The Trillium Line is a route located in Ottawa, Ontario. It's a short 8 km railway that is currently closed for reconstruction. The stations served on this light rail route include Bayview, Dow's Lake, Carleton, Mooney's Bay, and Greenboro, with Bayview and Greenboro being the termini. There used to be a full line going beyond in each direction, but no longer. The route is currently being expanded to the Macdonald–Cartier International Airport. There are eight new stations being constructed, including one at the airport. This includes South Keys right after Greenboro, with a few more heading towards Limebank, the southern terminus. Bayview remains the northern terminus. South Keys diverts over to Line 4, giving access to new stations at Uplands and the airport. This is expected to reopen in 2022, just in time for COVID to no longer be an issue (they announced ceasing services in February 2020 for construction much to the criticism from students who, a month later, didn't need the train anyway, and the planned cut started in May). So what is so interesting about this? Some trivia, actually. This is the only route in Canada to use the PZB signalling system. Further, because it uses the PZB signalling system, you might think our trains over here aren't normally equipped to handle it. Turns out you're right. That's why the line has been served by the BR640/BR648. We have the BR648 in the Train Simulator 2021 route package, traveling between Norddeutsche-Bahn: Kiel and Lübeck! For those not wanting new routes, it's also its own DLC. There is also a different, and apparently much better, option at RailTraction. So without even realizing it, I'll be able to drive the very train used in Ottawa, across the province from me. But that's not all. The route is going to also be serviced by seven brand-spanking new trains. The Stadler FLIRT train is the train that is going to join the 648 in mixed train service when services resume. ChrisTrains has a FLIRT3, which I believe is a different model, but it could be a basis for potentially getting the FLIRT in with this little route. It gets even better. When the route opened in 2001, it was served by the BR643. We have that too! Every train on this route is already in Train Simulator. So naturally, we only have one new train for DTG here in the FLIRT, and a very small route that might be about 16 km or so when completed, with very short scenario turnaround times. Might not be a full price DLC value. But would definitely be a great little option for killing time with a quick passenger service, and a scenario could be done as a back and forth service. Might be a fun project for someone to take on. the FLIRT meanwhile can be employed in a project in the Netherlands, to try to support the SimTogether crowd who makes a bunch of freeware over there. Perhaps some of the freeware they use can be included in the actual route, though that might turn off the people who made it and don't get anything for the sales from the route. Might be a good option for at least introducing the train officially.
