Route Nec: New York - Stamford Feedback Thread

I just did a service in an M8 and it also crashed right before arriving in Stamford.


Also on PS5.
I did not see any blurry textures during the rest of the service

edit: I was able to complete the service after loading from a save just made before the crash.
(Which did highlight how painfully long loading the game takes)

 

They are also equipped with the ADU that’s in the F40ph on Boston sprinter they could just copy and paste it into the SD-40 would that alone would’ve been fine

 

Mmmmh beautiful

 

a workaround would be set the A-B point before config the loco
worked for me, the reverser handle didn't disappear

 

doesnt the sherman hill route have a broken version of this. i wonder if it works on this route.

 

Ok. I caved in, I do like the New York area lol.

Solid so far, no blurry textures (PS5), but only done scenarios so far. (But Birmingham to Crewe and Mildmay line had horrendous blurring, even with only 1 train model loaded). Scenarios do use layers, so I suspect timetable will be fine.

Not sure if the area after between where the Harlem Line is and New Rochelle is supposed to have overhead wires present?

No cab car for the ACS-64. Is that prototyping for the ACS-64 running between Stamford and New York Penn?

 

The catenary towers are present between woodlawn and Pelham but they dont carry wires anymore. The wire begins near the changeover point at Pelham.

 

Cabcar is only for Keystone services from NY Penn-Harrisburg, PA (via Philly 30th st), so they don't have to turn the train around at HBG. NE Regional services don't use them.

 

It's also used on New Haven-Springfield services. But thanks to DTG we don't have New Haven.

 

Again to be clear, I’m not disputing that the signal shape is correct (including the rare slim top head). What I’m saying is that the lamp colors would be incorrect per NORAC rules. Either you can have three horizontal amber lights or 2 horizontal red lights on the top head to represent a stop signal. What is shown (2 horizontal amber lights) is not a valid signal.

 

I’ve noticed that a majority of the M8s in this DLC are facing the wrong direction. Trains going towards Connecticut should have an even car number leading (car without restroom). Trains going to GCT should be led by an odd numbered car (car with restroom).

Here is a video of someone railfanning at New Rochelle. You can see that most if not all Manhattan bound trains are led by an odd numbered car and trains to Connecticut are led by an even numbered car.

It’s not really a big issue. Just something I wanted to point out. Other than that, this DLC is AWESOME!

 

Completely unplayable garbage on PS5. [EDIT - Jan - Insulting Staff Members]

 

That’s also correct I’ve seen that signal before your taking Norac by heart too much when it only there to show you what the aspect and indications a fixed signal will show and why.

 

Like it a lot so far! Very busy with AI traffic.

Ran Train 1375 Grand Central Local, and other than having to delete Train 1575 at Greenwich (was stopped just short of the platform on a yellow signal "stopped for instruction"), it was a good time! M8 is fun to drive, Pelham power switchover is a nice wrinkle, and ATC keeps you on your toes.

 

Just throwing out, on PS5 all layers installed, have completed about 8 services, and all have been without issue. Some light stutters in very few places (playing with rain on), but no blurry textures and so far have not run into a backup heading into GCT. My first impressions are that it is an excellent route.

 

The M8 performance is correct. As Brian stated, the propulsion package used on the M8s is identical in power to the M7s and M9s, but the M8s are about 15% heavier due to the extra equipment needed to support operations under overhead catenary.

Those with keen senses will notice that performance under the wire is slightly better than performance on 3rd rail power. This is also accurate, as there is no amperage draw limit when operating under the wire. Therefore, the M8 will operate at base level performance under the wire, and at a derated performance on the 3rd rail.

My only minor critique is that the service brake rate seems a little high, but I'm not going to complain too much as I tend to like dive bombing my station stops, so the extra stopping power is nice, even if it is a bit more than what the real world figure is supposed to be.

Train brakes in general aren't good in any kind of weather. Why do think trains always develop flat spots after a bout of rain / snow / leafy season?

EDIT: I don't think the snow brake works right now? I flipped the switch and it didn't inject any air pressure into the brake cylinder.

 

The snow brake works as long as you arent applying power when you turn the knob. Coasting or braking, it applies around 7psi and keeps it that way until you turn it off.

 

Good to know; thanks.

 

Runs fine on mine.

A few tips. Make sure the SSD you have the game and DLC installed on isn't full (try and leave at least 100GB free). Make sure your PS5 has enough space to get proper airflow. Lastly. Make sure the fans etc are clear of dust etc

 

Does anything actually stop at Williams Bridge or woodlawn or anything further up the harlem line. Every job i done with m7 only goes as far as botanical gardens.

 

Yes, the AI takes over at botanical garden and any service that requires a stop at those stations will stop there.

The reason for player services ending at Botanical Garden going northbound is a dispatcher limitation. This allows the timetable to function without excessive stuck trains or trains lined up one after another.

 

Anyone notice the AI m8s dont make any traction sound. i was watching a couple of them leave stamford and all you hear is the track noise.

 

Does the M8 ever go to Yankee station.

 

it's a known issue that DTG is aware, and it has been previously logged

 

yes, the gameday services and I believe the empty moves from GCT that go to Highbridge yard are playable up to Yankee 153rd st

 

So why was the decision taken to go ahead and publish anyway with this fairly significant fault (not to mention the others being listed), still outstanding? We know from bitter experience (Class 385, Class 700) that anything to do with sounds tends to quickly join the list of forgotten and ignored fixes, even more so if Rivet are involved. Looks as if the bottom line and bringing in more March revenue, took precedent over releasing a quality product. Sorry and this is genuine feedback from a potential customer, but it’s high time DTG were taught a hard lesson that you cannot keep churning out sub par content and asking £33 for it - even more so with a route as short and recycled as this one.

 

thats a shocking reply, It's NOT an answer, that's deflection. That's like saying ""we make cars and we know the lights don't work, but we will continue to keep making cars because people buy them""

 

Calm down, you're having a pop at a beta tester, not DTG. He's factually replying that it's been noticed and reported.

 

Why doesnt the banking work on the SD40

 

I'm not usually one to complain about an entire DLC, but this time I have to because there is just too much to say.

NEC: New York - Stamford takes us straight back to the TSW 3 era when it comes to the M8. Seriously, this train has not a lot of interactivity; some part of the buttons in the cab are just there for decoration and cannot be used. The M7 screens, which are identical to the M8's, have more usable features than the M8, even though the M7 was released several years ago. It is impossible to disable the M8's safety systems, which ruins the experience for casual players and annoys those who just want to enjoy the ride without forced alerts.

No breakdowns (which was supposed to be the new feature in TSW6). At the same time, this makes sense given the lack of a usable MCU. "Expect the unexpected" is what the TSW6 trailer said, and they weren't wrong, because I definitely didn't expect this from the DLC.

To name a few positive points, the map is beautiful and feels alive, despite the tunnels with lighting being completely plunged into darkness. There are quite a few playable services. However, the M8 in its current state is a real black mark and needs to be fixed. ~$45 for a DLC with an M8 straight out of the TSW 3 era.

Conclusion: For this initial release, I do not recommend buying it as long as these problems are present unless you want to enjoy this good map

Pros:

• Beautiful and lively map
  
  
• Variety of rolling stock and services
  
  
• New Amtrak services
  
  
• M8 sounds
  
  
• Acceptable performance

Cons:

• M8 Train:
  • Safety systems cannot be disabled (this can be an issue for some players)
    
    
  • Lack of interactivity in the cab, both physically and on the screens (the M7 does it better)
    
    
  • No MCU circuit breaker
    
    
  • No breakdowns (at least I haven't had a single one in 4 hours of gameplay), which is supposed to be TSW6's main selling point.
    
    
  • Bugs with the safety systems (which, as a reminder, are mandatory)

 

The M8 is that way due licensing requirements.

 

Its the same as liir trains as well and they made perfectly clear as well.

 

Sorry, I have no idea at this point since I have only run part of the Student Driver scenario.

 

Ok thanks for taking the time to reply and if you find if there is would be kind enough let me know thanks.

 

rumour is that the guy who gets all the tickets has a wholesale agreement with Logitech as they get through so many keyboards hitting the "delete" button so much....

 

I'm really enjoying this route so far! There's just a couple of things I noticed with the M8 (I'm on PC btw):

• There seems to be something not quite right when changing ends. After changing cabs, the drag I experience seems to be much greater. Even when coasting downhill I'm losing speed while I could coast perfectly fine before changing cabs. It feels like there are some brakes that are not releasing, but the brake cylinder pressure gauges do read 0, so I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe I'm just doing something wrong.
• When the power cuts out due to a gap in the third rail, the HVAC cuts out as well, which is nice. However, the HVAC does not seem to consistently turn back on again once power is restored. Sometimes the HVAC only turns back on again after the next time power is cut and restored due to a third rail gap. Because of this, I've had several runs where the HVAC was off during the majority of the third rail section of the route. This is especially jarring when stopping at a station and finding that the train is completely silent.

 

There’s also a bug where in the DLC a majority of the M8s are facing the wrong direction. Every service I’ve operated so far has had odd numbered cars leading Connecticut bound trains and even numbered cars leading Manhattan bound trains. Irl, even numbered cars lead the Connecticut bound trains whereas odd numbered cars lead the Manhattan bound trains.


Here is a video I found of someone railfanning at New Rochelle. Here you can see that trains going to Grand Central are led by odd numbered cars, whereas trains going to Connecticut are led by even numbered cars

 

I normally do not play Journeys mode but decided to give it a go in view of the new scenario designs.
The first scenario you actually get to drive on the route in Journeys mode is the third one "Drawbridge Drama". I feel that this scenario should not be the first scenario after training and here's why.

1. The signal speed limit constantly jiggles between 45, 30, and 15mph. It does so suddenly, and without warning.
2. The aforementioned sudden speed limit changes often triggers the alarm from the safety systems to slow down. Unfortunately you only get a few seconds and the system often demands that you apply MAX BRAKE before it is satisfied. Sometimes, the overspeed warning triggers even though I am within the speed limit. The slow speed of the combined power handle's movements mean that you barely have enough time to react and prevent a penalty brake application. I had 4 because of this.
3. This meant that in order to complete the scenario, I basically drove at 30mph or less for the whole trip from Rye to Stamford, even though it allowed 45mph at times. There was even a section between 2 stations (I don't remember which pair) that was about 7000ft apart, I drove at 15mph the whole 7000ft because that was all I got from the safety systems.
4. The above 3 points meant that keeping to the schedule was extremely difficult.

I simply do not think that this scenario should be the among the first few that a new driver on the route should experience.

 

It’s a sad thing that we’ve come to this for a license.

 

While I do not deny that Amtrak does employ non-conforming aspects occasionally with respect to NORAC, I think the TSW asset in the picture is indeed missing the center lamp in the top head. If you pause this video at 20:31 (), you can see that the signal in question has a center lamp - implying that the top head should show 3 horizontal amber lights for a stop signal.

 

I’ve experienced this too, though I am open to it being driver error / inexperience on my part. This is certainly the most annoying of safety systems I’ve experienced in TSW, and that’s unfortunate given it can’t be turned off.

I find it very ironic that MTA has mandated the safety systems be on, and I believe this and the inability to charge the brake pressure using the green button came from an incident where someone stole a train. In that case, wouldn’t it make sense to not include the safety systems so a would be train thief couldn’t practice on them?

Anyway, I digress as I know DTG can’t do anything about it if they want to work with MTA.

 

Sorry to hear you had trouble with this scenario. It is indeed a tough first one to encounter out of the gate.

The reason why you were forced to go slower was most likely you were following a train in front of you.

My advice for ATC drops would be to immediately move the master controller to around 60% in the braking range, and acknowledge the alarm (B button on console, Q on keyboard) when the small "brake rate" light is illuminated in the cab.

I also recommend skipping this scenario and go straight into timetable runs, where you will be much more likely to be able to run at full speed on the route.

 

Because without safety systems, you can derail and run into a train in front of you without warning.

 

What year does the timetable represent? I was surprised not to see the LIRR M9 included even as AI.

 

2015 I think.

 

I dont know why the New York to Trenton NJT cars dont work for NJT AI? I dont have any plans to own the morristown line at least in the near future.

 

Because the Morristown DLC is the layer for the NJT services represented on Stamford. Is the newer DLC and its a TSW6 core route

 

Just drove the AC64 up to Stamford and was then going to pick an M8 up for the route back but they come in with their internal HUDs switched off so I have no idea what speed I am doing and all I have is the red speed limit with both screens black. I tried resetting the train in the start menu but that resulted in a train HUD but no power.... and yes I checked the panto....

 

I've only passed through the thread quickly so haven't read other forum members feedback so I apologise if some of mine is already covered or repeated.

Overall I'm very impressed with the route and rolling stock. For me personally the scenery is particularly good as is some of the vegetation as you leave New York. One piece of constructive feedback back with the scenery is some of the 'pop in' buildings that are noticeable as you approach the more urban areas. As I approached New York I noticed some of the buildings pop in that was a slight immersion breaker. Another issue leaving New York for me atleast is in one or two locations the reused and copy and pasted apartment buildings, I don't know the area in real life but it did give a 'copy and paste' feeling in those small areas. But who knows I could be totally wrong and the apartment buildings may be standardised designs in that area? But, overall the scenery is pretty good as far as I'm concerned and I'm impressed with how New York has been populated.

The unit itself is pretty squeaky clean and I haven't noticed any particular large errors or issues myself (although take with a pinch of salt as I'm a UK player, not a US one so wouldn't have the sharp eye a native might have). I'm very impressed with the M9, it's fairly similar to the M7 from LIRR so wasn't to hard to figure out to drive. A small error I have noticed is the reverser operates backwards though... When I push forward on the pad it goes backwards, and then I push backwards it goes forwards. Is this intentional or a small error?

I was also impressed to see the Acela has been given a new route, and the other layers fit in really nicely. As I approached Penn, LIRR stock could be seen passing in the distance. There's quite a variety of rolling stock. Although, the M8 has the most flexibility being the 'flagship' of the route. So I feel my backlog of US commuter routes really populated the route.

Overall though this feels like a really solid route, and as a UK player who likes commuter routes, this has really opened my interest in US commuter content further as it ticks all the boxes. So much so I think I'm going to venture into Morristown.

So a thumbs up from me, and really lived up to the expectations for me atleast. Well done Tyler as always on the timetable and the layers. And the scenery is pretty darn good in the majority of places too! A 8/10 from me. (On PS5).