With the new routes coming out soon, it is time for a quick update: Recommended Service Runs as of 3/14/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14YgilvnKZFc7TJXyqftRJ0I5yTMlMf81/view?usp=sharing Chaos Runs as of 3/14/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cMKrwNA2OmZz8tVEQo1_FZnRZXpNT463/view?usp=sharing Please let me know if you see any errors. As always, this spreadsheet goes out with gratitude to LeadCatcher and Callum B.
Has been a while since I've suggested any services. Have just the one for now - London Commuter - but was a very enjoyable experience. 1R31 - 12:59 - Reigate-London Victoria I played this one today. What I love about this route/timetable is the variation. The highlight was waiting at Redhill when the Class 66 from Newhaven pulled up alongside to stop for the red signal as it waited for my service to depart. Other highlights was after departure from Coulsdon South was racing a GX 387 towards Purely, plus you'll also encounter a few yellow and red signals too. Thus, a highly recommended service!
Here's Another Riesa-Dresden one the 04:55 ECS S1 Dresden to Meissen that one had you encounter yellows on the Meissen Branch then at Meissen Altstadt Area you need to stop there to let the S1 Meissen Dresden Hbf Bad Schandau trip go. I had the VVO DB BR146.2 from the creators club including my train & AI Service. My train had IC2 by Sparmi & my DR Doppelstock Wagon Rear
There is a Typo for Wuppertal Langerfeld for a really Crazy Boston Providence ECS try Amtrak Regional 66 turning circle service you're going to encounter heavy yard traffic. Sadly I derailed on that service because the game routed me to a Depot door
This was a beautiful run! It is the Empty Stock to Meissen at 04:50 with the 146.2. It is a great run to get your feet wet going without the HUD on DRA if you are so inclined. There are two variations on the same theme with the Cab Car 766.2: Empty Stock to Meissen at 05:21. This one is just a bit different and presents the challenge of not having AFB. Some nice 101 traffic to see. Empty Stock to Meissen at 22:10. The 7 minute version beginning just on the other side of the bridge.
Thank you for telling me about this variants of my 04:55 ECS to Meißen Triebischtal. Regarding the 10:10 p.m. 22:10 Dresden to Meißen does it have heavy traffic from layered routes or not?
It is literally a 7 minute run across the bridge to Meissen. Only one other train is involved. Still fun, though. The premise is that you are positioning it for the next day. However, I walked up to the 143 cab at the other end and it let me start a service to Dresden.
Thanks for telling me about that I think that might be the S1 that the 04:55 ECS to Meissen has to stop for. Restart the Game 22:10 ECS to Meissen does also become a DB BR146.2
Gonna make a quick suggestion for Harlem Line, Train 610 to GCT (it's in the Journey), lots of ATC behind local until you take the express track, and more after 125th for track changes. Seems to be a little more challenging than your average Harlem Line route, but of course we are all just getting started with this one.
Train 616 (Southeast to GCT) is another unique experience also found in the Journey. Some players are having technical issues with this one but if you are able to complete the service normally, there is an unusual maneuver at the end. Spoiler The train uses the balloon loop in the Terminal to store the train until the afternoon rush hour
I found a similar service, also with the M3A. It’s Train 326, Crestwood to GCT at 08:09. You arrive on track 42. After a wait, the service continues around the ballon loop. If you return to free roam at the end, you launch in a Grand Central terminal service. You need to switch cabs (I used the Ctrl - shortcut since I couldn’t walk through the train and walking outside would have involved several OSHA violations!) and then park the train. Plenty of traffic in Grand Central terminal and an occasional red light or two.
The Crestwood Turn on the Harlem Line There is a fantastic ECS run with the M3A on Harlem Line: Train 2325 GCT to Crestwood at 07:28. But,there's a catch. If you launch directly into the service, you will encounter an AI blockage at the end. The AI trains are tangled just north of Crestwood and I think it is a southbound express service holding things up. However, if you spawn on foot at GCT, the run plays out perfectly. So, spawn at GCT at 07:25 and head west up the the stairs to track 40. Walk/run to the front and take over the service. There is plenty of time to get there and get things set up before the 07:28 departure. Be ready to hit the acknowledge button and brakes repeatedly. You arrive at Crestwood just a little after 8. If you return to free roam at the end of the service, you can shut down your cab and head to the other end for the southbound run. That run is Train 326, Crestwood to GCT described in the post above. All in all it is a fantastic round trip that starts on foot in the depths of GCT and ends in the seat parked on a storage track in the depths of GCT.
This was really good. I had one issue that after i switched ends at Crestwood, i couldn't turn the marker lights off in what was now the head-end, and vice versa. Like the tool-tip wouldn't even show up for me- i'm on Series X and controller-only fwiw. Still a fun sequence though.
Another deadhead move with the M3A on the Harlem Line: Train 2519 GCT to North White Plains at 08:40 If you launch straight in, there will be an AI tangle before you can complete the run. If you spawn on foot at GCT at 08:35, you can make your way over to track 23 and take the service over. It is a PTC workout. Spoiler: Spoiler At North White Plains, you finally catch the train you have been chasing. Watch out for a SPAD! Along the way, you get to experience this cool bit of AI. It passes under Harlem bridge shortly after you go over.
That is the Oak Point link playable in TSW 2020 NEC New York route. You can also try playing the AI train that 2519 is supposed to catch up to if it's also a rush-hour run
Luzern - Sursee feels a lot less empty than you would might expect it to be with just one train. Also i am quite surprised by the timetable mode and its also a kind of route, where you can stay in the train theoretically the whole day, as even the RE Services are terminating at Sursee, even if they would continue irl. I'd recommend the RE service 4715 (09:35) Sursee to Luzern. Run it just with Integra, as ETCS is bugged in this direction. As you get closer to Luzern, you`ll encounter more and more traffic, and your red lights won't be for station stops only
A great run and I really like driving the 523. I made it a round trip by starting with: 4714 Luzern - Sursee at 09:05 I would also recommend running this just with Integra; it makes the signals easier to deal with. Spoiler: Spoiler You get adverse signals just outside Luzern as an AI train heads toward an alternate line. Just having Integra lets you stay closer to this train and see it leave your path just after Emmembrucke Gersag. Once you arrive in Sursee, you have plenty of time to change ends and head back with the run recommended above.
If you have a couple of hours, this is a nice, easy sequence for Harlem line, where you can see the sunset and enjoy the new skyboxes (at least they're new for those of us on console). Train used: M3A, with ATC/ACSES/Alerter On Recommended season/weather- March partly cloudy Train 545 GCT-N White Plains (15:54) Semi-fast service; express from 125th St to Scarsdale, then local to NWP. Nothing too taxing here- I arrived early at NWP and had plenty of time (appx 10 min) after stopping at the depot to switch ends for.... Train 368 N White Plains- GCT (16:54) All stops local. Had an AI M7A up my butt pretty soon after starting (my guess is Train 2642 dead-head, since it never seemed to actually stop anywhere), which eventually passed me quite a ways down the line. This was more challenging to stay on-time with lots of AI south of Woodlawn, and I ended up 3 min late to GCT (due 18:00). FYI, you can continue this train as #563, departing GCT at 18:15, which seems to be the same service pattern as #545 above, but i needed a break lol. Really enjoy driving up and down this line!
The RB56 runs are a nice set of services on RSN. The Hagen - Iserlohn run at 21:30 has a freight waiting on you to clear the line. They are in game with the 143. If you are on PC, you can run them with the 612 with this excellent mod by Alexander L. : https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/mods/c3-train-sim-world-2/c19-patches/i2043-db-br-612-mini-mod-pac The freight that waits on you is DB 80204, also a good run if you hustle and get to that red outside of Lemathe. With that and with a tip of the hat to LeadCatcher and Callum B, we have the latest spreadsheet updates: Recommended Service Runs as of 4/2/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14YgilvnKZFc7TJXyqftRJ0I5yTMlMf81/view?usp=sharing Chaos Runs as of 4/2/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cMKrwNA2OmZz8tVEQo1_FZnRZXpNT463/view?usp=sharing
I found another Nahverkehr Dresden Rush Hour run. This one involves the 20:20 ICE Dresden Hbf to Wiesbaden via Frankfurt Flughafen and the RE50. They both arrive at Dresden Neustadt at 20:22 RE50 Your ICE arrives at Dresden Neustadt 20:25. To start this run spawn at Dresden Neustadt at 20:20 for train spotting including the RE50 20:22. wait for the 20:25 ICE which will be the service your are operating since you will catch up to RE50 the 20:22 from Dresden Neustadt at Nünchritz Fast Line junction if you did some PZB Zwangsbremsung. It's going to have the right-of-way first then you have to follow it all the way to Riesa Expect PZB action from the Chemical Plant to Riesa due to red and yellows.
This was fun. I made it into something of a chaos run. I took over the 20:25 ICE as it arrived on Track 5. I then waited until 20:38 to leave. When I pulled into Riesa, I returned to free roam to watch the freight I had held up rumble through.
Good story and here's another one 18:25 Roderau to Dresden Freight it catches up to the RE18 Cottbus to Dresden at Priestewitz due to it not using the Weißig–Böhla railway which is what all Roderau Dresden freight uses to reach Dresden via the fast line & Coswig Junction. In the case of that one RE18 Cottbus Dresden has priority over the freight. I tried driving the 18:25 Roderau Dresden freight at Priestewitz to get ahead of the RE18 but RE18 goes before your freight train.
Another London Commuter suggestion for those interested. 1W16 - 06:58 - London Victoria-Brighton (GX) I found this service to be enjoyable, especially on the latter half of the trip towards Brighton with a lot of adverse signals. Additionally, what's also cool about this GX service is that it actually stops at Preston Park, so absolutely recommended. Interestingly, when I first tried this service a few months ago, it didn't work due to an AI service not moving, but works now.
I have Two Brighton Main Line Suggestions 1M03 Brighton to London you will encounter heavy traffic at London Victoria and be stuck at Three Bridges due to another train using your platform. Another one is ECS Battersea to Victoria you are going to be stuck at the approach due to another train approaching London Victoria which will cross in front of you
Here's a few runs that I can recommend for those who have the Metro North: Harlem Line! The first of which is Train 2331 to Crestwood. This is a morning run around 8 AM, using a 10-car M3A on a "deadhead" service, or an empty coach service. I recommend running it during spring, with some moderate clouds. There are plenty of opportunities to watch for a large amount of traffic as they make their way into Grand Central! If you'd rather take part in some heavy traffic yourself, I recommend Train 670 to Grand Central Terminal. This uses a 8-car M7A, and takes it on a nice afternoon run around 5 PM, with a mostly express type service pattern, with an extra stop calling at Fordham (so far I haven't driven a service with that pattern before.) I definitely recommend running this with safety systems enabled, as it'll give you a good challenge to deal with. It's a good exercise for defensive driving skills, as you follow a local train ahead of you. I managed to get caught up in a back-up around Mott Haven Junction, though it was a 4 minute wait at most, with trains being cleared through 1 by 1, with some doing the turn off towards Yankees. There's lots to see and experience here!
It is runs like this that make TSW so much fun for me. Tons of traffic, safety systems keeping you busy, and an "issue" or two to deal with. This is service mode Hall of Fame material for me! Thanks for finding it!
Not sure if this one has already been mentioned. I think it's an RB 50 service on DRA with the 146.2 at around 13:50 from Riesa to Dresden. This services encounters a lot of AI traffic but the cool part occurs where the two lines rejoin after Coswig. If you have the 101, when going under the avoiding line it will suddenly shoot out from your right crossing over you then over taking you (if you time it right). Unfortunately I haven't been able to complete this service due to crashes and I'm on Xbox one
Horseshoe Curve: 10K Chicago - Allentown Manifest with the GP38-2 I am really enjoying the GP38-2 - love the horn and the brakes seem to blend easier for me that with the ES44. I had heard of this run locking up at the start when launched in Journey Mode, but running fine in Service Mode. Just to be safe, I spawned at Johnston Yard at 10:05 and caught the manifest before it left at 10:08. Spoiler: Spoiler Hustle up the hill and you will get some parallel running before Gallitzin and an adverse signal at the tunnel. There is a lot of AI traffic on the curve.
London Underground Bakerloo Line 1938 Stock Service: 222D-11 Elephant & Castle - Harrow & Wealdstone You follow another 1938 stock train very closely from Elephant & Castle all the way to Queens Park.
Brighton Main Line 5B97/2B97 Selhurst Depot to London Victoria you basically starts out at the Depot run then run Selhurst to Victoria. Spoiler: Rush hour run you are basically going to be held at the Selhurst TMD track Junction with BML tracks. These are 2P15 London Victoria to Epsom & 2M09 East Croydon to Milton Keynes Central. You need to use Driver reminder Appliance and turn it off once 2M09 has left. For an added bonus do this in a winter storm setting
Horseshoe Curve: 692 South Fork - Butler Coal with the ES44AC The South Fork branch is well done and quite a challenge with a loaded coal train; don't be too aggressive crossing the summit. This run adds a bonus at South Fork. Spoiler: Spoiler If you stay close to on time, you get held up at South Fork for mainline traffic in both directions. With that and with assists from LeadCatcher and Callum B, we have another update: Recommended Service Runs as of 4/17/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14YgilvnKZFc7TJXyqftRJ0I5yTMlMf81/view?usp=sharing Chaos Runs as of 4/17/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cMKrwNA2OmZz8tVEQo1_FZnRZXpNT463/view?usp=sharing Thanks to all who have contributed!
Horseshoe Curve: 66T Chicago - Reybold Ethanol at 15:24 with the ES44AC This one is my current favorite of HSC runs. You have an 8000 ton train, 5 Gevo's, and a dispatcher who is determined to make you practice hill starts! Spoiler: Spoiler You get reds at Cresson and Galitizin. If you time them right, you can avoid a dead stand still start on the 1 and 1.5% grades.
I've been enjoying playing East Coastway again. Have a nice relaxing and quite interesting service for those interested. 1G69 - 2309 - Ore-Brighton You start at Platform 3 from Eastbourne. What's interesting about this is you only call at just Lewes and then finally into Brighton - what I love about the ECW route is all the 377s and 313s that park at Lovers Walk, more of these should have been included into London Commuter to make it feel more immersive. Anyway, once you arrive, wait more than five minutes and then you start 5C69 at 2345 - an empty to dept move. All-in-all, a relaxing experience and nice to return back to ECW.
1D28/5D36 08:28 you first get to run a Gatwick express to Gatwick airport form Victoria encountering a lot of yellow lights once at Gatwick you go into not in service to Montpelier sidings just outside of Brighton station You encounter red and yellow lights not too long outside of Gatwick airport until around after hassocks just remember if you go for wonder not to click give up service as I did, I only wanted to open a class 313 doors with button “a” at the exact time the promt came up (they need to make no the default)
If you want a combined BML ECW service try 1F96 London Victoria to Seaford/Ore then Continue it on East Coastway as 2C96 London Victoria Seaford. Spoiler: 1F96 and 2C96 I did get a reply from Joe and learnt him is that 1F96 is to Ore 4 carriages while 2C96 Goes to Seaford as 8 carriages occurs at Lewes. You have heavy delays on both sections 1F96 a Gatwick Express and Southampton Portsmouth train blocking your train at Clapham Junction. 2C96 Local train has to be followed to Newhaven Harbour. Added bonus both has to be done in the snow.
Thanks to Horseshoe, I am back into North American freight. So, I gave Sherman Hill another try and I am really enjoying it with the framerate improvements. I found this run which is two services creating a combined Laramie to Cheyenne Autorack trip which I ran with the SD70ACe: Start in Laramie Yard - Hermosa Automotive at 19:08 and continue the run with return to free roam at Hermosa to launch Hermosa - Cheyenne Yard Automotive at 19:41. There is enough power to run at line speed up the hill and stay close to line speed heading down. Lots of AI to see as well. I recommend running it during the summer with few clouds. That way, you can enjoy the sunset and have some starlight for the last bit of the run. Sherman Hill at dusk is spectacular in my opinion. Spoiler: Spoiler Things get interesting at Hermosa. There is a long wait while an WB ethanol train switches over to the 3 track for a treacherous trip into Laramie, also a good run that starts in Cheyenne at 18:51. The delays backs up some trains behind you and before the ethanol train clears, another EB heads into your block and stops just behind your DPU.
Horseshoe Curve Juniata Switching at 11:42 with the GP38-2 It is nice to have a switching service in the timetable that is available to drive. This one prepares tank cars for departure and then redistributes those that have come in. There is some main line traffic to deal with and what you encounter will vary depending on how long you take. AI does this service in 1:06. I didn't. I slogged in at a little over 1:20 after waiting for a main to clear. My challenge for next time is to be more efficient and get on and off the main before the inbound coal drag takes it over.
Here's another Riesa Dresden run try the 08:15 Meisen to Dresden Run in Journey mode Chapter 3 or 4 bonus try running the Doppelstockwagen and the locomotive in R or P brake mode. Spoiler: S1 08:15 Meissen to Bad Schandau If you're running behind 5-10 minutes late you are held at the junction of Meissen Branch and the Main Leipzig Riesa Dresden Line for two trains a Regional RE50 & Freight train. Use PZB Sifa
Service 1A29, Brighton to London Victoria. available in journey mode. service is normal till Gatwick. After waiting at Gatwick. Don’t be in a hurry to get away, pull away on time and at leisure. Keep your speed lowish and you’ll be able to race a class 66 travelling on the slow lines with a rake of empties until the 2 lines separate apart. You’ll still be in time for east Croydon where a red awaits you and a short sprint against a fellow class 377.
Interestingly, I ran the service again and it was very different. The scenario ended after 40 minutes when I picked up the box. I didn’t get sent back to the yard to re-distribute the tankers. Edit: my mistake! I confused the service with the Evening Tidy Up Scenario.
Another update that puts us at over 300 runs: Recommended Service Runs as of 5/1/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14YgilvnKZFc7TJXyqftRJ0I5yTMlMf81/view?usp=sharing Chaos Runs as of 5/1/22: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cMKrwNA2OmZz8tVEQo1_FZnRZXpNT463/view?usp=sharing Please let me know of any oversights or errors. Thanks!
My next recommendation for London Commuter has perhaps one, if not my favourite-ever departure from a station! 1J46 - 16:24 - London Victoria-Southampton Central and Bognor Regis As mentioned above, this service has a unique departure from Victoria. The service - formed of 12 coaches - begins on Platform 18. The first interesting thing of note is the Brighton service on neighbouring Platform 19 which departs around just 30-60 seconds before - it, like normal, uses the fast line. Once our service departs almost straight after, it routes via what I assume is the relief track. Thus from Victoria on this routing, you only have a maximum speed limit of 15-20mph until you reach Battersea Park - what makes this great is the amount of AI traffic that passes here, on both Southern and Southeastern sides, especially the 465s - it's absolutely epic! Then, once reaching Battersea Park, the service joins the normal fast lines and continues on as normal - you'll also encounter some adverse signals too following the aforementioned Brighton service.
15:03 RB31 Elsterwerda Großenhain Coswig. This one has you stuck at Priestewitz Großenhain Cottbuser branch line junction. Spoiler: RB31 15:03 Run Journey Mode this is set during a spring/ summer rain and you are basically held at the junction for 10 minutes for a freight train to past you and it stays on the middle track at Priestewitz Bahnhof since has priority over you
I am in the middle of this one, but when I stopped at East Croydon with my 12 car set the GX 12 car which was following me, spadded and coupled to my rear. At first I thought the TMS had glitched out (see pic) I had to uncouple him to continue.
Harlem Line: GCT - NWP M7A Train 2568 NWP Yard to GCT Operate a deadhead train while following a local train, expect lots of yellows/red while doing on average 15-30mph with safety systems on.
I would have liked to continue with the 24 car train, but the brakes wouldn't come off with them coupled. Such a shame lol
Horseshoe Curve Service 509 Shire Oaks - Baltimore Coal A physics run with a nearly 11,000 ton coal drag; it gets really interesting once you crest the grade at Gallitzin. I was able to save the run just shy of the crest and try multiple ways to control the train heading down the grade which reached 2.4 percent at one point. Here is what worked best for me: Spoiler: Spoiler I hit the top of the grade at 6-7 mph and slowly feathered out the throttle such that at the tunnel mouth I was in Notch 1 and going 6 mph. As the speed approached 7, I went to notch 0. I then waited 10 seconds and set up the dynamics. I hit notch 1 in the dynamics at around 9 mph. By the tunnel exit I was notch 2 dynamic and going about 10 mph. I ramped up the dynamic to notches 3 and then 4 before 12 mph and then hit an initial minimum application of 7 lbs with a loco brake bail off. Dynamics past notch 4 didn't help much after that. So, I slowly ramped up the train brake. Where I settled in depended on what my target speed was. A target of 13- 15 mph allowed me to hold the train with the minimum reduction or just a bit more and notch 4 dynamics. With higher speeds, the needed reduction quickly escalated. At lower speeds, I was able to set a reduction and not release it until the grade bottomed out at 0.4% near the end.
