I have somehow the feeling the guys at DTG dont like freight services that much or loading/unloading the trains. In CSX we have two mines and only one scenario to load coal at the Rockwood mine, and one possibility in the service mode to load coal at the Shaw mines. Why are there not more possibilities or services to load coal? Its so simple, just place a loco at the Rockwood mines and some empty wagons to play around with them. There is also no AI train or serivce ever going to the Rockwood mines. Same thing in GWE, there are THREE unloading stations at the route and only ONE possibility in ONE scenario to unload the wagons. Why do all freight service runs just end without any further things to do, like unloading the hoppers?? Its so sad that this possibilities are all unused in GWE, over 300 passanger runs and only 13 freight runs. And even this 13 freight runs never do anything else like drive from A to B. Here are the 3 unloading stations that we will never use in the service mode: Unloading station west of Hayes & Harlington (unused): Unloading station at Acton (unused): Unloading station east of Hayes & Harlington, only used in 1 scenario: The service mode could easy have a bit more variety if this unloading stations would be used, so right now (freight) service mode is just boring driving from A to B and nothing else.
Thinking the same thing. People so often stereotype freight as 'boring end to end nonstop run' while it is not like that in real life, and there are opportunities in TSW to do more than just end to end, but none were taken advantage of. It's really DTGs fault that freight is stereotyped like that. And I'm thinking not just of cargo loading and unloading, but switching as well. Thousands of train cars are sorted in Cumberland every day, but there's only one switching service. GWE could have done something with building and taking apart aggregates trains. But it's not like overall services missed out, there are some pretty complex passenger services, but everything freight is super simple-freight got the short stick, passengers got a very long pole... If we can have services handle putting 16/21 166s ever made into reading traincare depot, why shouldn't it be able to handle running a train through the aggregate unloaders?
Although that shouldn't be a reason, I think they simulated the schedules of some trains on that route and none of the class 66s were unloading on those stations. Until we have a route extension or different train types, I'm afraid we have to wait. I think with GP40 add-on, they will add Rockwood service loading operation.
Yes maybe in reality there are no class 66 unloading hoppers, but I would prefer adding some fictive unloading runs then going straight after the real time tables. Well at least they could have made some scenarios for all unloading stations with the class 66 if they don't want to do fictive runs in service mode. It's just some clicks to build a simple scenario....
I completely agree with you, please don't misunderstand. Who would be mad enough to say no to more gameplay option? I think, they could release first iteration of scenario editor with features similar to TS2017 Quick Drive. Not exactly like that bare minimum but with features like options to select go via, stop, passenger, load/unload, connect to front/back etc... And more importantly, loco and consist selection options so we can take AC wherever we want or use class 66 for passenger service...
Railworks / Train Simualtor was plagued with problems like this where you couldn't unload anywhere in routes. I'm an avid enthusiast for freight duties, but railworks / train simulator never really satisfied me when it came to freight. I hope we can get something which allows loading & unloading of freight on a regular basis, possibly involving shunting with a shunter.
