Just a bit of fun, and to gauge opinion. I'm going to start by putting NTP into the Classics column. Your classic or dud?
Another for TVL! I think GWE is definitely in with a shout? Its a route I enjoy a lot, imo the scenery held up well and its still more than playable despite being the very first route. I enjoy it even if its not the longest route and could benefit from some other layers and services here and there
North American freight: Classic: Sand Patch, Cajon Dud: Oakville, Cane Creek USA passenger Classic: Harlem, maybe? Dud: LIRR
Just goes to show one person's dud is another's classic. Truthfully all these routes are probably fun in their own way. Always thought LIRR was poor due to broken signals/safety systems, meager timetable, no AI or static stock, sleepy looking NYC, the M3 doesn't add any additional services. All of these nice things weren't necessarily available when the route came out, but it hasn't gotten any DTG love since then either. What are your USA passenger classics and duds?
Classic: Sand Patch Grade, Clinchfield Dud: Oakville Indifferent: Sherman Hill, Cajon Pass, Cane Creek
Classic MSB Harlem Niddertalbahn TVL Clinchfield HSC Arosa (probably an unpopular opinion but I really enjoy it and keep going back) Duds SKW RT WCL NEC NY-T SoS Everything else is good just not special.
Are you still on TSW2? or are you still seeing them in TSW3? as far as i am aware I cured them all in the last update... Let me know if not. Matt.
GWE is an absolute classic for me, I would put Arosa in the dud section as that route was highly disappointing.
I think it's unfair to use the term " duds ". Maybe UK English is different, but in American English that would be a very pejorative and belittling term. There really are no duds in my book. There are classics, for sure, such as SPG, NTP, TVL, maybe BML, GWE, SFJ and BPE. Then there are routes which have potential, but not currently classics such as LIRR, CJP, OSD and Harlem. And, of course, NYT, which could so easily have been a " classic " but was so very disappointing. The rest are not " duds ", just rather ordinary, but still have playability, BCC, Cathcart and other single train electrics. Instead of " Classic " and " Duds " why not use a spectrum from " great " through " rather disappointing " and all points in between? And, anyway, it's all very subjective, isn't it?
I was thinking this as well, but am willing to hold off until whatever improvements are being made can be realized. For now, dud-bin, yes
I’ll probably be shot down for this, but all of the UK routes are classic to me. I rarely play any other. No offence to our German or US oppos but those routes hold no interest to me. I’ve purchased a few tried them but never play them. #Edit. Rivet games editions I rarely play.
I think they mean the OG Newark airport-New Rochelle route, I don’t know if you can play it anymore since DTG scrapped it for future TSW’s going forward.
Its fine how is, anything else can be neither classic or dud. I guess one question I have is what is a classic judged on, I suggested Sos since it’s the first route with Steam locos in TSW and apart from the bugs is an interesting route and time period.
Classics: - Great Western Express - Ruhr Sieg Nord - Tees Valley - East Coastway - Munich Augsburg - SEHS - Dresden Riesa - London Brighton - Niddertalbahn Duds: - LIRR - NEC (original) - West Cornwall - West Somerset (sorry, too boring) - Oakville - Arosa - Cane Creek - Rapid Transit Everything else is just meh
Classic - for the UK NTP definitely No.1 with BML for all its slight flaws a close runner up, simply because it is a complete route. TVL gets an honourable mention but misses a placing as the route was incomplete and should have gone to Boulby and Bishop Auckland. I would be hard pushed to nominate any as dud, WCL probably closest but it still gives a good place to thrash the old diesels. WSR is quite nice, not DTG’s fault heritage railways have a 25 MPH speed limit. With a decent GWR steam pack, could revive its fortunes. So probably IOW, simply because it is so short, the 484’s are a bit odd and limited replay value. And ECW. Another part route which simply sits in the shadow of its big brother. Rarely played. For Germany/Europe, classic a tie I think between Dresden to Riesa and Tharandter Ramp. Dud, without a doubt Rapid Transit. If there’s one route that should be permanently discounted to 99p and free in a sale it’s that. I also regard SKW as a bit of a dud. It might be the John Holmes of TSW in terms of length, but the experience gets tedious and boring. North America, think this has to be split into passenger and freight. Passenger, classic is SF corridor, despite the bugs. LIRR the dud closely followed by Harlem. For that matter Boston Sprinter rates quite low on the radar. Freight, well the undoubted classic remains SPG and for the runner up I would nominate Cane Creek simply for its unique character and scenery. Dud - for me Sherman Hill, boring as hell, maybe if it got some love such as GTELs then I might rethink its standing. Oakville I actually quite like, not classic but enough going for it not to be dud either.
Classic: Great Western Express (iconic route with iconic trains) Northern Trans-Pennine (very scenic with a good selection of stock) Southeastern High Speed (lots of variety with a good timetable) London Commuter (route feels largely complete and alive with a fantastic timetable) Dud: West Somerset Railway (lovely route but too slow) West Cornwall Local (just a mess) Spirit of Steam (lacklustre timetable, route feels too dead) Indifferent: Isle of Wight (lovely little route and very unique, but there's not much else you can do on it) East Coastway (very scenic but trumped by BML and suffers from missing services) Cathcart Circle (great route but nothing particularly special about it) Tees Valley Line (nice route but quite similar to NTP, could do with a Pacer ) Bakerloo Line (something a bit different, but gets repetitive quickly and adjacent WCML too quiet) Birmingham Cross-City (excellent quality, but suffers from a lack of rolling stock variety and AI traffic) Edinburgh to Glasgow (gameplay is very repetitive, ideally should have included the line via Falkirk Grahamston) Great Western Express, Northern Trans-Pennine, Isle of Wight and Tees Valley Line all need timetable updates to reinstate the timings to 30 second intervals, like they used to have before the preservation crew updates. That would almost perfect them. Cannot say anything for the German and US routes as they aren't really my thing.
Classics: - SEHS-X (a route network with loads to do, lots of different service patterns, generally high quality excepting the audio on the 375) - BML (timetable is the eighth wonder of the world, shame about the lack of TL and no ToD4 upgrade) - TVL (great atmosphere, lots of different rolling stock - again could do with extensions and more stock!) - Niddertalbahn (scenery quality and atmosphere is a cut above the rest) Duds: - WCL (scenery is still dreadful, track laying is wonky in places, 150 has many documented issues still) - Glossop (sorry, I know it's the latest and greatest, but the single service pattern is too little to do for me, route scope was too limited) - SoS (totally the wrong route to start the steam adventure with, it's really empty and a route like this would need quadruple the locos minimum to do it justice - this should have been the apex of steam development, not the start) Everything else is somewhere in the middle, although I can get enjoyment out of most routes - the classics are those I keep going back to or think are exceptional in some way.
For Rapid Transit, did it not improve with the timetable changes? It’s more fleshed out with more variety in services compared to the inital Dessau to Connewitz/Markleeburg Gaschwitz only. Or is the all stopper commuter stuff not really popular?
LIRR is a massive dud, Dresden chemnitz is a bore fest, any american freight route is a massive dud as well. routes like GWE,NTP,ECW are classics as well as BML
It’s the fact the main EMU the 1442 has virtually inaudible traction and zero track sounds. It’s more like a hover board sim. That and apparently the Dosto 766 cab car cannot be driven from. The route itself doesn’t look too bad in fact the sub ground section was well done, but the trains are utter pants.
There’s just not many duds. Some things aren’t my cup of tea, but I can see the quality. Anyway: That modern Swiss route. Can’t be bothered to name it. Could’ve been a real firework as the rolling stock and route quality are very high but the safety system is so broken. Potential missed by messing up one critical driving feature. LIRR is utter pants (to steal from OldVern’s vocab), but it’s also old. Hope DTG take another crack at LIRR again one day. WCL could’ve been cool with good 150 sounds and not completely fake layers. Now, for a few classics: Boston, after the Acela addition and signaling work. Great lineup of rolling stock. Easy classic. But I think NJT might top it once that timetable comes out (in Joe we trust). Niddertalbahn has to be up there, with the level of detail that was put into everything. Dresden-Chemnitz. DTG picked the perfect route to put the 612; so many curves to tilt on. Speed changes galore; very active driving experience. The other Dresden is also an easy classic. There’s a shipload of absolute classic British routes. NTP, TVL, BML, GWR. But SEHS is becoming the creme de la creme there. Peak Forest would be the GOAT if they managed to get BR green on it. It’s amazing nonetheless. However, MML is dwarfing them all in play time lately. 158 guard, ftw! For short routes, CCL is probably more in the classic category, but the more I run Glossop, the more I really like it.
I should really add Cajon to my list of duds. It just doesn't really gel, possibly because it has been done to death in Run 8 and the earlier 3DTS MSTS version. Without the industry and "local" traffic you can do in Run 8, it rapidly becomes an A to B Notch 8 bore fest uphill or dynamic brake coast downhill. My least played of the US freight routes.
I was trying to figure this one out as for the term classic definition in this case. I don’t think it would be fair for me to comment since I’m not fond of Freight or steam so I would think my answers would be somewhat bias towards my liking.But from what I have seen so far posted I have to say I agree with most .
Classics: NTP, Cathcart, BCC, SEHS, Class 313 on ECW, Niddertalbahn, Linke Rheinstrecke, Dresden to Chemitz, Dresden to Riesa, Koln - Aachen, Bremen Oldenburg, Boston Sprinter, Harlem, Clinchfield and Penn Corridor (pending only just got it very much but like them so far), Glossop could be a classic Least Favourite: WSR - no steam and don't like the layers, WCL - don't like the layers, Rapid Transit - Dostos cab car and poor sounds on the Talent 2, LIRR - poor timetable. Would be classics if they didn't have large gaps in the timetable and more motive power - SOS; PFR Would be classics: TVL - if it included Bishop Auckland and a class 143 in Provincial livery; ECW if it went to Ore or Hastings. I suspect the JT route will be a classic. So very few duds for me, the classics are the ones I head for the most the unnamed ones are fine but don't stand out particularly.
I do agree with ECW its a nice route but aside from the 313 If I want electrostars (Rare at the moment) and that sort of area I just go BML for the timetable and variety. Can I ask what your opinion is about the layers on WSR? I know we all want a steam timetable for it and that'd take it up a notch especially with GWR steam but intrigued as to why you don't like the layers?
You know what, after today I would like to submit a classic which I don't think I have seen mentioned yet (sorry if it has). Despite its teething issues MML has become my second most driven route of all time across all my TSW routes and editions only beaten by my other classic NTP. I have had an absolute ball driving the HST on this route and now that tbe TPWS issues seem to have ceased it is an even better experience. So yes my two classics are NTP and MML.
That is actually true. Even RT, the route itself from what I remember was okay, like I said the underground section was well done. There are so many routes that could make it into the "classic" category if the final product had gone the extra mile. That's why TVL didn't quite make it and while I'm enjoying BCC and Glossop the big empty terminus stations (ditto Cathcart) exclude them from the accolade. ECW to Hastings and Ore would have been so much better and a route that was crying out to guest star some veteran EMU's like the CIG and VEP.
Ah, I hadn't seen an update to that route in my updates list since a few weeks ago when you said it'd be in the next patch, so I thought we were still waiting for it.
Would like to speak up for Cane Creek. While not a classic, it's definitely not a dud either; the scenery is gorgeous and there are enough grade changes to keep the driving interesting. Sadly, the US doesn't have a "classic," although Clinchfield is right on the cusp and an upgrade pass (and a GP7) would put it there. The UK has BML, NTP, and SEHSX; Germany has the two Dresden routes and Niddertal.
Oh, I forgot about Clinchfield when considering the US freight classics. Well it's certainly no dud, the problem comes that so many of the runs are set at night so you can see beggar all (unless you use gGod mode) and even in the daylight after a while it starts to suffer the long winding valley of trees syndrome.
I mean it kinda is a long valley of winding trees so not much can be done about that it’s one of my favourites too but just a miss with players on the whole unfortunately.
And thanks to the graphical glitches, if you set the season right, you can roleplay like you're running a Tiberium Harvester in the classic Command&Conquer games. I am a Cane Creek enjoyer though. Wholeheartedly recommend dropping a Stanier passenger train into it and sticking on the Westworld soundtrack sometime
I'm pretty new to TSW3, so can only give my impressions after two weeks. I've gotten pretty into it though. I've mostly only done UK routes but so far: Classics SEHS - Classic. Amazing, very little I would change about this route, apart from maybe even more extension. Truly the standard on which other routes should be measured against. It's a good length, with a good variety of services and trains. LC/BML - Classic. Entire length of the line, good time table. Is a really good package, just wish it was combined with EC. BCC - Classic. While the timetable and available train options are limited, that is acceptable due to the nature of the route. I consider this the best "small" route I have played. Middle ground SoS - Really love the locos and the route, is prevented from being classic by the lacking timetable and the variety of trains. Really needs the addition of more steam engines to increase variety. PFR - Pretty much same as SoS. Reuses the previous two locos, and adds a small shunt focused loco. Again needs more variety of locos, and an expanding of the timetable to become a "classic". Some freight runs with the 4F would be nice. GWE- This route needs to be updated and extended. It's very clearly showing it's age compared to the newer routes, and the distance it covers is just a dis service to the Great Western Railway. It really needs an extension to At least Oxford with Didcot in between, give the express trains at least 4 stops. Could also really do with some branch routes. MML - Despite the bugs I do really enjoy this route. Obviously needs bug fixing and an extension of the line up to Sheffield would make it perfect. The HST and the 158 are some of my favourite trains, and I really like the delay on door closing to simulate the guard. GL - Really like the route, the new test scenario with the guard is a great idea, and I would love to see it rolled out to all routes as an optional timetable mode. Only issue is it's length, incredibly short. Due to the incredibly short length, and their only really being one loco option it will become boring/repetitive very quickly. EG - Variety of the route holds this back, could use with some branch lines being included, and time table additions/variety. I haven't picked up any of the routes a lot of people seem to consider duds/bad. So can't comment on those. I would really love to see more routes like SEHS, longer routes with a wide variety of timetables/services using a variety of locos. I'd even be willing to pay a higher price for it if that is what is required.
Classics: NTP + 40, TVL + 20 + 31, GWE + 52 (would have loved to see it done mid-80s with HSTs, 50s, the odd 33...) - you get the idea, BR Blue FTW I really like SoS too - so many sidings full of stock, sheds full of locos - albeit all the same class and not very representative, but a massive improvement on the comparatively deserted wastelands of the rest of the routes... Duds: none, really - a few that I don't really go back to much, but still enjoy from time to time. My least favourite is West Somerset, and that's just because it's soooooo slllllooooooowwwwww
