What Route Should I Buy And Why?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by nwp1, Jul 7, 2024.

  1. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    While the sale is on l still need to buy the following and really don’t know what to buy next in this sale and in future?

    NZTS workshop
    Midland Line Aickens Springfield Route

    ANDGames Ltd
    Taurus Mountains Turkish route

    Milepost Simulations
    UP Wasatch Ogden-Evanston route
    Mount Shasta Dunsmuir-Klamath route Arizona Divide Winslow-Williams route

    I would appreciate anyone’s thoughts on these routes please. Thanks in anticipation…
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2024
  2. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    I got the Midland Line Aickens Springfield Route but I refunded it fairly quickly
    It was not very good in my view and the route is quite slow and the Electric locos were a disappointment
    Watch a video to get a better view.

    I have seen videos of the Taurus Mountains Turkish route and the loco and trains look good but its quite a long single track line with passing loops - watch a video before making your mind up
     
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  3. Ingwar

    Ingwar Member

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    Mount Shasta Dunsmuir-Klamath route is very nice! Especially with SS SD40-2 and UTS Creations SD9 Enhancement. My favorite part of this route is quite steep descent to Dunsmuir.
     
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  4. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    Thank you 749006 and Ingwar for your responses, which l do appreciate.
     
  5. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Midland Line has nice scenery but has huge performance issues and loading a save game was unreliable, as in TSC go bye byes with CTD. As Pete says the electric locos were not that good, very quiet as were the diesels. I bought one of the steam loco packs and couldna make head nor tail of how to operate properly, had to set up and adjust lube oil flow to the cylinders and if you got it wrong, game over.

    The Turkish route is nice but all uphill in one direction and downhill in the other. Again had massive performance issues on release and I thought the diesel loco sounds a bit lacking. Not sure if one or both items since addressed.

    Not got Wasatch or the Arizona but I bought Mount Shasta a couple of years ago, not actually finished a complete run across the route. It is quite scenic.

    In some respects I prefer the Eastern USA routes in TSC. B&O is good and we have been discussing Hanover Sub. I also got Boston and Albany which is nice and comes with a good cross section of motive power. Springfield looks good too and on my wishlist for a future sale.
     
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  6. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    I got Great British Railway. Journeys combo for 5.99 on the steam summer sale get 5 routes , they are ECML London to Peterborough ,Settle and Carlisle, Chatham toMedway ,GEML London Ipswitch,North Wales coastline, Portsmouth line, Also got WCML north for 5.99. US wise B& O mtn sub ,, CSX Hanover Sub Saluda Grade ..those are good . Got Hudson Line Grand Central to Croton Harmon for 5.99 in sale Got Surfliner La San Diego 123 mile route runs along Pacific Ocean , Soldir Summit provo to helper DRGW era 1980s , Feather River Enhanced nice route Williams Loop trestles tunnels, NS Coal route West Brownsville. Waynesburg pa Bailey Mine Ex monongahela RR
     
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  7. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    As far as these 3 routes are concerned.....

    Wasatch Grade is really only worth it if you also get Smokeboxes Big Boy and Challenger locomotives, as the default ones on the route, aren't really that great, but Smokeboxes pro level steam locos make the route a great challenge.

    Arizona Divide was a route that Milepost started really to improve on their scenery work, its also one of the more faster US routes, though the east side of the map is nothing but Arizona Desert.

    Shasta is the best overall over the 3, the reuse of the old DTG SD9 into a SP SD9E is nice (Since I consider it one of the better locos overall from them) Plus its nice to get some better SP stock than what came with Donner Pass (Though Im a bit bias to that). Routewise is its a slow climb out of Dunsmuir, followed by running around the base of Mt Shasta, followed by flat running into Klamath Falls.
     
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  8. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Well on a whim I just threw the Springfield/New Haven route in there too, really is the last purchase in this Steam sale. So much to play now, where to start! Got this one because I do like retro US, gives a sort of Kalmbach model railway feel, all those layouts set back in the halycon 50's and 60's (which probably weren't as halycon as we might imagine!).
     
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  9. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    OV, that’s a good choice, l have that and will get Boston Albany when the price drops a little more.

    Thank you to everyone who replied, l will go for Mount Shasta as the first choice from the five l mentioned followed by CSX Hanover Subdivision.
     
  10. IronBladder

    IronBladder Well-Known Member

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    The desert side has some impressive bridges to cross, and I do like the slow transition from desert scrub to wooded hills as the route slowly climbs.

    Coming from the UK, for me it has the added attraction that I have travelled on the route (1988) and broke my journey in Flagstaff to see the Grand Canyon and other sites. Flagstaff station and environs is convincingly modelled.
     
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  11. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    I bought the NS C 39 8 loco dlc for 9.99 found out it gives you Roadrailer train scenario on Horseshoe curve ..TSC prob the only train sim that gives you triple crown roadrailer trains
     
  12. Ingwar

    Ingwar Member

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    BTW Mount Shasta route for OpenRails is even better then for TS.
     
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  13. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    My-Trainz-Screenshot-Image.jpg
     
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  14. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the advice everyone, l bought Mount Shasta, Arizona Divide and CSX Hanover. All are very enjoyable.
     
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  15. PhÜnKî_Rø0sTā

    PhÜnKî_Rø0sTā Well-Known Member

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    Space depending I was thinking of getting the new Glasgow route with the 385 and possibly frather river enhanced.

    Also, I wouldn’t mind getting the Essex Lind and mayflower line from JT

    Are they worth it?
     
  16. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    Go for them all. I enjoyed the four routes you mentioned.especially feather river and the enhanced one too. Sale ends tomorrow though.
     
  17. Mertcan

    Mertcan Member

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    A new locomotive and wagon pack is coming for the "Taurus Mountains" expansion. The DLC package, including the American EMD GT26CW-2 (DE33000) type locomotive, Eanos-wu, Zacens-wu, and beautiful scenarios, will be released soon.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  18. Cyclone

    Cyclone Well-Known Member

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    What makes a scenario "beautiful"?
     
  19. PhÜnKî_Rø0sTā

    PhÜnKî_Rø0sTā Well-Known Member

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    I bought the Glasgow to Dunblane line, and feather River enhanced and also dropped some money on the Glasgow Airport rail link.

    The mayflower lawn while it looks nice requires Too much stuff that I don’t have for scenarios and I don’t really have the space (Only have 40 GB on my driveway train Ia and that’s including pretty much all my stock without the AP stock packs)
     
  20. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    I’m currently trying to drive through my TSC routes in alphabetical rotation, arrived now at Bahnstrecke Leipzig to Dresden. What struck me is how nice this route actually looks in TSC, despite being one of my favourites in TSW, just so much better. Can certainly recommend and of course unlike TSW it doesn’t cut off short at Riesa.

    Prior to that I had done a run on the B&O Sub which I would also describe as a wonderful and heartwarming route. Though my verdict still out on the H9 steam loco for it. Took ages before the AI fireman started to put any water in the boiler from the tender and top speed under power seems to be capped at 38 - 39 MPH, no matter how you manipulate the reverser and regulator. Shame as it looks and sounds good, but definitely needs better physics.
     
  21. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    Bought trainz 2022 and some dlc routes for it..I did get the roadrailers .
     
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  22. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    What is your impression of Trainz 2022 in comparison to Train Simulator Classic?

    l purchased all the Trainz editions prior to 2022 and find them all so much the same that l didn’t bother this time, so would welcome yours or anyone else’s thoughts.
     
  23. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    I can never take Trainz as a serious simulation. Best route building software but the driving experience remains plain bloody awful (pardon mild sweaty). It really hasn’t advanced much since the programme first arrived in late 2001, about six months behind MSTS.

    TRS22 was a bigger cash grab than DTG putting a new version of TSW each year. Looks the same, plays the same but pushes the hardware more and unless you buy into the subscription model you don’t get the new more advanced Surveyor. I waited until the Steam version was on sale and bought that but no way worth N3V’s outrageous full asking price.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2024
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  24. Mertcan

    Mertcan Member

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    Have you ever waited for train meetups at a station on a single-track railway? Or you're on a passenger train. You’re going uphill and there’s a freight train in front of you. Let’s say that freight train broke down. The broken-down freight train is blocking the way. In this case, they will need to call a locomotive from the nearest location. Your train happens to be the closest train to that area. In this scenario, you will leave the passenger cars at an intermediate station and go to help that train. After moving the train to an empty track, you will reconnect with your passenger cars and continue on your way.

    In another possible scenario, let’s say your locomotive broke down. You’re stranded. In this case, you will fix the problem on the road and get the train running again to continue your journey.

    Let me tell you about a scenario we created for the "Taurus Mountains." A freight train derails and the crews are clearing the wreckage. We take our locomotive to that area and move the cars to a safe location, ensuring the train traffic can resume. This scenario is currently available in the Taurus Mountains expansion.

    And let me tell you about an even crazier scenario. Have you ever seen aliens or a UFO while traveling by train? We included this in TSC and made the scenario exciting. In our new DLC pack, we will also have such attention-grabbing scenarios that include situations a real-life engineer might encounter. You’ll see these when the DLC is released.

    Is it more enjoyable to drive a train like a robot on a straight double-track road, or to drive a train in an exciting way with possible real-life challenges, wondering "what might happen next?" The choice is yours...

    UFO Scenario:
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2024
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  25. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Sounds like a Day One purchase.
     
  26. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    Although it is different it is still a default scenario and you will still see the same locos and the same trains going the opposite way.

    I like the Real Drives that Kim Olesen created as no two runs are the same.
    You will get adverse signals but where you see red signals will always be different.
    https://rail-sim.de/forum/filebase/entry-list/?userID=13496
     
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  27. Cyclone

    Cyclone Well-Known Member

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    It originally did cut off at Riesa. Thankfully, it got an extension. Maybe one day TSW will get it, too.
     
  28. Spikee1975

    Spikee1975 Well-Known Member

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    No. And not of importance for us here ;)
     
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  29. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    I just started playing Trainz 22 also got Trainz 19 on the steam sale ,so far the things i like about it ,1 you can run very long train s and after buying some DLC routes it gives you assets that come with it more engines cars paint schemes etc..has a good variety of cars and locomotives old and new , on some of the US routes they have more ambience like radio chatter and a few talking defect detectors. You can also load your cars with good variety of freight ,i made a loaded steel coil train in TRZ 22 have to load each car it time consuming but i saved it into game . A few things i dont like so far too much web payware via files plus need a trainz account which i cant sign up lots of others complain and n3v wont fix it a friend told the account issue been around for years. After playing TSW TSC Trainz games i find no game is ever perfect all have some issues .
     
  30. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    I also mostly operations type player like building trains and run them in TRZ22 etc they have level building editing etc i dont see myself doing that plus steep learning curve takes lots of time skill and patience. : Another thing to add they have Australian. Locomotives in trainz they are neat.. Bought some AC44ci and my favorites are the big clyde manufacturing. CLF units with cowl like carbody and the US like F unit cab they call them bulldogs there and power wise the ones i got basicly a SD40 ? Or something like it .
     
  31. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

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    To me Trainz doesn’t look as highly polished as DTGs train simulators, TSC and TSW.
     
  32. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    Im still enjoying all 4 games so far each has their perks and quirks ..id like to try Run 8 next but cant find it in the steam store unless it s file ware too
     
  33. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    Run 8 is only available from their own website.
     
  34. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the info.
     
  35. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Run 8 also operates a very, shall we say, arcane e-commerce system.
    You can only purchase one item per transaction so if you're buying from outside the US those currency exchange fees mount up (they don't take Paypal).
    You get a download link which has to be copied and pasted into your browser to grab the file. The link is only valid for a short while. There is no account per se to keep track of your purchases (so you don't buy the same item twice!) and the onus is on the customer/player to back up their purchased files.
    The security certification on their files is not up to date which means you get Windows trying to block you downloading then installing the files.

    If you can get past that then it is a very in depth programme where you run the railroad as you wish (I never bothered much with the MP side of things), albeit with graphics which look like old MSTS!
     
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  36. Cyclone

    Cyclone Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, regardless of how good the app is, it has a lot of shortcomings in the background and ownership that I just can't take the risk of buying something that could be wiped out in a PC crash and having to buy it again. I don't run like that.
     
  37. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    From what I've heard, if you did have a catastrophic crash and found you hadn't backed up every last file, they will open up the download again for you. However, in this day and age it shouldn't even be a thing that you technically get a small window to acquire your purchase then the rest is up to you.
     
  38. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    I dont think i will bother with run 8 .I think if it s such a good game they should make it available on regular steam store like other train simulator games . Even with Trainz there a lot of good routes but its e commerce file pay ware ive seen on here and trainz forum people pay for the file ware and cant get them to work etc ..too much jumping through hoops just should be on steam store so anyone can easily buy and download them.
     
  39. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Well despite the commercial hoop jumping, Run 8 is very good and caters for just about every aspect of US heavy freight railroading. If you buy all the SoCal elements you get a massive route that stretches from Fresno and LA in the west out to Seligman. Many of the spurs are set up as industry to handle incoming and outgoing traffic (no loading animations though) allowing you to run locals then take the completed cars back to one of the yards or humps and form into outgoing manifests. Now the game has the Otto AI despatcher that relieves the player of taking care of that aspect, though of course you can still do so if desired. And unlike MSTS, TSC and TSW the AI despatcher is quite intelligent and will hold back lower priority trains or dynamically route, not stick rigidly to the defined path. Something DTG could never fathom for their games!
     
  40. trlz#8165

    trlz#8165 Well-Known Member

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    E
    Even on TSC there a lot of file ware routes etc . The only things im buying is stuff through the store and a download no hassle dealing with files
     
  41. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    You won't be buying any AP or other third party stuff then.
     

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