I was just reminiscing the rush hour release and some of the things Matt discussed when I had a “hang on I don’t think anyone asked this” moment. Boston has more ai trains which run out of the route etc, I hear Glasgow station is dead. Is this the solution now. Ai trains we can’t play? Will we start seeing more traffic on all routes?
They could certainly add more scotrail services, considering only about 8 out of the 16 314s available are used in the service mode timetable
That would be nice for all the routes that suffer from empty stations, but it seems like it has not been a priority before. I wonder how the other RH routes will be (Southeastern services out of London? More RE and RB services out of Dresden?). I have a bad feeling they will not get the same treatment, let alone routes that are to follow.
Cathcart is an unfortunate case - being a one train route (virtually the case in real life when the route is set - only the 380 (for a couple (I mean a couple) of services a day at peak times - with a busy terminus with numerous locos at all times. The way to make it alive? use the remaining 8 Class 314's and have them go along the line past Shields towards Paisley (Inverclyde Line & Ayrshire Line) and the line that branches off here (which the Shields Turnback thing is on). So in other words, make use of them. (Note: the 314s didn't do the WCML/Argyle Line past Cambuslang)
I'm not entirely sure I agree with you, and here's why. These three routes are all part of a marketing campaign called "Rush Hour"- one which was decided on at the beginning of the year, roughly at the same time as the mysterious "optimization" appeared in the roadmap, and also when the conversion work for UE 4.26 began. And the combination of the new engine and "optimization" has allowed them to do something completely unprecedented- a route with 700-odd services; that's an average of roughly 30 tph running somewhere on the route. I don't think "Rush Hour" was chosen idly, and it certainly refers to more than a tweaking of the same old passenger routine: just more of them (which PC players could do with an .ini command anyway), and more clothing variety. But time after time after time Matt has said that the reason for service and timetable constraints, heretofore, has been due to lack of "optimization," i.e. each train on the map was sucking up too many cpu cycles. Hence no layers on HMA for consoles, abridged timetables on LIRR and Bakerloo and so forth. But now? 700 services in 24 hours - one train every 2 minutes - would make that sort of timetable feasible. That is NOT to say that those existing routes will get new, fatter timetables soon (or ever). But I think we can expect new routes, like Brighton, will be packed full just like Boston.
WRT Cathcart- I expect the before too long a loco DLC, perhaps the 380, will add timetable layers, both drivably on the Circle and as AI "scenery" trains.
I really hope the 380 isn't a DLC for Cathcart with like 5 services. Make it with another route. That's by far the best way.
If that's done, then there will be no layers for it on Cathcart. DTG have never added layers to an older route for a newer loco, except on that loco's "home" route. (Other than for RT, which was practically rebuilt). It will only be available as a sub for the 314 on existing services. As a GCC DLC, then it would be not only available on drivable Circle services as a sub, but also as AI "scenery" trains filling up Glasgow Central with much traffic heading in and out on other lines.
They have done substitutions, no? SKA with the RRO stock (I think that's the route that comes from), the 101 on HBL. The 380 is 3 cars after all, it would just take slight (I mean slight) edits to stopping points. If the 380 comes as a DLC enjoy 5 or so services. I'd only buy it because I love the train - I grew using them (and conveniently) the 314 as well. I'd love them in the game probably more than anyone else, however this is the wrong way of going about it.
SKA came out after RRO, and HBL came out after the 101 (and that was a layer). Equally, if they do a loco DLC of the 380, they won't exactly be rushing to do the Ayrshire Coast Line (in modern image anyway), which is principally operated by 3-car 380s, so they'd have to include a train in that route that's already available in that exact form as a loco DLC - people were already saying the 182 DLC was devalued by Hamburg, an Ayrshire Coast Line would arguably render a 380 DLC completely obsolete and unnecessary.
Literally my entire point. Either Ayrshire Coast or the Inverclyde Line. Not a couple of services on Cathcart for £11.99.
Ok, well then. You have a loco DLC for half-a-dozen services that'll be devalued if the 380 comes with a route. You have fun with that. I'll buy it just because I want the loco itself, not to "make the route better". You'll quickly notice Glasgow still misses 90% of its rolling stock.
There is a precident for subbing locos from new things onto old routes - Matt did a stream on HRR and the HBL 112 appeared on a service (this was before the HBL previews).
By far the best way to resolve this in my mind would be to: a) enable route merging b) develop branch line DLC that can be run independently as short routes or merged with other routes that come with one loco for about £15-20 This would be the most robust way to add further traffic to existing routes, with the obvious bonus that it would be 'real' services as opposed to simply decoration. Suggestions as follows: Scotrail Class 380 + Paisley Canal branch (I'd pay £20 for this) Southeastern Class 466 + Sheerness branch Southern Class 455 + one or two Brighton Main Line branches (Tattenham Corner, Caterham?) London Overground Class 378 + Watford DC extension to Bakerloo line (although this one is a bit more complicated due to the existing timetable issues with BKL and the fact it's not really a 'branch' line - possibly better included as part of a bigger WCML-South route)
I agree with this, however I'd say that the Paisley Canal Line would be better off as part of the Inverclyde Line. But I agree completely with the rest.
Just for clarification, some are talking about layers and others about substitution. The DB BR 101 on HHL is a layer (i.e. someone needs to add a service in the timetable), same goes for the DB BR 422 on SKA - these are layers (or services, timetable runs). Substitution is basically which loco runs the service (e.g. running the 112 on RE services on HRR (subbing in for the DB BR 146 that would originally run this service)). While substitution works somewhat automatically (not always to our advantage ) also for older routes, layering needs to be actually worked on actively when a route is created. Why we cannot have the DB BR 423 on SKA subbing in for the BR 422 - don't know, should be an easy fix (since it is substitution). Why is Glasgow station so empty? Because no one added a layer that would run AI services in and out of Glasgow, i.e. that is a fix someone needs to put a lot of effort in (layer).
