Train Simulator 2021

[Wivenswold]

A South East London Network (basically an extension of South London Network/Chatham Main Line/Medway route) is now available for free from the Steam Workshop, those 3 mentioned existing routes are among the main requirements it would seem.

Projects to get excited about in 2023:
DTG are working on a new improved TSC User Interface with a number of stability and functionality improvements to the core game and extending the games' life past its 20th anniversary.
AP have teased what appears to be a new improved weather and lighting pack. There's the 317/318 pack on the way (an AP/GU Studios collaboration)
ATS/GU Studios are releasing their Stadler 745/755 pack to work on their forthcoming update/extended Great Eastern Line. They are also working on the next phase of the WCML missing link to Manchester and a Cross Country merge of the Huddersfield/Chat Moss/Harrogate freeware route to bring a full Cross Country route.
The Class 309 Preservation Society are planning to release Clacton/Walton to London in NSE era using their purpose-built 309 model and AP 321/86s.
Backdated Train Sim (makers of the excellent NSE era North London Line) have released a Class 85 as freeware.

So with news that DTG are not only continuing to support the game but actually looking at ways of updating it, I think our virtual train and route collections will continue to give pleasure for years to come or until there's a modern sim that takes playability and immersion further than they managed with TSW.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

A South East London Network (basically an extension of South London Network/Chatham Main Line/Medway route) is now available for free from the Steam Workshop, those 3 mentioned existing routes are among the main requirements it would seem.

Projects to get excited about in 2023:
DTG are working on a new improved TSC User Interface with a number of stability and functionality improvements to the core game and extending the games' life past its 20th anniversary.
AP have teased what appears to be a new improved weather and lighting pack. There's the 317/318 pack on the way (an AP/GU Studios collaboration)
ATS/GU Studios are releasing their Stadler 745/755 pack to work on their forthcoming update/extended Great Eastern Line. They are also working on the next phase of the WCML missing link to Manchester and a Cross Country merge of the Huddersfield/Chat Moss/Harrogate freeware route to bring a full Cross Country route.
The Class 309 Preservation Society are planning to release Clacton/Walton to London in NSE era using their purpose-built 309 model and AP 321/86s.
Backdated Train Sim (makers of the excellent NSE era North London Line) have released a Class 85 as freeware.

So with news that DTG are not only continuing to support the game but actually looking at ways of updating it, I think our virtual train and route collections will continue to give pleasure for years to come or until there's a modern sim that takes playability and immersion further than they managed with TSW.

I'm also looking forward to 2023 in TS. ATS's next WCML release will be a merge and will be Euston to Liverpool and Preston, and then also hopefully in 2023 they'll also release Crewe to Manchester (which will bolt itself on to the WCML merge if you have it but will be a standalone product if not). Also looking forward to JT releasing the MML Buxton and Peak Forest Extension, and whatever else AP have up their sleeves (hopefully 60, 70 and 323 EPs!)

 

[365 Networker]

Crewe to Manchester

Will Manchester Airport be included?

whatever else AP have up their sleeves (hopefully 60, 70 and 323 EPs!)

Along with a 323, I'm hoping for a 310/312 and an 4EPB

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Will Manchester Airport be included?

Along with a 323, I'm hoping for a 310/312 and an 4EPB

Yes, Manchester Airport will be included.

 

[43055]

I'm also looking forward to 2023 in TS. ATS's next WCML release will be a merge and will be Euston to Liverpool and Preston, and then also hopefully in 2023 they'll also release Crewe to Manchester (which will bolt itself on to the WCML merge if you have it but will be a standalone product if not). Also looking forward to JT releasing the MML Buxton and Peak Forest Extension, and whatever else AP have up their sleeves (hopefully 60, 70 and 323 EPs!)

Looking forward to the WCML if they are being combined. Earlier in the year AP was recording sounds on 43048 so potentially an update to the HST pack is on the way.

 

[365 Networker]

Yes, Manchester Airport will be included.

Excellent - I'm very much looking forward to that route.

 

[Silver Cobra]

ATS/GU Studios are releasing their Stadler 745/755 pack to work on their forthcoming update/extended Great Eastern Line.

I'm definitely looking forward to the release of both of these. I came in to the TS franchise a bit too late to get the Norwich extension for the GEML when it was on the workshop, so having a new opportunity to drive the full length of the GEML will be amazing, especially with the 745/755.

 

[Wivenswold]

I'm definitely looking forward to the release of both of these. I came in to the TS franchise a bit too late to get the Norwich extension for the GEML when it was on the workshop, so having a new opportunity to drive the full length of the GEML will be amazing, especially with the 745/755.

I think there's an Aventra on the way. I've seen screen grabs of WIP models of a 345 and a 720 about a year ago now. The GEML WIP screen shots look amazing.

As much as I'd love a 310 or 312 from AP a lack of sound recordings may hinder that from happening. They have taken recordings of engines used in 1st Gen DMUs so I think some updated/new diesel slammers are more likely. Especially with so many Cross-Country routes released and on the way, the Bristol to Birmingham freeware route is due to be extended and updated to be payware, again from ATS.

 

[365 Networker]

As much as I'd love a 310 or 312 from AP a lack of sound recordings may hinder that from happening.

AP have class 442 motor recordings - the same EE546 motor used on the 310 and 312. They also have MK2 bogie sounds which could be used - all they would need to do is record the static cab sounds from 312729.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

ATS appear to also be working on MkV coaching stock - Alan showed off some CS examples a while back on stream.

 

[Silver Cobra]

ATS appear to also be working on MkV coaching stock - Alan showed off some CS examples a while back on stream.

I'm currently working on a Caledonian Sleeper ECML divert scenario using Mk3s reskinned with the Mk5 livery. It may be prudent for me to hold off publishing it for now if ATS could be releasing Mk5s in the near future.

 

[_toommm_]

I'm currently working on a Caledonian Sleeper ECML divert scenario using Mk3s reskinned with the Mk5 livery. It may be prudent for me to hold off publishing it for now if ATS could be releasing Mk5s in the near future.

I would publish it anyway. People will drive it, and there'll always be people nostalgic for the MK2/MK3 days.

 

[brad465]

So I'm having big problems with this classic "Out of Memory" crash at the moment (despite having 16GB RAM and a SSD with 100GB space still available), but not when playing a route/using editor, but when navigating the home tabs after a short while. I can usually get into a route if I go straight there without too much navigating, and once in all is fine. But doing things like going through the Workshop section and doing long browses lead to it crashing. Has anyone had this occur when trying to navigate the home tabs? I've tried many of the "fixes" suggested online, but none of them have done it.

 

[Inversnecky]

I think it’s more likely as a result of Workshop items. Have you been subscribing while perusing?

 

[computerSaysNo]

doing things like going through the Workshop section and doing long browses lead to it crashing.

I don't use that tab in game at all, does it show images and/or video for each workshop item?
If the issue is* memory-related I suppose the game might be loading in the images for every workshop item found when you search, even if said items are hundreds or thousands of places down the list, and then not releasing that memory when you search again or go to a different tab, which would cause a crash.
*The issue might not be strictly related to memory usage at all, Train Simulator has a habit of displaying "out of memory" even if the error is something completely different.

 

[brad465]

I think it’s more likely as a result of Workshop items. Have you been subscribing while perusing?

I don't use that tab in game at all, does it show images and/or video for each workshop item?
If the issue is* memory-related I suppose the game might be loading in the images for every workshop item found when you search, even if said items are hundreds or thousands of places down the list, and then not releasing that memory when you search again or go to a different tab, which would cause a crash.
*The issue might not be strictly related to memory usage at all, Train Simulator has a habit of displaying "out of memory" even if the error is something completely different.

I recently subscribed to the Southeastern Network route recently released, but I did this via Steam online rather than in the game itself, and the problem was going on before this anyway. One of the possible causes outlined was corrupted scenario files, so deleted two that were over 1MB, where advice was anything over 500kb was likely to be corrupted, but that still didn't solve it. The SE Network Route loads fine when going straight to it, so don't believe that's causing the problem. I have also done some game mode/graphic setting changes and done a file verification run, followed by clearing cache. I haven't yet looked at a full uninstall and reinstall, given this would be a last resort given how long it will take.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

I recently subscribed to the Southeastern Network route recently released, but I did this via Steam online rather than in the game itself, and the problem was going on before this anyway. One of the possible causes outlined was corrupted scenario files, so deleted two that were over 1MB, where advice was anything over 500kb was likely to be corrupted, but that still didn't solve it. The SE Network Route loads fine when going straight to it, so don't believe that's causing the problem. I have also done some game mode/graphic setting changes and done a file verification run, followed by clearing cache. I haven't yet looked at a full uninstall and reinstall, given this would be a last resort given how long it will take.

Verifying files may well be the problem, it’s known to cause issues for many. A fresh install may be the only answer.

 

[Inversnecky]

TS can be quirky, and I wonder if anyone else has this issue: if I favourite a scenario, it disappears from the list.

So what I have to do is go into the Build tab, select scenarios, where it still appears, clone it, then I can see the clone only in the Drive>Scenarios section.

Verifying files may well be the problem, it’s known to cause issues for many. A fresh install may be the only answer.

Or rather just look at your DLC via the Steam client, untick the route to uninstall in, then recheck the box to reinstall?

 

[FrodshamJnct]

TS can be quirky, and I wonder if anyone else has this issue: if I favourite a scenario, it disappears from the list.

So what I have to do is go into the Build tab, select scenarios, where it still appears, clone it, then I can see the clone only in the Drive>Scenarios section.



Or rather just look at your DLC via the Steam client, untick the route to uninstall in, then recheck the box to reinstall?

You are forgetting third party content (of which I’d imagine most even semi-long term users of TSC would have vastly more of than their Steam DLC). The problem with file verification is that it affects third party content, not content downloaded from Steam. So if verification has been done on everything, then a clean install may well be needed.

 

[Silver Cobra]

I've had my fair share of problems in the past when browsing and downloading workshop content within TSC, ranging from broken scenario names/descriptions to corrupted scenarios crashing the game. One way I've found that largely eliminates this problem is to browse the workshop content in the Steam client rather than in-game, and if there is anything I'm interested in playing I subscribe to the content there and then locate the files in Steam's workshop folder to manually extract/unzip into TSC's folder, rather than having the game do it for me. What I'm guessing causes the corruptions is that the game doesn't properly extract the workshop files sometimes, especially if you subscribe to a lot of content in one go.

The folder Steam downloads workshop content into before TSC extracts/unzips the content into its own folder can be found here:

...\steamapps\workshop\content\24010

Workshop content from 2017 to present day is stored within simple ZIP files in each folder in this directory. Content older than from 2017 is stored using a '_legacy.bin' file extension rather than '.zip', but programs like 7-Zip can still open these files and extract the contents.

In most cases you can simply extract the contents of the ZIP files directly to your Railworks folder:

...\steamapps\common\Railworks

...and it should work no problem.

 

[Inversnecky]

In case anyone is unaware, AP is imminently about to release a new Signalling Enhancement Pack, which not only improves the lighting and depiction of signals, but also more accurately renders changing to red on train passing overlap, rather than the signal, sequence changing, and also approach control:

https://www.armstrongpowerhouse.com/free_download/manuals/APSEP_Manual.pdf

 

[FrodshamJnct]

In case anyone is unaware, AP is imminently about to release a new Signalling Enhancement Pack, which not only improves the lighting and depiction of signals, but also more accurately renders changing to red on train passing overlap, rather than the signal, sequence changing, and also approach control:

https://www.armstrongpowerhouse.com/free_download/manuals/APSEP_Manual.pdf

Trailer has just landed:

Trailer has just landed:

And the pack itself is out:

Signal Enhancement Pack

www.armstrongpowerhouse.com

 

[InkyScrolls]

And the pack itself is out:

Signal Enhancement Pack

www.armstrongpowerhouse.com

That looks grand!

Does anyone know if there are any plans in the works to recreate 'the Triangle', the electrified lines from Leeds to Skipton, Bradford (Forster Square) and Ilkley? They would make an ideal route, providing a compact network with many stations, one unique traction (class 333, the files for which could also be used on a 332 model), and a challenging real world timetable; if extended to Settle Junction it would also fill the 'missing link' south of the S&C.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Has anyone else found that the way a trains' controls have been set up on the keyboard to be major factor in the enjoyability of a particular train and route? The example I'm most thinking of is the Just Trains S8; it's a good enough unit but I don't like the way the throttle and brakes/power-brake controller ("PCB") are set up with the keyboard, mostly that they are both continuously variable, I find I spend longer looking at the percentage in the HUD to check that the throttle/brake is exactly where I want it, than I do looking at the actual route.
And I don't like it when I'm aiming for e.g. 50% brake, and the simulator will give me 48% or 51% or 49% or 52% each time I tap the keyboard button but never settles at exactly 50%? I know it's less realistic but I would much rather it be set up a la the Networker, with three set steps of brake and four set steps of throttle.
And I dislike how long the S8 PCB pauses in 0%/"off-and-release" when you're trying to go straight from brake to throttle or vice versa. I find if doing it on a steep incline from a stand it's just a recipe for unintended rollback.

Anyway, end of post/end of rant.

 

[InkyScrolls]

In real life traction varies on whether it has notched or infinitely variable settings on the brake/power handle, and TS simulates this accurately.

E.g. a 158 has seven power notches and three brake notches (plus emergency), whereas a 195 has (quasi-)infinite variation between 0% and 100%. The latter is much more mentally taxing to drive because you're constantly second guessing where you've put the brake.

 

[computerSaysNo]

In real life traction varies on whether it has notched or infinitely variable settings on the brake/power handle, and TS simulates this accurately.

Yes, I just wish there was an option to easily set up the PBC to give notches.

E.g. a 158 has seven power notches and three brake notches (plus emergency), whereas a 195 has (quasi-)infinite variation between 0% and 100%. The latter is much more mentally taxing to drive because you're constantly second guessing where you've put the brake.

It's interesting to know that the infinitely-variable PBC is more difficult to use in real life too.

 

[Inversnecky]

I guess it’s hard with only the A and D keys, whereas a real life lever has that sideways movement as the power and braking ‘runs’ are offset.

I can about handle this, but it’s certain trains (can’t think of examples off hand), where the computer’s reaction is a bit ‘sticky’- a simple press of D doesn’t put you into brake step 1, you have to hold it a little longer, and it you aren’t careful, before you know it, you’re into emergency!

 

[FrodshamJnct]

AP have just released v2 of their weather enhancement pack. £24.99 if you don’t own v1 and £19.99 if you do.

 

[wilbers]

Another humble bundle, and (other than the base game) there isn't any overlap with last November's bundle. Includes some very recent DLC.

Train Simulator Classic: On the Fast Track

We’ve teamed up with Dovetail Games for our newest game bundle. Get Train Simulator Classic and add-ons including new locos, routes, and more. Pay what you want & support charity!

www.humblebundle.com

 

[Silver Cobra]

The Steam Spring Sale is now under way and runs until 5pm GMT on 23rd March. All editions of TS Classic are between 30% and 60% discounted, and most add-ons have between 10% and 70% off. Likewise, Great British Railway Journeys is also 50% off for a big saving on a nice collection of UK routes for TSC.