Railworks America

When the first preview article regarding this route appeared at the TrainSimulator site, Train-Sim James described it as "... an extension to the popular Berlin-Leipzig route" (which is how its maker, Aerosoft, sells it). When Berlin-Leipzig, which did not interest me at all, appeared in a DTG sale, I purchased it in anticipation of also buying Mighty Seddin Freight. DTG's recent announcement of availability, also written by Train-Sim James, also describes Mighty Seddin Freight as, "40km Extension for the Berlin Leipzig Route Add-On (required as a separate purchase)". Caveat Emptor: Both descriptions are false and misleading! Mighty Seddin Freight includes the entire Berlin-Leipzig route plus the Seddin extension.

My intention here is not to write a full review of this DLC, but just to make a few comments about it.

1) It bears repeating that the new Seddin package, made by Aerosoft, includes the entire Berlin-Leipzig route. The yard facilities at Seddin are extensive and offer a lot of opportunities for shunting-based scenarios, even none of this type is included in the package. However, all switches within this complex are automatic, which, sadly, makes using the functional turntable impossible.

2) The package also includes a DB232 diesel engine made exclusively for this DLC by virtualRailroads and closely resembling the products in their Expert-Line series. The separate manual provided for this engine includes at least one important error: the keyboard control for the handbrake (visible behind the 2nd chair in the cab and also operable with the left mouse button) is <#>. Of course, that symbol is produced by pressing <Shift>+<3>, which has no effect on the engine. As we all know, pressing <3> activates the external-rear camera in TS. I opened a ticket at Dovetail Games Support, to which they replied by repeating what the manual says, adding that, "there is no Camera 3 in this DLC": both statements are false, leading me to wonder whether DTG ever tested this engine.

The messages regarding this engine's operation that pop up in the upper-right corner are exclusively in German and therefore unintelligible to anyone who does not understand that language. This becomes useless and frustrating to those of us who lack German at the start of each scenario: when a scenario opens, the engine appears ready to run, but a second or two later the emergency brake activates and the engine shuts down, leaving the desk and cab lights as the only operable controls. Any attempt to adjust the reverser, brakes, or throttle produces a pop-up message in G-e-r-m-a-n . Even those of us accustomed to reading the manual before driving probably will not remember the required start-up sequence or, if they do, will then be frustrated by trying to use the <#> key to take off the handbrake.

Just for the record, another version of this engine, made by Aerosoft, labeled "DB BR232", and lacking advanced controls, is also available as DLC.

3) Mighty Seddin Freight comes with the same old set of freight cars included with nearly all of DTG's German routes, as well as some very familiar passenger equipment. Surprisingly, the 6 included career ( ) scenarios are all freight based, although they do include passenger trains among their abundant AI rosters. Curiously, all AI trains are named "opposite train" followed by a number or a pair of letters ) Unfortunately, not one of them involves any shunting activity beyond coupling to an already assembled train -- usually after driving an implausible distance to reach said train. As a certain ubiquitous tweeter would write, "Sad!"

4) Once again, do not be fooled by DTG's misleading statements: Mighty Seddin Freight is a standalone package that includes the entire Berlin-Leipzig route.

And DTG Quality Control strikes again . Great write up and very informative.

On Steam's store page it says this "Please Note: The Berlin Leipzig Route Add-On is required, as a separate purchase, in order to utilize the content featured in this add-on." Read here http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... a&start=15

You might need to check this again young Tom, I have had this route since Jan, the author, released it in on his own German website back in 2014, this layout ONLY covers from Berlin to Wittenberg, including the marshalling yards at Seddin.

See my screenshot of the map, and make a note of the route ID number, which is different to the other Berlin - Wittenberg and Berlin - Leipzig routes.

I don't have the Aerosoft package, what is the route number when you have installed it please, as it might be another completely different one, which makes it all the more complicated.
It all depends which version of the route DTG have acquired, the old version from Jan sold through Aerosoft, or, the new version including Leipzig sold through Aerosoft.
I also now understand that there is another version of Seddin being sold through the British 3rd party developer, Just Trains, but, as I don't personally have this I can't say what geographical area that covers, it's all getting highly confusing and will irritate folks no end if they find out they are purchasing content they already have in another forum, from another source, just stand well back and wait for the fireworks to start.....

Cheerz. Steve.

ex-railwayman wrote:You might need to check this again young Tom, I have had this route since Jan, the author, released it in on his own German website back in 2014, this layout ONLY covers from Berlin to Wittenberg, including the marshalling yards at Seddin.

See my screenshot of the map, and make a note of the route ID number, which is different to the other Berlin - Wittenberg and Berlin - Leipzig routes.

I don't have the Aerosoft package, what is the route number when you have installed it please, as it might be another completely different one, which makes it all the more complicated.
It all depends which version of the route DTG have acquired, the old version from Jan sold through Aerosoft, or, the new version including Leipzig sold through Aerosoft.
I also now understand that there is another version of Seddin being sold through the British 3rd party developer, Just Trains, but, as I don't personally have this I can't say what geographical area that covers, it's all getting highly confusing and will irritate folks no end if they find out they are purchasing content they already have in another form, from another source, just stand well back and wait for the fireworks to start.....

Cheerz. Steve.

Young Steve: I cannot respond to your comments, because I do not know anything about your information -- nor do I really care to know. I can simply reiterate what I wrote in my original post: the Mighty Seddin Freight route recently made available by DTG includes every jot and tittle of DTG's older Berlin-Leipzig p*l*u*s a connecting branch to Seddin that departs from the location of a portal named BAR Exit Saarmund links found on the older route. As far as I can see, Mighty Seddin Freight is a stand-alone product that does not require ownership of Berlin-Leipzig. However, I can think of a way to test this: I will temporarily remove the Berlin-Leipzig route from my DLC list and take another look at Mighty Seddin Freight. This is a bit of a pain in the neck, but it should lead to a definite conclusion about this issue.

It's always nice to see how open minded educators are to being possible educated.

Did he read my post and the link to UKTS ?

https://steamdb.info/sub/141321/apps/ This should be proof that Berlin-Leipzig isn't included with Mighty Seddin.

I actually reckon Tom has previously purchased the Berlin Leipzig Route and cannot remember doing so.

OpenRailer90 wrote:https://steamdb.info/sub/141321/apps/ This should be proof that Berlin-Leipzig isn't included with Mighty Seddin.

In the words of young Tom, do not be fooled by DTG's sometimes misleading statements, the ONLY proof is a screenshot of the actual map when the route has been installed.

buzz456 wrote:It's always nice to see how open minded educators are to being possible educated.

I think its more like the blind leading the blind........

OldProf wrote:Young Steve: I cannot respond to your comments, because I do not know anything about your information -- nor do I really care to know. I can simply reiterate what I wrote in my original post: the Mighty Seddin Freight route recently made available by DTG includes every jot and tittle of DTG's older Berlin-Leipzig p*l*u*s a connecting branch to Seddin that departs from the location of a portal named BAR Exit Saarmund links found on the older route. As far as I can see, Mighty Seddin Freight is a stand-alone product that does not require ownership of Berlin-Leipzig. However, I can think of a way to test this: I will temporarily remove the Berlin-Leipzig route from my DLC list and take another look at Mighty Seddin Freight. This is a bit of a pain in the neck, but it should lead to a definite conclusion about this issue.

All of these routes are stand alone, Tom, that is how they were originally sold, the problem is we don't know which version of the route this particular one is on Steam, until someone very kindly buys it and posts a screenshot of it onto one of the forums so we can see exactly what else might be needed, you see, originally, Aerosoft married the original Seddin route with the Berlin-Wittenberg route, now, there is talk of the Seddin route being joined to the Berlin-Leipzig route, it's all got a bit confusing now, I think it could be joined to either route if you copy and paste the associated bin files across successfully. I have all 3 versions separately, one of the major problems with these German routes is that they are generally very resource hungry, that is why they all recommend we have 6/8 GB RAM and a good graphics card to run them without much stuttering, I have both the Seddin and the Leipzig route as one map now, you can see my computer specs below and my version is jerky in a couple of places, folks with a low-mid range computer might struggle and those with laptops might just get a slide show and give up, it's a massive route of course when its all merged together.

Cheerz. Steve.

Okay, okay, I admit that I was wrong in claiming that Mighty Seddin Freight can stand on its own. I discovered this because before deleting Berlin-Leipzig (which, Trev123, I certainly knew that I had purchased ) I had made a simple experimental Standard scenario to test the MSF turntable. After deleting B-L, I opened that scenario for editing and discovered that the area of the yard in which the TT stands was visually barren of most tracks as well as terrain features. The tracks are actually present, appear in the 2D map, and can be driven on, but the sight is peculiar to say the least. I have now restored B-L to my Steam collection and all is well visually again.
My apologies, folks.

The turntable does work, by the way, but driving onto it is extremely difficult because all of the switches on the route are automatic. I'm determined to find a way around this, so that the player's engine can cross the TT, pick up an auxiliary engine, and proceed with whatever I decide to have it do. Of course, in true TS fashion, a track marker cannot be placed on the TT's bridge track. Perhaps someday the TSW and TS developers will get together so that the latter can learn how to make fully functioning turntables like the one in TSW?

[quote="ex-railwayman"... what is the route number when you have installed it please, as it might be another completely different one, which makes it all the more complicated.[/quote]

The route number for Mighty Seddin Freight is e0608c56-62df-4d5a-9bee-0db57fcfc651. And here's another interesting tidbit: Mighty Seddin Freight does not show up in RW Tools, but its scenarios appear in the list associated with Berlin-Leipzig anc can be edited there (maybe).

Tom -- far from young