Does anyone know if the new Dresden-Leipzig timetable is different to the old Rush Hour Dresden-Riesa one? I just drove a service from Meissen to Dresden at 16:30 (so rush hour) and there were so few trains about. I remember the old route was really busy. Is this just placebo or have they changed the timetable for the new route?
My biggest issue is that all the focus, including the Journey mode, still seems to be on the existing end of the route rather than the new section and Leipzig. From your example above, the Meissen branch was already done to death in the original and I can really do without another session of tedious all stations cab car driving!
I think its also because traffic is a little bit more spread out. Freight trains (and RE15 afaik) for example dont go via Radebeul anymore but via Cossebaude, on DRA you had everything into Dresden on one line. Also i think i heard that the freight timetable on DRA was fictional even if busy. DLG orientates itself on real freight timetable data, which gaves fewer services than the old DRA timetable. Passenger traffic should be the same in terms of amount and service pattern though.
My feeling is that most of the freight trains are now using the "new" line to access Friedrichstadt, as opposed to going through Neustadt. Of course this is right and appropriate as far as I know, but it does decrease traffic on the route through Neustadt. On the old route everything travelled that way, and even though that was likely not realistic, it did seem to add traffic. The other thing is that DCZ adds traffic now between Neustadt and HBf. I don't actually own DCZ so I couldn't say for sure, but it probably makes a difference. To me I have more of an issue with the lack of wagons at the two bigger yards, Friedrichstadt and Engelsdorf. I understand that Friedrichstadt is not as important as it once was but to me it just seems too empty. Overall though really liking the route. The opportunity to drive the 218 everywhere is great.
