Birmingham Cross City Reviews...

The sounds are a killer, I must say (but then I never buy a route for the unit that comes with it). The route itself looks like it took a tremendous amount of effort to build and I really do like it, despite a driver of the route IRL identifying several flaws (particularly with gradients).

I don't know the route so I have nothing to compare it to from real life, but I have only used it with an AP 319. Suspending my disbelief with regards to traction is easier than it is to have any sense of immersion with the class 323 sound timing and issues.

 

Yea, I have NEVER been a sound guy. I have never been on most of these trains and have no idea what any of them sound like other than, "it sounds like a train". However this is just broken and for me really destroys the drive with the glitchy, crackling, breaking sound. Just not good enough.

 

When does a boat become a ship??

Good call on the CRJ Matt, I don't have MSFS, (need a complete new PC before contemplating getting that new sim), but I believe the CRJ is set to be a good 'un!

 

It doesn't become one it simply is or it isn't, but if you need a clear distinction then this age old adage should set you right..
"A ship can carry a boat, but a boat cannot carry a ship."

 

I’ve never been around trains long enough - or indeed recently enough - to know instinctively what isn’t right (eg a Sulzer engine deputising for a Maybach in a Hymek), but when the flow of the sounds is interrupted, anyone will notice that.

The 323 sounds bad enough in real life

 

And people say to me that Armstrong Packs are more realistic.

I'm like, it's not realistic for me to be on any of them to start with being in Canada, so I'm none the wiser. You could put a musical melody on the horn and convince me it's accurate (that might be a stretch, mind). The closest I've been to a UK train was during construction of one in London, Ontario. I don't know whether I lived there during that period or not.

 

I'll be honest I was more perturbed by the braking wha wha wha whaaa sound than the cutting out, but apparently that sound is correct..

I never once claimed to be a train expert and know even less about electric ones as I've never even seen one in real life let alone been up close or on one..

Still, bought it though.

 

The users feedback on steam are once again scary.
For me the users critics are very important so that will be a no buy for me.
And I m tired to see the same critics since many years ..
Always DLC which are finished to 85%-90%

 

It’s a shame, as that little effort to get it right would work wonders for the reputation, and no doubt increase sales.

 

Have DTG made any comment or statement like "oh god yes the 323 sounds do leave a lot to be desired, sorry about that we are working frantically to get an update out asap to sort this problem out"?

 

completely.
I wanted the frankfurt - koblenz -> waht I see ? signal bugs, maps bugs and unplayable scenario and NO COMMUNICATION about patches or confirmation that there are bugs and we are working on it.

Do I want to pay 30 € for this ? ... sometimes I think they don´t have any brain...

 

I’m one of the people complaining about their treatment of Frankfurt Koblenz. It’s very broken and I only found out too late to get refunded.

TSW and Ts2021 seem a world apart in terms of community communication.

On the subject of Steam Reviews I don’t pay any attention to them anymore. It’s the same old people making the same complaints. Sometimes valid sometimes not. I always try and find a video instead of buy it and refund if I don’t like it.

This route is one I’m giving a miss for now. I also can’t tell what train noise is what, but these are clearly broken. If they get fixed, then I’m in. The rest of the route looked great.

 

I think the route looks fantastic tbh

 

Apart from the obvious 323 sound issues the route is excellent. Station models are superb, especially Bromsgrove. I wouldn’t be put off getting it just because of the 323 issues, there is lots of potential with different scenarios especially on the south end of the route. Add APs track and weather patch in and it is a very decent route

 

There's still been no acknowledgement and likely never will be like Frankfurt-Koblenz. They knew the sounds were broken but just didn't really care. Pretty standard DTG fare.

 

If the 323 was a standalone item I’d be demanding a refund based on the sounds. I’m no expert but the quality seems to be decent, they’re just poorly implemented. It’s a shame because the route overall is decent. I’m hopeful, but not confident that they’ll acknowledge and fix it. In hindsight, we should have assumed something was up based on the DTG livestream when they ran the whole time in either P4 or B3...

 

I guess they've just provided AP with an opportunity to charge another tenner to sell a sound pack to fix what wasn't properly implemented the first time around.

 

This is the thing. What incentive is there for DTG to fix the sounds?

 

When it has three or more masts.

 

Looks like we have an acknowledgement.



That came from Discord, someone's reply from CS (which seems a lot quicker than two weeks).

 

I have to say that l think the route is very accurately done, especially the bits l have travelled along. The unit itself looks like the real deal but the sounds do need tweaking somewhat. I find it most annoying when approaching BNS on the run down, accelerating sound when braking and vice versa.
@ Cyclone, thanks for the info, nice to know a few problems are being acknowledged by DTG, especially the sounds and passengers on tracks.

 

The route looks lovely and being fairly local it is one I am very interested in, although I would prefer it set 40 years ago with class 116 DMU's but never mind. However the sounds on the 323 are very below standard so I will hold off until the sounds are improved or AP or something does something about them. It isn't just the break up of sounds but the poor run sounds, DTG have done better on that front. As said it is good to know DTG have acknowledged the sound issues.

I have seen suggestions elsewhere to use another unit like a class 319 if you don't like the 323 but the 323 is the unit synonymous with this route post 1994.

 

I used an LM liveried 321 instead of the fwee 2 fwee, at least the bogie run sounds highlight that there is indeed bridge reverb.

 

Just finished a scenario using the AP350 that I downloaded from ATS. Great run, I have no desire to use any DTG locos. Much prefer the AP stuff

 

I'd like to see the original "Centro" green livery... Had many a happy ride between Lime Street & Crewe on them...

Eric

 

Yes me too. Would be useful on WCMLS simulating locals between New Street and Coventry in the 1990's.

 

I really like the route but as mattdsoars says to much stuttering and i agree.

 

Someone is working on the sounds for the fwee 2 fwee. Should be up on the ATS site soon.
Keep an eye out here: https://alanthomsonsim.com/patches-fixes/

 

Well that sounds much MUCH better and if representative then that moves the route firmly back into the ‘must have’ category for me.

 

Hiya, this is my patch, I've put a lot of hours into it this week. Despite not having a full set of sounds yet (consider it WIP) I've got something quite convincing I hope! I spent most of my railway career working in, on and around these machines and the X City in TS is a lifelong dream for me. The route is pretty well done, the train sounds were frankly awful and unfinished. I needed to go give this some love, so sorry for the blatant plug.

I'll have it ready to go on https://alanthomsonsim.com/shop/stevegreen in the next 24 hrs hopefully. I think Alan Thompson wants to stream it on his channel tomorrow.

 

Now I know nothing about EMU's as I've mentioned before, but that's what I'd expect it to sound like and I will be happy enough with it, will be interesting to compare this to DTG's fix if it ever comes (maybe they'll download it from ATS when it's up.. )

Great effort by Addams323/stevegreen/bescot (can't people stick with one user name anymore )

 

Bescot...

Well done m8... sounds great... its put the route into the want pile... I'll probably wait till it's a bit more discounted than 10% though... Maybe in the next sale...

Eric

 

Or buy it as part of TS2022 in the Winter sale, with Riesa Dresden?

 

Having just got this route in the Steam Winter Sale, I’m looking into getting the 323 sound patch.

I guess we’re no further towards DTG improving it?

I see there’s some other 323 patches on ATS:

https://alanthomsonsim.com/patches-fixes/?fwp_paged=4

No idea if it’s faithful to the prototype, but the brakes seem very sharp, and as mentioned elsewhere, it loses speed as though brakes have been applied if you power off and try to coast.

 

That’s the one that gets me too, makes me think a brake has. Even BBC applied when speeding along. Is it actually a brake sound though, or some sort of traction sound.

I’m still trying to work out the metallic clunking sound (like builders next door), when stopped.

 

There’s a fair number of YouTube videos showing 323s starting up or passing, but here’s one (from a carriage) with sound from stop to stop.







No sign of the motoring sound cutting out while in motion.

There’s also a Don Coffey cab ride:

 

What I noticed is after the latest patch, there are no sounds in cab, of the doors closing nor the 'deet deet' alarm sounds just before they close!

 

Has anyone else noticed a "shimmering" issue with the platform at Sutton Coldfield?

I get this jagged confusion between textures pulsating away - never seen anything like it before on TS.

 

Use the sound patch by Steve Green on ATS

Yep it's called "Z fighting" it's a common occurrence due to two rendered planes being close together, why DTG didn't spot and correct it, well.. DTG..

 

You learn something new every day!