Out Now Cargo Line Vol.2 - Aggregates: Out Now!

I know that... The point is, pushing out a third wagon pack will be pushing the credibility of the concept more than a little. I bought the first one as a means of thanking SHG for the work they put into fixing up MML after the botched release (though by no means should have to do so). However nice as the wagons are. to put things in context if you're in the cab driving it's just another run with a 66. If a consist passes you while driving then whoosh and it's gone. This sort of pack serves more purpose in a game like Run 8 where you are getting hands on with switching and serving industries, to gradually whittle down the frequency with which you see default R8 boxcars.

So respect to those who are enjoying the pack, but to sell more than the first one to me it needs to be a bit more and that's a different loco, even if the price does have to go up slighlty.

 

Yes they do, or they did. Not sure if they still do as Ratcliffe Power Station is due to close later this year.

 

Oh wow, I never knew that! I'll have to see if there's any videos of stuff going to/from there!

 

As Marc says they certainly do (did). I am sure there is more modern footage but my eyes were drawn to this as proof!


Edit: Haha, was about to click to see what the new post were and well what are the chances! Here is some footage!

 

Yeah I had a look at that very video before! Very interesting!!
We could have that area of the map set in those times.. give us more of a reason to add the 56s and 58s!

 

Seems like coal wagons could be the next logical addition then if they plan on continuing these packs?

 

I hope so too. Not sure what would be most useful for the routes we already have in the game- saw someone mention a coal hopper. Do we have anything like a grain hopper? Hopefully more loading features could be added where appropriate.

I think they add quite a bit to their featured routes whether driving them, or just having them as increased AI traffic.

6O94 on Goblin is a monster lol!

 

Assuming we are sticking with the British theme of the packs so far there wouldn't be such a need for a modern grain hopper.

 

Time frame of this route would still have coal being delivered to Ratcliff.

 

Since I don't own the route, does the power station have the necessary tracks laid out then, with the unloading facilities?

 

Cargo Vol. 2 deals with aggregate ops at Mountsorrel. And it's quite fun to play. But if I see this correctly the laid tracks at Ratcliff have been removed with the latest update. So, that sure is a missed opportunity and a bit disappointing.

 

Don't really agree on that. It's all about the wagons. As is usual with TSW you get thrown in the wrong loco often. In Journey mode I got to drive these wagons with a different loco and suddenly the pack made even more sense to me. I noticed there is already a big variety in loco's. Not sure if they make sense though as I don't know which loco's haul which wagons. The pack already makes a lot of use of other dlc (routes) but should also make use of other loco's and not just by making the game throw you in the wrong loco by mistake. If you own such and such loco it should also work with the pack without having to use formation designer.

 

As have Chaddesdon sidings though they are still accessible by setting a path to the entry line. The points need to be operated manually as they don’t appear on the 2D map. I haven’t tried to access Ratcliffe since the update but this may be the same, although on a set route around the loop. Toton has also been removed from the map, I think I have seen another post which states you can still access but from memory none of the points were manual so I assume you can only access one line, haven’t looked myself.

 

Toton is still accessible, the track is all laid out, however almost all signals are just large, black boxes with the signal light texture, which in fairness does correctly show the signal status (Red, Amber, Green) but as I'm sure you can imagine doesn't look all that good/immersive...
There are no buildings there (though I swear there used to be) and eventually you abruptly stop inside a small mountain of grass, that just about covers the whole train - your carriages also despawn interestingly...

 

Yes also the sidings around Brush Loughborugh have also been removed from the Map view ( still there if you drive manually, I think you might be able to do the same at Radcliffe). Really wish they wouldnt do that to be fair. They did it with Oakville and ruined it because too many people cried that they couldnt access it. I think the only way to get into Toton now is to sit in a service that goes there. as you cant click on the area as they have hidden the approaches. It used to be great to be able to run a free roam service from the Depot / sidings / Yard area at Toton.

Hentis

 

There was a large white Square building there that represented the main depot shed, If I remember rightly.

Hentis

 

Ah, sounds about right - anyway it's not there anymore sadly...

 

I've reliveried the HOA in Livery Editor, but it doesn't show in Scenario Designer or Formation Designer. I cannot get it into the game at all, even to take screenshot for an upload!

 

I'm just wondering, as its not only that big building but everything including the bridge (A52) has been removed apart from the trackwork and signalling. Yeah just wondering if its been removed to optimise the rest of the route.

Incidently if a playable version Toton ever comes to the route, You will never get it to look as "full" as this.....

 

You can access Ratcliffe they have the trackage there is a loop trachk you can go around has coal pile ,there like a dumping unloading building. Also some other tracks.. Someone said it s not fully built back there if they did add ratcliffe they would have to re configure some thing back in there ..To get into ratcliffe you have to have TSW4 free roam i spawned a class 66 and set a path around the baloon loop i took pictures back there in photo mode ..

 

6M61 arrived from Immingham today at 11:48 with 66783 hauling the train.

 

Thank you

 

Oh cool! Cool loco too.. would love to have 783 officially in the game.. oh, and maybe see it myself in real life haha!

 

I've noticed there's a LOT of promise on the map not fulfilled on with actual services/scenarios. That's the biggest obstacle for me. There are maps there, tracks, even scenery... but it's not ENABLED for use. Some of it literally you can't get to (invisible wall like the port on SLS) and others it's just not utilized enough (like the port on MSB/Maintalbahn or the power station), so there's nothing actually going to/from the industrial sites. Just starting/stopping in the middle of the track just isn't as immersive as it should be. Half ofthe fun IS the shunting/maneuvering/figuring out how to get in/out of places. It doesn't have to be the step by step that you get on some scenarios (such as finishing up on WSR.) It could just be "get to this final location" and then you figure it out.
I get it that a LOT of TSW is built for commuting which is much more linear and time focused, but that's what makes freight different. As a poster said in the threat previously, it needs to be more than just "different wagons being pulled on the same route." Going by what I see around here irl, there's a LOT of industries along routes that make for a huge variety of work on a "typical" freight run. While I bought both DLCs to support the game and support more freight in the game (vote with your wallet!), another one on MML where you don't have more stops and more variety wouldn't have the same appeal.
I don't want to be the "this other game" guy, but it IS helpful to see how "others" do it... and even in THIS game! The animations for loading/unloading are great in even this game (coal loading/unloading on SPG, CRR, TVL etc) We could expand it more... even games like Railroads Online have animated cranes moving stuff onto the cars (timber, etc) and we have oil on Oakville and there's water on the steam maps. There's so much POSSIBILITY that's already there, but there's no "run coal" on WSR or multiple stops on GWE to pick up say a car from each of 3 different sidings from different businesses....then build them into a larger "consist" to move together! (Cajon and Sand Patch touch on that a bit but it's not followed up on)
I think there's a niche there for not just new maps, but a whole slew of new scenarios ON those maps that would breathe new life into the game. Rather than needing all those coders, art designers, etc....
Maybe there's a lot of community stuff out there I've missed so far. I'm still new to this game. Take what I say with a grain of salt.
Still, it seems like a huge waste to not capitalize on work already DONE on maps and locos (like the port on MSB/Maintalbahn that is fully functioning, even ANIMATED but doesn't have scenarios to use it right "out of the box!" There's even a rail link I found on Southeastern that branches off from North Fleet and goes to an industry that it LOOKS like you can't get to (the tunnel is "filled in with dirt" but you CAN if you go through the tunnel and it goes right to an industrial site. Nothing to pick up there... but why design all that and NOT use it?

Edit:
Not trying to be negative. There's SO much potential in TSW! Maybe I just haven't figured out how to make detailed scenarios. The ones I've tried haven't been able to do multiple stops (for freight anyway), and I haven't figured out how to place static stock (such as a hopper sitting on a siding) It could just be me being new to this game. However, there is absolutely a ton of places on maps that there ARE tracks to and the scenery IS built that... you just can't use or are underutilized.

 

Went round there a few months ago