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Train Simulator 2021

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I'm considering buying the U-Bahn Frankfurt II route, am I better getting this off Steam or from Just Trains?
JT have it on sale at a reduced price just now so if there's no difference between vendors then I'll go for the JT version.
Thanks
 
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Peter C

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I'm considering buying the U-Bahn Frankfurt II route, am I better getting this off Steam or from Just Trains?
JT have it on sale at a reduced price just now so if there's no difference between vendors then I'll go for the JT version.
Thanks
As far as I'm aware, there's normally very little to no difference between versions of routes or stock on Steam and other developers' sites, so I'd suggest the JT one if it's cheaper :)

-Peter
 

_toommm_

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As far as I'm aware, there's normally very little to no difference between versions of routes or stock on Steam and other developers' sites, so I'd suggest the JT one if it's cheaper :)

-Peter

Just as long as you don’t order Armstrong Powerhouse stock through Steam, as you only get one livery for a very small price reduction.
 

Peter C

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Just as long as you don’t order Armstrong Powerhouse stock through Steam, as you only get one livery for a very small price reduction.
That's a very good point. Though I believe the Wherry Lines route is the same (bar a couple of differences?) between Steam and AP’s website?

-Peter
 

_toommm_

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That's a very good point. Though I believe the Wherry Lines route is the same (bar a couple of differences?) between Steam and AP’s website?

-Peter

As far as I can see - I’ve got the Steam version personally.

The only difference is third-party scenarios don’t like using the Steam version if the scenario was created with the AP version, or vice versa (I believe due to different folder structures).
 
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As far as I'm aware, there's normally very little to no difference between versions of routes or stock on Steam and other developers' sites, so I'd suggest the JT one if it's cheaper :)

-Peter
Ah okay, thanks
Just as long as you don’t order Armstrong Powerhouse stock through Steam, as you only get one livery for a very small price reduction.
Ah yes I'm aware of that.
Who's responsible for the product descriptions on Steam, where Steam are acting as a re-seller for AP? I feel like it would be beneficial for it to be mentioned in the description that the Steam version has reduced functionality compared to the standard (AP) version, as people might not be aware that there are differences or that TS products can even be bought from elsewhere.
 

_toommm_

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Ah okay, thanks

Ah yes I'm aware of that.
Who's responsible for the product descriptions on Steam, where Steam are acting as a re-seller for AP? I feel like it would be beneficial for it to be mentioned in the description that the Steam version has reduced functionality compared to the standard (AP) version, as people might not be aware that there are differences or that TS products can even be bought from elsewhere.

I would have thought AP, and DTG may have some say in what they want AP to include.
 

Darandio

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That's a very good point. Though I believe the Wherry Lines route is the same (bar a couple of differences?) between Steam and AP’s website?

-Peter

Depends what you define as different really. They are the both the same price but what you actually receive for your money depending on where you buy it varies massively.

If buying direct from Armstrong Powerhouse you need to own three other routes to run the route and another to use the reworked Class 37, this is potentially another £50 or so without sales. If buying from Steam you don't need to buy anything extra at all and you also receive the Class 37 along with an additional Class 170 and the European and US asset packs.

Granted, long term users of TS may well have the requirements already so will buy directly from AP. For new users, the Steam version is a no brainer.

Who's responsible for the product descriptions on Steam, where Steam are acting as a re-seller for AP? I feel like it would be beneficial for it to be mentioned in the description that the Steam version has reduced functionality compared to the standard (AP) version, as people might not be aware that there are differences or that TS products can even be bought from elsewhere.

I'm not sure the onus is on any vendor to encourage you to buy a product elsewhere and prevent a potential sale, don't forget that it is AP who choose to sell a product with a single livery on Steam, not the other way around. It's no different to any other shopping experience where the customer would research and shop around before committing to a purchase.
 
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I'm not sure the onus is on any vendor to encourage you to buy a product elsewhere and prevent a potential sale, ...
Ah yes, that's very true!

Does anyone know when the JT sale ends (or where to find out)? I forgot to buy it during the day today, if it's still on for a few days yet then I'll get it at the weekend.
 

Flange Squeal

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The South Wales Coastal (Bristol to Swansea) route, withdrawn along with the Welsh Marches route due to Arriva licensing issues, has been re-released in unbranded form. Usually £24.99, it's currently reduced slightly to £19.99 until 1st December.

 

Inversnecky

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As a boy I had a model railway, now in my middle age, I’ve just bought the digital upgrade, TS2021!

I’d used a flight simulator in the past, and previous versions of railway simulators I came across didn’t look so great. But they’ve improved a lot, so I decided to give it a go.

One downside of the model railway is that unless you have an aircraft hangar to house it, all you have to play with are a few ‘model miles’, whereas with the simulator, you can try your hand on hundreds of miles of replicated routes.

it also gives you the opportunity to learn much more about the mechanics of driving a train.
 

Wilts Wanderer

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Just trains have announced they are developing the Hope Valley Route. They've already announced The Highland Mainline so that's two potentially cracking routes they have in development that could cause me to prise open my wallet for this sim twice more.

There was a really excellent freeware version of the HML quite late on in the MSTS era, it was easily my favourite route in the sim. Let’s hope the Just Trains TS version is up to the same standard, it could even pip Cornish Main Line as my ultimate sim route.
 

_toommm_

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Just trains have announced they are developing the Hope Valley Route. They've already announced The Highland Mainline so that's two potentially cracking routes they have in development that could cause me to prise open my wallet for this sim twice more.

Thanks for that! With their MML work, there should be some nice scenario opportunities such as Nottingham to Manchester, freights to Hope, or even Project Rio HSTs.
 

Flange Squeal

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Another upcoming - but presumably closer to release - product announced on Wednesday was Armstrong Powerhouse's Class 411/412 unit. On the topic of JustTrains though, a number of product updates fixing issues were released today and can be downloaded by re-downloading them from your account. The Metropolitan Line, S7+1 stock, S8 stock, 7MT Steamer, MML Scenario Pack, Voyager and South Devon Mainline.

 

365 Networker

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Another upcoming - but presumably closer to release - product announced on Wednesday was Armstrong Powerhouse's Class 411/412 unit. On the topic of JustTrains though, a number of product updates fixing issues were released today and can be downloaded by re-downloading them from your account. The Metropolitan Line, S7+1 stock, S8 stock, 7MT Steamer, MML Scenario Pack, Voyager and South Devon Mainline.

It has been released on the website for £29.99, which is not surprising considering the amount of detail.
 

Inversnecky

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Looks great, but will have to wait for me, after a Winter sale splurge!

AP seems to have a lot more MUs than diesel locos. Is that because they are more common now, and it’s harder to access older locos that have been largely scrapped?
 

Peter C

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AP seems to have a lot more MUs than diesel locos. Is that because they are more common now, and it’s harder to access older locos that have been largely scrapped?
I expect it might be down to what they want to make and what they can make. The 'what they can make' isn't as much of a problem as it used to be, though; see the Class 50 pack as an example - they managed to recreate the sounds of an unrefurbished Class 50 from old 1970s recordings, even though those sounds haven't been made by a Class 50 for years!

-Peter
 

Flange Squeal

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That was quick! Worth noting if you own any of the 205, 319, 456 and 465/466 packs, the scenarios have been updated in those packs if you redownload them to include the new 411/412 pack as AI.
 

Flange Squeal

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Armstrong Powerhouse have updated their Class 175 Enhancement Pack to work with the latest release of Dovetail Games' Bristol to Swansea 'South Wales Coastal' route. The recent withdrawal of the Welsh routes meant the previous 175 with which it was compatible with was no longer available, making the pack useless to new customers or existing players who didn't have the routes previously. It is available for £9.99 for new customers or £2.99 for customers who previously owned the older version. I'm not sure what the main differences are between the previous version and the new one, other than making it compatible with the 175 that is now available, although reading comments online it sounds like these may include the Transport for Wales livery and TMS functionality.


In connection with this, the Weather/Sky and Track Enhancements packs have both also been updated to work with the current South Wales Coastal route.
 

Peter C

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Armstrong Powerhouse have updated their Class 175 Enhancement Pack to work with the latest release of Dovetail Games' Bristol to Swansea 'South Wales Coastal' route. The recent withdrawal of the Welsh routes meant the previous 175 with which it was compatible with was no longer available, making the pack useless to new customers or existing players who didn't have the routes previously. It is available for £9.99 for new customers or £2.99 for customers who previously owned the older version. I'm not sure what the main differences are between the previous version and the new one, other than making it compatible with the 175 that is now available, although reading comments online it sounds like these may include the Transport for Wales livery and TMS functionality.


In connection with this, the Weather/Sky and Track Enhancements packs have both also been updated to work with the current South Wales Coastal route.
I saw the video for this yesterday and I think it's a good thing from AP.

AP's website lists the following in their description:
Following its withdrawal from sale last month, our Class 175 Enhancement Pack has returned in an updated form; Class 175 Enhancement Pack 2.0. Please see below for the main changes in this new version:

- Compatible with the latest version of South Wales Coastal
- 2 new liveries
- Wheelslip Protection (WSP)
- Improved sounds
- Improved cab gauge visuals

Existing customers of our original Class 175 Enhancement Pack can pick up 2.0 for a discounted price of £2.99.
It says "2 new liveries" - one of them is the TfW white and red, but the other two seem to be the ones from the first version of the pack: I'm probably missing something there.

-Peter

EDIT: A look at the manual seems to show that one of the other liveries is the ATW livery without the ATW branding (i.e. ex-ATW).
 

Flange Squeal

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AP's website lists the following in their description:

It says "2 new liveries" - one of them is the TfW white and red, but the other two seem to be the ones from the first version of the pack: I'm probably missing something there.
D'oh - that'll teach me to write things late at night! Answer was staring me in the face all the time.
 

Peter C

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D'oh - that'll teach me to write things late at night! Answer was staring me in the face all the time.
Haha! :) It looks like a very interesting pack, especially with these upgrades. I didn't have it before but will consider it now.

-Peter
 

Flange Squeal

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Hi all,

Having a bit of trouble with the Dovetail 67 and wondered if anyone could help. Driving along, I missed an AWS while in an external view so obviously this caused a TPWS brake demand (red light) and coming up in a heap. On other stock, pressing Q and waiting for the brakes to release usually works, but after 10 minutes the 67's brake demand light is still illuminated and it's looking like the only way I'll finish this scenario is to start it all over again. I've checked the manual, but Dovetail helpfully give absolutely zero information about such features. To be honest some of their manuals seem quite poor information-wise, given they are commercial products.

Any help/advice would be appreciated!
 

_toommm_

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Hi all,

Having a bit of trouble with the Dovetail 67 and wondered if anyone could help. Driving along, I missed an AWS while in an external view so obviously this caused a TPWS brake demand (red light) and coming up in a heap. On other stock, pressing Q and waiting for the brakes to release usually works, but after 10 minutes the 67's brake demand light is still illuminated and it's looking like the only way I'll finish this scenario is to start it all over again. I've checked the manual, but Dovetail helpfully give absolutely zero information about such features. To be honest some of their manuals seem quite poor information-wise, given they are commercial products.

Any help/advice would be appreciated!

The emergency brake plunger might be depressed, so press backspace to see if that releases it. If not, go into neutral and try to release the brakes then.

March Madness sale should start on Thursday...
 
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Flange Squeal

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The emergency brake plunger might be depressed, so press backspace to see if that releases it. If not, go into neutral and try to release the brakes then.

Thanks Tom! Resetting the emergency brake plunger did indeed reset the TPWS Brake Demand light. Was a bit confused as this isn’t how it works in real life, so hadn’t made the connectoon between the two to think to try it!

In other news, it looks like Armstrong Powerhouse have a 325 Enhancement Pack on the way, as shown in the screenshot below of their Facebook page.

7540DCF2-CC2E-4085-8D1C-94C4FA3D5E14.jpeg
(Screenshot of Armstrong Powerhouse Facebook page showing a Class 325 and wording “A special delivery coming soon”).
 

Peter C

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March Madness sale should start on Thursday...
The sale's currently on (13.3.2021) and there are some really good deals. I noticed an interesting difference in pricing when looking earlier: TS2021 Deluxe Edition costs £16.99 and WCML South costs £15.99. My point is that if anyone's looking to get WCML South, you might as well spend the extra £1 and get three extra routes!

In other news, it looks like Armstrong Powerhouse have a 325 Enhancement Pack on the way, as shown in the screenshot below of their Facebook page.

View attachment 92344
(Screenshot of Armstrong Powerhouse Facebook page showing a Class 325 and wording “A special delivery coming soon”).
Sounds interesting. I believe someone on the forums a while ago mentioned they were working - or at least thinking of working - on a project to improve the TS Class 325 but I haven't heard much on the topic in quite some time. This should fill the gap left by the removal of the Class 319/325 Sound Pack when the Class 319 Vol. 1 Pack was introduced and I look forward to it!

-Peter
 

_toommm_

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The sale's currently on (13.3.2021) and there are some really good deals. I noticed an interesting difference in pricing when looking earlier: TS2021 Deluxe Edition costs £16.99 and WCML South costs £15.99. My point is that if anyone's looking to get WCML South, you might as well spend the extra £1 and get three extra routes!


Sounds interesting. I believe someone on the forums a while ago mentioned they were working - or at least thinking of working - on a project to improve the TS Class 325 but I haven't heard much on the topic in quite some time. This should fill the gap left by the removal of the Class 319/325 Sound Pack when the Class 319 Vol. 1 Pack was introduced and I look forward to it!

-Peter
Really looking forward to the 325 too now that we have the full WCML in the game if you include the ATS WCML Midlands and NW.

It would be nice if they built their own, but I suspect it will be an enhancement pack.
 

Peter C

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Really looking forward to the 325 too now that we have the full WCML in the game if you include the ATS WCML Midlands and NW.
I'd forgotten about the operational potential on the full WCML; that certainly makes it an even more interesting announcement.

It would be nice if they built their own, but I suspect it will be an enhancement pack.
Looking at the image upthread, I can't tell whether it's a new unit or an EP but that's because I've not looked much at the existing TS 325. Now I think of it, now's a really good time for AP to announce this with the current March Madness sale too.

-Peter
 

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