IMO that route should be set a few years back as the current 720s that run on that line are very similar to the 345s. Pre-2020 you also had 315s, 321s, and 360s, which would be a lot more interesting.
Have you ever heard of Greyhound and Flixbus, they have a stop every few hours just like WCMLoS. So any passenger route can be considered a Bus Style route. I'd argue that Bus routes are more difficult than trains. Bus drivers don't have a safety features designed specifically so they stay awake because it is so boring. Also why peple think there is a big difference between driving a 1 handle train or a 2 handle train. All you do is speed up, slow down and stop, and try to stay awake no steering, no turn signals, no kneeling the train at stops. The whole reason I play TSW is to sit down relax and unwind. And play just before bed to help me fall asleep.
Maybe it’s because I don’t want to fall asleep in the cab of a one handle pretty much silent emu that requires zero effort to drive I will never understand the people who enjoy stopping every minute to drop off passengers and then not even getting up to 40 mph before the next stop the only time stop start services are good is when you are doing shunting around a yard
What about ECML, WCMLoS, LGV, SEHS, Brighton mainline. So you get up to speed and all you do is acknowledge warnings until you stop. So instead of having the most difficult part of driving..stopping and starting all your doing less of that and spending long distances just pushing a button when a sound come up. YAWN. Therefore it takes more effort and work to run these bus style routes than a long distance one. I've worked long distance freight for 10 years and LRT's for 25. And I can tell you the hardest part of my job as a frieght engineer was trying not to fall asleep, i was alot busier and more active driving the LRT. Driving a freight train is really no more difficult to drive than a 1 handle train either, all you are doing is applying power and brake.
Speed limits my friend plus reliving when railways were good aka 1980s, also possibly unrelated but I have autism so I kinda get hyper focus on driving anything that requires more than two brain cells class 86/87, obb 1020/E94 etc, it’s just really boring being stuck in the same 10 to 20 mile area for half these boring bus stop routes and the rest of modern eclectic emu routes where you barely hear any engine power + most of the emus have these tiny windows which just suck (ps I know that’s realistic but I really do hate it, it makes me feel so trapped. anyways this rant probably got a bit derailed so sorry if it doesn’t make sense, to be honest nothing in my brain ever makes sense to normal people
Makes perfect sense I get you, to each there own. I fall asleep playing the longer routes like WCMLoS, to me the challenge is to make stops within 1m of the stop marker on every stop with the commuter routes.
Not quite sure why it’s necessary to have a forensic dissection of the “bus stop” paradigm. It’s a bit of harmless irreverence by those of us who dislike stop/start every two or three minute style routes, usually with a one handled EMU that has little or no decent traction sound. I for one will continue to use the phrase even if it does rankle some sensibilities!
I think so, although the delay in getting the 86 out may push things back. Would absolutely love to see some retro commuter action from JT. WCMLoS is fantastic, but it’s mainly adjusting the tap changers and watching for neutral sections that keep me awake sometimes. As I’ve said before, would love to see the Trent Valley section of the WCML in late 80s/early 90s. Express running and stoppers, plus freight.
Because it makes no sense and is extremely misleading. There are all types of bus routes just like there are with train services - ones that stop everywhere, ones that only serve two terminals and nothing else, ones that serve limited stops only and ones with express sections along part of the route. So essentially, every train service is a bus route rather than picking what suits a particular narrative. If you dislike a start stop route which is your prerogative, surely you’d just say “I dislike start stop routes” so everyone is clear what your referring to.
The difference between modern 1 handle or older 2 handle multiple units is the modern units have traction control and antilock brakes. From stationary you can give it full power and it will accelerate normally up to speed. 100% brakes and it will easily stop. I would compare the experience to driving my car. The older multiple units on the other hand will generally sit there wheel spinning or overload and trip out at full power. Apply the brakes to hard and they would overheat and become useless or the wheels would lock up and the platform would come and go. I remember riding the old 4ceps and the wheels would start slipping at 90mph. I prefer the older full train driving experience myself. Not everyone's cup of tea but that's the difference.
Definitely horses for courses. The much sought after but sadly still elusive addition of a NYC Subway route to TSW is by definition a bus stop route. Yet I would make that a Day One purchase. Expanding a little, bus stop also tends to refer to routes with little or no variation in service pattern. Every train calls at every station.
Going a bit bold with this one, but I think the UK core route might come with with Class 66 in either DB Cargo or EWS livery
One of the major differences for me between the " bus stop " style emus/dmus and diesel electric locomotives is that the modern trains are so overpowered for their size. Driving the 170 on BCC recently, it simply ignored the Lickey Incline even in icy conditions. A freight loco hauling 100 cars on SPG or CRR requires real skill to drive on steep grades. ( Plus those darned "prison cell " windshields. )
I like the “bus Stop” description… very clear what it means to me. So, since it is my prerogative anyway… I dislike Bus Stop services. Start Stop describes every type of route since they all start and stop eventually.. just the duration between those two states vary… of course this whole discussing should stop… and I am also embarrassed that I am adding to it… but not embarrassed enough to stop.
Yes and that's an additional issue with DTG's fixation on doing modern, to please the beancounters. So much of the train collection represents no real challenge to get it moving or stopped. Even though it's not a particularly new train I found the IC set in the Dutch route incredibly dull to drive. Only really needed the first three or four notches to accelerate, drop back to hold speed and with very little traction sound... bored.
I have bought all of the 'bus stop' routes, I am not completely against them really, but after a few sessions after initially playing, I don't get the strong urge to go back and do more services like with other routes. I would just rather see less of them in the TSW6 cycle as we have had loads in TSW5, that's all.
When TSW6 is released, if you decide to take the free/purchased upgrade, does TSW5 including all mods become TSW6 or is it a new reinstall of all DLC alongside TSW5? If so, does that mean all mods become redundant in TSW6 and we wait for the next batch of mods to be created?
It's a flippin good job that some people enjoy stopping at every station on a line using a one handled train. Otherwise the entire London Overground network would have no drivers and commuters would be very unhappy.
Well some of those 'bus stop' routes have existed for just under 200 years... They weren't bus stop routes when they started, and motorised buses weren't even invented by then. Would the same routes still be classed as 'bus stop' routes if they were steam powered? Probably not (horse and cart routes maybe!). I think the only thing that has changed over time is the simplicity of driving.
But on the real thing you have a much more tactile experience than staring at pixels on a 2D screen doing the same A to B or B to A run with little or no variation. IRL the weather conditions make a difference. There might be minor incidents that cause you to be delayed. A door might stick open at one of the station stops and require a kick to close it, followed by an entry in the repair book and call to Maintrol. A glamorous cougar might knock on your cab window, smile nicely and ask if this is the train to xxxxx.
Well there's a big difference between doing something you are paid to do and doing something for fun and enjoyment There's lots of times in my working life when I did tedious jobs just to keep earning a living and put food on the table. However, when I play a game I expect to be entertained rather than bored to tears with endless iterations of " Goblins ". I would concede that many bus and train drivers find their jobs thoroughly enjoyable, however repetitive. And there are many players who do the same. More power to them, but a train simulator worth its salt should cater to all tastes and right now TSW falls short in that regard.
Sounds lovely, there could be the 315 for the Shenfield stopper, and a slam door 309 or 312 (or something else) for the services that are now 720 run. The 86 could be added in as well. (Got Wikipedia to thank for knowledge of what trains ran where during the 1990s!)
I have to agree haha. As brilliant as Just Trains are, I do find WCMLOS a bit boring, Blackpool Branches was pretty good though. I still buy all their DLC to show appreciation for their effort though. I've never been one to enjoy the high-speed runs on TSC either, if it involved driving something like a HST on the GWML or a 444/450 on the PDL I'd always aim for services with frequent stops. I really enjoy the German content though. I spent June and most of July playing Frankfurt Fulda, Frankfurt S-bahn and Navakar Dresden (I spelt it wrong) and I've really enjoyed them, PZB is a very interesting system and keeps the gameplay engaging. I started spending more time so far in August on Main Spessart Bahn (probably spelt wrong too) but it's a blimmin' brilliant route for freight runs. None have been too long, and I especially enjoy the runs which involve a banking locomotive. PZB again makes it very engaging even when there isn't too much traffic.
