I know this seems like a bizarre question to ask in a train simulator forum, but I just wondered if anyone else here plays train sims but has no interest in trains in real life, or if I'm just weird. I have zero interest in trains in real life. I don't go trainspotting, I don't collect model trains. I like when I'm standing at a platform and a high speed train whooshes past at 100 odd mph...and I find the mile long freight trains somewhat awe inspiring. But that's about it. My knowledge of different types of train boils down to the ones I've driven in tsw. But despite this, I absolutely love pretending to drive them, and learning how the signalling, safety systems, and braking systems work actually fascinates me. Anyone else the same or am I just a weirdo? ;P
My interest comes from being an OLE engineer on the railway, I’d always watched some TS classic vids on YouTube but never saw myself playing it, then one day I noticed TSW on the PS store (back in the GWE days) and thought why not, since then I’ve been hooked. I’ve never been into trainspotting and only do so when I’m in a station, or trackside, watching trains whilst waiting for my work to commence or for my own train, but over the years I’ve just built up knowledge from working closely with them, overall I have much more knowledge about the tracks themselves than the trains that run on them, but I have become quite knowledgeable with the trains themselves, which is in no small part thanks to DTG.
Nope same here. I'm not really interested in trains. This game was on sale and I was bored. I bought it to have a laugh and then dump it. I didn't buy it with the intention to get invested in it but here I am on the forums of a train simulator and enjoying driving a train. But I would have expected my interests in real trains would grow but I took a train last week and found it to be as dull as every train ride I did before buying this game. YouTube now pushes me a lot of train content but if it is not about TSW2 I'm not really interested.
As working for a railway company I see trains every day so I only take pictures on sidings or on the side of the tracks or inside the cab of trains that are being withdrawn soon otherwise I take from the platform during my shift to share it on Facebook or here but I’m not interesting in trainspotting as I said in the beginning I see trains everyday haha. I have some model trains but only in static mode as I don’t have time to run them.
I've always had an intrrest in railways as networks , how they connect, evolved, closed etc. (probably why I also work in IT) but never got hugely excited about trains themselves. Bought TSW1 for for eldest as he loved being a passenger (although you were more than likely to fall though / out of the carriages back then!) and only recently got into playing myself, love it now though. I wouldn't say by interest in real world trains has hugely increased but my understanding and appreciation certainly has!
I'm moderately interested in both but like simulators in general more. Simulators give you the chance to do something that you might not actually do irl. Like driving trains from all over the world, drive trucks across Europe or start a gas station and fling cars into the air with your broom... Its like an escape for me especially in these times where it feels like I just can't do anything. But on the topic of trains, I'm far from expert, more like a noob still, but put me on a busy platform and I'd happily sit all day watching, filming or photographing trains going by.
I have to say, I'm actually more of a Tram and Bus Guy. Trains are more like Third Place when it comes to Transportation. But Tram Simulations are hard to find on Console (at the moment).
The poll is going as expected really, but I'm glad I'm not the only one more interested in the simulators ;P It's quite interesting to hear the different ways people got into trains and/or simulators. Personally I just bought tsw 2020 on a whim in a sale, and lost interest fairly quickly. Then Tsw2 came with the bakerloo line. I've always been fascinated by the London underground, especially the history and innovation of it, so I got Tsw2 to have a go on the London underground, and the rest is history! Now I have probably at least 75% of the routes including many of the preserved Tsw routes...
I ticked moderate interest in both. I’m certainly not a train anorak and never have and never will be a train spotter. Having said that I’ve always had a mild interest in the whole concept of a train and railway line. I love watching a train whizz past me on a railway line and I do like seeing all the different types of train / locos especially back in the British Rail days during the 70s and 80s. I also love following where an old railway line once was when I’m driving and even enjoy exploring an old abandoned railway line when out walking. I also like visiting various heritage railways like the one at Pickering in Yorkshire. ( NYMR ) I bought TSW2 because it looked quite good and I’ve always wanted to see what driving a train actually felt like. TSW2 is probably the nearest I will ever come to that. Since playing TSW2 I’ve learned and am still learning an awful lot about trains like all the different loco names and currently German safety systems which I admit I’m currently struggling a bit with. I’m not an out and out train enthusiast because I have many other interests that interest me. apart from transport related things. I’d describe myself as a semi train enthusiast as in I love them but I’m not besotted by them. I feel the same way about buses, trucks, and cars as well. I love music, politics, and lots of other things so I haven’t the time to be totally besotted by just one thing. I guess I’d really describe myself as a collector as in I collect and explore many different varieties of interests in life.
I am interested in trains but only from a photographic viewpoint. And I don’t really like fast express trains but more smaller local ones and ones that haul freight and such. I like American trains the most since I basically grew up in Canada with CN trains. But I don’t know much about them other than a few horns maybe but that is about it. I can’t tell you the difference between an AC4400CW, Dash 9, AC6000CW or an ES44AC. They all look exactly the same to me. I like the sims for train spotting eith realistic graphics to be honest. Although I don’t want to become an engineer.
I think I'm a rail journey enthusiast more than a train enthusiast. Sure, I can find some models better than others, but in general I don't care overly which specific locomotive is pulling my train. What I'm interested in is the journey - the scenery, the experience, the dining car. I was lucky enough to travel the Semmeringbahn last month, for example - can't tell you anything about the consist that took us up there, but as soon as I got back I loaded up TS and recreated the journey for comparison.
I was never really train mad, but growing up the Liverpool-Manchester line ran at the foot of our garden and when we played out we would stand on the footbridge at the top of our road and try to get the trains passing underneath to sound their horns. When I got my first first job was in the mid 1980s I commuted every day from St Helens Junction to Liverpool Lime St and back on 101's and class 40s 45s, 46s, 47s etc, I grew to like the sight, sounds and smells of them. I got into TSW when I saw it in the Playstation store with the Class 45 front and centre, so I thought I'd give it a go, I was immediately impressed how Dovetail had captured route and locos and just started to buy other routes. I can hardly tell the difference between different American locos or German commuter trains, but I just enjoy driving them all. I'm currently living and working in Zurich and there is a large railway yard under a flyover I can walk across, it's only a few hundred metres away and has so many weird and wonderful Swiss trains there (including lots of cool looking shunters), I really should go and get some pics to post on here...
I personally have no big interest in trains. My dad works for the MTA Metro North Railroad as a Train Operater on the New Haven Line but isn't a railfan or train nerd. I just play games and bumped into ts and tsw and have enjoyed playing it despite the game's issues. I just like playing games and simulators
Growing up near whitemoor when it was at its largest before the prison came I found my childhood sat on a gronk with one of my dads mates as he worked the yard. Being about 8-10 years old I remember climbing up this huge beast , being sat on the chair and told this is the whistle and move that lever so we start moving. Unfortunately due to a naff ear I could never drive them as an adult, bought the sim, wasn’t that impressed initially. the genuine thing that has engrossed me in the sim was Sam and Matts streams, seeing their passion reignited all my childhood memories and now I love learning new routes, trains and signals. I ended up buying a stupid pc and now I love my digital train set
