So with 2 Official UK steam routes out and abit of steam train recycling already plus a few interesting steam engine upgrades by rivets what might we see next?Another UK route or somewhere else.
Personally I think it will be the UK, possibly something GWR. Germany presents the issue of historical research particularly anything former East Germany. So more likely to be a heritage operation or something like the Harz Bahn or Wutchtalbahn as in TSC could be a possibility. Likewise the USA. I mean we could conceivably get something like Tehachapi in the early 50’s with Cab Forwards etc but more likely to be a current day operation. Apart from the low number of daily trains, something like Durango and Silvertown or Cumbres and Toltec would be an absolute blast, assuming either company is prepared to play ball on licensing.
One idea that DTG seems to love is UK railtours.Well this idea surely not exclusive to the UK.Plus other countries have places like west somerset a tourist mecca so there another option.
They do but some of it could do with tweaks. Raitours generally run with more than 10 coaches for starters. Also buffet vehicles and trains have headlights if we are post 1992.
I know some of the US and German and the French TGV all have buffet type cars but i don't think any of the UK railtour trains in game have a buffet car yet.
We could have a German route where they operate Plandampf services so we get modern traction plus a kettle. Best of both worlds in one route. I don't know which routes would lend itself best to this. Or the Settle-Carlisle with a Tornado layer for when it ran scheduled services back in 2016(?) at normal fares.
Steam/diesel transition would actually be quite good with B1's, A3's and A4's alongside the Deltics and green Class 31's.
I'm hoping for Germany. Driving a steam train with modern German safety systems would be fun. A Dresden heritage pack with a class 52.80 locomotive and Deutsche Reichsbahn coaches would make a lot of sense to me. This could add a wide variety of different railtours to both Dresden--Riesa and Dresden--Chemnitz. With the seasonal layers feature you could get the number of services included well into the double digits without having the whole place crawling with steam locomotives all the time. (Except for the Dampfloktreffen in April! During that time, Dresden Hbf should realistically see a good three railtours a day, including AI only ones) Some ideas for services that could be included, all of which are railtours I've actually seen in Dresden in real life: 1. Dresden -- Freiberg and return, running in parallel with a steam-hauled freight train between Tharandt and Klingenberg--Colmnitz. This would make a spectacular scenario -- two scenarios for the price of one in fact, driving either train would be awesome. 2. Dresden -- Nossen and return (drivable as far as Meißen). 3. Leipzig -- Nossen and return: drive Riesa to Coswig, run around the train, drive Coswig to Meißen tender first, run around the train again, run ECS to Dresden. Same procedure in reverse in the afternoon. 4. Leipzig -- Radebeul Ost (ECS to Dresden via the S-Bahn tracks) and return. 5. A scenario where a steam locomotive fresh out of the workshops is tested under load as a helper locomotive on a scheduled freight train Plus straightforward runs along the entire routes in either direction at different times of day of course... Feels like the best way to get into German steam to me: it appeals both to people who like contemporary routes and people who want steam trains, it's much easier to do than building a complete vintage route, they could make a lot of varied, interesting timetable services, and if later they do want to make a vintage route, they already have one of the most common steam locos in Germany available to them. And research for a 52.80 should be very easy, there are three operational ones within an hour of Dresden alone.
Oh my bad I didn’t see the title properly, if steam does get added I would love to see riviera line in the 1950s!
Given on what Matt said recently about single track line and passing sidings and how the dispatcher handles them, I don't want to see Tehachapi for TSW. I don't see the tourist railroads ever being apart of of TSW either, a backdated DRGW narrow gauge route could be possible, but not a modern day one.
Then just what is "West Somerset"?It uses classic steam and diesel traction.Tourist tend to use it alot.It doesn't come off like a standard commuter rail service.
Well if DTG ever makes any kind of US steam traction it would definitely have a potential tourist possibility.
I am hoping something LNER or ER, ELR would be my hope with a B1, V2 and a shameless plug for my suggestion of the route here! Sorry, I recently found how to link posts so I am making use of my new skill!
