Just a light hearted discsusion as to what routes you are driving at the moment and why? Please try and keep this on topic and not a grief fest. For me it's Great Western Express Remaster. It's always been a favourtie route of mine, aince way back in TSC days with the orginal Oxford to Paddington route via Didcot. But since TSW I think I nealry completed both timetables on the PS4 (you could do the orirignal and the "PC Only" timetable at the time Before the Preservation Crew (RIP) made it available to console owners a few years ago. Express with the 125 or local stoppers with the 165 or the freight. I always thought though it was lacking services and a bit more action. Really glad what Liam has doen with the remaster. Medway Valley Just goes what a former bunch of modders can do. Just love the variety of services the sound and the lighting of the route. Freight for me is a bit of a letdown but heyho. Birmingham Crewe This route has grown on me since release. Whether its the original AAB Timetable or the updated 805 timetable. The only thing about the 805 timetable is the lack of freight. But for me I quite enjoy driving on it. I also have to say any chance to drive on any WCML is fun as well. Although the Brighton Mainline is even showing its age now I still njoy a run on that as well. So what are your favourties? Hentis
Recently I've been playing WCML Euston to Milton Keynes and Manchester Airport Commuter a lot. Couldn't really give a specific reason, but I tend to go through periods of playing specific routes a lot.
For me GWE remaster because its a awsome route and so much variety. Medway Valley because its cool little route and it performs the best. Stamford to grand Central. Because I nice variety of services and I like them kinda routes. Nitalbhan because its such a chilled out route.
I've recently become a bit more into modern British Trains. After buying and loving Medway, I wanted more, and somehow the ScotRail Routes appealed to me. I first bought the Class 380 for Cathcart (what I already owned since release) and a few days later also the ScotRail Express Edinburgh - Glasgow.
Been away for a while, but after seeing some praise for a couple of the new routes (Medway and Liberec), it rekindled my interest. Just waiting on a decent sale. Until then I've found myself really enjoying Leipzig - Dresden for non-specific reasons. I've been playing it a lot. I know it has flaws but I still enjoy it. Kassel - Würzburg is another one I've been playing lately. Have to be in the right mood for that one since it's kind of one-note, but it can be a relaxing way to turn off my brain. I've also dabbled a bit into the Morristown Line after not really touching it since release. That's fun. Different experience than the rest of the routes that I own since the only other US route I have is Cajon Pass. Despite being American, I'm not really familiar with the signaling and safety systems compared to German and UK routes. Last one I've been playing lately is Zwolle - Groningen. Beautiful scenery in my opinion, and I have a lot of fun with the Koploper. Easy and fun to drive, and I enjoy the unique interior and seating position. Again it's kind of a one-note driving experience, but it has an overall vibe that I really like. I've also recently installed the Route Annotations mod with the weather features (live or historical data) and it's breathed a whole new life into all of the routes I own. Everything feels new, so I'll probably get around to playing them all again at some point.
Birmingham to Crewe. For me that route has been an amazing drive the route is genuinely very high quality from a route building perspective
antelope valley line and san bernardino using the F59PHR and right behind, cajon pass using the ATSF C40-8W (and eagerly awaiting the GP60M)
I have been driving alot of GWE and Riviera lately due to the Remaster and the HST Pack. Hamburg-Lübeck with the 218 is one I always go back to as well. My most played according to the stats is WCML South. Just much to do there. Preston-Carlisle is up always up there too.
Having said that I drove Sand Patch Grade again earlier today. That is the route that got me properly into TSW back in 2022.
Medway. Because duh Plus cycling through East Coastway, Riviera and GWE for the HST pack, and Stuttgart-Heilbronn (with the 147).
Medway Valley, Riviera, Morristown, Birmingham - Crewe, BML, BPE and, of course, Sand Patch Grade. These are the highest quality routes in the game at the moment.
For my Monthly mastery I've done runs on... Medway Valley - Fine route with a decent sounding Electrostar. ECML - though not a fan of AT300’s there’s something about this route that’s very relaxing. Fife Circle - Wanted to clear the return Class 40 Railtour. Blackpool Branches - And why not! Bit of MetCam thrash to try out the sound mod. Shap - Still the best all round UK route and Class 86, my Lords! GWE - Despite the save game issue a quick run from PAD to RDG can be done in one hit and now we can open the power car doors the MTU buzz is much better. Glasgow to Edinburgh - Quick thrash in the 158. Hamburg to Lubeck - Still a sleeper hit IMHO and has decent night lighting plus a good thrash with the 218 and its cab car. Stuttgart to Hellbron - The 140 is still a superb loco. (Edit:Updated with reasons).
I’m really enjoying Leipzig Dresden (BR145 is the ultimate loco in TSW) but I’m mixing that up with GWE and LIRR
Medway Valley Line (no explanation needed!), Riviera Line (my personal favourite route) East Coastway (the remaster is like a brand new route!) and Birmingham to Crewe have been in heavy rotation the past few weeks. I’ve also rediscovered Cathcart Circle too. Just shows the longevity of some routes and how good they really are!
Medway because it’s end-to-end runs with a train that actually sounds decent, and WCMLOS in the 86/87 because you have to drive that.
Very British leaning list so far, I'll add some Germany to it At the moment I gravitate a lot towards Stuttgart-Heilbronn (don't have the BR 147 yet though). The route really appeals to me, despite all the stuttering and hitching... The scenery looks great, the route feels busy and alive and the timetable offers a lot of variety A close second is S-Bahn Frankfurt, for pretty much the same reasons. The 420 will enhance both these routes even more once it's out On third place is Linke Rheinstrecke, which is my go-to "comfort food". It has a unique feel about it, compared to most other German routes (the Rhine, the vintage rolling stock...) Other routes I've been using recently, but not as often as those three are (roughly in order of frequency): Ludwigsbahn Liberec-Stará Paka Niddertalbahn Frankfurt-Fulda Mittenwaldbahn S-Bahn Vorarlberg Main-Spessart Bremen-Oldenburg Tharandter Rampe
Medway Valley, Riveria line, and Wonders of Sodor. Enjoying driving Thomas up and down his branch line.
Medway Valley, a bit of GWE remaster to mix things up, and then back to Medway Valley again. The best 2 routes in the game IMO. Hoping the Mildmay line extension with it’s fixes and updates will be worth the wait too
After several months of pausing I found myself a bit more motivated recently, although in total about 1-2 hours a week: - Liberec - Stara Paka - Riviera Line - ECW - GWE - Zwolle - Groningen - BRO - WCML South - and a bit Cathcart or Cardiff Central for short runs I'm mostly looking for a good mix between immersion and service variety.
Anything passenger without announcements just feels lacking to me now, so it’s: ECW, GWER and Riviera for me. East Coastway was the first route I bought and I don’t think it’s been knocked off the top of my characters scoreboard ever since. The remaster of course breathing new life into it too. I route hopped into BML the other day and boy does it show its age against the remaster. I thought I’d route hopped into Train Sim Classic for a moment!
Eastcoast way for me mostly. Cause its the only route on series x that doesn't have the texture issues.
Would add to my list, the Czech route last night to finish up the Monthly Mastery. I haven’t played it nearly as much as I thought I would mainly because I would have preferred the 749 as the diesel loco and the 810 as the unit. However it’s still a cracking run and the leader in showing other developers how it should be done. Like Niddertalbahn, Bernina and Mittenwaldbahn I welcomed them with great anticipation but somehow they dropped off the radar.
Liberec - Stara Paka, because Czech and long Medway Valley Line cos UK and partially expert and chill and finally Stuttgart - Heilbronn, cos 147 is a nice loco, especially now that they have fixed the PZB / LZB / AFB behavior might also do more Leipzig - Dresden with 147 once I find enough moneyz to get Expert 145
I feel you Vern. Those routes are great, amazing even, but very particular. I don't use them as often as I initially thought, since I have to be in the right mood to enjoy them fully. Also, especially on Mittenwaldbahn and Liberec-Stará Paka, you have to free a lot of spare time to enjoy an end-to-end service in one go. I don't have too much spare time lately, so I tend to go for other routes with 30 to 45 minute services instead
A very good point mentioned above by OldVern and AmityBlight. There are routes that I really love too, but I just don’t have the time to do an end to end timetable run on the said route. I really enjoy US Freight for example, but need to find the time to actually do the runs. Sand Patch is one always love driving, but only do so maybe a handful of times a year.
Carlisle-Preston Birmingham-Crewe Blackpool Branches sometimes a bit of Riviera or Cardiff. Had a great blast from Leeds to Manchester in the 45 the other day… despite the sounds and the darkness and the dodgy scenery in places it’s still a cracking fun drive (well, apart from the tunnel!)
Niddertalbahn. I just adore this route. Love everything about it. The Scenery is just 10/10. I’m not really a fan of slow routes but this one gets a huge pass because the entire surroundings are just jaw dropping stunning. Hard to believe this is a TSW 3 route. It’s just pure beauty from start to end. I’d also like to add Arosa and even though it’s a bit behind in how routes look nowadays. It’s still a pleasant run. It’s a very unique route as 95% of it is having you going up a mountain. I still hope for a remaster of this route one day. This would be one of the best looking routes TSW has if it was upgraded to TOD 4.
