Mbta: Boston - Worcester

So, one thing to talk about away from San Bernardino is the upcoming MBTA route, which will be the Framingham/Worcester Line from Boston to Worcester, and is in the 3 month category.

From what I can gather, the line is 45 miles long with 18 stations.

The equipment we will be getting is the MPI HSP-46, a loco unique to the MBTA. The loco is also powered by a GE GEVO-12, same prime mover as an ES44.


The double decker coaches are a bit confusing, as I don't know if they are the older Kawasaki coaches or the newer Hyundai Rotem ones.

The route also see's both Amtrak and freight. Amtrak has the Lake Shore Limited on this stretch, which stops at 4 stations. CSX run on this line, with at least a yard near Worcester and Beacon Park near Boston Landing. (Another route where the P42 would add in nicely)




Also worth noting that Brandon AKA Cactusjuice who worked with DTG for the Boston Providence line is also helping with this route, and the few things he is mention in the TSC discord, actually make this route seem like it could actually be interesting.

With it within the 3 month bracket, I hope we can see some news on this route in the near future.

 

Yeah I am excited for this one. I love the other MBTA route especially since it got the TOD/Acela/Brandon's signal update a while back. It has always been one of my favourite routes in TSW and probably my favourite overall North American passenger route.

Some questions I have with this route for the Q&A whenever it comes:

1. Will they use mixed consist with the double deckers and the MBB cars, like they are planning to do on San Bernardino? If so will they ever try to backfill those consists into the Boston-Providence route?

2. I am assuming this route will layer in the F40, ACS-64 and Acela at Boston South, thats basically a no brainer. Will the HSP-46 sub into Boston Providence? Probably much simpler ask than any modifications to coaches/consists, I know those require actual timetable changes... but I think allowing the HSP-46 to sub into the current MBB only consists in place of an F40 would be relatively straight forward.

3. What if any freight layers onto this one? Sounds like IRL CSX operates in some adjacent capacity... we have plenty of CSX stock left over from SPG so that would be nice to see if it fits. I know the safety systems not being modelled on those locos is probably an issue for playable services but for AI and static stock thats no issue.

 

Awesome! Thanks for the answer.

And I can see why the new route comes with the MBB cars... at least from my understanding of how TSW consists work, you NEED to have all the coaching stock for a mixed consist to work, right? Unlike loco subbing where it can pull from multiple different DLCs depending on what the user owns.

So if you included mixed consists in this route, the player would HAVE to have the MBB coaches even if they don't own the Providence route, so that means they need to be included.

Likewise, it would be hard to include the new double deckers in Boston-Providence for that exact reason, it would break the consists for anyone who owned Boston Providence and not Worcester since they wouldn't have those coaches available for the consist to appear.

I have the same question about whether the new Bombardier cars/MP36 back port into AVL, but I am guessing you would have the same answer, since its not a simple matter of substitution, it would actually need new consists to be built into the timetable.

 

if CSX is used on this route I hope the team rebuilds the locomotives with brand new sounds, the current sounds are wrong and way outdated. Horns and bells should all be new as well. The AC4400CW needs an alerter switch on the fuse panel wall and maybe update the IFD too along with fixing the ditch lights that don’t flash.

 

I also have a question about the metrolink cars like why did they add the new livery but not the old white one?

 

If CSX stock is used for freight can you try to reach out to the community for sounds? At least new horn sounds would be great so it’s not all one horn for all CSX locos

 

Any good cab ride videos of this route ??.

 

Nothing public

 

Funny little tidbit for tgose wanting a P42.

The locomotive was styled by industrial designer Cesar Vergara, who also designed the GE Genesis.

 

What signaling on this route? Do we get a freight services or, as always, "it's hard to implement incab signaling, so see ya in the next life".

 

I'm excited for this one.

Freight layers, please DTG.

 

Did you make the PIS Station Right?
Or is This still recycled from the UK

 

I scripted the signals for this route.

Framingham to Boston is Rule 261, so train movements are governed by wayside signal indications.

Framingham to Worcester is Rule 562, so movements are governed by cab signals only, except at Control Points.

Locomotive cab signal systems are in use for the entire route.

 

That says it all really, all I can guess is that the passenger companies can see that a lot of US players might want to ride the real thing and buy a ticket, by contrast the freight companies have little to gain that way except advertising for other companies. I've watched a lot of videos on tube where the freight companies seem mighty grumpy with everyone especially their railfanners.
But why did US freight once cooperate so well and have now done a 360?

 

We would need a lot of coaches with a P42... here they run Viewliners, on many other routes Superliners. Don't get me wrong, it needs to be done... but that's a lot of coaches.

 

This is gonna be cool!

So no freights - grievance, but predictable one.

 

I know the 2012-2014 Rotem BTC-4D and CTC-5 cars (800 thru 846 and 1800 thru 1827) are going to be included, but is the 2022-2024 order (847-886 and 1828-1870) going to be included as well (only real difference is vestibule door, front cab door, horn, bell and weathering)? Also, will the veterans wrap appear on 846 and 1811 like in real life?

 

The line rarely see CSX freight anyway and even if they add CSX where would it go too?

 

Without CSX freight, what will the old Beacon Yard look like, empty with a single track for commuter trains. And without the Lake Shore Limited there isn't much to talk about.
Will we at least see Amtrak and BPE movements between South and Back Bay

 

CSX recently reopened Beacon Park yard, as it seems like they are using it to remove dirt from the area.
https://commonwealthbeacon.org/transportation/beacon-park-yard-back-in-operation/

 

What freight is there, you ask? Let’s go east to west.

Beacon Park Yard in Boston was mostly abandoned but is currently being used by “dirty dirt” trains hauling contaminated soil away from the old engine terminal. These use trash containers on flatcars.

I am unclear if the Grand Junction local still runs or if the Pan Am acquisition has shifted that off the Worcester Line.

Framingham has a major freight yard that would add traffic between there and Worcester.

Westborough has a busy bulk transload facility that receives covered hoppers and corn syrup tank cars.

Grafton has an interchange with the Grafton & Upton Railroad.

Worcester has an intermodal yard and an interchange with the Providence & Worcester Railroad. These would likely just be AI services but some switching moves would be possible.

 

Lake Shore Limited runs once per day on each direction, isn't it? I remember Matt says there is no chance for Amtrak trains, if they are adding only 2 services for timetable. That's why we cry so hard for Chicago in TSW.

 

Yep, it’s once daily in each direction. Westbound in the late morning, eastbound in the evening.

 

At some point DTG needs to consider it, we can't keep getting routes where they can theoretically appear, then nothing is done for it.

Only good news is that the Worcester timetable will leave the slots open for them so if one was made later, it can slot into the timetable effortlessly.

 

Can we at least assume that the tracks between South and Back Bay will be populated with Acela and other MBTA commuter trains.

 

I don’t see why not… DTG is never shy about using stock they already have in game. The last MBTA route had a full timetable even for services on the other lines.

 

Yes. That is a safe assumption.

 

Many thanks.

 

th

ey just got gevo 12 sound for the MBTA loco they cuold use it for a csx es44 to use freight wise .. Csx uses es44 s on all types of services now even local freight ..no excuse s the gevo 12 sounds you got can be applied for freight locos how about doing reskined new es44 s in CSX NS CN UP BnSF etc

 

There is the soundset from the es44c4 on cajon pass as well. Would also need photographs from every angle, nook and cranny lol

 

no

excuses you got the gevo 12 sound from MBTA it same and simmilar to a freight ES44 so you could do es44 and do CSX NS CN UP BNSF skins have a more proper version than the skyhook NS es44 in HSC ...no excuses this time you have the sounds right in front of you...

 

You realize sounds are only part of it right

 

the

 

They already have a decent GEVO model done. You forgot about the ES44C4?


Only minor changes would need to be done for it to cover the other ES44 models, mainly the trucks, which diagrams exist.

Hell, Skyhook Games already modeled it for their ES44.


So no, DTG doesn't need to photograph that Mr. "I answer questions like I'm a part of DTG"

 

t

hey can do es44 freight loco quit making excuses for DTG they give too many of their own ..

 

ya no more excuses it can be done this would solve some of the freight content problem other wise if they wont take this opportunity and go with it there is no hope for TSW franchise

 

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With DTG now having GEVO 12 sounds for the MBTA loco they may also could look into doing a ET44ah we giving some good suggestions here to help with some freight loco solution LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY on this HINT HINTbDTG

 

Would it be possible to have the more basic substitution with the HSP46 and bilevels onto Boston-Providence? As others have stated it does seem that to get the randomization all options need to be available to the player and I can understand the potential hesitation/extremely low priority to add that to a route that has been around for awhile. Having a more traditional substitution could at least bridge the gap between the new system and having available and realistic stock be on other routes they exist on, something more along the lines peninsula corridor's baby bullet, so the HSP46 and bilevels replace the entire formation of the F40 and singles. At minimum the HSP46 should be able to just replace the F40s like the BNSF SD70ACes does for freight. I think ideally bilevels replacing MBBs for the entire formation, then being able to choose the F40 or HSP46, which would be ideal without complete randomization, but might stray a little close to randomization to be possible.

Definitely excited for randomization overall, and Boston-Worcester. Something I have been really hoping for to see specifically on the MBTA.

 

Oh boy, Joethefish, 3000 miles away and you know how to make my day.

Thanks for the info. Something to look forward to.

 

So there IS freight?

That's awesome news!

 

How will the Freight Train working without Safety Systems?

 

AI don't need any safety systems.

 

Are the mixing and matching going to be randomized? Or will they be made based on the era the route is from? Modern day the mixed consists have 3 or 4 flat cars sandwiched by bilevel cars (1 bilevel coach next to the loco and 1 bilevel cab car on the other end), as well as numerous "full-bilevel" sets

 

We really need a freight loco with cab signals ASAP... the amount of routes that could use it is growing.

 

We had on TSW NEC before