So, with the new MBTA route coming soon, it has a decent freight layering system using a multitude of DLC from the past to make realistic consists. The only issue is some people don't want to buy MULTIPLE DLCs just to see these trains, so why not do this? What DTG could do from TSW 5 onwards, is make a US freight car pack, that would be included as part of the base game. This pack would include all already existing stock from previous route, but some colored in new ways to make it more varied (Which Ill explain later) but only branded in DTGX (Who act as leasers in the TSW world) So 1st up, what stock would this pack include? 50ft Boxcar The basic simple boxcar, this would come in 2 colors, Yellow and Black (Based on TTX) and Boxcar Red (Based on other boxcars) Hi-Cube Boxcar The Hi Cube boxcar, would come in Yellow and Black (Like Cajon Pass) and Boxcar Red (Based on other boxcars) DOT-117 Tank Car The good old tank car, would come in Black/Grey (The most common tank car color) with the addition of White (Another common color for US tank cars) 73ft Centerbeams The centerbeam, this would basically be the 4 from the BNSF SD70ACe pack (Yellow, Red, Green, and Blue) Covered Grain Hopper The simple 3 bay covered grain hopper, grey like how it appeared on Sherman Hill Reefer Car The reefer car, which could be redone to look like Cryo-Trans cars, but in blue to match DTG's colors Bulkhead Flatcar The Bulkhead flatcar, would appear in yellow (Like Cajon) And Brown/Red 89ft Auto rack The simple 89ft auto rack, with class 1 markings removed for DTG markings (Like TTX) Bethgon The coal Bethgon, DTG can probably be a bit creative with how to redo this for DTGX colors Twin Bay Hopper Pretty much the same as it was for Peninsula Corridor and HSC. 89ft Flat Car 89ft Flat car, still in yellow, but add in new loads for it (Like big pipes or Wind Turbines), on top of better semi-trailers Maxi IV Well Car The Maxi IV Well Car, Red (Like AOK) and Yellow (Like TTX) 56ft Husky Stack The 56ft Husky Stack, no change from its current form I didn't include Skyhook exclusive stock (Like the Ribbed Hopper or Low Gondola) or the Clinchfield Cars (Doesn't fit era) But putting all of these cars into 1 pack that comes with the base game would help freight layering in the long run, as well as with the Creator Club, since now future liveries can just be tied to this one pack. Class 1 specific freight car liveries can still be tied to routes themselves.
Those 89' Flat Cars would look awesome with Boeing 747 Fuselage loads, wind turbines, huge pipes, or truck trailers. If we get the well cars, I'd like to see some different containers, as well as some with single containers, some with two, and some without containers for more variety on intermodal trains. Then we need steel coil cars (loaded, w/ coil covers, w/ mismatched covers, and empty versions), different sized tank cars for different commodities, and 2-bay cement hoppers.
There is no pressure to make it within the player community, but dealing with third parties and DTGs is more difficult. They need "permission", then business considerations, and finally actual value.
What 3rd parties if DTG only uses their own rolling stock? And Skyhook has worked with DTG on their own projects so its not like they can also get approval from them?
Matt once said in the forum that the US cargo route needs the "right time". He doesn't know how long it will take or whether there are any third-party developers in the development stage, but the progress is very low and it is not time to announce it yet.
With all due respect, from the silence that is deafening at times, to the excuses to the just about the downright statement or it might as well have been stated. NA/CA freight is off the table. YES, I, along with many others, would like to see more Freight. But just like "we are in talks with third parties" on the issue of Steam locos, which has been beating the drum for a year now, and now it's Freight, mainly NA, i.e., US. Yet they were able to get more out of Bostom Mass and an extension to the Ant line, which was scheduled for TSW4. Deeds and action speak more... No more empty words.
I'm not asking for a route, I'm asking for DTG to take their ALREADY EXISTING STOCK FROM OTHER ROUTES and put them into a simple bundle with some new or extra skins for routes like the new Boston Worchester route, where freight layers on passenger routes would just need the bundle plus whatever operator is present on that route, and not $100 worth of DLC for new players to access. DTG Matt I don't tag DTG staff, but I'm wondering if this is something that could get looked into for the future, as its noted from other members the massive DLC listed needed for the GOOD freight layers on the MBTA Worchester route.
