I have secretly developed a bit of an addiction to the Azuma. Discovered if you open the doors behind the cab which are not traction interlocked and the internal cab door, it gives the sound a bit of a boost. So instead of the cab being almost silent there is now a discernible and quite pleasant traction whine, together with more audible track and bridge occlusion. So I've been ragging it up and down the ECML a fair few times, very zen, very enjoyable and complements the all stations Goblin line perfectly.
I too have become addicted. There's something about barrelling down the line at full speed that grabs me. All we need is a Class 91 and it'll be perfect.
Yea, I really have been taking a strong liking to the route as well, I really enjoy the azuma a lot, it feels so good doing 125mph in TSW
I’ll have to give this a go, although I’ve already got considerably more milage on this route then I thought I would have. I might actually have to get all the collectibles for it soon, something I’ve only done for 2 other routes.
Only thing with the ECML, is that I get this urge to want to do more of the route, so I fire up train sim Classic to complete the southern end, I really hope we get the ECML south at some point
F Funnily enough it's kind of encouraging me to set out on the merged WCML North/Shap to get some Class 87 thrash in. Whatever DTG have in store for us in the late summer, I do hope it's going a route with similar characteristics.
So for me, the area of ECML modelled is unknown to me as a Sussex lad. It never really interested me. But I got to know some of the area from Kings Cross to Peterborough through working at Hornsey for a little while. The amount of variety of trains really reached out to me. For even the 10 min journey back to Finsbury Park for that slog through the Core after work, you could see a mix of Azumas, HSTs, 91s, 180s, 700s, 717s, 387s, and freight too. Just an astonishing mixture of trains. Was brilliant to see. Am now hoping that this section of the route is made eventually! Would be nice to run some 801s out of Kings Cross.
One of my favorite features in any loco (and even with a rig in ETS2) is the ability to open windows to hear the engine sounds not only louder but also with more clarity. Gives a nice feel of realism. If a new loco would not have the feature of windows which are able to be opened, it would immedialtely be a big disadvantage for me. I know it's very surrealistic but I'm missing that a bit driving an ICE on german lines.
I’m also a fan of the 800’s in both TSW and TSC (with enhancements). In TSW it really does leave you wanting more, so I hope that one day we get a bit more of the ECML. I often find myself doing a run there and back in TSW, then jumping over to TSC for a longer run. Some more rolling stock for what we’ve already got on ECML in TSW would be nice as well.
Couldn't agree more with this. 80 miles seems like a lot, but whenever I do a full run, I'm always wishing to go that little bit further.
Still hope there are plans for a Class 91 and Mark 4 set. Though the grail for me would be a Deltic on Mark 2 aircons. In on Day One for either of those.
Yes I have enjoyed this as well, coming from Australia I have no knowledge of this area so enjoy the fun of seeing a new place and relying on those that are familiar with area on how accurate it is but it also has the benefit of me enjoying it for what it is without any bias
Hi, Vern! I'm into sound as well! I used to open the rear cab doors on the TGV as well - not sure if they are traction-locked now
I have to agree as well ! 125mph is the perfect speed for high speed routes. Not too fast so there's no LZB to do everything but still fast enough to have the sense of speeeeeed. The LGV is a bit like this but faster (But the scenery is trash).
You and me both on that one. Airconned MK2s are especially needed, not just for a Deltic but for the other BR Blue routes too. Or some dual braked MK1s... Actually sod it, just give us a BR Blue coaching stock pack with both.
I would even take a heritage rail tour Deltic at this point, substituting into the Scotsman timetable. The roar of twin Napiers *needs* to be heard in TSW.
I do enjoy the occasional sprint across ECML. I do hope any future segments of it are done in different time periods though, so that those with interest in historical stock get a nice long route to run on as well. I’d love a Deltic in its original era, running at full thrash or even a Valenta HST. A segment should also be reserved for the (hopeful) day that steam development resumes! A steam era ECML featuring the original LNER with Gresley express locomotives pulling teak coaches, (with working steam physics!) would make for the ultimate ECML experience Same goes for the WCML when that eventually makes its appearance in TSW. Different segments in different eras, let’s have the history of these two iconic mainlines represented in the game!
I’ve only heard a Deltic once in real life when I was very young and they were still in service. I still remember my Grandad gave me a wooden Jigsaw Puzzle of it afterwards (about 12 pieces) and I used to build it endlessly. It left a lasting impression and I’d love to see it in the game. I’d also love to see one again in real life, but not living in the uk, that’s a slim chance at the moment.
Hearing the roar of the Deltic is like hearing a race car coming. As already mentioned, another section of the ECML could be created. Set in the 70's - early 80's, with 55 or 43. Or maybe WCML, always set in the same period, with APT and Something Electric (Class 82, 85or 87). It would be nice to have a classic BR electric drive in TSW. Especially for their particular power command.
We can wish, although more chance of another modern section than a deltic. I have the Kuju one in TSC with the discontinued sound pack. That will do for now.
I’m all happy to see sections in multiple different time era’s, well where there is big differences. Just wouldn’t be best pleased to see each section in a single different era only.
One of the reasons as a boy I used to love changing trains at Crewe: lots of different locos (including Deltics) and unlike other big stations like New Street there were platforms where you could walk straight past these monsters as they were stationary. Happy days!
I tried this but as soon as I walk back through to the cab all outside sound cuts out, so it made no difference to the quiet cab sound when driving. Back to turning my TV up to 25 instead of 16 just for this train. I do like driving the Azuma, I posted about it a while back. It’s a good relaxing experience, and the perfect thing for me to drive this evening to wind down after a stressful afternoon. It worked and I’m all calm now.
That's interesting I opened them from the external view, mid that's on PC so maybe slightly different. Anyhow big grin on my face as the next Journey mode is a non stop Doncaster to Peterborough. You can settle in like a long haul flight. Part of me is hoping for our big summer release, DTG do a SEHS and extend the ECML a bit more, in either direction just as good though to do it justice going north would really have to push to Newcastle. York wouldn't really be enough of an extension and Darlington not a logical place to finish. Though I'd still take it. The Cross would be great though.
I would certainly like more of the route. I remember when Trainz just kept extending the route with subsequent releases but of course the final version I got before jumping ship from Trainz A New Era (for mac) to TSW2020 on PS4, only had a handful of scenarios and most community ones I downloaded had big issues and couldn’t be finished. It was long and had a HST and Deltic but it was a bit rubbish. A longer version for TSW would be great as we have timetable mode, the greatest thing that ever happened to train simulators. Up to Newcastle would be amazing.
Yes I think the guy eventually got all the way to Edinburgh. It was a noble effort and I'm loathe to diss it but 1. Graphically it kind of stuck in the TRS2004 era and really showed the limitations Trainz imposed and to some extent still does, on track laying and items like tunnels. IIRC only really textured and detailed to one or two tiles beyond the track, which became the edge of the world. 2. Suffered from the inherent problem that Trainz still has today, despite its route building advantages over just about every sim, it's virtually impossible to set up a player operated train, have it run to a timetable and have the AI take care of routing and signalling.
Glad to hear Vern! It is a lovely section of line and in actual fact (including the section up to York) is my favourite section of the route and the 801s are lovely units as well, considering their modernity. They have captured it very well on the whole, with the big issue being the level crossing timings. It does still feel a bit strange having to end at Peterborough and although Posh to the Cross is the dullest section of the route I see my self hoping to see it come! All we need is a Deltic and some 225s!
We certainly do. Personally I find the run from York to Newcastle in TSC a bit coma- inducing, but if that's the price for having the '55, I'll gladly pay it, especially if the route went all the way to Edinburgh. While we're at it let's have Settle to Carlisle with a Class 50 and some steam. Oops, I've nodded off and dreaming again. Darn!
The 55 would be a pleasure to drive on the racetrack so would be up for seeing that TSC gem recreated! Surely Settle to Carlisle has to be done in the steam days, a 50 would be better suited to Exeter to Plymouth & Paignton with Valenta HSTs . Ah, I think I must have dosed off as well!
Could take it down south, would give more playability to the 700 and give the 387 another route to run on. Maybe even throwing in York as I believe it's a crew change point but that's probably too much to ask. After having done a few runs, Peterborough and especially Doncaster just feel a weird end point, for both directions.
As a postscript, it seems you can’t always run with those sliding doors behind the cab open. After finishing my glorious non stop run from Doncaster arriving in Peterborough 4’ early (PPM success!), I loaded up the next Journey element which is called something like Speed Test or Test Run. Set up the cab, duly opened the two sliding doors and the internal cab door but wasn’t able to take power. Only when I closed the two sliding doors could I start to move. So a slight bit of puzzlement there, maybe because it’s a scenario rather than a timetable run..?
I think it probably only works on southbound runs, as those two doors on the first class end are crew doors. For northbound runs the two doors at the front are normal passenger doors, so have to close along with the rest.
I’m surprised you enjoy this route and loco now, as I remember a while back you not being a huge fan of this route. I’m happy that you have found a way to enjoy it again though. My stance hasn’t changed much, still find this route a snooze fest. Played it half to death around the release of TSW4 and haven’t touched it since.
I find myself able to simulate the cold and hot weather look of the game pretty well, so opening doors or windows in game during non sunny summer times i find it off to open them to be honest. And definitely not the doors as I’m driving, it just doesn’t feel right and I always close windows when approaching tunnels, they give me the creeps as it is (especially NTP’s long one, its not as bad in train (cab light on) but no I get hella creeps walking near it on foot, I can’t do it) I like knowing I’m not letting anything in what I can’t see.
I dunno, I find the hum of the ICE 1 to be quite pleasant, particularly hauling it fast between Fulda and Kassel. Very satisfying.
Ah yes, the Azuma cab. Soundproofed for the sounds of the train, but you can hear the birds singing in the forest.
Yes, I like the hum, too. But I'd prefer if we had the option to make the window opened, so we can have a full audial experience of "the rush" the ICE does within the cabin.
I know we are drifting a bit now (but as it’s my thread we can do what we want), the original HST with GWE had the cab doors erroneously interlocked with the traction so you couldn’t run with them open. In practice and particularly in the summer it was not unusual to see HST’s running around with the cab doors open, to increase ventilation particularly if the cab aircon wasn’t up to snuff. Thankfully something SHG corrected for their MML HST. Would have been nice if DTG had gone back and corrected the error. As noted above, the issue with the sliding doors proved to be correct. On changing ends at Newark for the return leg of the scenario I was able to leave the staff doors open and enjoy better sound once more. On a side note I tried the Class 801 sound mod, but although it improved the track running and joint sounds, it seemed to completely smother the traction whine. So I took it off and will run with default.
Did not not know or forgot that the BR 401 has a cab window. Sure thing, I will try to do ICE1 runs on KWG in the future. Thanks for the tip. My favorite ICE is the BR 403 (ICE3) which just got this areodynamic design that windows big enough being able to opened aren't really possible. Despite that, I thought that high speed trains like are not allowed to have openable windows for safety reasons. Anyone knows a limit of the Vmax up to which openable windows are allowed up to date?
If I remember correctly, in continental Europe the windows could be kept open up to 160 km/h. That's the UIC standard speed. In fact, all modern Intercity units, with speeds equal to or above 200 km/h, have locked or static windows.
The cab does have openable windows: Source For some reason though, DTG omitted making them operable in TSW. Sorry that your favourite unit has this fault. Don’t think there is a limit and as you can see, MUs with a top speed of 330km/h have openable windows in Germany. Windows that passengers have access to aren’t really used any more at all (especially with considerations to air conditioning) - but I don’t know if there’s a formal rule banning them for certain speed ranges. What there definitely are limits for is pressure-proofing. Trains can only pass each other at certain speeds in tunnels if both trains are not pressure-proof. That’s why the 120, ICE1, … have pressure proofed cabs. But those limits are for passing in tunnels, not speeds by themselves, as evidenced by the 103 not being pressure-proof.
Hope you allow me another slightly off-topic addition to this, OldVern, about one of my favourite topics - the Einheitseloks. Besides doors, windows and such, drivers used to open the doors to the engine room in summer to take advantage of the cooling fans for the loco. Having been in a cab where this was done, I can tell you that your favourite sound, the fan droning, goes from being loud to deafening but the cooling effect on the driver is unrivalled!
On ICE3/4 the windows cannot be opened due to pressurization problems. The interior is kept at a slightly higher pressure than the outside atmospheric pressure, to reduce internal noise. Openings in cab are only used when the train is stopped and immobilised.
