I have notice first on TSW GWR route freight timetables when starting at Reading, the train depart at the passenger station. Look: But I noticed there are some yards before the station: So I believe it will be much better and real, to start the ride from there. Even you could have a red light and wait, due to a passenger train going to the station from this area, or departing the station to there. Furthermore I suggest the timetable start with the freight locomotive alone at the smaller yard - just below the read rectangle - and go to the upper yard to couple the freight cars, change the cabin side, and then start the drive. All these movements being interrupted by passenger trains passing through. I noticed similar situation on german routes where some freight trains depart from passenger station. For example Aachen. There is also some tracks before the station, where the freight train could start instead, and then go trough the passenger station. Hope this be useful and interesting
The yards before are actually Reading Traction Maintenance Depot which (at the time GWE is set) looks after the GWR Class 166s. Now I think it looks after the CrossLizPurpRail trains and possibly GWR 378s. Freight trains never originate/terminate at Reading (there's no yards there - all sidings are part of the TMD). Can't speak for Koln. Most, if not all, container trains that go through Reading come from Southampton Docks or Bristol FLT.
Thank you Cameron for your reply informing about the real situation of those yards. But despite of that I believe it will be better to start before Reading, on any of the several tracks below the yards - the darker ones - than start at the passenger station platform. Furthermore we could "use" these parts of the routes, that are modeled but never go to them by train. Of course you can do it walking. As it is this area of the forum, it is just a suggestion.
At least in the US it's not uncommon for freight trains to use stations as crew change points, I can't imagine it's much different for Europe.
JGRudnick. That is a different situation. Crew change is very common in US freight trains, due to the really long travel distances. But I was referring about European routes. Despite of that, my "suggestion" - do not forget it is just that -was because, we usually start trains on the stations being passenger ones, it will be better and different for freight ones, to start on another part instead. Furthermore on areas on the route, we usually we do not drive trains, but were created by DTG. Even the ideas what I mentioned, about traffic which will implies red or yellow lights to make the ride more interesting. I also based by watching several videos from Europe - mainly Germany - where freight trains starts on yards.
I've seen many freight trains stopping at station platforms, for both crew changes and simply waiting for a signal, so just because the service your playing starts at Reading, who's to say your character hasn't been driving from the start off map??
The thing with the US routes is that they have many dedicated freight lines, while in Europe lines are owned by the state railway (other than the uk where I know some track is owned by TOC's). That way, it makes sense for a train to stop at a station just as since the tracks are all managed under one place, trains can run faster and as such shouldn't need to stop in a yard to change. As said earlier, these trains originate somewhere else in the UK, and as such it would be unrealistic to do this. (The point of TSW2 and TSW as a game is to simulate Trains- same as TS)
Well ... I understand what you mentioned about the "real thing". But this is a simulator, and I always like the real simulation about the signals, how to drive the locomotive / train, physics, sounds, the scenery, the weather... but when driving it, I would like to have different and entertaining situations. Not just going from point A to B. The other day I drove a freight train on a german route, I activated the PZB, but the drive was really boring... Apart from the differences on speed limits and the control from going up and downhill - which I get used to- , nothing happened. The PZB does not activated, apart from doing it just at departure and at arriving points. So it was a boring ride. In the case of Reading on all the passenger services, we start from the platform, so I just "suggested" to change that from the yards before. Adding some yellow / red signals before passing through the station. Please notice if you would like to start at Reading, the train can start where I suggest, but you could stop the train at the station, and simulate the crew change. Go out from the Class 66, go around the station for some minutes, and go back as it you were the new crew. You can do this due to you do not have a timetable for freight trains.So not affect your score of the ride. Just and idea. Another chance to my suggestion, is DTG allows on Scenario Planer, to have these areas of the routes available, in order we could start the run from there. They are already created, so they just have to allow to start or end there.
