I think Timetable mode is probably the best improvement TSW brought over TSC. Being able to spawn a train into it is the best new feature since TSW was released. While I've been advocating for a random event option in that part of the game and it got me thinking, what do you get up to in Timetable mode? Last night I did a diesel railtour up the ECML along the main line just to see what chaos I could cause, I used the least suitable traction, the severely underpowered Class 40 and then "terminated" at Grantham. I delayed 5 Azumas before continuing slowly onto Doncaster holding up another 2 services in the process. I love chaos. I also often do ECS runs, depot moves, railtours and sometimes insert an additional train into the service to 1) cause a little chaos and 2) have a drive that involves more yellow and red signals. So what else is possible in Timetable mode? Edit: I also travel to a fictitious home from the depot by train once my shift is done. Do I need help?
I think chaining services together in timetable is really great if it works. I had some issues with the 4024 doing the GOAT services chain from the amazing services thread. the abillity to drive every train that has more than one stop on the route during a full 24h timetable with diverse weather based on the actual month you are playing the game as it usually picks up the date on your pc really makes every day different and although you recognise patterns. a good freight timetable mixed through the passenger services which usually are the main focus of a route makes it feel alive. I think random events are difficult to achieve. stuff like temporary line closures and different tracks due to delays are not possible with the current dispatcher. I can see a possible delay slider to start your service on not the perfect time or fault simulation like the 101 expert as one of the few options though. but the game works fine as is for now. Free roam I have mixed feelings about. it's a great tool for testing purposes and adding your own special services like branch freight or railtours. maybe even putting in a long distance train and driving a service that's already off the map but 2h delayed as you spawned it in could work too. the set paths do sometimes create issues for that though. but the few times it has been given to us as a solution to the developers not adding in existing trains I really dislike. the purpose of a timetable is that it feels real. I shouldn't need to be the only one driving that train on that route though. and therefore having a complete gap in the timetable due to missing services. I rather have the route be held for a week or more then. I did however really enjoy on older routes like RSN where collectibles are on the middle of the track instead of at platforms only, to make a little DB Netz inspired inspection train and just drive slowly over the track with a podcast and collect all the blank do not enter signs at crossings and such. I later added a 363 to go to the power station. and since I put them in formation designer. changing the 143 for the expert 101. and for diesel lines the 218. as far as I know. shifts usually start and end at the same station. at least in my country they do. it would be cool to have next to journey or conductor mode maybe something like "shift mode" or "career mode" where you take a maybe for gameplay reasons somewhere between 3 and 6 hours shift in timetable mode of driving multiple trains on a route. after ending at a station you drive another train back. maybe first a regional and then a long distance. maybe shunting all incoming and outgoing trains at frankfurt in and out of the yard. of course it's a long time so maybe some more fixes for saving and reloading trips as I hear there are some issues with that.
Can you swap any train in timetable mode for another? I wanted to run a class 158 on the Blackpool route. Is there a guide somewhere? Thanks
Personally I'll just decide which route I want to drive on, then choose my traction and select a timetable service within a certain timeframe which I like the look of. Often it depends on what sort of day I have had at work as to what takes my fancy.
swapping trains you really need to do in the editor. or some creative liberty with free roam and maybe a paper timetable.
Select the service you want to run in timetable mode and when you are put in the cab use the live map to see what your terminating platform is. Get up and exit to the platform. Look at the train and press tab or left on the d-pad. Select delete train. Press tab or left on the d-pad, select add train. Choose the train you want to run. Get in the cab of the new train and sit in the seat. Bring up the live map and select your train. Choose set path then navigate to the station you where want to terminate the service. You get no distance indications in the HUD and you will have to choose the intermediate stations to stop at on your own. Like a real train driver You can just use the on foot option of the timetable and just spawn the train where you want.
One of the improvements I was hoping to see in TSW5's free roam is the ability to add stops/passenger pickups...sadly it never materialised. I know we can set up a scenario using the planner; but that means adding all the AI services so you are not out there alone which can be very time consuming. I do hope free roam is improved upon in future releases (or alternatively being adble to check a checkbox in scenario planner to add AI traffic - something I know was mentioned when it first released)
There is actually a list of interesting things people have done with this under the name "Chaos runs" in the Awesome services thread.
The biggest hindrance in Timetable Mode, if you want to return to the game and continue with another run to accumulate disruption, is the ongoing Save Game bug where it won’t retain your objective data. Otherwise yes, massive potential to keep going doing an entire shift on the railway including seeing accumulated late running build up.
Thank you for the advice. Will give that a go today. Are other trains present or do you need to add them? Just wondering re the scenario that the OP mentioned about holding up other services.
The free roam aspect is my most favourite. Last night I spawned a heavy oil train with 2 class 40's at dartford. The thing was slow! By the time I pulled into hoo junction I had a few trains stuck behind me, which I let pass. Then I stopped at Rochester siding to let some more services pass. Really struggled up the grade to Gillingham. Pulled into the siding at Gillingham, but my train was too long so I had to carry on and make a stop at sittingbourne sidings to let more services pass. And finally finished at Faversham. Then I used a couple of class 20's to lay ballast between Ormskirk and burn naze with a few stops along the way, letting traffic past. Being able to spawn trains in timetable made scenario designer obsolete. Well it was obsolete in the first place.
I generally use TT mode to travel as passenger, sometimes I may take over a service at some station I'm waiting/get off at and drive that to a different location. I use free roam a lot too, basically like OP to cause some delays and chaos. My most favourite bit in TT mode though is in VR mode, in a MK1 compartment coach right behind a Class 40 with my head sticking out of the window, brings back happy memories from the 70's and 80's does that!
I don't think I've ever tried Free Roam in TSW. I use it in TSC to learn new routes and traction, not that we get much of either in TSC these days. UK drivers usually sign-on and off at their home station or depot though when the service goes bad and crew are needed elsewhere they can sign on and off at other locations that have crew facilities. All BR Staff used to have to report to their nearest station if there were severe service issues. The morning after the Burns Day Storm in 1990 there were no trains running on my line so I spent the day selling tickets at Barking Station and enjoyed it so much I successfully applied for a job there.
German privat freight companies send you all over the country with a suitcase for 6 to 10 days driving whatever is needed and sleeping in hotels after the shifts. It works very much in the same fashion as long haul trucking in the US. They essentify this by paying more. common driver change points are Fulda, Aschaffenburg, Gemünden or Würzburg. This way they can take services from the ports in the north down to Switzerland and Austria with only two drivers. Passenger services and DB Cargo freight drivers return home after every shift just like you described and get a little less pay. The difference between the pay use to be a lot more drastic, but Passenger service drivers had a massive pay raise recently and now the gap is much smaller.
I Have not tried this before, just started part of the class 20s railtour starting at Blackpool South. I deleted the 20s and train. Then spawned several mk1s , then spawned 5690 and 9 coaches, backed into the coaches I had spawned to make a train of 16 coaches 624 tons. When I tried to set path , it says " you must disembark to do that." So I got off the loco and walked along the track, and then tried to set path again by clicking on the train in the menu ,but the option is greyed out in the menu? Must be another way to set path? I drove the train away without any path set. Edit I was clicking on the station name icon when selecting destination path, instead of the actual blue tracks.
I'm amazed at how you guys manage not to get stuck at endless red lights while doing all these things on the route.
knowing the area sometimes helps by putting some waypoints so you are routed through the correct way. on busy timetables red lights are to be expected if you add more trains.
Further to my earlier post, thought I would try and chain a run last night on WCMLS by returning to free roam at MKC and taking over the next Up train. Sure enough, I saved then reloaded and all the objective data was gone. Real pity as it was a fast run into Euston with a 350. Sorry for ping DTG Matt but I know this was mentioned a few weeks ago and you were getting El Programmedero to look at it. Would be great if the problem could be fixed as chaining services together is key to enjoying Timetable mode fully. Even more so when we get our hands on Cardiff City with lots of back and forth.
