Hey everyone, This is something I've been thinking about for a while now, and I would now like to propose a full remaster of NEC BP up to TSW5 standards. Here are some things that I think could be added/changed: - A new, more accurate PIS system that we should be seeing on the new MBTA route coming. - New, more accurate station signage (Again expected to come with MBTA Commuter). - Accurate highway signage between South Station and Back Bay (Yet again expected to come with the new route). - A new timetable making use of the HSP-46 and randomized consists. - Conductor mode (for Amtrak, this could have another interesting element since all Acela trains and Northeast Regional business class sections have reserved seating). - A revitalized Back Bay station. - Improved scenery out of Mansfield. - Playable services to Forest Hills (These are Needham Branch services which are currently AI only). It would add a new station and new gameplay using what we have now. - The abandoned Pawtucket/Central Falls Station. - (MAYBE) The new, recently opened Pawtucket/Central Falls Station. - (MAYBE) The 9-mile Fairmount Line/Dorchester Branch. I know remasters typically don't have extensions but Brandon said he originally laid the track for the branch before it was cut by DTG later on. It runs from South Station to Readville via Fairmount. Here are some other expansions for the route I would like to see, if possible: - The 8-mile Needham Branch which diverges from the NEC at Forest Hills. - The 20-mile Franklin Line, which diverges at Readville and continues to Forge Park/495. Also included would be 10 miles of the Framingham Secondary between Walpole and Mansfield on the NEC, allowing game day trains to Gillette Stadium at Foxboro Station from both Boston and Providence, as well as some possible freight services. This could tie in nicely to the previous Fairmount Line suggestion since some Franklin Line trains use that line. A possible loco DLC for this could be the GP40MC, allowing the Geep to return for the first time since TSW2020. These mostly run out of North Station, but they do occasionally make their way down south. Also possible could be a GP40 pack which includes the CSX GP40-2 with cab signaling, allowing for a full freight experience on the mainline. Personally, I would like to see any expansion of the NEC itself in a separate Providence to New Haven route since the Acela has no intermediate stops. As such there are no suggestions to expand the mainline here. I hope you like my suggestion!
I second this! Boston Providence has always been one of my favourite routes and it’s very much still one of the best pieces of US content. If the amount of changes in your list are out of the question I’d at least like to see a new timetable. The current one isn’t bad but it’s got some stuff that could be improved on. It’s one of those ones with auto generated stop times and it’s not always working perfectly since the signal change. Now would be the perfect time to make a new timetable and take advantage of the new HSP and bi-levels to give it more realistic consists. I know Brandon had mentioned he did some work on a new timetable in his spare time but that it was very preliminary.
