ÖBB 5022 cab ride on the Styria S-Bahn S3 line (Graz — Gleisdorf — Feldbach — Fehring) Route Length: ~80 km (50 miles) Rolling Stock: New - ÖBB 2016 + "CityShuttle" carriages Reused - ÖBB 5022 (mostly the same as BR 642) Layers - Austrian trains - Taurus (at Szentgotthárd) Gameplay: Mix of IC, regional express, S-Bahn and freight Scenery: Picturesque landscape, rolling Alpine foothills, Raab river valley, urban sprawl in Graz Licenses: ÖBB Optional: MÁV (branding at Szentgotthárd) Time Period: <2025 Similar Add-ons: Niddertalbahn (scenic single track unelectrified line) Semmeringbahn (modern Austrian line) Why this route: This would be a fun and scenic new Austrian route linking the second largest Austrian city of Graz, to the Hungarian border at Szentgotthárd. It is a critical commuter artery and the last Austrian line featuring diesel IC services. It has a unique feel and identity, helping it avoid the complaint that current Austrian routes feel too similar to German routes. In terms of development, it is a small to medium sized route at 80 km, and with about 20 stations. If it ends at Szentgotthárd it would not require Hungarian safety systems or much new Hungarian infrastructure. However, if you wanted to have a more cross-border feel, it could be extended further into Hungary. Ideally it would be set before 2025 - this would avoid the construction works taking place, and allow for AI traffic with the ÖBB 4024 on Styria S-Bahn. It would feature the ÖBB 2016 (Eurorunner ER20), an iconic modern Austrian diesel-electric locomotive. This would be the first new modern Austrian train since Vorarlberg (rather than modifying existing rolling stock like Semmeringbahn). In addition to the IC services, there would also be regional and S-Bahn services that additionally using the ÖBB 5022 (largely the same as the BR 642 apart from some cosmetic differences). Finally, there would be some freight, also pulled by the 2016.
