In todays Roadmap (8 December 2022), DTG added new addon for TSW3. It it labelled as New U. S. Route Expansion Pack with code 3.NDD-E7 01. Make your guess guys!!! My guess/speculation is improved & extended Sherman Hill with 3rd track and new TSW3 lighting/atmospheric.
i hope For Harlem Line Extended with M8 / M9 / M1 addon with the fixes to the route at the same time of the dlc launch
To those that don't know Roadmap Codes: NDD-E7 means it'll be Diesel-Electric (and not Dual-Mode) in the modern times. And there're a few routes (from DTG) that might be the candidates to fit that pack: Sand Patch Grade (not sure why, but ok) Sherman Hill (unfinished Track 3, of course) Peninsula Corridor (honestly, not much to do with that) Oakville Subdivision (because why not) As for what kind of locos to be included, there are a few possibilities to choose from (more so on the freight side than passengers). But, I'm just gonna leave it there. [Edit: so what's been told from the stream, the expansion pack is indeed gonna be like GWB (as in no route changes). So best to expect some reskinned locos when it arrives]
Perhaps Cajon Pass with the Palmdale Cutoff UP track and BNSF Barstow to Mojave. BNSF B40-8W and BNSF and UP GP60 (or maybe a BNSF GP60M-3 and/or GP60B could be added to the game as well. A UP ET44AC, BNSF ET44C4, BNSF SD70ACe/SD70ACeP4, UP SD70M, BNSF SD70MAC, BNSF SD75M/I, BNSF/UP Genset Switcher, or UP SD70AH-T4 would be nice to see as well. The UP GP60 would work on Peninsula Corridor, Sherman Hill, or Cane Creek. And of course, some new engines could be added in CSX and NS liveries for Sand Patch and Horseshoe Curve.
So, it's modern and it's diesel electric. So that rules out NEC stuff, and dual locos (like the p32) -Sherman Hill: Track 3 would be nice to get finished. Guess DTG could do a better UP spec AC44 than SHG, or do a borning Bonga Gevo. I doubt they would make an entirely new loco. -Sand Patch Grade: Nothing really to add here, so pass. -Clinchfield: A modern CSX timetable for the CRR? Not sure what thier current traffic levels are, but a bit of a missed timing opportunity to add their traditional CSX Santa Train, which runs on the route. -Cajon Pass: Maybe a line extension to Yermo and or West Colton to put more UP trains on the line. Or some enhancments to the BNSF stuff already on there. -Sand Patch Grade, Boston Sprinter, Peninsula Corridor, Cajon Pass: New timetable with Amtrak Long Distance equipment? BS would only have the P42 only. And Cajon would be the only route with Scenerios and a drivable timetable. SPG would only have a timetable. -Peninsula Corridor: Gilroy extension? Seems like alot of work for only 6 services that only run I'm the mornings and evenings. Granted it would add Tamien, which is the Southern terminus for most Caltrain trains, but not much else. UP has a local to Watsonville, and a rock train from a quarry. But only about 2 customers to switch out on that line. Not sure if the Hollister branch still sees traffic.
The obvious option for this pack would be to instate track 3 on Sherman Hill. I remember Matt saying on stream that the track and signals are actually all there laid out, the time consuming job of scenery needs to be done. I'd love to have a GTEL added to Sherman Hill but as it's Diesel-Electric, that's sadly not part of this pack.
As it is an expansion pack and not a loco DLC it is unlikely to offer a new train model. Anything that is in the game now could be adapted for other routes though, like the F7 reskin. I’m not sure about any extra track unless it is actually already there and everyone gets the route upgrade, say for Sherman Hill and just the extra gameplay is what comes with the pack. DTG haven’t done any bolt-on track extensions in TSW.
Based on what was found from people on the TSC discord, the track is already there and laid. It's mainly just scenery work that needed to be done.
I see this as Track 3 Sherman Hill with a 6000hp locomotive the AC6000CW in UP paint. Complete with a plywood transporter Coal and DOT 117 tank cars for Ethanol and Oil. DOT 117 tank cars are built with post-Lac Megantic incident standards Video about UP AC6000CW if part of the expansion pack Another possibility is UP ES44AC which should be identical to ES44C4 2020 builds T4C Cajon Pass BNSF 3250-328 Source is Trains Magazine paywall after 5 articles. Another Source for ES44C4 BNSF which can serve as the base for UP Sherman Hill ES44AC which is built from 2013-2016 Video of ES44AC
Since the route code means it's modern and diesel electric, perhaps the MBTA HSP-46 is a possibility since it's around the 2011 time era. It would be cool to have the bilevels. Maybe this will apply to the Boston Sprinter route since it currently has MBTA passenger services
I definitely agree with you on that I hope it’s the Hsp46 locomotive for the Boston sprinter route.
Nope As per JD, this expansion pack will not include a brand new locomotive, so no go on new coaches or a new locomotive.
could be adding AMTRAK to Cajon pass as Amtrak runs the Southwest Chief through Cajon Pass. i dont see why DTG would add an expansion to an older route.
That's not it. The right train isn't in game. And since it's not a loco dlc, that means we're not getting a new loco. Also not a route dlc so not new track. And the only really possible diesel engines they can use are American freight locomotives. The current passenger trains don't run anywhere else in game either What's wrong with dtg releasing an enhancement pack for an older route? Already been done several times. Diesel legends came out for gwe even though gwe was one of the first routes ever released for tsw2020 which ported over. Rivet released a rhb anniversary pack for arosa after it was released. And the upcoming enhancement pack Rivet is releasing is for wcl which also released last year. So no issue with releasing content for older content.
The f7 wouldn't really be era appropriate or fit the dlc code. It's a modern passenger route and the f7 is out of place. It's going to be one of the other modern freight locomotives running on a modern route since they actually run there and makes more sense
Up services on cajon pass should have always been there. I think this is a good guess of the expansion pack as well and that it shouldn’t need to be an expansion pack or at least one with a cost.
Gonna throw in some interesting developments as to what route this expansion might be for. About a week ago, a new depot entered the steamdb numbered 1998970. I believe this is the depot for the upcoming US expansion because it has been seen updated alongside another depot numbered 1998955, which for a US route already available in TSW3 and it's for none other than Sherman Hill. Down below is a log of all the times these updated happened: 13 January 2023 – 17:47:34 UTC 19 January 2023 – 14:41:42 UTC 19 January 2023 – 21:34:37 UTC Whether this will actually be the case remains to be seen, but I think for what we are seeing here that we are starting to point towards Sherman Hill being the route that's getting this upcoming expansion pack. Of course, the question then is what kind of expansion will Sherman Hill get, which we will probably find out closer to when this expansion is getting released.
If it is Sherman Hill for the Expansion, then there's indeed not a whole lot for what kind of locos to be added in from the current roster of TSW. At best, since it's modern, it would have to be either the Heritage ACe units or a GEVO (if remodeled from CJP). Since, again, this pack is just for gameplay purposes, not adding anything new to the route.
Honestly that would be a disappointment, especially since nothing will be added to the route, which means no addition of Track 3 to Sherman Hill (Since I doubt this pack would add the missing scenery to the route) Loco wise, only thing to add is either a newer AC4400CW, a ES44AC, or SD70ACe heritage units, a long shot would be a MP15 for the yards.
If the pack is for Sherman Hill, then BNSF doesn't make any sense, they only have a small bit of trackage represented in Cheyenne on the old C&S line.
A very, very, long shot for the MP15 since there's only one still in the UP roster these days (and it's AC tractioned as well).
It really would be a bummer for them to try to make more money off of Sherman Hill via an expansion pack without adding in track 3. But who knows maybe they will surprise us all and Matt was just trying to keep people in the dark haha.
It's already been discussed to death that this pack will... 1. Not extend any existing routes 2. Not include any new locos.
If Sherman Hill does get a gameplay pack, I would hope that they would take the opportunity to improve the scenery on the route, as it was never up to scratch. A few tweaks here and there would be most welcome, and if the new sky and lighting is added then the route will need some work on it as part of that. However… Updates to the Sherman Hill depots on Steam could just be small improvements for the AC locos because they are the trains that are part of the pack for a different route, so it’s not a firm indication that Sherman Hill is the route getting an expansion pack. I wouldn’t like to make any predictions even if evidence is presenting itself in that direction.
Little update to that: Why not add GO Transit MP40PH-3C with BBL cars + either CEM or BBL cabcar? (image 1) Same goes to VIA Rail F40PH-2D with either LRC or Budd coaches. (image 2) (Well, GO does every stop between Oakville and Niagara Falls, including West Harbour, and VIA does non-stop Oakville to Niagara Falls.) (All pics from Wikipedia.)
Sherman Hill would be my favorite too. The scenery just looks so much more impressive with volumetric clouds, as already seen in some mod screenshots here in the forum. Long time ago, when Sherman Hill was featured on the preview stream, there was a hint from Matt that the third track south on Sherman Hill might eventually be completed and integrated. I also found a detailed thread for this topic: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/th...ack-3-found-an-ai-service-that-uses-it.51714/ Upgrading to TOD4 (time of day 4 lighting, the new TSW3 standard) would be a good time to do so. Then the route would also be optically prepared for a future American steam locomotive DLC, if "Big Boy" ever comes along. But for now modern diesel electric traction would be perfectly adequate. If I remember correctly, there were also bison here!
I think they'll extend Sand Patch Grade so they can add more services or even the entire WMSRR that is connected to the system. It would allow them to safely and cheaply test how many people want to see north American steam (or diesel) with an older style of passenger train
Of course not, because they neglect US routes. The last confirmed new US (full)route DLC was over a year ago
Not true. The Acela is coming soon and there's a us passenger route on the roadmap. Cajon pass was also released with tsw3. There's 3 different types of dlc. There's route dlc which is a route from a to b with trains on it. There's loco dlc which are new trains not in game. Then there's these expansion packs which are gameplay packs. Adds more gameplay options with reused content. You've seen this with diesel legends, rhb anniversary edition and new journeys. Remember these are made by devs who have a little extra down time or free time while they wait for new dlc so they can play their role. So they aren't a full team who can make brand new trains and track.
