You all might think I'm taking the Mickey, but I'm not. I've noticed that the 66 is heavily overlooked by it's crazy over-usage in the game... So I thought I'd make this post because It's a great loco overall with great sounds (not including the ECW/GWE 66s) and it looks great too, minus the livery being slightly too pink on many of the EWS variants, but it does have a lot of workings available on a lot of different routes, including a few railtours which are nice to run! Of course, it has it's bugs - for example how badly the AI screw it up.. I accidentally cancelled the service I was on and when I went back and took it over again, the AI had turned the night lights on during the day, put the hazard lights on, somehow put the reverser handle in BOTH cabs and also screwed up the brakes as I could not for the life of me release them after I took the service over again, I had to completely restart the service. Other than that issue stated above and a few other minor exterior issues it's a great train in my opinion and I really like it, though I can't deny the fact that we desperately need another modern freight loco....
I m more of a freight guy i love running freights in all the TSW content that have it , If its a passenger only or freight services not part of it then i do free roam or scenario creator freight .in the UK routes i have no major beefs with the class 66 they are similar to US SD70aces same similar engine under the hood , other than some uk US specifics .. i am surprised they havent done a class 70 sice it basically onto a US general electric GEVO engine ES44c4 ES44ah etc .. Definitely agree would love to see a few more modern and some classic semi modern UK freight diesels in the game .As well as a UK electric freight loco
A very well modelled loco, the update on the sounds has meant it is in the top 6 UK locos for sound(others being EMT HST, class 52, class 20, class 31 and Blackpool class 47)
Indeed a good loco. Obviously very versatile, powerful, iconic and pretty good looking too. With the right services it can also be challenging to drive especially with the not so fast brakes.
Agreed! I just wish more people would appreciate it for those reasons rather than push it aside and complain about how overused it is; even though, as I said, I do agree with it being overused...
Well it matters if you are having fun with it, not what others are saying. I can enjoy Rivet routes and don't need to care what others think of it, as it's my business what I'm buying and enjoying in my spare time. I like the 66 too, it's a unique design, american Diesel power, an SD40-2 in a european shell sort of, but more variety would be welcomed (but not that most ugly Class 70).
I agree I do really like the 66. Its great slowly chugging past the quiet electric passenger trains. I'd love a Class 60 in its modern form. I'm not British. In fact, I really learned about BR's story from playing TSW. But anything from the twilight BR years always has my attention (465 is awesome.. Electra.. hopefully someday)
I agree with everything you said there.. other than that part about the 70. It's the only truly unique looking (modern) loco we have here; other than the 70, all the freight locos here in the UK to me are effectively just copy and pasted nowadays.. thousands of 66s with the only differences being liveries and headlight clusters.. and that's it, every other freight loco looks the same, primarily because the 66 is the only other modern freight loco.. the 68/88 look much more different yes but they don't get used on all that much with their main uses being intermodal workings and the occasional engineers workings. Every other freight loco that is still used are older locos like 60s, 56s and well, really that's it to be honest, and those two don't get used much either... (Correct me if I'm wrong about the locos currently used... And, please, don't get too annoyed at me. It's my own opinion and I'm just explaining why.) (This thread is a TSW Class 66 appreciation post.. not necessarily a real life Class 66 appreciation post.)
The 66 in game isn’t bad, it’s just maligned due to being so over used and none of the main developers seem able to bring us any alternative modern heavy freight traction.
Exactly. But unfortunately it seems as though a lot of people just ignore the 66 for the reason of it being over used. I will say, I am impressed with how many people have actually acknowledged this thread though!
Yeah.. anything diesel is nicer alongside an EMU, anytime and every time. You're definitely not the only one who wants a 60.. at this point I'd pay for a box with a PNG image of a 60 on it.. just to tone the 66s down a little bit!
It's a nice loco to drive especially in VR with the controllers from TS controllers but as mentioned we do need another freight loco, infact another two (Class 56 & 70) would be most welcome.
I've never played VR or or anything other than Xbox Series S. But it's nice to drive on there too! Absolutely agree with you on the 56/70 thing, Colas would be your best bet for that!
DTG seem s to not want to do much of anything older freight loco wise on US UK and german routes ..from what ive been reading on the forum threads on here seem s more people are kinda wanting to see more older classic locomotives across the board on all routes ..here in the US too the geovs and SD70 aces etc are the everyday common power used plenty of older stuff on shortlines and in yard or local service on the class 1 s. The older stuff across the board is more fun and challenging to operate on US UK German routes ..maybe its time DTG turn back the pages and do more oldr and semi modern era stuff
Well, kinda sorta. It's a bit more complicated. We have to go back to the Class 59, which really was an SD40-2 in a shell built to UK loading gauge. When EWS decided to replace all its clapped-out diesel freight stock inherited from BR, it liked the 59 especially its reliability- but the SD40-2 with its 645 engine was no longer being made. So the Class 66 was a combination of the frame and body from the Class 59, with the mechanicals of an SD70, except that the engine was the 12-cylinder version of the 710, not the 16-cylinder used in the SD70 series (hence 3300 vs 4300 hp). So really just like the SD69, if that locomotive had ever existed except in prototype. And, of course, no dynamic brakes, which the Brits consider a Popish plot to conceive the death of the king. (note that the 66 uses DC traction motors like the original SD70, not the AC motors of the MAC and ACe)
I would love to say something nice about the 66, but frankly I loathe the things in real life and have hardly used them in TSW to have been able to think anything other than the sound of the engine is doing my nut! Racking my brain a bit, it was very nice to work with on Livery Designer for the DB key Worker livery I did and actually it does seem that the sound has been done rather well as it does make me grind my teeth like the real life ones do! Can't fault the modelling in any way either. I do think it is nice to see more positive threads and posts like this though recently as there are many great things to admire about TSW even with its quibbles.
The only thing I like doing on the ECML is driving freight trains powered by the Class 66. Don't drive that rather quiet one handled emu. I like the US style cab controls and it's a pretty good looking locomotive except for one or two of the liveries. Have to roll the windows down to get decent thrash though.
Yeah, I love some of its services on the ECML because you have to sit in sidings as a pathing allowance on a few of the workings which is something I'd love to see happen more often with future freight services! Definitely a nice looking loco though I do admit some liveries in the game don't look the greatest, those being all the EWS liveries minus the Cargo Line one - they're all too pink instead of maroon I find! Would be nice to have a slightly better thrash sound; I personally feel as though something is a little bit off about it but nothing seriously bad...
The EWS maroon and tan or yellow, came from the Wisconsin Central RR here in US the Co that owned WC bought or did a venture with EWS . There is lots i dont know but maybe some one who has the knowledge of all it could chime in, The WC is no more canadian national now operates the former WC line here in US befoer that it was the SOO Line
I compared the class 66 similar to SD70ace in my comment since that s represented in TSW but def could say its like a SD69 that was said above in US there are SD70 m 2s they DC and befote that the standard and wide cab SD70s Norfolk Southern and CN had thSD70 m 2 UP had the most SD70 M s BNSF CSX had SD70 MACS AC versions of the SD 70 . Interesting too that the Class 59 s Had SD40 2 645 engines surprised DTG never put those in TSW since the US SD40 2 is in it.
I like this engine too, I not long spawned it and did a freight run on a Free Roam, end to end it was great, had it at a good speed not over speeding but seemed real enough, I enjoyed it. When I had the old MS Train Sim I would sometimes see an old engine from another country and I would use it here in the UK, not real I know but I loved to do it.
So many diesels, and still they churn out the same class 66. Not a bad model, just overdone. It’s disappointing from an enthusiast’s perspective, and from a sceptic’s, kind of too easy.
I've huge respect for the 66's and what they've achieved since 1998 and I'm happy to see them well represented in TSW. It reflects real life. As I like infrequent stops, I enjoy freight driving. I'd like to see a UK electric freight loco in TSW, either modern or old.
In reality, it's because the UK doesn't have endless miles of 2% grades and 10,000t trains - dynamics add cost, complexity and weight and are largely unnecessary in the UK. OTOH most electric locos have them, because the output can be 'reused' on the grid.
Excellent locomotive. It has stood the test of time well. It remains one of my favorites, both for the model and sounds. It makes you smile to see a "piece" of US in the UK. I hope to see new freight locomotives in the near future. Both diesel and electric: maybe a Class 56/57, 59, 60, 68 or 88, 90, 92.
The 66 is quite nice. The sounds and modeling is very good. But they’re EVERYWHERE! And I get tired of seeing them!
As much as I sit fully with those crying for a new freight locomotive in the game every day, it just wouldn't be the same without the sheds. Here's a few of my favourite pictures of them that I've taken since TSW4 launched. (Railpool liveries are mine, planning to post them when I get around to taking pictures for them.)
