Route Hopping Has Added A Lot Of Potential To Extend Routes

When I have a day off I am definitely doing the Antelope>San Bernardino>Cajon just to say I did it and see how long it takes (I've also always had a plan to do SPG Cumberland to Rockwood completely on foot to see how long that takes but I haven't got around to it ).

 

On FOOT?
Braver than me mate.
That's a LOT of walking....

Hiking Simulator World 5 ;-)

Edit: Uh oh, I may have given DTG a new game idea....

 

I don’t think the route hopping feature is going to be much use for continuing a service that bridges two routes. Assuming the routes use the same timetable and the service times are correct in both (not guaranteed by any means), the method of hopping to the next route may be a worse solution than just finding the continuing service via the menu system.

If you reach the end of the service in Route A then you will have to leave the service after opening the doors (before completion and getting to the debrief screen) to walk to the hopping marker and then find the train in Route B in time before it departs as an AI. You couldn’t wait for the debrief screen (and have the service marked as complete), return to free roam and then go to the route hopping marker and find the same train in time as it will have departed for sure. If you do manage to get to it in time by leaving it early in Route A, you will likely still have less setup time for the second bit on Route B than you would by starting the service from the menu which could make you late. It’ll be a clunky process whichever way you do it. It won’t be immersive either as drivers don’t really get out of their trains to find a special place to check in to the second half of their journey.

Ending the first service as normal in Route A then going to the menu and finding the continuation of the service in Route B may turn out to be better all round. You certainly can’t miss it that way and no need for wandering around the station either and you will get the services marked as complete in both routes. Route Hopping will be better for replicating passenger behaviour for connecting trains than for driving a service across two routes.

 

I hope you’re stocked up on plenty of coffee and energy drinks.
I think you should time yourself also

 

Good luck! You might meet some folks along the way, there are pedestrians in SPG. I've taken some short walks myself along the route here and there.

 

So, just realized there is 2 SoCal routes that I suggested that would easily benefit being 2 separate routes, plus the route hopping feature.

-Amtrak Surfliner & Metrolink OC line from LA to Oceanside.
-Amtrak Surfliner & NCTD's COASTER/Sprinter trains from Oceanside to San Diego + Escondido Branch.

Since one could continue a Surfliner train from one route to another. (All it would take is DTG to ACTUAL model both routes and get an NCTD license)