Good afternoon! I watched yesterday (18/11/21) stream dedicated to upcoming Sherman Hill route. I noticed that DTG decided to release this route without the most part of third main track. It is very disapptointing decision from my point of view because the third main track gives us much more activities and variety of services. Matt mentioned that they had made some jobs to layout this track but they had to stop it due to deadline. If it is true information I would ask DTG to add this track in future updates to Sherman Hill as you have done it with Meisen branch to Dresden-Riesa route. I suppose you are working at future loco DLCs or at least you are considering this possibility. So you can update Sherman Hill by adding the third track with or without new locos. I suppose it would be great desicion and bring more fun for our community. Thanks in advance
In business there are deadlines, and the decisions coming with that, mostly its about money. I understand they have to release it at some point. I think they should finish track 3 after release like they did with maissen. The route is for sure enjoyable, but feels unfinished without this. Sherman hill is a traditional US freight route since many years, so im sure it would represent DTGs passion for quality.
I agree that track 3 is a major part and unique element of Sherman Hill. UP rarely runs long heavy unit trains up track 1 or 2 and they almost always take track 3 to leave a clear path for hotshot intermodal and Z trains. Thanks for making this thread so that we can bring it to DTG's attention that this is something the community really wants. Everyone who agrees should up vote the OP.
I'm also really hoping they can finish track 3. I mean it would be such a waste to not finish it, when the track and signal placement is already there!
Yes please! A heavy westbound manifest train are likely routed via Track 3 (aka Harriman Cut, but please correct me if I'm wrong) to bypass the 1.5% grade & the Sherman Summit. With current available track (Track 1) westbound run from Cheyenne driving a 11.000 tons manifest train, i only manage to 15 mph on 1.5% grade. Surely the track 3 make the gameplay a little bit easier since it maintain 0.8% grade up and down.
I support the proposal of the author of the article! Perhaps the best option for both developers and players: this is a DLC, in which a third track will appear on the route, and a new locomotive, possibly a gas turbine X18 or something else ...
If the extension is added, it should include a UP C45ACCTE (ES44AC) or C45AH (ET44AC), GP60, and/or SW10. An SD70M, SD90-43MAC, SD60M, or SD70AH-T4 would also be awesome to see.
I think - whilst making routes longer is brilliant - it's highly unlikely. It's only happened once before, and that was thanks to two factors: - It was nearly finished at original release, just cut out. - Two 2nd party (I think) Devs took it on as a project of their own. Unlike that, however, this is unlikely to have both factors going for it. Especially because - for dovetail - it's most likely more viable to go forward, than come back and add - nearly a small route's worth - of track, for free, because, let's face it, payed extensions just aren't going to happen... Clinchfield...
Here's the thing, the track and signals for track 3 is mostly in place (Mentioned by Matt in the streams, later confirmed by some modders on the TSC discord.) So it's not like DTG adding track 3 would be a completely new project, it would just be finishing up what the devs couldn't accomplish due to time constraints.
Thanks for reminding about that. With 3rd track 76-100 mi (121-160km) for Sherman Hill and surpasses Clinchfield 101 km 63 mi Riesa-Dresden 105 km with Flughafen Dresden Klotzsche S2.
Track 3's a considerably bigger effort to under take though, that's I think 30 something miles of scenery that would need to be done, versus the 6 miles or so that German branch was.
Majority of the scenery there is just grassland and snowfences, which the assets already exist from the main route itself, a few rock formations (Which DTG could ask Skyhook to do if they want to), a handful of houses and the UP bridge over the BNSF line just south of the Speer Wye. (I'm not really concerned about the Swan Ranch Railroad) It would just seem like a waste for all that track that was laid to not be used at some point. I know its not as easy as the missing German Branch line, but it definitely isn't like DTG is gonna have to do everything on that part of the route to add it in.
As I found out, the Swan Ranch line was modeled by the developers. This can be seen on the route, flying with a free camera, or on foot. True, not all objects are present. Perhaps in the future, with the appearance of steam locomotives or gas turbine locomotives, this line will be completed and included in the scenarios!