Ok anyone that's been here a few years and doesn't skip past my posts (or has outright blocked me) would probably know I've often harped on about being "strictly a UK rail guy" (and I still am to a point) Well last couple of weeks I decided to re-tick my US and GER DLC content that's mostly come with bundles and have a mess about with some different traction and scenery, and my lack of knowledge or relatability has been quite refreshing and freeing. I don't know what to expect of US or GER content so initially I wasn't bothered what the scenery looked like or how the traction performed but as is so often the case with TS you soon start wondering what's considered the best out there. So what I'd greatly appreciate from you US/GER and other aficionados is route recommendations, especially with this mini High Iron Simulations Steam sale on at the moment is there a must have route that I should get? Also regarding rolling stock where should I find the "AP" of US and GER content? Don't particularly want to leave other countries out if there is content worth grabbing at the very least it can go on my wishlist for the next big sales. (I was even mildly tempted to get the Trainz22 because of the AUS route, still well and truly on the fence with that though) Here is what I own already. US Routes: Donner Pass Southern Pacific Miami West Palm Beach North Jersey Coastline Feather River Canyon Peninsula Corridor San Francisco – San Jose Clinchfield Railroad: Elkhorn City - St. Paul Sherman Hill and Battle for Sherman Hill GER Routes: (I apologise if any of these aren't German, my European knowledge is abysmal) Hamburg Hannover Hamburg Lubeck Hamburg S1 S-Bahn Mittenwaldbahn: Garmisch-Partenkirchen - Innsbruck Norddeutsche-Bahn: Kiel - Lübeck Im Köblitzer Bergland As always any input is greatly appreciated.
It's not in the current sale, but I would highly recommend the Montana Hi-Line route. It is beautifully done and captures the wide-open prairie scenery of the area very well with its characteristic grain elevators. There is also a very good scenario pack.
I’m not that clued up on US railroads, but for the AP of German content I would nominate Virtual Railroads. They have high quality versions of many German locos, some of which are on steam but can all be found through their website. Although there are certainly other producers who make AP standard rolling stock, I would recommend checking out RailTraction for one.
A very good website is RailSim.de where you will find routes, locos, stock and other bits. https://rail-sim.de/forum/filebase/index.php?filebase/1224-train-simulator/ I enjoy running Berlin - Leipzig - https://store.steampowered.com/app/376943/Train_Simulator_Berlin__Leipzig_Route_AddOn/ and Moselle Valley route - https://store.steampowered.com/app/325981/Train_Simulator_Mosel_Valley_Koblenz__Trier_Route_AddOn/ On Railworks Austria is Rudolfsbahn - Amstetten - Kleinreifling https://forum.railworks-austria.at/...hn-amstetten-kleinreifling-st-valentin-64bit/
If you wanna have some realistic engine sounds and physics for some US locomotives, try checking out the enhancement section at https://www.store.searchlight-simulations.com/products . It's really the best sounds anyone can offer for any of these US diesels locomotives in this game.
I'm completely lost there, I'll have to wait until I get a route or a loco I like and get familiar with and only then look for related content to it from there. I'll add them to my wishlist, thanks Quite a dizzyingly high requirements list especially when the majority means nothing to me (as in recognisable) will look into it more though for sure.
Here are some sites I'd recommend for US freeware, which a lot of them do require DLC to run. https://utscreations.weebly.com UTS is relatively new but is trying to basically revolutionize American freeware content. After premiering with the F40PH overhaul, there's not too much up right now, but a lot will be coming down the road. https://trurailsimulations.wixsite.com/mysite/locomotives TruRail Simulations, while now defunct, is still a good place to get some quality reskins, usually packed with extra features. https://clearsignalmods.wixsite.com/clearsignalmods Clear Signal Mods doesn't have too much up, but their recent content is pretty solid. https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/mods/c1-train-simulator A hub site that has a lot of content for different simulators, but you can find a lot of solid reskins there. http://golden-age-rails.com Home of the many oldies but goldies that have been around since the beginning of the sim. Some of these have been tried to be repackaged now as "new" (the GP9s specifically) from High Iron Simulations, but I'd just recommend getting them here, since they have a £0 price tag. https://www.dsgddr.com.br If you wanna step back in time a little bit DSGDDR has made some impressive transition era steam models, most of them being PRR, which means they're perfect for Horseshoe Curve.
For Germany these are two that are stunning in their accuracy, and perhaps the two most picture perfect in the entire Tsc cannon: Konstanz Hausach Münster Bremen
I picked up the route from Villach into Slovenia. Seems to get good reviews on Steam and what I’ve seen so far looks nice. Downer is only the one loco and the Eurofima coaches don’t have a passenger view but for the sale price not bad. I might clone the scenarios and swap in the DB BR189 which is one of my favourite locos in TSC.
Reef, most US freeware routes use Sherman Hill, which you have, Marias Pass, Penn Coal. Some also use Stevens Pass. The sites listed in posts above are fine for rolling stock but you should look at the Railworks America (RWA) site Route Collection in their file library where there are a number of excellent freeware routes. I would recommend Adriana County and Majestic Falls. They are not long but have plenty of scenarios and are excellent routes to familiarise with North American signalling etc. Another excellent route is Maine Maritime also freeware.
Reef, many German freeware routes utilise 2 other freeware routes mainly for their assets, the layouts are excellently designed but they are old-ish, but, certainly have lots of playability, and there are plenty of community designed scenarios in German and English for you to choose from. Go onto the German website that Peter suggested above and look for Hagen – Siegen Version 3.1.4 and Altenburg-Wildau Version v.3.12. RSSLO routes are OK, however, he uses the same track for virtually every layout and much of the old Kuju vegetation, the German community have done upgrades to nearly all of these routes over the years, have a look on the German website and also on another one called Filebase - Railomanie and have a look at what is available, you may need some payware DLC routes, Konstanz - Villingen was a very good offering from virtualRailroads, but, like everything else in this game, to get freeware routes you need to spend money on getting payware assets, that is inevitable, you need deep pockets. Cheerz. Steve
It would be a Downer if you were new to the game and have never purchased anything before - apart from the EL&AP - which is a requirement. The amount of people that look at a new route as a stand alone and not the potential it has. And is it a problem because the Default coaches don't have a passenger view? Some of the passenger views are pointless as sometime there is only one coach with the view.
Hey no need for the attitude Peter, I quite like the product but am not going to hold back with honest constructive feedback. I already mentioned about swapping in loco and maybe stock from another route.
It is the fact that people complain when a route only comes with a limited amount of stock/scenarios. And some people will turn down a route because of that - even though other locos/stock/scenarios are available.
