Hello all, I'm bringing this post now (i.e. nearly 3 months after release, wow time does fly) because yesterday I had the pleasure of riding the Cathcart Circle for the first time since lockdowns started. I took 2 trips, Glasgow Central > Queens Park - in day time, and Mount Florida > Glasgow Central (non-stop, as a Football Special) at around 10:15pm. On my journey, having not seen anything except Glasgow Central (on the line) in over a year, I finally had a chance to compare the real thing to the game, and the accuracy of the route is brilliant (night lighting stands out, I'll come to that later), a few things that are noticeable; Green-ish Catenary around Glasgow Central Wrong Ballast Colour in-game (I knew that one anyway) Glasgow Central is literally dead. a couple of others Glasgow Central Whilst being a truly wonderful recreation of the busiest station in Scotland, a few things are off: Platform 16&17 arch is completely missing. Billboards at the sides of the Concourse PIS Display are completely missing (even a generic ad would have been better there) Platforms 11-15 are incredibly bare, whilst they aren't the most cluttered platforms ever, this is taking it a bit far. The wall at the right (facing from concourse) of platform 8 (which has a Poster Collectable) should have Ticket Machines at it. Now, onto the obvious, lack of trains. Rolling Stock in Glasgow Yesterday not only was my train into Glasgow (in the morning) caught up at a signal, and the one from Mount Florida the same, but the amount of rolling stock was almost ridiculous. In order of me seeing them; - Class 380 (The train I was on) - Class 380 ×2, Class 385 ×1 (Passing on my local line) - Class 380 (For Ardrossan Hbr) - Class 320 (to Gourock) - Class 397 (To Glasgow Central) - Class 390 (To London Euston) - Class 156 (4-car coupled unit, for Carlisle, standing at Glasgow) - Class 156 (For East Kilbride, standing at Glasgow) - Class 380 ×2 (One for Gourock, on for Ayr, standing at Glasgow) - Class 380, Class 318, Class 320 ×2 (Various Destinations, standing in Platforms 3-7) Later, when I returned to the station to go to Queens Park; - Class 156 (Standing in Plat. 1) - Class 390 (P2) - Class 380 (P3) - Class 320 (P5, P7) - Class 156 (P6) - Class 385 (P8) - Class 380 (P9) And that's as far as I could see. On the Circle outwards I didn't see any other services, other than the 380 I was on. Later, on the way in, The special I was on was a Class 318 (double unit), a 380 passed on the other side in regular service, we were stuck at (not stopping at) Pollockshields East, as we waited for a Class 156 (Double Unit) and Class 380 (Double Unit) to pass. In Glasgow, 3 (yes, 3) Class 156s were in the station at once, with on pulling in as we did. Next to us was a Class 380. In platform 9, a Class 320, and Class 318 ran together to Wemyss Bay, in platforms 11, 12, 14 & 15 a mix of 380s and a 320 were on show. So, TLR there: - 1 TPE Class 397 - 2 AWC Class 390s - 15 SR Class 380s - 7 SR Class 320s - 8 SR Class 156s - 3 SR Class 318s - 2 SR Class 385s Also, at the depot (around 2:45PM): - 1 Class 385 - 2 Class 380s - 1 Class 318 - 1 Class 320 So, as you can see (despite Cathcart's setting of 2014 or '17) Glasgow's shortcoming in game is really obvious. I'm still saying no to any loco DLCs for Cathcart, though. Night Lighting Cathcart's night lighting is bad, we all know that. Well, comparing using Mount Florida, Crosshill, Queens Park & Pollockshields East In Game: - Uses White lighting - Light Hardly Spreads along the platform - The light we actually have is almost sarcastic in how dim it is. Real Life: - Orange lighting - Covers the entire platform, and also lights up nearly the entire trench at the station - Very bright. The new lighting on Dresden is more what this should be like, rather than the terrible lighting we have now. Glasgow Central and the Class 314 are very much like the real things, however. Final Words As much as I'd like to see the rolling stock added to Glasgow, I do not think that Loco DLCs - especially considering Cathcart's era of 314 'Domination' - are the best option. The best option is to tap into the demand for Scotland/ScotRail and start a layer/substitution system, similar to Germany, as ScotRail often has trains slot in/out, and generally can run anywhere (based on Electric/Diesel status, however). However I do stand by my opinion that Cathcart is a fabulous recreation of the route, and I'd recommend it, fully, to anyone who is looking at it. Thanks for reading. P.s. I would have put this in my 'native' Xbox Section, but that may as well be bug reports NGL.
Regarding the Cathcart lighting, I made a detailed thread about it here. Unfortunately not a single person from DTG has come and acknowledged it publicly. Next up, with the lack of AI traffic, there’s not a lot you can do. If the appropriate trains are made in the future for separate routes, then I’d like to see them put in Cathcart as AI traffic. They’re obviously not going to make something solely for AI traffic, as it isn’t worth the time and effort. If they make another route out of Glasgow Central, I’d like to see them utilise the 314 as AI traffic providing it fits the appropriate era. The station model and platforms of Glasgow Central, I find very bare. Not just because there is a lack of trains, but simply because there’s barely any station clutter/furniture placed on the platforms. They haven’t even placed platform lights outside of the station roof, which means it’s very dark on approach to the station. I’m not sure how or why they keep managing to make inaccuracies regarding the station model as well as asset placements, as there are plenty of references online.
If Glasgow Central were to have a realistic traffic volume, it would require a significant number of train models that don't exist in TSW. Endlessly cloning 314s for services and routes they never ran in real life is no answer; and there aren't any other UK trains which could be brought in (a 465 in Southeastern livery, in Glasgow? Nope.)
A little clarification here, it seems this has been a tad confusing; - I'm not saying there is anything they can do, as of now, I'm just pointing it out, and expressing my opinion. In the 'Final Words' section of the post, I state what I think the way forward would on the matter. Good thing I'm not. I'm fully aware Cathcart will be waiting a very long time, if it ever does get a upgrade.
It's a shame in a way, because Cathcart is such a well modeled route, it would be ideal for a "Rush Hour" makeover. Unfortunately, as has been said, the assets to do that don't yet exist in the game. However, improving the lighting and adding the new passenger model would be major steps forward.
I agree about the lighting and also hope this route gets a Rush Hour makeover but a part of me thinks it will just be forgotten about as newer routes come out (hope im wrong). What looks silly standing at Glasgow is when an AI train comes in and opens the doors after a while the doors close and the driver is removed, the doors should remain open. Would'nt it also be great if you could get on an AI train and put the guards key in then carry out the role of the guard.
With hindsight, the route that should have been done for TSW was the North Clyde. Apart from the distinct lack of Scenarios, the TS version is actually quite good. Reminds me (and probably Jason above, too) of that long ago proposed train sim that was going to be based on the Glasgow suburban network. Sadly the guy doing it got as far as a basic cab mock up and that was it! If Cathcart did get a makeover I would probably get it though, as always, the ever present save/load bug needs to be sorted to fully enable the experience of doing a complete 8 hour shift.
with new hopes i started gcc after todays new lighting mod from bescot called "Longer Station Lighting-up Times" which is a great new addition of mods and very helpful. so my question is simple. is it only me or is the route really so dark ? after leaving glasgow central the route becomes so dark its nearly black. 100 m around glasgow is all good but then.... ya all a nice day
I'm sorry but I really think a loco Dlc or new route is in order. It's been so long since we've had some Scottish Content. But you are entitled to your opinions. I like your notes about your journey though.
I think a new route is in order. I disagreed with a loco DLC at the time because the 380 has minimal value on Cathcart compared to other routes. However the uncoupling of DLC from routes makes me dislike the idea, a bit less.
Something along the lines of the North Clyde route in TSC would be nice, but with an all day timetable not the handful of scenarios it came with.
To fix this why not set the timetable in 2019 that way 318 380 & 385 Do Cathcart Circle trips 380 and 318 more common with 314 385 peak trips with 318 380 and 314.
