Just got TSW2 on the 31st of July, I’ve been thinking if I should buy a DLC(s). I’m looking at buying a freight one. Any suggestions?
If you like US trains - link or the German must-have - link with BR 155 & 363 as the further freight purchases
Must admit that Ruhr-Sieg Nord although being older is one of the best German route due to its location with a double electrified track going trough the mountains , plenty of traffic and outstanding visual design
Clinchfield is by far the best of the three. It has many branch lines and beautiful mountainous scenery. Cane Creek is also beautiful but, because it is very slow and pretty much just A-B, it is not as popular with everyone. I would stay away from Oakville Subdivision until it receives a major pass of work by the Preservation Crew. There are many issues with it and underdelivers as a switching route, in my opinion. I have not seen such beautifully-dense distant scenery until Clinchfield, and even then RSN has further viewing distance. Cheers
I own both CC & CR. 1. Clinchfield. Amazing gameplay. 2. Cane Creek. Amazing landscape. Love them all PS #1 is more content so in my opinion, it will be better as the first purchase.
I would avoid Oakville. I love NA freight operations, but Oakville feels unfinished and lifeless to me. The big challenge in the route is working around the invisible walls that try to prevent you from completing your objectives on certain services. Unfortunately, quality wise. I would say that it is one of the worst DLC that Dovetail has put out for TSW. Which is too bad, because it could have been great. Clinchfield is amazing. They captured the feel of the railroad very well. It is very fun to drive as long as you don't mind hunting for explanations for the controls that the tutorials do not explain. Also, the Locos are old, and act like it. They are more challenging to drive than the modern ones since they are slower to respond, and the F7 has a lot less power than you might expect. Cane Creek is also good, but different. It's a slow, lonely route deep in the American West. It also captures the feel of its trains, but the feel is very different. Both routes are slow, but Clinchfield has of twists and turns and different things to see. There are plenty of other trains running, and the short draw distance of the valleys allows for a great amount of detail on almost all viewable areas. Cane Creek has, in my opinion, the best done scenery in TSW. However, the flat openness of the terrain really shows some of the limitations of the engine, especially with regard to lighting. Also, outside of scenarios, you will never see another train. Finally, there aren't that many services on Cane Creek. There just isn't that many different things to do there. Either route is great, and I don't think that you can make a bad choice between them.
Thanks for the advice y’all I’m going to Comic-Con this month, so I’ll probably be able to buy one next month, so I’ll probably buy clinchfield, once again I appreciate the help.
Clinchfield and Cane Creek are both lovely. Clinchfield is far more challenging, but a lot driving in the dark. Cane Creek is mostly up and down driving, which is not very exciting but in a wonderful landscape.
Might want to look at buying TSW2020. That gets you multiple DLC for a decent price tag. You don't have to install TSW2020, the DLC will automatically be copied over to TSW2 (with the exception of NEC).
If you are into freight operations, Clinchfield is the way to go in my opinion. The F7 is magnificent and my favorite North American diesel. Also, the “Limited Power” scenario is one of the best ever in TSW. There is so much to explore including a single track main with passing sidings. There are limitations; the SD 40 uses the stock horn. We have been told a new one is coming, but it has not arrived yet. Also, the numerous tunnels will lock you into the cab view until your entire train has cleared. Still, it’s a spectacular route and one that I regularly come back to.
The only caveat regarding Clinchfield is that it's pretty challenging for noobs. I wouldn't tackle it until you're comfortable with Sand Patch and heavy freight operation in mountains.
Clinchfield Railroad is exactly what I wanted in a US freight route. I love all of the branch lines, and how the time table mode effectively works as extended scenarios. Yes it's slow (30mph max) but because the line winds around the hills it is not a boring route. Also the F7 has long been one of my favorite locos and driving it has been a lot of fun while being a good challenge. I will echo the sentiment around it possibly not being great for new players, since the old locos don't perform up to the levels of the modern CSX locos. But if you can hill start a loaded train on Sand Patch and manage the speed down hill, you should be fine. Also, if you watch back some of the live streams on YouTube covering Clinchfield Matt provides a lot of good tips and tricks. Also this braking tutorial was very helpful for me to understand how air brakes work
