Where the Ruhr region lives, works and moves Introduction Anyone driving here isn’t just operating a train – they’re moving through real life. Between Düsseldorf and Dortmund, the pulse of the Ruhr area beats every fifteen minutes. Nothing here is quiet, sterile, or simple. Freight trains thunder beneath power lines while commuter units race through brick suburbs and industrial backyards. It’s not picturesque – it’s authentic. The daily rhythm of a region that never stands still. This line is more than track and timetable – it’s a lifeline that has carried generations. And for Train Sim World, it offers everything that defines real railway operation: history, density, contrast, and above all – character. Route Overview Route: Düsseldorf Hbf – Duisburg – Mülheim (Ruhr) – Essen – Bochum – Dortmund Hbf (+ Solingen extension) Length: ~84 km Electrified: 15 kV AC / 16.7 Hz Top Speed: 160 km/h Tracks: Mostly four-track (S-Bahn / Mainline separated) Era: 2010 – 2016 This corridor connects six major cities in one continuous stretch – one of Germany’s busiest and most historic railway arteries. Tradition and modernity collide, passenger and freight share the same rails, and motion never stops. Section Description & Visual Identity The Rhine-Ruhr main line is more than a railway – it’s a piece of German industrial heritage. Its origins date back to the 19th century, when the Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft and other private operators built links between the booming cities of the Ruhr. It was designed to move coal, steel and workers faster between mines and factories – and later became Europe’s densest rail network, a living symbol of post-war reconstruction and growth. Today, every kilometre still breathes that legacy – a region that doesn’t just have tracks, but lives on them. Section 1: Dortmund → Bochum The opening stretch mirrors the Ruhr’s transformation. Where mines and smokestacks once stood, there are now university campuses and business parks. Old and new coexist – bridges, 1970s signal masts, modern barriers, and weathered viaducts. We start in Dortmund, the eastern gateway to the Ruhr region. From here, the full character of the area unfolds – dense traffic, short signal blocks, constant movement. What begins in Dortmund is more than just a journey; it’s the entry into the beating heart of the Ruhr, where every kilometre tells a story of history and modern life intertwined. Bochum, once a coal capital, still honors its roots with the Railway Museum Dahlhausen – a living monument to the past. ➡ Expectation: constant commuter flow, short blocks, fast-paced service – no time to breathe. Section 2: Bochum → Essen → Mülheim (Ruhr) Here beats the industrial heart of the Ruhr. Within just a few kilometres, main, freight and connection tracks merge into a dense web of rails. The line cuts through housing, valleys and industrial zones wedged between concrete and rock. Essen Hbf – one of Germany’s busiest stations – forms the epicentre, framed by high-rises and noise. Suburban, regional, long-distance and freight services overlap here minute by minute. ➡ Expectation: overlapping movements, constant signals, endless activity – true urban rail chaos. Section 3: Mülheim (Ruhr) → Duisburg Here the route gets rough. Steelworks, harbor cranes and high-voltage lines define the horizon. The tracks parallel the Rhine, squeezed between tank farms and old factory walls. Duisburg is not just a station – it’s a system: Europe’s largest inland port and one of its biggest rail hubs. Hundreds of trains pass daily – ore from Rotterdam, chemicals, containers, S-Bahn services. The air hums with metal and motion. ➡ Expectation: loud, dense, industrial – the Ruhr at full volume. Section 4: Duisburg → Düsseldorf → Solingen Leaving the Ruhr, the grey gives way to glass. The line opens up for 160 km/h running through the heart of the Rhineland. ICE, IC, RE and S-Bahn trains share the same corridor – speed and precision side by side. Düsseldorf Hbf stands as a modern hub of glass and light, 20 platforms, constant movement. South of the city, the line crosses the Rhine – a highlight of any run. Beyond, the line relaxes toward Solingen, through suburbs, trees and hills. ➡ Expectation: high-speed bursts, urban density, then calm – a perfect finale with a Rhine view. Commuter Services – The Everyday Backbone The S1 is the beating heart of the Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn: 97 km total length Over 100 000 daily passengers 15-minute core frequency There’s no idle time – just rhythm. Driving here means signals, people, noise, repetition, precision. It’s real railway work – the hum of a living network. Long-Distance Services – Speed in the City Between Duisburg and Düsseldorf, the line becomes a high-speed corridor. ICE 1, ICE 3, IC (101), and multiple RE services share tracks in constant motion. Overtakes, parallel departures, short blocks – high speed, low margin for error. Here, speed isn’t spectacle – it’s precision under pressure. Freight – The Industrial Core This line is part of the Rotterdam – Basel axis, Europe’s freight spine. Ore, coal, chemicals, containers – heavy trains at every hour. It’s a soundscape of power and endurance. Freight yards like Duisburg-Wedau, Essen-Frintrop, Bochum-Langendreer keep the night alive with shunting lights and echoing horns. Rolling Stock & Service Variety Era: 2010 – 2016 – the perfect transition between old and new. Most modern trains already exist in Train Sim World, but even with TSW’s vast German fleet, something vital is still missing here: the trains that truly shaped the Ruhr region. Modern EMUs and Dostos show the present, but this route lives from the tension between past and progress. The X-Wagen and BR 151 complete that story – not just technically, but emotionally. They bridge the gap between the Bundesbahn’s last steel era and the digital modern age. They don’t just move trains – they tell the Ruhr’s story. X-Wagen – The Face of the Classic Ruhr S-Bahn Built 1978 – 1998 (381 cars, DUEWAG / MAN / MBB / Bautzen) 140 km/h top speed, aluminium construction, ZWS control, PZB 90 Operated on S1, S6, S68 Their sound was the Ruhr: metallic door chimes, rattling couplers, rough acceleration. Painted in classic DB traffic red, they were the last chapter of traditional S-Bahn before EMUs took over. No comfort. No glamour. Just work – and that’s why they’re unforgettable. BR 151 – Power, Sound & Weight Built 1972 – 1978 (170 units) Co’Co’ drive | 6 288 kW | 118 t | 395 kN tractive effort Designed for 2 000-ton freights For decades, it ruled the Ruhr – pulling steel, ore and freight through Duisburg, Essen, Hagen. Even in 2016, it was still in daily service. Its deep growl and metallic echo define the sound of heavy German freight. The 151 isn’t a relic. It’s the Ruhr’s voice – on six axles. Düsseldorf – Heart of the Network Düsseldorf Hbf connects everything: Cologne, Wuppertal, Duisburg, Essen, Dortmund, Mönchengladbach. Over 1 000 train movements daily – the perfect anchor for a growing TSW Rhine-Ruhr Network. From here, future extensions could expand organically: Wuppertal – Cologne Essen – Dortmund – Hagen Duisburg – Oberhausen – Arnhem Conclusion This route isn’t a dream – it’s real, every day. It’s loud, crowded, industrial and alive. Exactly what Train Sim World needs to capture Germany’s heart of rail transport. With the X-Wagen and BR 151, the game would gain more than trains – it would gain soul. The Ruhr region. The way it sounds. The way it runs. The way it lives. Why This Route Makes Sense for TSW Much of what this route needs already exists: rolling stock, scenery assets, signalling systems and timetable structures are all in place from previous German routes. Reusing and enhancing them would make development efficient – but the result would feel entirely new. Modern lighting, improved traffic density, and updated timetable logic could bring this corridor to life like never before. It’s not just another German line – it’s an opportunity to build a connected Rhine-Ruhr network, similar in success to the Frankfurt S-Bahn DLC, with even more variety. A project that unites what TSW already does well – realism, density, and atmosphere – with what players have wanted for years: a living, breathing network in Germany’s heart of rail transport.
The suggestion isn't bad but there's already a route from Duisburg to Bochum via Wattenscheid and via Wattenscheid-Höntrop. About Düsseldorf - Dortmund I'd say no need for a new route but an extension of the old route and maybe remastering it.
You’re absolutely right — the existing Rhein-Ruhr Osten and Ruhr-Sieg Nord already cover parts of that area, and the Ruhrgebiet in general has seen a lot of representation in earlier TSW titles. But that’s actually the main reason why an extension or rebuild would make sense now. A remaster in combination with new technology and timetable density could finally connect what currently feels like isolated fragments. The current Duisburg–Bochum section is short and limited in scope — no real S-Bahn layer, minimal freight operations, and visually outdated. By rebuilding or extending it towards Düsseldorf and Dortmund, we’d not just reuse assets efficiently, we’d unify the region into a proper Rhein-Ruhr network, similar to what the Frankfurt S-Bahn DLC achieved but on a larger scale. It’s less about replacing what exists and more about turning those pieces into a living system — one that reflects the real-world intensity of the Ruhr area.
