Dear all. I decided to put this request in a separate thread. It affects both "Kinzigtalbahn" and "S-Bahn Frankfurt". The connector between Hbf/Südbahnhof - Louisa and Stadion is a mere ten kilometres in total and, yet it was cut. I understand, that due to the density of the Hbf it's quite on the limits and since all the three lines are anyway not complete - they all continue via City Tunnel from Hbf Tief to Offenbach Ost - the S1 could or rather should've been not done. But that aside. That area is not even as densely populated with buildings like for example Niederrad. The lack of this track causes many long distance and regional trains to get red signals in the Niederrad area, whereas in real life both entries have been used equally for these trains in order to ease congestion at Hbf since at least 2014, when I first travelled to the area for my new apartment. There is a stream that shows the entire area modelled and with tracks, just with some details missing on YT, which makes it even harder to understand it being for performance, since these "ghost ttacks" are there and load in any way. Please consider adding both entry points to "S-Bahn Frankfurt" and "Kinzigtalbahn" for the sake of reality. It should be done similar to Dresden, where the S-Bahn to Meißen was added via update. Pro: 1. It'll add options to route trains from Fulda and Mainz into Hauptbahnhof Frankfurt with less red signals. This is real life procedure 2. It will enable through freight service from Fulda/Hanau to Bischofsheim and on to Mainz Kastel and rechte Rheinstrecke 3. The Rheingold service from Kinzigtalbahn can be extended via Route Hopping to Mainz and Koblenz 4. A Route Hopping point at Frankfurt Süd can enable the above mentioned points 2 and 3. 5. It can be added with little hassle, as in contrast to Obere Maintalbahn in "Kinzigtalbahn" between Frankfurt Süd, Frankfurt Ost and Hanau, where only the tracks are laid, here the landscape and tracking is done to a further extent, thus leaving only bridges and streets to be added. 5.1. The frame and performance hit shouldn't be much more than having it as is, because this video shows at around 01:10:00 that nearly all is there and loads in any way, regardless if this stretch is used or not. So on short use it. https://www.youtube.com/live/NfGgcNMozao?si=6v1HiU3c8zeS1R-F This was very sorrowful to me, as in real life this stretch is used far more often for trains, especially ICE and IC services, to approach Hauptbahnhof Frankfurt equally to ease congestion. In my opinion this should be added, as was the S-Bahn line Dresden to Meißen in "Dresden-Riesa". Please let me know your thoughts. Kind regards.
As to the request to add Louisa connection to the game, I am all in However, as far as I know this connection between stadium and Hbf was only used as overflow valve, in case the way through Niederrad is congested or blocked. As this will not really happen in TSW world (especially with the ai dispatcher we have in game) I would also argue for this it is not really needed. On the other hand, the connection to Frankfurt Süd would have made much more sense, in my eyes, as you could have routed additional (drivable) traffic between Süd and Stadium (and on to Airport). Also, it would have closed another gap we now have for trains from Hanau towards the west without making the stop at Hbf. Then again, taking the recent discussion around performance into account, no idea this would have been such a good idea after all…
OpenMinded I had the same thoughts. But, I do think this potential issues can be resolved. Since the tracks, scenery and buildings are already there and set, with just bridges, platforms and perhaps signalling just missing, and this part loads in that area, no matter if visible or used or not, I don't think it'd make problems. Secondly, perhaps a solution would be to add thus branches as PC only, and yes I know, that console users may not be happy. On the other hand a PC is generally more capable to handle such situations in a better way. For the routing there are anyway still issues left. Take the Fernbahnhof at the airport as an example. Normally, and a research on the Bahn website would've revealed that, trains from Mainz/Cologne to Frankfurt arrive and depart from platform 4, trains to Mannheim/Basel/Stuttgart from platform 5, trains from Mannheim/Basel/Stuttgart to Cologne/Mainz from platform 6 and trains from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof to Cologne/Mainz from platform 7. In the streams it appears to always be platform 6 used. Also the S-Bahn DBBR 430 is always consisting of triple units, whereas in real live there's Kurz-, Lang-and Vollzug, depending on time of day, day of week etc.. This should be adjusted and while doing that the ICE/IC can be routed via Louisa on even hours, while they use Niederrad on uneven hours. Lastly, this gap added would enable authentic freight services between (Fulda-)Hanau-Frankfurt-MZ Bischofsheim-MZ Kastel(-rechte Rheinstrecke) or the Rheingold service from Kinzigtalbahn could be completed. Ideally the route hopping point would be at Frankfurt Süd - in this case the gap closure would be merged with "S-Bahn Frankfurt" - alternatively Stadion - "Kinzigtalbahn". But, thinking further, it'd be better off with "S-Bahn Frankfurt". Also saw on the map shown in the live stream - I don't own it for now after having returned it - that this small extension would even enable freight services to use the S1 line, as they're connected via a single track from the Niederrad Bridge. In other words freight services in multiple variations would be possible, thus, making the route more interesting for freight service fans. I don't really think it is impossible. Kind regards.
