The new Cargo Line 4: Military pack released the other day. The concept is a great idea, but could be improved. First, we should get some brand new locomotives for these packs. Then we should get some packs from other countries, especially the USA. Third, we would need new routes for some of these packs. I'll discuss all of these ideas in this suggestion post. -UK Cargo Line Pack Ideas: -UK Cargo Line Vol. 5: Coal: -New loco: BR Class 60, 70, 56, 58, etc. -Include coal hoppers with weathering (coal trains are dirty!) -Loading and unloading functions needed for more fun -UK Cargo Line Vol. 6: Nuclear: -New loco: Stadler Class 68, Class 20; both in Direct Rail Services (DRS) livery -DRS Nuclear Flask flatcars, both empty and loaded -US Cargo Line Pack Ideas for existing routes: -US Cargo Line Vol. 1: Continuous Welded Rail Train: -In the modern day, US railroads ship really long sections of continuous welded rail on a bunch of flatcars. -These sections can be upwards of a quarter mile long! -As for locomotives, the trains can be pulled by pretty much any modern loco that is included in game. --- -CWR Trains would run on all US routes (or even UK or German ones). -The same process is used on most modern railroads throughout the world, and it allows for safer train operations and faster trains with less maintenance. -The rails are unloaded at a work site by sliding them off the rear of the train in a continuous operation. -Simulating the unloading of rail sections would be awesome. -US Cargo Line Vol. 2: UP Rocket Booster Train: -For UP Sherman Hill -New loco: UP SD70M, C45ACCTE (ES44AC), C45AH (ET44AC), or AC6000CW/C4460AC/C44ACM -UP operates this unique train between a facility near Ogden, UT and the midwest where NS takes the boosters the rest of the way to Florida and NASA. -The rocket boosters are loaded in sections onto heavy-duty flatcars. -A boxcar is placed in between each flatcar -The first boxcar has clearance bars to ensure that the loads won't be damaged in tunnels -There is a sleeper car on the rear of the train so the crew can monitor the train and get some rest. -Yes, this is a real train! -US Cargo Line Vol. 3: Ethanol Tank Train: -Ethanol is basically alcohol, and it's used as a cleaner alternative to gas or diesel fuel -Ethanol trains are made up of long strings of 30K Gallon Tank Cars. -The trains have buffer cars between the locos and the tank cars, because Ethanol is flammable. -Any modern US loco will work for this train, but a new loco would be nce to see. -These trains could run on any of the modern US routes (Cajon, Sherman, Sand Patch, HSC, etc.) -The pack would include buffer cars (BNSF uses old Airslide Covered Hoppers with ballast inside for weight distribution) and 30K Gallon Tank Cars in several paint schemes, along with a locomotive (maybe an ET44C4 or ET44AC) -US Cargo Line Vol. 4: Autorack Train: -While we have autoracks in game, we should get some new ones, especially the Gunderson Multimax or Articulated Autoracks (preferably both). -An autorack train could have a mix of different cars, just like in real life. -More liveries on cars for variation -New loco to pull train maybe -Opening doors on autoracks -Loaded and unloaded versions of cars -US Cargo Line Vol. 5: NS Roadrailer Train: -Roadrailers are no longer in service. -They were often seen on Conrail or NS trains, and occasionally other railroads too. -The concept: trailers are the freight cars; trailers attached using articulated bogies; this makes the train lighter and more efficient. -Several liveries of trailers -New NS (or Conrail, if DTG can get licensing) loco for HSC Route. -US Cargo Line Vol. 6: Coal Train: -Coal is still transported by rail. -UP and BNSF (and BN and C&NW before them) operate coal trains out of western Wyoming's Powder River Basin. -We have CSX and NS coal trains on SPG and HSC respectively. -This coal train pack would include new aluminum Autoflood III Coal Hoppers and older Bethgon Coal Gondolas, along with a new loco (AC6000CW, SD70MAC/SD70AC, SD80MAC, SD90-43MAC/SD70ACU, SD70ACe-T4, ET44AC, ES44AC, etc.) -Loaded and empty coal hoppers/gondolas -Weathering needed -Perhaps a BN/C&NW or BNSF/UP Powder River Basin Route could be made in the future. -US Cargo Line Vol. 7: Wind Turbine Train: -This consist would be awesome; it's amazing what huge, heavy loads can be carried on a modern freight train. -Some of the largest wind turbine blades span several flatcars. -US Cargo Line Ideas that should be included with future new routes: -US Cargo Line Vol. 8: BNSF Boeing Fuselage Train: -Route(s) needed: BNSF Scenic Sub/Stevens Pass: Wenatchee-Mukilteo, WA, BNSF Wichita, KS-area route, or Montana Rail Link (MRL)/BNSF route -BNSF runs Boeing Fuselages from a facility in Wichita, KS to the construction facility in Mukilteo, WA. -MRL, before that railroad was sold to BNSF recently, ran the fuselages through Montana. -The fuselages each span two 89' 4" flatcars. -The trains include Skybox cars with containers for airplane parts. -The Boeing Fuselage Train needs both loaded and empty cars. -Loco: MRL SD70ACe, BNSF ET44C4, etc. -US Cargo Line Vol. 9: Iron Ore and Steel: -If we're talking about iron ore trains, we should talk about the DM&IR, P&LE, Milwaukee Road, C&NW, and UP. All those railroads handled iron ore. -DM&IR merged into CN; C&NW merged with UP; P&LE w/ CSX; Milwaukee Road w/ CPKC. -A UP northern Utah-area route (especially Salt Lake City area) would be perfect for ore and steel trains, since SLC had a number of steel mills. -California did too, so we could see SP, UP, etc. on CA steel trains. -The best route for iron ore and steel would be the DM&IR/CN. -Could we get DM&IR steam with Yellowstones, 2-10-2s, 2-10-4s, and 0-10-0 switchers in the future? That would be way cool! -CN AC44C6Ms and/or SD75IACCs on modern version of route, along with SD40T-3s, SD60s, and C40-8s/C40-8Ws. -DM&IR SD9s, SD18s, and SD38s needed for 1970s-80s version of route -Milwaukee Road or C&NW w/ both freight and passenger power would be cool too.
Car trains for the UK would be great.. I think they’ve existed for DE for a while already though! In the rural areas of the UK there’s a fair bit of forestry cargo, so log trains could also be viable at some point. The ‘binliner’ trains which Don Coffey’s videos showcase, they meander through various mainlines and rural spots.
Now for the passenger train packs. I forgot to include them in my initial suggestion. -Passenger Line Vol. 1: CSX OCS Train: -For Sand Patch Grade -Include passenger cars with explorable interiors -Include CSX F40PHs, including B&O Heritage Units -Passenger Line Vol. 2: NS OCS Train: -For Horseshoe Curve -Include passenger cars with interiors -Include NS SD60E or F9 A-B-B-A Set (no longer on roster, but should be included) -Include N&W J-Class #611 and/or NKP Berkshire #765 (these probably won't happen, but they should) -Passenger Line Vol. 3: BNSF Business Train: -For Cajon Pass -Include passenger cars with interiors -Include BNSF ET44C4 -Passenger Line Vol. 4: UP Excursion Train and Business Train: -For Sherman Hill, Cajon Pass, and other routes too -Include passenger cars with interiors -Include aux. water tenders for steam locos -Include UP SD70M #4015 (and other SD70Ms too) -Include UP Steam Program: Big Boy #4014 and FEF-3 #844 (Challenger #3985 should also be included) -Include UP DDA40X #6936 -Include UP E9m A-B-A Set -We would most likely get the diesel locos (but we should get the steam locos too).
