With the Peninsula route disappearing, that means the MP 15 fades into history too. However, the loco itself shouldn't have to disappear with the logo license. Many OTHER railroads use MP15s, so it'd still work in CSX, UP, NS, or other liveries which we know DTG has license to and would run on other routes in the game. It's roughly GP 38 level of performance (not exactly, but would work in the game) so it could just sub in for GP 38s (or the one GP 9 on Oakville) fairly easily.) DTG could sell it as a Rail Pack with all of those liveries included for a few bucks since it's already made. Best of all, the new SW 1500 mod uses the MP 15 as a base and that community mod would still work. Or even better still, make a deal with that free developer and include the SW 1500 mod to the MP 15 to introduce BOTH switcher AND all those liveries in a very nice "switcher pack." Very little effort needed, could sell it very cheap, preserve some classic content and make a few bucks. With multiple liveries and not tied to a route (except the training center) it'd go anywhere it's "fill in" GP-38 is, and it'd be better "protected" in the future too from obsolescence. Worth considering at least. I know I'd definitely pick it up for $9.99 for the single loco, and maybe $15.99 for the two-loco set and liveries?
Slight notes. The SW1500 and MP15DC are very similar in appearance so they could easily be made (Though IIRC the mod took a few years for the author to make.) The MP15AC and MP15T however, has a slightly different carbody such as moving the air intake from the nose to the side of the loco, so it would most likely be ruled out of this due to the extra carbody and simugraph work, Ill also rule out Norfolk Southern's MP15E's as well (As these rebuilds would require more work than the SW1500 and MP15DC) As far as railroads are concerned, here is what I can see.... AMTRAK Amtrak has/had 10 MP15DC's numbered 530-539, though personally I wouldn't want them included to leverage DTG to bring the SW1000R back instead (Which I know Matt said he wanted to) BNSF BNSF used to have 71 SW1500's and 5 MP15DC's. Think for this pack only the SW1500's should be considered. All of them came from the Burlington Northern, which came to them from either the SLSF, GN, or BN themselves. Roster Number shows #3400-3470. Most if not all have been sold off. Paint would either be Patched BN, Heritage 1 or Heritage 4. (Info based on RRPicture Arcives) CSX CSX used to have 10 MP15DC's and 27 SW1500's. Low numbers from either group can make either of them potential candidates. Most came from the Seaboard System, aside from a few from Conrail's breakup. Roster numbers for the SW1500 are mixed in with other switchers, while the MP15DC's were 1140-1149. Paint would mostly likely be YN3 or YN3B. (The old MP15DC mod was YN3) (Info based on RRPicture Arcives) Norfolk Southern Norfolk Southern used to have 98 SW1500's and 88 MP15DC's which were retired around 2010-2012 for the SW1500's and 2017 for the MP15DC's. The SW1500's came from either Norfolk and Western, Southern or Conrail, numbered 2200-2042 (CR) 2290-2296 (NW) and 2300-2347 (SOU) The MP15DC's all came from Southern and numbered 2348-2435. Paint would be standard NS paint with or without the Horsehead logo. (Info based on www.nsdash9.com) Union Pacific Due to the massive amount of locos UP had in the 2000's they created a new reporting mark to avoid 5 digit loco numbers, Moved over to UPY, were most of their switchers and yard locos, including most (if not all) of their SW1500's and MP15DC's. Their SW1500's were numbered around 1000-1233 and came from either the Southern Pacific, KATY, or the Western Pacific. Their MP15DC's were numbered around 1289-1392 and came from the SP, CNW, or MP. Paint would be standard UP with post 2005 yellow side sills, patched CNW or SP could be viable too. (Info based on Utah Rails) Ill also note that New Jersey Transit used to have SW1500's but those were retired awhile ago so a bit too anarchistic to include.
Thinking about it, TSW also has the model of the SW1000R switcher they neglected to include in the latest TSW, but they should still have it in their files. That could be included too, effectively giving three switchers in the "pack." Heck, if they wanted to go all out, they could release the other existing ones too and make it a huge "combo pack" (British Class 8, Class 9, the German 363, 365, 204) It'd be a bit more work, but it would sort out many of the existing layers issues (the lack of usage of the 204 for example) and it'd be a place for never players to get them all in one nice relatively cheap bundle of existing assets. If you wanted could always throw some scenarios in there too, but there's already quite a few for the individual locos. It's all just a matter of how much work to put in and how many existing issues to tweak, but it could be a money maker with its low investment cost.
