i would like to see the HSL route from the Netherlands there are 2 routes one going from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and one going from Rotterdam to Belgium the routes have passenger and freight alot of the route it's driving on is dedicated track and near Rotterdam it goes alot underground The biggest part of the route is shunting yard kijfhoek near Zwijndrecht its ( dutch Het is 50 hectare groot, heeft een tweesporige heuvel en telt 14 aankomstsporen, 43 verdeelsporen, alle met railremmen, en 12 vertreksporen.[1] Kijfhoek heeft een capaciteit van 4000 goederenwagons per dag) It is 123ac 24075ft2, has a two-track hill and has 14 arrival tracks, 43 dividing tracks, all with rail brakes, and 12 departure tracks. [1] Kijfhoek has a capacity of 4,000 freight wagons per day https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...a/Bestand:Classification_yard_Kijfhoek_01.jpg https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kijfhoek_(rangeerterrein)
Although in theory I would really like this idea, and I'll be the first to agree that TSW, or rather, the rail simulation community at large desperately needs officially made Dutch content. I hate to be a bummer, but I don't think this route is ideal. Instead, let me propose a route that's slightly longer, and in a way follows the same path, but I think is much more commercially viable for DTG to actually sell, namely, De Oude Lijn, Rotterdam-Haarlem-Amsterdam, which at 86km is a bit beefy, for TSW route standards, but not unreasonable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam–Haarlem–Rotterdam_railway The reason why I would choose to make De Oude Lijn instead if I were DTG or any affiliated studio is that, firstly, it's a historical route, the Amsterdam-Haarlem part being the first railway laid out in the Netherlands, which is already a plus. This gives the route a historical feel when driving too as it mostly follows the trekvaart (barge canal), which makes it unique. Also, choosing this route instead of the HSL means there are actual stations to simulate an alive feeling timetable, as well as providing a more realistic route for freight trains to pass through which makes actually including Rotterdam Kijfhoek make sense as now there's a logical path for freight trains to travel to and from, and shunting operations to perform at Kijfhoek itself, which would definitely be a great and very unique train yard to add! The only sacrifice this route has compared to your HSL suggestion is that it does not include Schiphol Airport (necessarily), but then again, if the studio that would take up this project is feeling generous, i think it wouldn't be too much to ask them kindly to also make that path as well, a little bit like in Hauptstrecke Rhein Ruhr in which both paths from Bochum to Essen are available as in this route, both routes go from Amsterdam Centraal and meet at Leiden Centraal. Operating this route would ideally be the NS ICM trains a well as NS VIRM or NS DDZ, without which a Dutch route would not feel complete. Although I believe currently they're being run by the more modern SNG's, correct me if I'm wrong. And preferably the older NS 1700 freight locs are included, even though they're not really in service anymore I believe for freight trains. Adding a 1700 loc would definitely come in handy for possible future Dutch routes as I know if DTG ever starts with 1 route in a coutry, they'd want to make more to not waste all that time into asset creation for just one time use and that 1700 could come in handy if somehow the Bad Bentheim locomotive switchover is ever put in the game. (HINT!) (for a continuous drive adding a function that's not just aesthetic to the ICE BR403 means you also have a train that functions for the whole track too in the Netherlands and Germany) Lastly, as an argument why I don't think making the HSL line would be a commercially feasible project. It's precisely because it's a dedicated line. It runs from Rotterdam to Amsterdam Schiphol, to Amsterdam Centraal which makes it although very nice the first time, feel very empty. Of course you'd shuffle around with freight located on Kijfhoek yard, but without actual freight services to run, why bother? I fear making the HSL would inevitably feel like Schnellfahrstrecke Köln-Aachen if it had no stations inbetween and no other trains running on the route at all. Very empty, and very little replay value. I hope you'll understand the criticism I too would love to see Dutch content added, and my counter proposal here would still have the same final destinations on both ends, just a different path. Definitely I'd like to see what people think of this idea!
I'm not a huge fan of High Speed trains. I'd love a Dutch route, but I think a route that offers 'ordinary' Intercity services, Sprinter services, and some freight, would be more enjoyable, and offer more possibilities to offer something that really feels Dutch.
