I really like the idea of including any of the following routes. North Downs Line Reading to Gatwick Reading to Basingstoke Waterloo to Basingstoke Waterloo to Reading and/or Windsor Paddington to Greenford Slough to Windsor Maidenhead to Marlow Twyford to Henley Marylebone to Aylesbury Many choices for era and motive power can be found.
I’ll help you out. See my bold. There’s isn’t much variety as you think in regards to modern day traction simply because most of those are branch lines off the Great Western Mainline which are still operated by turbos as they are not electrified. Turbo is a Class 165 or 166 for anyone that doesn’t know.
This is the only route listed NOT to be a 165 or 166 at the moment but I spose if you go back to earlier times you might get some variety
The Reading to Basingstoke line could work then - it's almost 12 miles long, so about the right length for current DLC! They could release it with the reused 166, some freight with the reused 66 and add a layer for the CrossCountry 220 DLC which would be a reused add-on for my suggested Birmingham Cross City line DLC.
I checked RTT before posting and I know for a fact that Waterloo direct to Reading is electrified having been on diverts on this route. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W11739/2020-03-15/detailed As that shows, pathed as EMU 100mph max The rest of the routes are listed as 165/1 or 166 on RTT
RTT shows what the service is TIMED for NOT what the traction is booked for. I don’t mean to be patronising but you need to read my post because I’ve listed nearly all, if not all, traction for each of the routes.* As I said even in my original post, there are plenty of turbos particularly on the branch lines but there is still other traction. You are right about Waterloo to Reading being 3rd rail (DC) electric and traction I said earlier are usually 450s and 458s. *forgot about freight. Class 66s and Class 67s
My post was not intended to create bad feeling between members. Also, when i mention traction variety, i refer to various eras, not just current as we have different periods reflected across the game at present. There have been many locomotives, EMU, DMU and DEMU in use on these routes over the years.
I completely agree, I'd love to see a UK south western railway service, maybe like London Waterloo - Weybridge (my personal favourite route) And many other urban areas