Next USA Route (Speculate)

[Ericmopar]

BNSF TransCon from Needles Ca to Winslow Az.
Across the Colorado river, to Kingman Az to Flagstaff Az and it's beautiful volcanic landscape to Winslow in the middle of nowhere, but in a Eagles song.

It might be fun to do a section of the old Saint Louis and South Western.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

When it comes tot DTG, it probably depends on the licence for the rolling stock.
So no BNSF, or its predecessors?

DTG holds licences for UP, CSX and NS.

I agree with the speculation over a stretch of N&W mainline in WV. Just for the possibility to acquire 611.

DTG seems to have commisioned theorie latest routes from a capable crew.

So who knows?

[TheOldDessauer]

Norfolk & Western Bluefield to Williamson, VA, with coal branches. Since N&W waited so long to dieselize it would be a perfect Steam-era, First Generation or up-to-date route. LOTS of traffic and switching. Can you imagine the 611 running the Powhatan Arrow and 2-8-8-2's with mile-long trains of hoppers.

While I would LOVE some N&W steam, just dont think it is ever going to happen. There is no $ in it for them. Steam age is too difficult, too much work in a steam loco - look at 844 or Miss Connie. Theya re interested in the XBox gen - click and go, I would think it too difficult with the infinite variables of a steam loco. On top of that, it seems VMT "own" the copyright to 611 and I cant see them giving permission, but I guess you could do all J members other than 611. There was a perfect opportunity to do more with the HSC, but it never eventuated.

I am looking forward to Ver 3 of the VNHRR from Michael & Bob and maybe the extended COA Beta 5 that James is working on - (just unfortunate that the NH is flat, but it is beautiful). At least there is some new steam coming, although a few months off (Victory Works S Class)

I want to presage this response with a qualification: I am not criticizing you, but responding to the notion that there is no market for U.S. Steam Locomotives. As the person who started this thread asked, I am not arguing or criticizing, just stating my firmly held beliefs.

Nearly every important class of U.K. steam is represented in the game, with more on the way, therefore, I respectfully dispute your claim of there being no money in it for them. This is similar to people saying there is no money in making simulators in general, or specifically, rail simulators. Train Simulator DLC and other products sell, that much is clear. And you have Trainz Simulator which has many excellently rendered U.S. steam locomotives, and they are selling. And, from the number of posts that I have read here, and on Steam's TS forums and at Railworks web site, there are plenty of people who want, and would pay for, U.S. Steam Locomotives. There is also a persistent cadre of naysayers who continue to poopoo all over the idea of more U.S. steam...I can't understand it.

I am well aware that it takes a lot of effort to make a steam locomotive for this game; this is no excuse, as it also takes effort to make the other assets, and that is not slowing down the development of those assets.

I have heard these naysayers claim this before, but it is never backed up by any marketing research that I have seen. If "they" say that there is no market for U.S. steam engines, I would agree... provisionally:

There is no market for "broken" Steam locomotives like the IHH and RSC Challengers and Big Boys, who poor textures, lack of detail, broken and missing smoke emitters, non- functioning headlights, unrealistic physics and poor sound effects render them essentially Alpha-stage test models. If this was the best they could do, then the people who created them either 1) Don't care about their job or 2) Don't care about railroad history, both of which are bad for a company that makes a railroad simulator...

Given the importance of those two prototypes to North American railroading and rail history, people thought that these products would be a big deal. And they were, but not in the way we would have hoped. When bad products are released, it has a chilling effect on future sales. I have read posts on the Steam Forum for Train Simulator about how disappointed people were when they bought the Challenger and Big Boy, and about how they would either not buy any more Train Simulator products in general or steam locomotive DLC in particular...I have also heard the polar opposite from people who have bought the Smokebox F.E.F....

-On the other hand-

When excellent products like those of Smokebox are released it proves that there is a market for U.S. Steam, as there is a demand for any product that is done excellently.

I also don't understand why I get snarky comments from people who say to me, "why don't you just quit playing the game", or "why don't you make your own steam locomotives"; Becuase I am a customer of DTG and of this franchise, that is why. I have bought all of the U.S. DLC for this game and a fair bit of the European content as well. Having spent what is for me no mean amount of money on this game, it gives me the carte blanche to agitate and urge and spur the develpers to do better. I want DTG to be successful, and I want this franchise to succeed and have a very long life-cycle, indeed. Lastly, to me this isn't just a game for recreation, but a form of historical preservation in the virtual sphere; all the more reason to get it right. I feel that this attitude is positively reflected in my enthusiasm for the subject, for the product, and for my fervent desire to see more Big, North American Steam locomotives created and released for this game.

If the Uber-haters don't like my position, then may I be banned for life from Railworks America.

Stepping off the soap box now, I'm sure someone else will be needing it...

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Well said.

So far, apart from the PRR K4 and UP FEF, all US steam is converted MSTS.

I am sure a state of the art UP Challenger or Big Boy will sell again. As would more PRR steam for the 'Curve.

With "Queen J" up and running again, ATSF 2926 nearing completion, there must be a market for these as Models.

People who have witnessed live steam, might even become new customers.

The topic was speculation over new routes, remember?

[TheOldDessauer]

The topic was speculation over new routes, remember?

Yes, and any route proposal with steam locomotives, or during the steam era is immediately voted down....hence, the post is cogent as is pertains to what sort of routes will be/could be made.

[ArcticCatZRT]

I'd personally love to see some PRR steam such as a decapod or even the T1 duplex. We have a passenger PRR steam but not big burly freight engine. Granted seems like people prefer passenger steam over freight.

[buzz456]

Routes guys! Routes! Not rolling stock. If you want period route just say that. DTG isn't the only people creating stuff.

[Bananarama]

So no BNSF, or its predecessors?

IIRC, DTG can produce BNSF related items, but they can't be marketed outside of the US. That effectively makes it a non starter.

[OpenRailer90]

I don't think DTG will produce any BNSF item in the future unless the license allows for sale outside the US.

[evafan002]

Well said.

So far, apart from the PRR K4 and UP FEF, all US steam is converted MSTS.

Cough Mikes Connie Cough.....

[OpenRailer90]

There are the G Trax steamers as well

[buzz456]

Come on guys. I'm trying to be nice here. Routes....................can you get it?

[Bananarama]

I don't think DTG will produce any BNSF item in the future unless the license allows for sale outside the US.

Uh, I did say that just above and several hours before, no?

I wonder how this will affect the availability of their Cajon and Steven Pass routes. No matter tho', as theirs plenty of good CSX/NS/UP areas to pick from.

[DrewG]

Come on guys. I'm trying to be nice here. Routes....................can you get it?

Compliance activate.

I really wish & hope DTG makes a CN route, they've got the ability, they've released CN locomotives in the past and still have CN locos for sale. If there was one route of CN's I'd like it would be the Newcastle Sub from Halifax to Moncton or Truro depending on how far they want to go. It's got amazing east coast scenery, valleys, rivers, lakes, rocks, you name it, plenty of switching options in Halifax and throughout the route plus some trains stop at Gypsum mines and add more cars there. Plus I think since the Newcastle sub is the eastern terminus of the only coast-coast Transcontinental railway it would be a good advertising standpoint for DTG.

[The_Garbear]

In terms of companies DTG already has the rights for, we haven't seen any UP routes since Sherman Hill in 2013, I wouldn't be surprised to see a new one in the near future. I think maybe the Feather River would be cool, either modern-day or Western Pacific-era. They could include the F7 and GP7/9 which WP had a decent number of, and then maybe make a new GP35 or GP40 or dress the U36B as a U30B, I think that could work well.

Or maybe a Southern Railway route, maybe part of their DC-Atlanta-New Orleans mainline, again either modern-day as NS or during the Southern days. DTG already has high-hood SD40-2 and GP38-2 models, plus the SD45 model that's been out for a couple years now, then the GP30 and GP50 models from DTM that could be released (potentially) with high short hoods would cover a pretty considerable amount of their roster. Amtrak also ran trains on this route.

Beyond that, since DTG has rights to NS and CSX, their possibilities on the east coast are virtually limitless. There are any number of routes that could be really interesting (though I don't really know much about railroads east of Chicago, so I don't have anything specific in mind), personally I would like to see something set in the 70s or 80s but modern-day is good too.