With TSW4 approaching I'm doing cleanup on the TSW3 Playstation trophies to get the platinum trophy. Last night I was cleaning up route tasks on the Glasgow-Cathcart line and was pretty confident that the final couple tasks I needed to do were actually at the next immediate couple stations from where I currently was. I had been quitting to the menu each time to fast travel between stations but I realised this was an opportunity to try travelling as a passenger for once in order to get to my last couple destinations. While it's likely never going to be something I spend a large amount of time doing compared to driving, it made me find new appreciation that this is something you have the option to do. Since most of us aren't doing the driving in real life, there was something quite relaxing and immersive taking in the scenery from a passenger window. Riding into Glasgow Central is something I know well, and it always makes me smile seeing it recreated in the game. So I was curious what other people's experiences are with being a passenger in TSW. Is it something you've ever bothered trying, is it a regular thing for you? If not, is there anything the game could add/change that would make you more inclined give it a try?
It's my favorite thing. I work from home, so I usually put on a route on foot and then ride a train on my other monitor all day.
Yeah this is something I do quite a lot. I like to become immersed in whatever Im playing and so I'll either pick up a service from the yard and run it from there, drop in on foot to wait for one to arrive or do exactly what you did and position as a passenger. Its good fun and can be made to fit as part of a role playing drop in session (travelling to rescue a service without a driver etc). If one day driver rosters became a thing that one could work through, not necessarily in real time, then that would be a good day for me Nice thread topic. Thanks for posting it
I did it once, on Dresden - Riesa to get from one interesting service to the next one, because it was recommended in the 'Awesome services' thread.
I love that! I can't count how often I was as passenger on the TGV or on the S-Bahn on the Ruhr Routes. I love it.
Now and again. If you go back to 1995 and Transport Tycoon Deluxe, one of the things I always wanted to do was ride around the map I had created. I have always wondered why Journey Mode doesn’t include at least one passenger run and mastery a certain mileage travelling as a passenger. In fact in the very first TSW, one of the GWE scenarios has you joining a Class 166 at Ealing Broadway to travel into Paddington to work a Down HST service. There must be more demand for this type of “in the world” style interaction.
Most of the time when I'm collectible-hunting I ride between stations; I only kick out to menu if there's no train coming fairly soon.
I did it twice. Once because an achievement wanted me to, and once because a scenario insisted I did. But that's it. I usually just take the front seat and do some driving.
I have been a passenger for a few times that the trophies required me to! But not very often in general!
Not really and also when I'm in the mood to do this I jump on the only train that won't start moving. All the other trains I did not pick will start to move.
Quite often if the route has become familiar. I like to compare my driving with the AI, especially on steam trains. I did this on SOS a couple of days ago.
last time I played tsw3 it was as a passenger on MAG from Mammendörf - Munich I love being a passenger
I've done it occasionally in free roam after a service if i want to keep the dynamic weather going, mainly to travel to another station if the one i finished at has no drive-able trains.
Only when I'm too bored to actually summon the effort to close the game. Kinda like when i drive legally in GTA.
I would definitely love more stuff to encourage staying in the moment more, albeit most of it I couldn't justify as being a worthwhile use of the devs' time. One idea I've had this afternoon is a TSW equivalent of a railway smartcard. We obviously aren't paying for our journeys in-game so instead it could function more like a reward card. For taking journeys you could earn points which could be redeemed at shops at the larger terminus stations. I notice the game doesn't really offer a ton of info on the routes, stations and locomotives outside of a small overview during route introductions. I think it could be really cool if you could purchase "magazines" to read at your leisure which would be used to go into all that real-world info. Lets the user learn more real-world railway info if they want to, and gives extra purpose to riding as a passenger, and something to do during those longer commutes
Last time I did it was on GWE, went from Slough to London, mainly so I could have a break between services (having just finished a service on a different route, I wanted some background #Thrash from the 166, before doing a run from Paddington)
I did it recently on the Glossop route DLC. Two stops in and I was asked to leave by the guard as I didn’t have a ticket !
I love it. Will often enter an AI train spontaneously and simply ride along for a station or two. It’s a unique feeling and definitely amps up the immersion
This idea is amazing. Would love to see something like that, especially with these new detailed shops as part of the passenger dioramas.
One feature which would be great to have (yes, I know the PC God Mode mod does it) is to be able to skip or fast-forward time until the train arrives, without having to kick out to main menu and reload the route.
When I first got NEC: New York, I rode as a passenger. It was 2021 and at the time I had no idea when I would ever be able to get to ride Amtrak or see New York City again, so being able to do so in game was really nice. I've also ridden as a passenger on LIRR, Harlem line, and Boston-Providence. I drive trains more than I ride them in the game, but it is great to have the option of riding as a passenger.
I do it quite often. When NTP came out I rode as a passenger more than I drove the trains as it really felt like going back in time.
In all honesty not really something I do often any more. When there were still restrictions I had a few zoom things for various bits and bobs where I would ride as a passenger on an NTP DMU service over the whole route.
I myself usually where possible do a mix of gaurding and being a passenger on trains every so often. It's quite nice especially if there is smart P.I.S for you to look at or gaurds pannels to utilise.
I think the only time I ever really did it was way back in the early days when the game was still just called Train Sim World and it was on Rapid Transit where I rode trains between stations and picked up collectibles while I waited for the next train to arrive.
That’s an interesting thought. It’s more practical on routes where there is a frequent service rather than (say) Peak Forest where there might be over an hour until the next train. Might try it on Bakerloo line especially with the enhanced timetable, though I would prefer to ride the 1938 stock.
Yeah, the services were definitely infrequent and I found myself waiting quite a while at some platforms! I think something like SEHS with all the layers, BML or Dresden would be good routes to try it on as well.
I often ride as a passenger, one of my favourites is WSR, Spawn on foot at Minehead, see what Loco is on the front and then sit in the first carriage behind it and enjoy the ride
I like to read a book while riding in the back, I think it's very relaxing. I should do it more often.
Its one of my favourite ways to play. Spawn in on foot and ride a train. Get off at some random stop. Do a bit of train spotting and jump on another train that happens to be passing. Great way to see the routes.
I've been quite surprised by the range of replies so far! I was genuinely expecting most people to not remotely care about being a passenger so these have all been very cool to read! I'm doing quite a bit of overtime on a work project lately so I often don't have time during the week for a timetable run when they're often over an hour long. I definitely think I'll need to experiment with some late-night sessions specifically travelling as a commuter for a few stops and see if it helps me detox!
I think as it currently stands the Glasgow-Cathcart route is the one I've clocked the most hours on in the game yeah! I'll definitely grab Queen Street - Edinburgh Waverly at some point.
All the time, I've spent most of my time riding as a passenger than actual driving. Of course this has been cut down over the past year, because (take note DTG) I cannot sit down on MK2 carriages - hopefully this is fixed in TSW4, if not, there's going to be one angry customer here!
I often even ride as a passenger/conductor trainee on freight runs. I'll just let the ai do the hauling and I will just take in the route. Kind of lets me learn a route without focusing on train control. Edit: Also, don't tell the saftey team, but I sometimes like to stand out on the walkway/platform of the loco (I mainly do US) while the engineer drives.
Yeah I did the same for the East Coastway in the UK. Sat there and made notes. Its quite useful because you can dial in braking and acceleration points as well for hudless driving
