By the way the codes read out the next route/loco is commuter. It shows it is electric so NJ transit? SEPTA? Possibly Acela????
I have a feeling the new loco is going to be with the new route. So if it is Acela I'm hoping it's DC to Philadelphia
I thought about that too but the way that the loco got released nearly a whole month before makes me want to believe they aren’t linked. But if it is then what would the base trains be? A third ACS-64?
I have no idea, but wikipedia says the aem7 did the final farewell runs in 2016. The acs-64 which was bought to replace the aem7 ran its services starting in 2014 so Im assuming the aem7 ran until then. Maybe someone who knows more about american locomotives can chime in
The ACS-64 started getting delivered in 2013, 1st in service early 2014, the last 2 AEM-7s were retired in 2016. There was a short time in 2014 where the ACS-64, AEM-7s and the HHP-8s were running together on the NEC.
So today i checked out the NEC Washington to Baltimore, Philadelphia to Penn station and the new haven haven route on TSC. All this is speculation,but I’m going to take What they keep saying,when it comes to building routes is about time and cost.So if we assume that is the Acela loco that will be releasing first for Boston route, Most likely it would have 12 trips each way on the time table which is not much. But if you layered into the new US route then you have more services available an better options for selling the loco.On the other hand just what some of you mentioned the new route and loco might be part of the new route. Honestly I would love for it to be the Philadelphia to penn station since that would include some of NJ transit trains like ALP-46,Arrow III,multilevel cab car. But that route would be to long and I compare it to WCML and ECML. Basically, is not going to happen. I would even take Trenton to penn but the problem is the Acela currently only has 1 service from Trenton.Another option would be stanford to new haven.This route would be around 37 miles and would introduce the M8.The issue is the Acela speed would only be around 70.Unfortunately the route I see coming out is Washington to Baltimore. This route is about 40 miles long. Top speed on this route is 125 most of the way. Timetable would be low around 40 each way for Amtrak if we use the 2019 schedule. If they use MARC trains that would add another 30 each way but I don’t think they have the license for them. Freight out probably be layered in from other routes. They would probably include the Amtrak depot which would offer some more action.Again this is all speculation all for fun. I guess we just have to wait to find out. I have included some pictures from TSC on the different NEC routes
For NEC Philadelphia to NY Penn comet II-IV MLV III needs two versions NJ Transit and SEPTA followed by Amtrak ACS-64 600-670 being reskinned to make SEPTA ACS-64 901-915. Assuming DTG obtains SEPTA license
You can't just reskin the ACS-64 into a septa ACS-64 as the cab interior layout's are actually different from amtrak's. Acs-64 (septa) Acs-64 (Amtrak)
What is going to happen is Retain the ACS-64 Boston Providence shell exterior for ACS-64 901-915 SEPTA and put the new cab on the ACS-64 model. Assuming DTG obtains SEPTA license and find it helpful.
Is just a theory but I do believe the US loco that was announced first in October was actually for the new US route just announced. Here’s what i think. When they announced earlier in the year a new US and German route I assumed it was for TSW2 since TSW3 hadn’t been announced. We all know how that turned out. So i do believe this US loco is actually for the new US route. I think they want to start from scratch on a new route with a brand new timetable. I believe the would have to do the whole timetable over for Boston Sprinter if the wanted to add the new loco there. Especially with all the current signal issues Boston sprinter still has. We can look at this speculation negatively but I think might be good news since if this is the case then what ever the route is we will get more than one loco. Again just speculating.
Nope, loco dlc and route dlc are 2 different things. It might layer onto the route, but it will not come with the route. If it was part of the new route, there wouldn't be a us loco still on the roadmap. So assuming the new route is the nec and the new loco is an acela, it would just layer on for those who own it most likely.
I Agree. The Us loco that was announced would be used for the US route as a separate loco( have to buy separate)to layered in the new US. So the new loco wouldn’t be for an previous TSW2 route. Like you mentioned It gives us hope that it might be part of the NEC route. Just a question of which part and how long would it be. I hope is NJ transit
The Northeast corridor line from Trenton (57miles) to Penn station is achievable. The can also include the north Jersey coast line from wood bridge station. The can layer in the LIRR for static M7 trains at penn, freight from other routes can also layered in, AC64 from Boston sprinter, and the new loco as the Acela. They already have previous information from their previous TSW2020 NEC route for reference.
If that is the route, he acela would just layer in. The route would at least have an acs64 and maybe freight so it at least has base trains to run.
The route code shows both locos to be Overhead AC. And there has been no electric freight locos on the NEC since the 70s. Most likely a reused ACS-64, a NJT loco, and layering of the Acela from the loco DLC, if Trenton is the route. However the ACS-64 may be accompanied by Viewliner cars and a return of the Metroliner Cab Car.
CSX and Norfolk southern operate on the NEC so current locos from sand patch and horse shoe curve could layered in the route. Just like BCC is an electric route but DTG announced they are using diesel locos from other routes
Sadly I feel like it will only be like Boston Sprinter, where freight is there but isn't usable. The only exception would be if it was the New York New Haven Route, then at least could revive the old NEC: New York freight timetable.
The freight on Boston sprinter doesn't have signaling equipment so they wouldn't have been able to run the mainline.
NEC route from PHL- NYP would be around 90 miles same as SEHS. Between all the NJT, Amtrak,freight, this could easily be a 500+ services route. We know is achievable. They can run the Gladstone,mountclair,Morristown lines from Newark broad st,ratitan valley from Newark penn, the full NJT NEC line from trenton, and the North jersey line from Rahway. We can dream.
