Hi, I'd like to know which routes currently have ETCS implemented and working (and which levels of it, if possible). Thanks!
Luzern - Sursee is the only route with ETCS, done by 3rd party Rivet Games. It has levels 0 and 1 if I remember correctly. The route itself is nice but very short, has only one train (RABe 523) and the overall lighting of the route is way too dark.
To expand on the above comment, the ETCS does not function realistically due to the way signal pathing works on the route. I wouldn’t not recommend buying it if you’re looking a realistic operation under ETCS.
ETCS is an extremely complicated system. Just the description of the logic is about 800 pages long. The display specification is a few hundred more pages on top of that. Implementing a fully functional simulation of it would take months. Unless someone from the community takes it up as a passion hobby project, I don't think think it's likely we will ever see a realistic implementation in a train sim addon. I don't know if advertising competitors is banned here, but if you actually want to learn how ETCS works then the only option is the german simulator Zusi, which is used to train real train drivers in ETCS.
I'd expect ETCS will come eventually, as levels 1&2 are going to be increasingly required for modern routes in some places. Across europe new high speed lines are being built with it, Switzerland and Belgium have it almost everywhere I don't necessarily expect them to implement the whole standard, especially that certain functionality would only apply during technical incidents. It'll probably end up being based on LZB, with some features like the track preview screen being simplified. Though now that we have the mini map in the top right, i assume some of the needed features are in the core. What expect we won't see for a while is anything that uses "moving blocks", so ETCS L3 and certain forms of CBTC. That would likely require a lot of reworking of the dispatcher.
If you want a proper ETCS try Zusi (but the coverage is limited, I only ran into it on one testing track near Maschen), Simrail should have it soon (it's now in opt-in sort of beta). A very good alternative is TSC with one of the locos from K-trains that do a lot of magic to simulate how ETCS would behave on any TSC route, including Level 2. But with the way dispatcher works in both TSC and TSW (every signal is a dumb two-state path guard with no additional logic), there will never be a way to implement a proper ETCS.
Let me fix that for you… https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...i3889-tsw-4-lighting-graphic-enhancement-v411
The Dutch freeware route HSL Zuid Amsterdam - Rotterdam - Antwerp is equipped with custom ETCS beacons for the high speed sections of the route. Christrains.com has made two models that simulate ETCS when you drive them on this route, although the simulation is not perfect and simplified. These are the NS BR186 and the NS ICNG. The K-trains locomotives are compatible with these beacons too, so you can drive them on this route with advanced warnings as it should.
Right in Que and highly recommend all of jetwash mods on TScentral. Game changers for the sim which is good already but this enhances it further.
