Sand Patch Revisited.

Sand Patch has always been one of my favorite routes, but I've recently started re- running some of the services after being away from it for a while. Here are the improvements I've noticed:

Animated crossing gates. Very realistic with the slight oscillation after raising and lowering.

Tunnel reverberation.

More AI traffic. In the past I could make an entire run from Rockland to Cumberland seeing only 1 or maybe 2 meets, now there are 4 or 5.

Better brake response, especially the DB.

No problems with Banking Com ( that may not be completely new.)

These improvements, especially the first two, have a big impact on immersion for me.

PS I'll miss driving the UP SD70Ace on SPG.

Has anyone noticed any other changes?

 

There's always been reverb in tunnels and under bridges on Sandpatch.

 

Really I didn't know that. Is that on the other preservation route as well?

 

Removing of the SD 70 is definitely a step in the wrong direction.

 

If it's not prototypical on the route, then it was the right call in my opinion. Though I've heard the improved physics made it a really fun ride. Hopefully we will get those physics for all rolling stock at some point.

 

Seems to be something included on the US routes more than others.

 

In the name of that theory we should not have Deutsche Bahn rolling stock on RSN and Dresden Chemnitz too. Because it is not prototypical there.

The same with the V100 in DB livery at Aschaffenburg Hafenbahn, MRCE Tauri with IC trains and the announced Caltrains at OSD.

For my part I have no problem if the rolling stock is not prototypical. Because it brings mor variation and excitement. And it is good to be not bored.

 

Actually, they do exist. DBFV has a loco shortage, and they do hire them from MRCE.

 

The problem was not because of playability, but seeing UP locos subbed on nearly every single train on SPG, is unrealistic. And this have been a problem since CRR was released because the CRR SD40 is not supposed to exist anymore in a modern route (nor foreign locos to be seen this commonly in the US, honestly).

 

Sand Patch Grade needs the physics of the SD70ACe to be run properly.

I am puzzled by the not prototypical argument. Here in the US, "foreign" motive power is everywhere; you don't have to look hard to see units from virtually all North American roads, regardless of the track location. A quick Google search readily finds photos of UP units at the point (and elsewhere) in CSX trains. It is not uncommon to see multiple Class 1 railroads represented on the same train.

So, while I recognize that substitution of UP power on Sand Patch Grade may happen more often than people would prefer, I think it would be a shame to lose the SD 70ACe in the Sand Patch timetable because of an "unprototypical" argument.

 

Well said. It's like we finally started getting some variety in US Freight trains, but i guess too many of the fun police complained.

FWIW, monolithic, uni-branded CSX trains on Sand Patch are WAY less realistic than foreign motive power. Very disappointing.

 

Best of all would be to give the user a checkbox interface to include or exclude as he sees fit.

 

You spoke from prototypical not from exist only. Then you have to accept the UP SD70 at SPG too. They are not prototypical there, but from time to time you can see them there.

 

It's a matter of proportion. Do we see UP, BNSF, NS locos on CSX? Of course- sometimes. But TSW had them popping up on practically every train, which is not at all realistic. I live not far from Acca Yard, and used to live close to the east coast mainline (with all the waiting at crossings that entailed)- and foreign traction appears in single-digit percentages.

And, yes, an OG SD40, especially in Clinchfield colors, is 100% wrong.

 

So true.

 

So long as Sand Patch is constrained to 50-car trains max, no need for it. Esp since the AC4400 is just as powerful.

 

"Fun Police" hits the head of the nail. Very good.

 

DTG should make an option, where players could stop some trains for substitution like the CRR SD 40. Then for the prototypical people that locos would not appear and for the fun/more variety people it would be at the route. Each one could have exactly what he/she wants.
But I think that will not come, because it means more development effort for DTG.

 

I should probably add that when foreign traction does make an appearance, well over half the time it's Norfolk Southern, unsurprisingly.

 

For me, it’s not a matter of horsepower. It’s a matter of braking physics. You can’t properly blend air and dynamic brakes on any TSW locomotive except for the SD70Ace.

 

Then fix the AC4400 (although actually, the SD40 is pretty good as-is).
Ideally, give us a CSX SD70 reskin (not holding my breath)

Either option is better than making Cumberland half-yellow.

 

On SPG as just about any other route, you won’t see them lower from the cab because they’re down before you come into visual range. You have to be on foot (or a stopped train) and wait for a train to approach

 

If you use the 8 camera and race ahead of the train on SPG and wait at a crossing, you can certainly watch the gates go down ahead of the train and up after it passes. As I said, you even get that typical, transient oscillation in both cases.

As far as foreign power goes, it should not be a case of feast or famine. The occasional UP, NS or heritage flag should be subbed or layered in.

 

This is exactly that we'll get on PS5 with part 2 of the DLC limit fix. It will be soooooo handy choosing what subs in for each route.

I belive it will get rolled out to other consoles to help with memory but unsure if it will get included for PC as DLC doesn't get mounted in the same way.

This is a strong argument to include it for me, just to give players choice what subs in and what doesn't. This way you can finally work out which version of dostos you want on German routes!

 

Wait DB doesn't operate on Dresden Chemeniz?

 

It's MRB (Mitteldeutsche Regionalbahn). They use BR 1440 in silver livery. Saw them by visiting railway museum at Chemnitz Hilbersdorf.

 

Those were the trains that operated on the line in 2012? If so it would've been nice to get the BR1440 instead of another 143 box train and red dostos.

But the 612 did run on the line in real life though in 2012 unless they weren't in DB livery?

 

win win for Tharandter Rampe Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr and Rhein-Ruhr Osten is making it in DB Traffic Red since the Green and Silver version needs the Veolia Transdev license.
Here's the DB BR1440 in Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr . Requires RB30 RE3 Tharandter Rampe HRR RE11 RB33 RRO S8 destinations to work
For Sand Patch Grade DTG should consider ES44AC using Horseshoe curve version as base and SD70ACE Sherman Hill base model to spawn the CSX Version.

 

DB 612s did exactly what they're depicted doing in 2012. MRB started taking over in 2016. Thus, no MRB trains in the 2012 timetable.

 

Ah ok

 

Parent company is Veolia Transdev also runs the feeder buses to the Long Island Railroad downloadable content route in Nassau County under the name Nassau County inter Express. For the BR1440 it's silver and green paint. If DTG wants a BR1440 to run on Tharandter Rampe then it must be the Red Deutsche Bahn version. It can be a win-win situation for RRO Tharandter Rampe and Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr. Sand Patch Grade CSX 3000s to selected 3100s ES44ACs and SD70ACE 4500-4830. Source is the American trains magazine which has a paywall after 7 free articles