Is There An American Future In Tsw?

The sim aspect of TSW is always going to be open to interpretation, and each to their own if they think DTG meets that.

I don’t think whether DTG does a certain traction type is why I would purchase another, I would only purchase what I’m after in the game or something what become of interest in the game.

 

They are currently owned by Grupo Mexico, the same group that mostly owns mexian railroads Ferromex and Ferrosaur.

 

hey matt what about factory demo licenses? things like GE demonstrator locomotives like you got es44 there could be ge demo 2005 or 2011 etc. and nice that you have sd70ace you could make sd70ace 1201 caterpillar unit and blue emd demo paint themes 1202 to 1209 i think?

 

They don't have a direct license with the Loco manufacturers. That's why the builder plates are blank on EMD and GE locos.

 

ah ok well we got livery designer for that anyway.

 

Personally I would love as much variety in the game as possible, so a short route with a lot of switching would be perfect for me, but I do also appreciate the commercial realities that you start becoming a niche of a niche.

If DTG can't make enough profit from it, hopefully a third party with lower overheads can tap into that segment of the player base, much like Just Trains did with Blackpool.

 

And what are they seeking? The demands of this alleged audience that means shortlines won't sell have never been elucidated.

I didn't say it was a Metra line...

Brightline is a completely separate company to FEC nowadays.

 

Brightline runs on FEC tracks, why make a route where part of the routes traffic isn't included?

 

Yes I know. I was pointing out that it might be possible to get a license for that route, even if Metra won't play ball.

 

I'll be up there on the 25th of May for the Iron Horse Rambles if there is anything in particular you want me to try and get just shout

 

Because DTG have shown themselves to be completely unaverse to doing that?

 

With licenses it’s never the be all and end all if they say no 1 time I think is good to remember, it’s good to hear DTG tries again if it’s been sometime (obviously not ringing everyday until they say yes ) never know when they could go from being a no go to going into the game or even being one of the most seen in the game.

 

Is there any chance of more MBTA being added to the game in the future?

 

they (MBTA) showed they were keen to do more before, just have to wait and see what comes.

 

Definitely would love to see US class 2 and 3 operation s come to TSW . Here are a few i ve thought of on top of some of the ones that have been suggested, 1 Aberdeen Carolina and Western 2 Lancaster and Chester both of these are in north and south carolina areas.3 Great Lakes Central RR in Michigan. Paducah and Louisville in Kentucky hauls coal and freight. 5 Indiana RR coal freight and even intermodal. Fort Worth and western Dallas Garland eastern ,,, has SD 70 m s freight unit rock and grain trains Florida Gulf and Atlantic RR formaer csx line from Baldwin fl to Tallahassee Pensacola.

 

And just thought of another Nashville and Eastern Has Commuter Rail operations the Music City Star uses F40ph s along with freight and Tennessee Central RR museum dinner and excursion trains

 

I’d like to see more freight routes set in the 80s or 90s. Theres licenses like CSX and Norfolk Southern which I think are underutilized. Norfolk southern had some famous routes in the 90s like Saluda Grade. I’d love to see it in the game because it would actually have a challenge with gradients around Saluda. Plus, it’s in the Blue Ridge Mountains which is something I think US freight needs more of. Do away with the boring desert scenery for a while and move into lush forests. Just my opinion though..

 

That's the era I would like to see the BN (as it was then) Funnel from Sandpoint to Spokane. Mixture of single and double track. Fastish running but scenic and grain drags galore trying to fit between intermodal and local services.

 

I don't understand why DTG doesn't open a Canadian cargo route after the trouble with the US cargo route? Why, some time after the route editor was released, no train enthusiasts took advantage of the route editor to develop freight routes in the United States. According to Matt's reply message, there is no clear timetable yet. Seeing this sad news, I fell into deep contemplation and despair.

 

Players make what they want to make with the editor though and I don't think every single person making content is discussing on the forums.

 

They would still run into the same issue. The carriers won't give them access to equipment for recording.

Though it's funny cause Searchlight Simulations has a good relationship with Canadian Pacific/CPKC to do such things.

 

Well each to their own of course but remember we all are entitled to enjoy different things. Many enjoy hauling a super long and heavy freight train controlling perhaps as many as 6 locos.
Regarding your falling asleep for 40 minutes all I can surmise is that for your entire run there were zero height fluctuations all the way because otherwise you would have either ground to a halt or worse have had a runaway train on your hands. Perhaps you were driving in Death Valley?
Dont apply to be a US freight engineer IRL!

 

Looks like we now have 3 upcoming US routes on the roadmap. Perhaps there is an American future in TSW

 

The one without a date is a typo, it was the LIRR route, but DTG forgot to remove it from the roadmap.

 

It’s a long haul uphill on Cajon Pass. I could probably have slept for an hour in an F7 service and I’d have been fine! I’m perfectly happy to sit there at Notch 8 climbing a hill and of course there is much more to do on the way back down. Cajon Pass is by far my most driven route and I’m often guilty of starting a service when I know I’m too tired to be driving. I think it’s wise that nobody lets me drive real trains.

 

Oh, along with CSX, FEC, Tri-Rail, Brightline and Amtrak I forgot to mention this little gem that is also part of the South Florida railroad scene. The South Central Florida Express. A short line railroad owned by U S Sugar Corporation. They operate diesel powered freight services around the Lake Okeechobee agricultural area and this former FEC ALCO 4-6-2 locomotive number 148 as part of their passenger excursion train, the Sugar Express.


Photo courtesy US Sugar

 

I'd prefer mountain passes to the midwest. The passes can have some good scenery if done well, and the challenge of maintaining power up a grade or controlling speed through well planned dynamic braking down one. I live in the Midwest. It's flat as all get out. Very few real grades. Outside of major cities, trees and corn far as the eye can see. Not even many significant bodies of water apart from the Great Lakes. At least on mountain passes, there's something to look at.

 

I made a very detailed suggestion in the suggestions thread for Metra Electric and I would love South Shore, the last of the interurbans. NICTD is trying to grow their brand for their brand new line in progress out of Hammond to Munster and Dyer so they may have interest. The only thing is you can't do the whole South Shore without Metra. Metra AFAIK owns Millennium Station which is NICTD's northern terminus, and Metra definitely owns the rights to Van Buren, 11th St/Museum Campus, McCormick Place, 55th-56th-57th St, and 63rd St where I know at least at one point NICTD made flag stops because my friend would wave it down while the rest of us waited for the Metra when I was in high school. The trackage is either Metra owned or CN owned. All of the stations skipped before Hegewisch would need to be modeled and are Metra owned. Soldier Field may have its own licensing from Chicago Park District. The Bean and some of the installations in Grant Park are DEFINITELY licensed (thanks Anish Kapoor) The TT between Kensington/115th and Millennium would also be absolutely desolate without Metra Electric District running it. I definitely would love South Shore, but without doing the MED first, it's impossible unless you plan to cut it short at Hegewisch.

 

See my post right above this but basically, yeah it's possible, in theory, but pretty much everything north of Hegewisch is Metra owned so unless you cut the route at Hegewisch, there's a lot you can't model. Metra also owns Millennium Station. South Shore just leases use of the east concourse.

 

I don't think deep despair is really necessary considering the circumstances. Let's keep this in perspective: it's a game, something we do for fun. Don't let it have that much control over your mood. That being said, Canadian freight is pretty much identical to US freight. Due to NAFTA, freight trains travel pretty freely between Canada, the US, and Mexico. Wabtec (who purchased GE) and Progress Rail (who acquired EMD) sell the same trains to companies in all three countries. Canada also has largely similar terrain to the northern US. A Canadian route would have all of the same issues that face developing a US route--What Matt said about the Class I railroads applies to Canada because two of those Class I's, CN and CP, are Canadian. There would still be the same issues of access, the same issues getting reference photos and sounds, and the same issues with simulating the physics of long, heavy North American freight trains. From what I gather based on Matt's message, the two things that hold US freight back are the fact that they don't have the access needed to give US freight enthusiasts what they want, and the challenge and slow speed of NA freight can make many routes more of a niche interests. Considering this, it's important that they get it right to appeal to those who really want NA freight so that it is successful for DTG. The focus is passenger rail for now because they do get more access and can do more faithful routes. I don't envy Matt. It is a very difficult and fine line to walk, and the Class I's are not making it any easier.

As for community use of the editor, I don't know if you realize the sheer scope of developing a new route. It takes the DTG team of well over a dozen paid employees months to develop a new route, sometimes closer to a year. When we hear about it in the roadmap, it's already been in development or at least planning in secret for months before that. Now imagine all this work being done by just 1-3 people who aren't being paid hourly and who won't be selling their route for profit but providing it for free on TSC, and who will need to fit the project in between school, work, and other responsibilities. Because remember, this is a hobby for them, not a job. That will take a LOT of time and is a labor of love. There are modder-created routes in progress. I know someone who has been wanting to work on and started modeling a section of the Coast Starlight route for example. I know someone extending SFJ to Gilroy and updating it to modern day. But those things take time, and since they're doing these for free, they're going to create something they want to play, not necessarily what the community wants to play. It may be helpful to try learning to use the editor so that you can create what you want to see in game and share it with the community. The modding community on TSC I'm sure would be happy to answer questions or give advice on where to start and feedback on anything you do create.

 

After watching the roadmap stream yesterday, I dont have a good feeling especially the flack thats starting over the LIRR 2.0 being a full price item , I will wait till the pre release stream and see if its really worth the re buy or wait till later etc otherwise will wait for Metrolink San Bernadino. Plus formation designer beta coming to consoles so will give that a test with making my own freight consists ..