My congratulations DTG. It's nice to drive in the new SKA Köln-Aachen, the traffic has really increased a lot, especially in the Köln area, now it's common to see a couple of trains constantly (or almost) coming and going from Köln Hbf. It feels alive!!! I almost cried when I saw the ICs there. The only thing that makes me angry is that we have to pay to get a good finish on a route, when this is what we should be given. But I don't mind paying a bit more for a DLC, as long as it gives a result like this. Please DTG, keep this number of services, AI traffic... I haven't tried the other routes, but just for SKA Köln-Aachen, in my opinion, it's worth it.
So, rather than getting a free timetable update as we did with Rapid Transit and West Somerset Railway, which, if I recall correctly, was one of the major things the perservation crew was created for, we now have to pay for the things that were originally promised to be free updates. Right?
Pretty sure they never promised an upgrade to the SKA timetable. The promised Bakerloo upgrade is not in this pack (tbf they never said it was so why the hell people assumed it is please explain). If this was a pres crew update, you'd need to own Munich to use the 423 in the wrong livery (at least they've changed the markings here), in which case, what's the point? Just add extra S-bahn services for the 422. With the Rapid Transit timetable, if you don't own the 182 or RSN, the new timetable would arguably be a downgrade.
They didn't promise us anything specific, other than that the preservation crew would update older content up to the latest standards for free. However, it never was really specified what kind of updates would fall under the preservation crew "free updates" and which things would. Considering RT and WSR got a free timetable update, that does imply that timetable updates would fall under the category of those free preservation crew updates. Which is why the new timetable was an additional one, not a replacement one. But that's not the point. They gave us a new timetable, for free, as they considered that something that fell under their promise of 'keeping older DLC up to date with the latest standards'. They never specifically promised us an updated timetable for RT or WSR either.
There is only one thing I don't like about the new SKA timetable, the lack of option for freight locomotives. You are stuck with the MSB/RSN BR185.2, you can't use the newer BRD BR185.5, the RT BR182 and the BR155. No idea about the BR187 and MRCE BR182
The difference is, though, there wasn't really any missing stock that they could make to upgrade the timetable on RT or WSR, plus both of those timetables were, frankly, crap by current standards. There was nothing wrong with the Koln timetable apart from the fact it was missing the 423, so they make a pack that included the 423 and included a new timetable with it.
The preservation crew were never created to update timetables exclusively. I don't believe updates to the timetable on Köln-Aachen were ever promised and as such it shouldn't have been expected. It's great to see people enjoying the expansion pack. However Köln-Aachen can still be enjoyable without. The pack includes the following New Journeys Expansion Bakerloo Line features include: 1972 Mk2 Tube Stock in original Aluminium & Red livery 3 detailed and engaging scenarios Substitutions available for all existing 1972 Mk2 timetabled services Additional full route Railtour timetabled services Railtour shunt to and from London Road depot timetable services Accessible Training Module featuring the 1972 Mk2 Tube Stock in original Aluminium & Red livery New Journeys Expansion Sand Patch Grade features include: SD40 in early CSX Blue & Gray livery 3 detailed and engaging scenarios Substitutions available for all existing SD40 timetabled services New Journeys Expansion Schnellfahrstrecke Köln - Aachen features include: DB BR 423 EMU in DB Red S-Bahn Köln livery 3 detailed and engaging scenarios Playable on 105 existing S-Bahn services and 89 brand new S-Bahn services Accessible Training Module featuring the DB BR 423 EMU
The new pack is great. No complaints at all from me. I actually want to see more of this across all routes. The SKA route is now so alive. I am yet to run services in the other two routes. The only sore point in Ska, personally for me currently, is the BR 187. I hope they fix the LZB/PZB functionality soon. I know its not part of this expansion, but I see it every time I go into the route and it sticks out like a sore thumb. Other than that, I am a happy customer.
Can anyone explain how the 89 brand new services differ from the 105 existing ones? They still go from Koln to Aachen (or vice versa) as far as I can see.
I think it's a different S-bahn line that would in reality go to a different destination. For the game all it does is busy up the timetable. There also also additional services in the BR425 around Koln that go 1 stop, and a BR101 run.
However, there are still a couple of things I'm missing. One of them is that the Solberg siding is still empty, the rest of the siding on the route has been filled with static material, but this one, which is the largest, is empty. Perhaps it was an oversight and they have forgotten the Stolberg siding. I don't know how difficult it is to fix the error, but I hope they fix it, it looks ugly that such a big place, with so many roads, is desolate. The other thing is that the PIS doesn't show the stations outside the map, but I think there is a mod for this. Greetings.
Leaving alone the fact that nothing related to the BR187 would surprise me - it would be odd if it would be missing given the fact SKA is its home route
I must say, I am having very much fun with the new SKA timetable. I bought the expansion pack today not sure if it was the right choice, but I cant get enough of walking around Köln Hbf, as there are always trains going in and out the station. In comparison to the old timetable, even with the RRO layer, it was really not exciting to be around Köln, but now it is so cool!
So I've spawned at Koln at 8:10 to do a bit of trainspotting. I've noticed there's a 425 waiting outside, and it appears to be waiting for a Talent (which arrived shortly before) to clear the platform, but there's plenty of empty platforms for it to go into - is there a particular reason why the 425 is held outside Koln for 8 minutes when there's plenty of empty platforms?
It's entirely possible that Joe, as he usually does, was working from the RL timetable, and in RL that train really does go to that platform, and is held up waiting for it to clear. Why? I suspect because IRL there are a lot more services that aren't modeled- especially the very respectable number of S-Bahn lines that aren't westbound, and an appreciable number of non-DB trains.
Can you use the Riesa-Dresden 143 146.2 on the SKA journey expansion or not? I've told DTG support on the original timetable SKA as to why I can't those locomotives
It has been a good way to revitalize the SKA route. I don't understand those who say that such a job should be free, DTG employees don't survive on oxygen alone and must collect their payroll. There are also those who say that it is an easy way they have found to earn money. Well, that will depend on the customers and the sales that this product has. If it's something that people like, that's fine, they don't always have to be suffering to obtain benefits. What does bother me a bit is that for paid items they find time to test them and, on the other hand, for the actions of the preservation crew, they don't. We have been waiting for them for months because it seems that they are always in the back of priorities. But that's another discussion. I like what I've seen so far. It feels so much more alive with all those IC trains. As negative points, I think that something more could have been done with the transport of goods and movements in the yards. For example, there is a BR 363 in the Köln yard that I don't understand why they put it on a blocked track, we can't do anything with it. We have many other locos there but as they are electric we cannot use them on the turntables. Some freight services could also have been created in Stolberg, or division and assembly of trains in its large yard.
They use the same platform IRL. The 425 should be in front of the other train (RE1/9). The problem is the size of the blocks on this route. At the time of the 425 joining the mainline, the RE1/9 already had the junction. So I made the 425 leave the portal early and wait before advancing at the right time. It would hold the junction for the 15 mins it waited there. And it worked. Until you spawn on foot any time its waiting, because they wouldn't move. So I had to go back to the original design, which mean the RE1/9s got in front of the 425 and the 425 services end up 15 minutes late. This is why the drivable service number dropped below 400. The choice was removed entirely or make AI only. I went for AI only because they're still nice to see. Unfortunately, I did not notice the queue at Köln in until late, sorry.
Not exclusively, no. As far as I know, preservation crew were created to "update older DLC to the latest standards of the newer DLC". However, it never really became clear what exactly falls under that category. Things like working level crossings, platform climb functionality and PIS are often mentioned so I assume those fall under the free preservation crew updates for all routes, however I doubt I can see this as a promise and gaurantee. Neither were timetable updates for WSR and RT promised, but we still got them. That does give the impression that updating timetables falls under the preservation crews task in order to "update older DLC to the latest standards of the newer DLC". However, DTG never really made it clear (at least in my point of view) what exactly DOES and what DOES NOT fall under the preservation crews free updates. It also means that while we may assume that adding things like PIS will be done via free updates, we have no gaurantee it'll happen for free for all routes, and we may as well see a future paid expansion pack which includes things that we expected to be a free update. So, where exactly is the line between preservation crew free updates, and paid upgrades?
Although we haven't seen many loco DLCs recently, they have almost always come with a timetable update. I know there has been plenty of argument other whether or not services should be run with inaccurate stock until the correct becomes available or to only add the services when you have the correct stock to run them but from where I'm sitting I can't really see the difference between this add-on providing new services and a standard loco add-on providing new services. Perhaps I am not quite understanding the situation as I don't really play the German content but how different is the timetable to the old version? I thought it only really added the new S-Bahn services and the 101 (it is the 101 I'm thinking of right?) layer and that was it apart from some other static stock. Is your complaint that the new S-Bahn services and layer(s) have not been provided with the old timetable? Apologies for my inquisitive response, but I've been away from the game for a few nonths now and I never played the German content much at all so I'm just trying to understand the situation.
Most loco DLC just come with extra layers. I can only think of the Class 313 which comes with its own timetable. And that's a new timetable, not an update of the ECW timetable without 313. My 'complaint' (not sure I want to use that word, but ok) is that's currently not clear what we can expect as free updates as part of the preservation crew, and what we can expect to be paid updates. Rapid Transit and West Somerset both got a free timetable update. And although Arosa also got a free timetable update, the old timetable was considered to be 'bugged' by many, I don't remember anyone complaining about RT and WSR timetables. There could be improvements, but they were working as intended. Why is the Köln-Aachen timetable update treated differently than the RT and WSR timetable update? No problems. English isn't my native language so the language barrier could perhaps make my words less clear than I hope them to be. Also, my point isn't specific to German content, and it doesn't actually involve loco DLCs.
It is because the dispatcher is dumb like a slice of bread. The 425 should be driving about 15 minutes BEFORE the Talent2. But when the BR 425 wants to enter the mainline near Köln Ehrenfeld, the dispatcher already blocked the switch and signal for the Talent 2 from Düren (which still is around Düren at this time and will stop in Horrem too). So the BR 425 is idling at a red signal for about 15-20 minutes until the Talent 2 passed and then run now delayed behind it into Köln....
Like I said above, the RT and WSR timetables were a bit rubbish, compared to modern standards, whereas the Koln one wasn't - it just had the wrong train running the S-Bahn, so they decided to livery up the correct train and put it in the timetable. The fact they liveried up the train and made a package out of it is why it's a paid product (and bundled with the 72 stock and SD40); if it were a pres crew update, the S-bahn trains would still be in the Munich livery, and you'd need Munich to run them. The 425s and 101s etc weren't part of the spec, Joe put them in because he wanted to put them in and he had time.
When I bought the BR363 I though I would buy a loco DLC, but if you think about it I just bought the RSN layer. I can't use the red BR363 anywhere except on RSN, it's not even a substitution on BRD and DCZ, so I'm stuck with seeing a heritage unit everywhere, as if that was more popular than the red unit. These decisions are not only related to the expansions pack
The 363 is why I always think shunters should be included in routes, or ancillary to another loco DLC (as in BR Heavy Freight)
Paying for a new timetable is ok, even though we got free ones for other routes does not necessarily mean we have to get every new timetable for free in the future. My opinion on the pack is that is not really worth the money. 2 reskins which can be basically done with the livery editor, the new scenarios/training, yes.. ok (does anyone really cares about scenarios actually?)... and the new SKA timetable, which the only worth thing in the pack. However, this "new timetables" thing is getting annoying. I do NOT want to start over again with a timetable. The Class 313, now the SKA one, the BKL heritage from rivet, the RT 2021, and so on. The new timetables should replace the old ones when you buy them. I perfectly know why, technically, making a new timetable is the easiest thing to do, but should I care? DTG must sort out the problems related to this.
I see your point, but I imagine there would be plenty of irate folks on the forums if the 1938 Stock became part of the standard Bakerloo Line timetable.
Seeing as you asked, Yes, I do. I enjoy scenarios more than anything else. So for me 9 new scenarios is quite good value. Added to that the DB BR 101 service which is my favourite loco (wish this was during the day though) and SKA being so much busier and the pack is well worth the money to me. I‘ve even revisited Sand Patch and quite enjoyed it despite this being near the bottom of my list of favourite routes.
Well, free preservation crew updates are: Fix outstanding bugs Add Platform Departure Boards Upgraded track rendering Add platform edge climb up functionality Localisation improvements Fix holes in environment Add scoring and medals Add working crossing gates to road crossings Add road traffic Add RailDriver support to Preserved Collection Livery Designer compatibility for Preserved Collection Scenario Planner path extension Improve audio Upgrade to Train Sim World 2 skies They made it clear from the beginning, and you can read it in almost every roadmap of the past year. When they released the alternative timetable for Rapid Transit, it was a nice welcomed surprise, never been announced as "major preservation crew tasks. Why they did it...well who knows...maybe a developer calling for the bragging rights to have his own timetable in TSW2. A gift, but no obligation or typical task. And on WSR, they only added a handful of services in some gaps in the original timetable, far behind a "whole new timetable", not comparable to Rapid Transit or what happened on SKA (but still a nice goodie, though).
Yes, especially Journey Mode which tends to be my main focus, at least until/if the save game is fixed allowing you to do a "Day In The Life" approach to things.
I gladly used to pay $10 for a good scenario pack in TS. I get 9 scenarios in this pack; plus 3 liveries, a new timetable, a new horn, and some wonderful bonus “Joe content” … totally worth it for me.
Like you Vern, I use Journey Mode 95% of the time. So does this mode on SKA still use the old timetable? If so that’s a real disappointment. The new timetable should really have replaced the old, and the services with new stock added as a layer or something. They really should have thought through the impact on Journey Mode. I have the impression nobody at DTG uses it, as the rainy weather is still broken in this mode (sunshine, few clouds, but hissing it down).
Haven't tried the SKA changes yet, will be checking it out later* after finishing the SPG run. Usually these add in DLC's add their own Journey Mode under the existing one(s) with the advantage the full list is exposed and you can pick what order you do things in. *Assuming I'm not chasing the roof around the lawn, though given "Storm Eunice" in Swindon at least has been a bit of a damp squib (over-reaction Britain again) seems unlikely!!
Thing is, the 423 is replacing the 422 on all its services, so a new layer would duplicate those services, and I don't think there's a way for it to go "If you have X, use X, if you have Y, use Y on this service, if you have both X and Y, use only Y" instead of "if you have both X and Y, use both" which is what it does now. The workarounds are: - Use the existing timetable but remove the S-bahn services for those that don't get the expansion pack - Make a new timetable that's identical to the old one, but uses the 423 instead of the 422. I have a feeling also telling Journey mode to use the new timetable would mean you basically have to do buy the expansion to use journey mode at all. New journeys adds s new journey The existing one uses the old timetable.
I would suggest that it's "re-do really, really bad timetables." The original TT for RT and WSR were pretty naff.
The problem with that is that, for people who care about medals and achievements, dumping the old timetable completely would have wiped out everyone's progress. The new timetable is a clean slate.
What you mean with start over? Different timetables are one of the major benefits of tsw. If there was a stock change in the period the route is set, you can have both. I play tsw to enjoy driving time (no hud only). Why should dtg stop producing enhanced timetables? If you are a gold medal grinder, well you have a new challenge now
Indeed, alternative timetables are ok if there is a "simulation" reason for that, like different rolling stock (my example of the BKL heritage from rivet was indeed out of scope, my bad). But not in cases where the new timetable is just an improvement of the old one (like this new one for SKA), and DTG has no good system to replace the previous bad one keeping progress. I'm a gold medal grinder and I like doing achievements, but I do not want to start all over. The same applies to timetable services which are not counted in journeys. I like completing all services, but I do not want to make them twice just because the DTG system is broken. Also, good to see many enjoy scenarios. For me, DTG can completely dump them and focus on making compelling timetables, with particular situations and so on, like done in scenarios. Journey mode can be just made of tutorials and interesting timetable services.
Im not sure if it has a technical reason behind, or if its for the people want still enjoy the "wrong" 422 from before. But i agree for the new ska timetable, i wont touch the old anymore just because the amount of traffic and the empty stations & depots. Probably its not that easy to take the archievments to a new timetable because the train replacement.
Arguably it's not an improvement. I have been proposing for a substitution of the Munich BR423 on SKA since pretty much the moment HMA was released, and you would be surprised by the amount of criticism I faced. But maybe the fact that it was reskinned so it has the correct writings makes all the difference. [Deleted old posts - don't want to give the wrong impression]
It's both; the only other way would be removing the S-bahn services for those who own RRO but don't want the expansion pack - I think you can imagine the reaction to that.
