Coming up in a discussion of Skyhook's new Cargo Line 5 "nuclear" pack.... While the 20 is "not the 66"... it's not "new." We have it in game already. A Class 68 would have been a huge selling point. Now Skyhook isn't into that, which is fine. I 100% understand why. My question is how many people will spring for rather unimpressive "nuclear casks." Military pack brought in a lot of people because it was "oooh military!" Intermodal brought in a certain group who saw them a lot and liked them. Aggregates had it's own draw. But those all had some demand. I haven't heard a huge demand for "nuclear casks." I could be wrong and it could sell well like the other packs. Anything for WCMLOS seems to sell ok. MML okayish. Three suggestions though: I think it could have worked on more routes for increased traffic and layering. The more routes it runs on (given there's a relatively wide window for use. Nuclear fuel has been around for decades. Given more eras involved, more traction would be good for variety. Even if it's in game, that makes it even easier. Although to be fair the 20s were around a LONG time so.... that still works, but more variety sells more. Even a Class 37 thrown in would be something. Finally, if you have enough routes it runs on.... maybe someone will pick up on the opportunity and do a Class 68. Could be Skyhook since they are making the 158, so they do have a vehicle team. If not them, maybe Rivet? I know it's a taboo to say that like Voldemort, but they aren't bad at vehicle modeling and it could be used on their Scottish routes. We know Skyhook and Rivet work together because Skyhook is making the 158 for Fife Circle so....if Rivet has a free vehicle team they could return the favor. Again, I could be wrong. It could sell like hotcakes as the military pack has. I just don't hear/see the hype about it yet. I think it would be a lot more impressive with more variety that's (relatively) easy to add (modders can make scenarios) rather than the huge investment of a whole new route or loco. I mean, that's the whole idea behind the cargo packs is low risk, high payoff. However, in this case it's a good opportunity (excuse) to invest in the Class 68 since it fits so well and has been demanded and it works on several existing routes too. While it's not the panacea of a WIDELY used alternative to the 66, it would be a start and would work on WCMLOS, MML (which suits the pack perfectly) , tjhe "Scottish routes", NorthTranspenine Express, Manchester, Airport, and a few that people have asked for (Chiltern is quite popular from TSC) and any route to Southampton with intermodals. Summary: The Class 68 could be used with a lot of existing content (WCMLOS, MML, NTP, Fife Circle,etc) ,will work with several upcoming things (Cargo Pack 5, Manchester Airport) as well as often requested content like Chiltern, Southampton and Felixstowe. Licensing could be through existing Scotrail and DRS for branding, although I don't know about access. This is just a suggestion. Others I'm sure will have more answers being UK railfans. It's not the golden bullet for the "not the Class 66" crowd, but it would go a long way to providing some sort of "new" freight (and some passenger) motive power in the game. Given the Class 88 is an offshoot of it, that could be a possibility too. Even though it's rather niche (being just a dual mode version for electrified areas) , it would be rather easy to create given they're almost the same so again... low investment, high reward. (The Class 88 would be a bit different than what we have in game for the UK because it's fully Dual Mode with a full engine, not just a backup "last mile" kit if you are stranded. It could fully use the diesel to pull freight) Well, no harm done in suggesting it. Do with it what you will. For now I've been using it myself in free roam by subbing in the F125 because it's roughly in the same class of size, power, weight, etc. They are not at all the "same" thing, just "similar." Likewise, having the Class 68/88 means a baseline for the other Stadler products like the Eurolight Dual family (also requested a lot) given their shared design characteristics. That may doom this because Stadler may be the reason we don't have much access to them (don't know, just know we don't have Stadler stuff in game and it's requested a lot) but as I said, it's worth a suggestion. Worst they can do is nothing..which is what is currently the case so we lose nothing by floating the idea. =-)
I think I read it's the same engine for both in a similar carbody design because they used the same "design language" from the designer. EMD built the F125s but the design is essentially based on the Stadler Eurolight that the 68 is based on. So they're cousins I guess? That's why I have been using the F125s because they're so close, even in sound.
The EMD F125s have a 20-cylinder Cat C175-20 prime mover, while the 68 has a C175-16 16-cylinder version, so they would sound similar. We should get all of Stadler's modern Euro-Dual and Euro-Light locos for British Routes: Classes 68, 88, 93, and 99.
Yeah to my ear from videos (and the F125 in game) they sound very similar. I forgot about the 93, which is an 88 with a battery pack I believe. Not sure how similar the Euroduals are overall compared to the cousins in UK and US, but they did buy some in Germany/Austria among other places didn't they? The BR 159 I think? Looks a bit different but same internals mostly?
Are you responding to this thread or a different one? The mail delivery cargo pack suggestion maybe? This one is for a loco.
