So, far 21 routes have been launched in TSW (including the imminent SEHS). OK, so of the first 13 routes, 9 included both passenger and freight services "as standard" at launch (GWE, NEC, RSN, NTP, MSB, TVL, PC, RRO, ECW). Of the last 8, none. (Additionally, with the layers there are freight services on HRR, SKA and HMA but only for driving from point A to B, without launching with the corresponding rolling stock and without dedicated scenarios). Then I wanted to ask your opinion: Do we have a pattern from now on, where routes are launched only with one type of services, excluding others, or is it the result of chance, or other causes? Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
It's probably chance - the German routes use the freight locos from MSB and RRO, because there's little point in including an identical loco in these routes, especially given it seems to break older routes slightly (see the thread discussing S8 destinations on RRO). Of the UK routes, there's no freight ops on the tube (except maybe some on the adjacent WCML, but it'd look a bit silly having freight trains without passenger trains given it's one of the UK's busiest routes). Similarly, there's none on the Isle of Wight. Not sure on SEHS since looking on RTT, I think it'd make sense to layer the freight trains from GWE and ECW. There also (to my knowledge) aren't many passenger services on SPG, as in not enough to justify adding passenger cars (though happy to be proven wrong - I have no clue on NA railways). Also, remember SPG was the first route in the game, and I think the devs found it easier to do a freight route than a passenger route (since you don't have to model lots of people and make AI and all that).
As much as I agree combined routes are overall better, this recent development is more based on two things: - German routes are heavily relying on you having the older ones, without them they're usually very flat, to begin with. It is interesting, however, why there are no 185.2s for example always coming as part of the DLC itself. They have the asset, they have the timetable otherwise only active with MSB. They could always put one freight loco in and not take it from the other route layer. - Many of the recent routes don't see any freight operation at all (BKL, IoW, LGV), therefore it would be weird to try and put some there. SPG is a freight route with 2 passenger trains a day stopping at only one station on the whole route. Missing passenger trains on this one is not a very big deal. This leaves us with only two routes that truly suffer from this - OSD and the upcoming SEHS. OSD is really hindered by its absence of GO Transit, even if the run only takes about 30 minutes. I did my best with the scenario planner on this one and the passenger trains are really not that bad here, the route would benefit a whole lot from having them. SEHS is to be judged soon. I missed the stream yesterday, so I have to wait for the rerelease on Monday, but from the feedback here on forums, it seems it is very empty and could benefit A LOT from using ECW or GWE Class 66 with its cars.
As a minor point, there are no TSW2-native German routes with freight. Which means Livery Editor can't be used to add variety to those rather monotonous TSW1 consists. (Old-school .pak reskins give a new look, but it's the same look for every car. And you lose randomized serials.)
Pretty much, Amtrak's Capitol Limited is the only train that runs that line, once each way, with their only station stop at Cumberland Station on SPG. Too little for a full DLC, but I wouldn't mine if it got layered in to the timetable if Amtrak's P42's and Superliners ever came in another DLC.
This is mostly because of the lacking signalling system. It can't handle complex operations. So freighter can eventualy run from a to b with all green and without diverging and thats about it. Also ai trains can't drive by the speed restrictions. So if line speed says 90 mph no matter what it would go 90. So if wagons are cappable of 60 it would go all the way to 90.
Also take into account the operators and eras. Most german routes have freight as the freight operator is always DB or Railion and they are set in the same era, so all rolling stock can be easily shared amont all routes. In the case of UK routes is quite the same but also Freightliner or EWS do services, so you could need special wagons with that livery in some cases but at least they must be from the same era. They have an added problem, which is the usage of vacumm and air brake types, so you can´t mix those type of wagons in the same consist, and more or less they becone slaved to the route or DLC they came with, or at least to the era. The American routes are the worse case as mainly each route comes with a different operator, so you need the operator liveries on the wagons as there are few generic wagons used by all operators. Those adaptations in the liveries, even if they are minor, take time and money and I presume that´s the main reason why German routes are the current winners in terms of versatility, as they need almost no adaptation except the adding of the layers themselves, as the AI freight is randomized indeed, so it can use any wagons available everywhere more or less. Cheers
OTOH, it's not uncommon in the US for freight cars (especially container flatcars and boxcars) to get shifted around the country, so you often get a mix of own-nameplate and "visiting" wagons, plus a fair quantity of leased rolling stock (TTX, GATX etc) which can be seen everywhere. It's not like when a cargo goes from CSX to NS line, they unload everything and put it in their own cars! The problem for DTG at the moment is simply that of the Big Four railroads they don't have a license for the one which covers nearly all of the middle of the country, BNSF, and while CSX and NS mix and mingle, very little of their rolling stock ever makes it to the Union Pacific zone! But if OTOH they wanted to do something with Norfolk Southern, it wouldn't be a reality issue to have limited spawn-in of the occasional CSX car (and vice-versa on Sand Patch)
Where did you get that notation from? I've seen plenty of CSX,NS and even old Southern Railway boxcars here in California. Some Florida East Coast Well Cars even end up here. Not to mention run thru power between the various Class I railroads. Hell one of Norfolk Southern's Heritage Units was in Cali just this past week!
Do they make it to the west coast? I assumed not, since I don't live out there. All the more reason for flexibility! Old logos: I don't now about now, but not all that long ago you could still see a lot of old Conrail-painted rolling stock in CSX and NS consists.
Oakville really needs more main line ops, and perhaps even more main line in general. From what I understand it's not really known for switching, the big claim to fame is that it's a rather busy main line corridor. Considering the negative reception of that route I doubt DTG will ever add anything to it. But if they did adding some CN widecabs and GO Transit would be pretty a good idea. The latter wouldn't even be hard, the MP40's basically just a more powerful MP36, just give it new livery, tweak the engine power, and make a new cab car, you'd be done! Can't say much on SEHS, I saw some talk about there not being much freight in real life, and if that's the case then I don't have any problem not including freight stock. But I'll admit I'm a 'merican, don't know much about those silly British engines, just going off of others comments, and those could be waaaaaaaaaay off for all I know. Now you did forget one other route that suffers from that problem as well, Rapid Transit. Has all sorts of freight lines that are still completely unused at this point, adding something to those is overdue. Like with Oakville I kind of suspect DTG aren't gonna make anything for it given the negative reception it had. But personally I'd happily take a freight pack for Rapid Transit, if not by DTG maybe that new German third party can do something for it. They only go as far west as Chicago trackage wise, but you can find CSX and NS stock all over the place, probably not as common as BNSF or UP by any means, but it's very much a thing.
Actually, if RT had a freight pack I might buy it. Commuter rail doesn't interest me very much, but freight does. Besides, there currently is no TSW2-native (i.e. Livery Editor compliant) German freight rolling stock.
