I write this piece, due in part out of frustration, that while it is a for a fact that freight is a big part of the rail industry here in America. Passenger rail is still something far more underrepresented in this sim than it is in reality. I understand that a mix of DTG and their third party counterparts, as well as licensing are part of the issue. However, I think I may speak for a good number of other individuals that more operational variety is sorely needed to bring some sort of balance in the content currently offered. As a resident in what is deemed the Capital of the world, New York City, I'm personally biased about my preference, being that I have more exposure to passenger operations. The same could be said of those who live in suburban/rural parts of America, where freight is more prominent. This isn't to say where one lives, 100% means they will prefer one over the other, as one can love all operations equally. The amount of passenger/commuter related content for America comes far and few. Possibly the last route based on that to have come to this sim was the Hudson Line. It's quite frustrating that the variety of ops is lacking. While one can understand written proposals does not guarantee they'll be taken into consideration. There are a number of them here that have been written, stating what we feel certain can be done, based on what already has been offered. Whether it be extensions, revamps to the existing routes, and even some equipment that we don't yet have in TS20xx. What's also frustrating, probably even more so now, is that a route, for example, the LIRR, had been requested for years on just about every medium DTG uses, this site particularly. One, which I've written a proposal for in the TS1 section (https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/long-island-railroad-network.3263/), made for TSW, and underrepresented in equipment and especially in service mode. Then, there's the Amtrak Amfleet cab car that I've also written a proposal (https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/amtrak-amfleet-cab-car.3286/) which also came to TSW, which didn't do so well for the route it was supplied for, nor wasn't able to utilize it properly, as is the route itself, and its signaling. To a small degree, I understand part of the reason was to try and get TS users to adopt TSW. I don't feel it has been doing well enough of a job, even with a second iteration having hit the market recently. There are some TS users, who understandably haven't migrated, while those (myself, in particular) who have given TSW a chance, based on broken promises, feel skeptic, and even quite jaded with the direction it's going. Some of us still feel TS is the best thing going as far as user-created content and abilities are concerned. TS being as old and buggy as it is, still holds up well and has quite a bit of life in it left. However, it is also left with many voids that have yet to be filled, and while I've spoken on two of my most sought after content proposals, it would be nice to see a little more balance with passenger ops where possible. Whether it is branded, or unbranded. Anything to work with is better than nothing at all. There are people in the community talented and knowledgeable enough to fill in those gaps where needed. There needs to be more of a balance on the North American side of things. Hopefully, DTG and their 3rd party counterparts may see this and possibly consider it. Hopefully more passenger-oriented content will start to help even things out to satisfy those that are in favor of said content.
There is a decent amount of passenger/commuter rail in Train Simulator but I do agree as well, it would be great if there could be a greater focus on commuter rail, especially in the tri state area. There is an unofficial extension of the Hudson line that exists to Albany, but it would be great too if DTG fully recreates the Hudson line to Poughkeepsie instead of just Croton Harmon. I wonder if they will release an extension at some point. I also would like to see the Harlem Line be featured, Brookville Bl20GH, Metro North M1A/M3A and Shoreliners without center doors. The LIRR would be a great addition in TS. Currently, the trackage for the LIRR in TS goes from Penn Station to Woodside. If the LIRR gets created for TS, it would be great to feature the main line, babylon branch and montauk branch. I could see that project being worked on in phases as the LIRR has many different branches.
TS having a decent amount of passenger/commuter rail, is subjective, really. When you consider the amount of freight content in comparison said operations, it is rather low. I am of course well aware of the user-created extension. While it was generous of the person to take on such a task, it would have been better having been done officially and whatever possible corrections needed to be made will more than likely be done post release. And it would of course, hopefully, come with the extra equipment mentioned. I would certainly appreciate an extension of both the Hudson and Harlem line to their respective northernmost terminals for operational, and scenario variety. As for the LIRR, again, like the Hudson ext. of course, am aware of the trackage available, and yet it is still a huge missing piece of operational residency in TS's rendition of the New York Metro area, Penn Station especially. While it was nice to see its introduction in TSW, it hasn't been done real justice, even with two EMU's, the service patterns do not come close to representing it properly. And I will agree, as I have stated in my proposal that the route would certainly be welcomed, done in stages, as it is a rather huge network. Being that TS has a proper Scenario Editor, anyone who is familiar with LIRR and well versed in the editor would of course do wonders for the route. It is a real shame that this route has not yet been made for TS despite the request for it, years before even TSW debuted. Yet here we are with a route in a sim that isn't exactly all that well received, at least not fully, especially that of many veteran Trains Sim enthusiasts.
I know I personally proposed the St. Clair Tunnel, North America's first sub-aqueous railway tunnel (in 1891). In the modern day, a newer tunnel exists, built in 1995. The CN Main Line connected to it leads to London, Ontario, and the route could include the now-closed Kellogg's plant there (which introduced Kellogg's Corn Flakes to Canadian consumers). I did forward this idea with more detail to one developer and also posted about it on the Steam forum side. The fact that something like the first sub-aqueous rail tunnel in North America is still not featured in TS2020 shows there is potentially a lack of knowledge from DTG on areas like this, which shows in the fact that they are a British company and therefore much of their work will be British routes. It's a natural assumption. I do agree, however, that I wish there was a North American arm that worked on the stuff over here while they concentrate on home and the rest of Europe. Ironically, if there WAS an American arm of the company, they might get that extension on the BNSF license. I am also biased because the city that is home to this tunnel is a city I know well.
Yeah, I'm biased to commuter and passenger in general, because that is what I'm more exposed to. Unfortunately, freight isn't something I'm particularly big on, and wish I were just as exposed to just as much. I just wanna see more of it, wherever it is based, in North America that is. Speaking of Canada... like where the commuter stuff?! There has not been one single route across either of these sims that has offered anything other than freight ops.
I do agree partially. Some routes could use additional content, i.e. a competitor has released their version of Canadian Mountain Passes with Via's Rocky Mountaineer. The cars are somewhat unique, the loco is a GP40 variant in its own skin. A lot of trains are available, but as separate purchases. Most stuff from the '60s till recently is modeled. Glaringly missing are the PAs and the Charger (heck, Brightline / Virgin). RWA offers a lot of reskins, so there is limited business value in creating them (e.g. F59PH from Pacific Surfliner to their new duties). As a general thought, I feel like US railroads are much more protective, reminding me of Sowiet Russia, railfans are abundant but dash cams are very rare (I only recall seeing a single one, and even that's CP). In the meanwhile, Europe is well presented, recently even saw some videos showing the controls and their operation. Maybe it's a lot harder to approach these companies, so established business practice with UP, NS, Amtrak and some more goes on, the rest is too much hassle. (Plus, really, lots of copy-pasta. GP9, F7, SD40, repeat since 2010.) Explanation aside, I agree, passenger scenarios are proportionally few and more would be nice. I'm pondering a post / request for half a year now about reusing "premium" content, instead of relegating all of it to the workshop. (Edinburgh-Glasgow trains have fantastic wagons - never seen them again.) Soldier Summit (F40PH) and Miami-WPB (P42DC) are the few examples I know.
AFAIK, most of the footage usually is for accident purposes, and are never really released to the public. There are a few out there, but are mostly showing a derailment. Such as the Kismet Collision on BNSFs line in Central California in the mid 2000s Outside of these you would have to rely on a cab ride video from a production company like Pentrex. But most of those are pretty dated by now.
Hopefully at some point in the near future, more passenger routes can be created for TS. I would definitely like to see all rail lines throughout the tri state area. I am confident that we will get atleast the electrified portion of the Harlem Line in Train Simulator as we currently have 2/3 electrified EOH lines for Metro North that officially exist in Train Simulator 20xx. I wish the editor for TS would be as simple or user friendly as the Surveyor (route builder) in Trainz so it would be an easier approach to creating routes for Train Simulator. As there are track maps that exist out there, I am pretty sure that they would provide a good reference for the proposed LIRR/ Metro North Harlem line to be created in TS20xx.
Commuter stuff is mostly things like subways in Toronto and Montreal, where there is consistrent ridership. Regular rail travel is very rare outside of freight otherwise, and this may be due to population, particularly in northern areas. I can tell you that as recently as ten years or so back I saw news that the local terminal here was cutting a lot of the passenger service; this is not a surprise mainly because we are literally one end of the line, since passenger traffic is not done through the tunnel I mention above and you thus cannot travel to the U.S. or Canada from the other side through that tunnel. Therefore, we have one train out, before 6 a.m., and another train that returns sometime late. That gets business traffic to and from Toronto, and that's the only objective. Everything else is freight. So capturing these rare passenger services would be a nice touch to any DLC.
