Any ideas on when the addition of Steam will come to TSW2 ? Any thoughts on U.S Steam locomotives to be created and offered ? U.P 4014, 844, 3985 ? SP 4449 C & O 614, 2716, 1309, 2100 ? Nicke Plate 765, 587? N &W 611, 1218 475, ? Clinchfiedl L & N ? Southern Railway 4501, or 630?
I still want ATSF #3751 and #2926. Also, we should get a PRR steam-era route, an NYC steam-era route, and some heritage railway routes (Cumbres & Toltec, Durango & Silverton, Grand Canyon RR, Cass Scenic RR, Strasburg, etc.)
Very hard to say, but there are certain factors in favor of N&W No. 611: DTG already have a Norfolk Southern license 611 regularly runs railtours, so she's available to be surveyed 'in action,' not just statically There would I think be positive customer response for a 110 mph express engine She served until 1959, so there would be no need for building an ancient prewar route with semaphores and (above all) timetable-and-train-orders signaling, and it could be populated with F7s as well. A streamliner would be somewhat easier to model visually than an unshrouded loco with all those fiddly bits
Honestly, I think the first US steam loco will probably be a UP engine. My guess would be the FEF, Challenger, and of course the Big Boy. I mean DTG added Sherman Hill route and that is a prime route for big Union Pacific steam.
Matt has pretty much ruled out doing an articulated loco first time out, and has said explicitly they are not doing the Big Boy for the first or an early steam release. Just too complicated. I also would not expect more than one loco per route.
There's also a few factors that're NOT in favor of the 611 making it into the sim. I'll let the explanation Smokebox gave as to why he won't make it for TS 20XX in a bookFace comment thread do the talking, as well as some extra comments for the sake of completeness:
In terms of tourist lines the Durango and Silverton would be a awesome one to have, and I think would work well within TSW's limitations. Route's 45 miles, rather long as far as tourist lines go, but should be doable considering that we're starting to see longer routes appear. Don't think it would be hard to narrow down the stock either, in terms of steam you could get by with just modeling the K-36, they have four of the darn things after all. And if you wanted some diesel traction as well you could do one of the GE center-cabs. Between those I think that's plenty to cover a average days schedule for pretty much any time period after preservation. On the mainline side one excursion loco that hasn't been brought up yet is CP 2816, which is the steam loco CP has as a part of their steam program. Considering that's currently in the shops for a possible trip to Mexico honestly I think it would be a great time for someone to do something with it for one of the train sims. Because if it does actually roll down there I guarantee you that will be one of the most covered rail events of the year. And I'm sure DTG or anyone else in turn would be able to make some decent money off of something CP steam related if they can do so.
Keep in mind, though, that when DTG chooses a loco one factor they weigh heavily is recyclability. A Mikado or Berkshire like B&O 4500 or Pere Marquette 1225 would have more re-use potential; both were ubiquitous freight types used everywhere.
A Reading T1 would make sense, because of 2100 eventually gonna tour like other steam locomotives do to different railroads, 2102 makes sense because it was on the horseshoe curve in the rambles days, and the chessie steam specials went over sand patch grade. Plus they are Freight locomotives so they can haul passenger or freight, and they can pull a lot of cars, they can pull 200 loaded coal cars by themselves no problems.
They were designed to pull heavy coal trains, mixed freights, and the occasional passenger train if needed, they we’re cleared to pull up to 150 loaded coal cars, however I do know from my knowledge they can pull 200 loaded coal cars no problem, they also they had boosters on them as well , I know 2102 still has the booster, I’m not sure about the others, so to answer your question about gradient, the 2102 would have no problem pulling all of the passenger cars RBMN owns, and the only reason that they would have a diesel locomotive with it on a long trip is for dynamic breaking.
Gonna respectfully correct you on a couple things. The 2102's jaunts over Horseshoe Curve were AFTER the Reading Rambles came to their end, and the Chessie Steam Specials were hauled by the 2101, not the 2102, which could be accidentally inferred by the way you worded your post.
I never said the 2102 was apart of the chessie steam specials, I said and the chessie steam specials, I was talking about the reading T1’s in general, and the 2102, may not have gone over the horseshoe curve on a rambles excursion, it still went over the horseshoe curve though.
