Guys, found some photos in the roadmap that may confirm two different things that are coming to TSW 4. firstly, the addition of a new line, the Pacific Surfliner line, that will include (most likely) the line between San Diego and Oceanside. This will include the Amtrak SC-44 charger locomotive with Amtrak California coaches, and the sounder SC-44 with bombardier bilevel coaches. This route will also have layers from BNSF and metrolink, with the latter layering in at oceanside as AI. How do I know this is coming? Well, these images show the cab interior of the SC-44 locomotive, which only exists on a few Amtrak routes, and the interior of the Amtrak Surfliner coaches. (If you don’t believe me that these photos are the SC-44 and Surfliner coaches, look it up for yourself, you will see that I am correct) What else is confirmed in the roadmap? Another photo confirms that the team is working with Amtrak’s Superliner coaches. These two level coaches are used on most Amtrak long distance routes, and will layer into countless TSW routes, including the antelope line. Alongside either an ALC-42 or P42DC,I assume that this will most likely come as the upcoming US loco dlc, instead of being featured on its own route. I also think this DLC will be for Cajon Pass, as it is currently the only US route that can consistently support this DLC. (The second photo is a comparison photo I found on the internet)
As Matt said they didn't record this to add the SC-44 or the other trains you said they record them because say if one day they where gonna add them trains they wouldn't have to go out again and record the sounds, the sounds will already there for them to use.
There are already a few threads about this. I don't know if you had a chance to watch the roadmap, but Matt said they record everything they possibly can and are allowed to on their trips. So while it is promising that there is a higher chance of it happening now that they have all their own source material (and I truly hope it does come), it does not necessarily confirm that it is 100% happening right now.
Well yes, but also wouldn’t it make sense that this route fits into TSW, as the amount of layers from existing routes and trains works perfectly? Also why would they specifically choose to record and photograph trains and coaches that they would never end up using?
True. I probably shouldn’t have used the word “confirmed”, but I feel like them getting these photographs is likely evidence that this new content is probably going to be seen in TSW 4
I have the same hope to that as well and I know quite a lot of other people do too! Would definitely be cool, certainly doesn't seem like a matter of if, but when, and which part of the Surfline we will get
Nope, they said they got this reference material because the trains were in the depot at the time and the depot manager allowed them too, they said on the roadmap stream that there is no current plans to use them just that it's good to have them.
So this is an interesting point and I commented on it in another thread. Depending on what the word "depot" is referring to, this can cause for some interesting speculation. I know that typically in the game a depot is referred to as like Metrolink CMF where trains are stored when not in use and maintained. If that is the case, Amtrak doesn't store any of their equipment at Metrolink CMF which means the photos/recording had to be done at either their 8th street yard or LAUPT. The bigger point is that they needed to have obtained permission from someone at Amtrak to do that in depth level of recording especially in the cabs. That level of permission is more than just asking a passing train crew at LAUPT if they can hop up and record inside the cab. My point to that is that the extra effort to seek out and obtain Amtrak's permission to do all of that if they had no plans seems a little over the top. Given the fact they came home from LA with over 9000 photos and 55 hours of audio recording, there's just no way that all of that or even a majority is for Metrolink's one locomotive and limited variety of passenger cars. They always say there are no current plans until the very day those plans are announced just in case minor details change in the later stages of development and scope of the project is decreased.
If you're going to spend 5 figures sending a team over to the states for two weeks to do recordings, you want the best results for it. Metrolink weren't able to support the team being on site all the time - in fact if I recall, recording sessions were literally just the weekends and a little during the week. What to do with the rest of the time? Hmm, you know what... there's a big Amtrak depot south of LA Union... let's go talk to Amtrak and see if they can free up some time for us.. "Hey you are gonna be here? Awesome - let's see what we can do, yeah we can do that, it can only really be between midnight and 9am as the depot's either empty or too busy - does that work?" "Sure - that's great, we can make that work - thank you!" We tried to see if we could line up anything else local too, but, in retrospect i think the team are glad we didn't - because they were utterly wiped out and needed a week off work afterwards to recover - those trips are HARD. Obviously having reference makes it easier to choose to put them in the game, but does not mean we will at all. We have numerous locos and coaching sets fully referenced from the Washington trip many years ago (where the ACS-64 and Acela came from) and no plans to bring those in yet either. We got other stuff with Metrolink too. Once you turn up to the depot... often times it's as much "hey we have one of these here tonight, i'd suggest grabbing that now as it might not be here tomorrow" as it is "ooh can we go survey that?". Really appreciative of all the support Amtrak and Metrolink gave on the trip. Dial back your excitement a *tad* to avoid disappointment... but have fun with the speculation I guess Matt.
Omg buddy this is not a "leak". You found a few pictures somewhere and created a fantasy around them.
What you got here is a sound recording unit post by DTG for AVL and possibly ALC-42 P42DC for Cajon Pass Oakville Sand Patch and Horseshoe curve. ALC-42 on Horseshoe curve means the Pennsylvanian played twice on NEC Trenton Boston electric and Horseshoe curve as the diesel segment
Shame, but understandable, if you guys ever have a team in the area again, you should see if they can go to any of the museums in the area to see if they are willing to lend some time for research..... Southern California Railway Museum Travel Town Railgiants Train Museum (Former home of UP 4014)
Museums are of limited use because the real precious assets are recording the train running on the mainline. Even when we record steam here it's super awkward because you get good sounds up to say 25-30mph and it becomes fakery and mishmash to get sounds up to running speed on the mainline. Photo reference is important of course, but those sounds are like gold dust.
