a SD60M with Southern Pacific (one of my favourite colour schemes) running an oil tanker train over the pass. I don't think TSC has the SD60M come with the route? I'd just love to see a few 'normal' freight routes where you don't climb a 1 or 3% grade.... but you can haul a 7000t train with 2 locomotives up front in the Midwest or similar... at 40mph or whatever the local linespeed is. And hopefully not have perfect timber track. At the end of the day we can't really complain as we get treated fairly good considering the TSW market seems to be heavily biased to passenger services in Britain, Germany and the US East coast where the majority of US passenger trains are. To be honest I think it sells because that is only what people know. Yes you have some freight buffs in the US and solid youtube content but I don't see that transfer into much interest here. And yes we have quite a few freight locomotive heads here but as I said it is less popular. Glad they look after us and I think they try their best honestly!!
Sometime I always wonder, do people really wanna see the same old same old for US freight routes? Like i know names are famous and well know like Donner, Tehachapi and Marias Pass, but do we really need a TSW version of these routes, especially after how many times they have been done for other sims? I feel like DTG should go in a different direction and pick a route not really well know or done in train simming, there is alot of routes across the US for them to do, things like the Colombia River Gorge, Union Pacific's Blue Mountains, the mid west is usually forgotten in most sims. etc. I just feel like if we just get the same routes over again, they will just get compared to their MSTS/Open Rail, TSC, Trainz, or Run 8 counterparts and will most likely pale in comparison (Like Cajon)
Agree. I occasionally dip into the old SIAM Traffic Control games and two of my favourites are the BN Funnel from Spokane to Sandpoint (pre re-alignment and double tracking) and the MPKS from St Louis to Kansas City with two alternative routings from Jefferson City, either via Sedalia or the River Sub. Of course the latter would be far too long in its entirety but St Louis to Jeff City ought to be possible. Then there's that Milwaukee Road electric route through the mountains from Avery to Drexel which was made for Trainz some years ago. Time for DTG to think outside the box.
Besides Marias and Stevens, there is lots of spectacular scenery along the Northern Transcon. It runs through Glacier National Park! (This would also be an opportunity to bring in the Siemens Charger and Viewliner coaches, which are kind of necessary for any Amtrak DTG might want to do outside the NEC)
I like your ideas. However I hope we get a large route like Donner Pass or Marias with some high speed content on the edges for 25 miles (maybe extended). But your idea would work for a mid year released like the Ambergate or Glossop routes. I'd love to see a combined freight and passenger route like Chicago to Byron, something that is not a huge mountain pass. But that will have passenger fans on board too. You can drive Metras to Pinegree Grove/Big Timber (not that Metra name and logo etc can be used) and freight trains for 60 more miles from there. Single line track too so it is like Niddetalbahn. Also would appease freight switching industry purists as well as there is lots of that in West Chicago area and near the yards.
ROFL (tried to put emojis here but didn't work hahaha) I bet you want a glass of champagne sitting on the table too in the dining car???
This might be a hint to what's coming? https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/tsw-from-sea-to-shining-sea.71249/
