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nealmac

Train Simming

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So I've been taking a bit of a break from flight simming lately. Just kinda lost interest in it. I've spend hundreds on addons and I know it seems ridiculous to lose interest in such a hobby I've invested so much in. But that's just the way it is. Hopefully it's only temporary.

 

Anyway, I was looking for a change, and I've noticed there are a lot of train sims on the market now. I'm what's the best way to start out on such a venture? Which sims offer the best options in terms of expansion? Obviously I don't want to make the mistake of investing a lot of money too early on, in case I realise it's not for me further down the line. I'm based in Ireland, so anything European would be ideal. I have a Steam account, but I'm not sure if Steam is the best option, as it may have limitations in terms of expansion.

 

So what is people's advice?

Edited by nealmac

Best regards,

 

Neal McCullough

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I used to regularly lose interest. Did try Train Simming once but my goodness i found that got boring within an hour or two. That spurred me on to make sure that whenever Flight Sim gets tedious, i just take a break from it and go enjoy the realities of the real world.

These days i have found a balance whereby i never get bored of Flight Sim, and i constantly look forward to having spare time to be able to enjoy it (and spend interim periods reading about upcoming developments and mentally planning my next session).

I probably on average have a single 2 hour session every 2 weeks or so, with a selection of my favourite aircraft and some terrific scenery all setpup and ready to go at the drop of a hat. I have plenty of stored flightplans etc... so whenever i get a window of spare time, i can jump right in and simulate a flight to a very high degree of accuracy. Currently i focus on FSL A320 and PMDG 744 (although rarely used as its long haul). And right now, im just getting into the MaddogX and enjoying reading about the real world MD80 and perusing real FCOMs in my spare time between using Flight Sim.

"And on that bombshell..." (in reference to your pic! 🙂 )

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Rob Bates
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I'd go with Train Sim World from Dovetail. It's very pretty as it's based on UE4 and it actually has a proper timetable and the trains have proper systems and start up. Downside is lack of content, there's only a couple of UK lines available (Manchester to Leeds via Huddersfield in the 1980s, and Reading to London Paddington in the 2010s)

Their older Train Simulator series has a lot of content available, but it's all at a price and variable quality and ultimately it's just rather old hat.

Edited by ckyliu
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ckyliu, proud supporter of ViaIntercity.com. i5 12400F, 32GB, GTX980, more in "About me" on my profile. 

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I'd have a look at Train Sim World if I were you. It requires a fairly decent computer to run it, but if you have a good flight sim PC then that won't be a problem. The reason I suggest it is because it does something a little different from previous train sims, and that is, putting you in the world as a person who can walk around, which might not seem like a big deal but in practice it actually adds a lot to the experience: You actually can explore the world on foot and of course walk up to the locomotive, get into it to operate it. You get out to operate the couplings, throw points manually, operate turntables and such and can walk about on the trains themselves.

Since trains are fairly complicated to operate (i.e. they have all kinds of different brake systems and such, and the signalling system is quite complex to understand initially), the fact that the CSX Heavy Haul part of Train Sim World has a kind of 'storyline' of tutorials whereby you start out as a new freight train driver employee of CSX, to show you how things work and teach you the correct way to operate a locomotive and its related stuff, is another big plus point of it. It even has you refueling the things, and yes, you do actually have to drive the train to the pumps, get off, walk up to the pumps, connect them, pump the fuel etc, etc.

It helps too that it is absolutely beautiful to look at graphically and is therefore amazingly convincing in appearance, thus the feeling of actually being on board a locomotive and operating it when inside it very much adds to its appeal in a way which becomes immediately obvious when you experience it. The appeal of trains is such that a simulator where actually feeling like you are really in and around them cannot be understated, and TSW definitely delivers on this aspect of the experience and I think you'll probably enjoy that treatment of a simulation experience, as it is a more 'inclusive' one.

Every bloke is basically a big kid at heart, and so being let loose in a world where it feels like you really are getting on the locomotives and operating them is one of the goals Dovetail stated they were aiming for with TSW, and they absolutely did deliver on that goal. so if you want to feel like you are genuinely playing about with a real locomotive, you can't go wrong with TSW.

Edited by Chock
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Alan Bradbury

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2 hours ago, Jetset408 said:

I used to regularly lose interest. Did try Train Simming once but my goodness i found that got boring within an hour or two. That spurred me on to make sure that whenever Flight Sim gets tedious, i just take a break from it and go enjoy the realities of the real world.

These days i have found a balance whereby i never get bored of Flight Sim, and i constantly look forward to having spare time to be able to enjoy it (and spend interim periods reading about upcoming developments and mentally planning my next session).

I probably on average have a single 2 hour session every 2 weeks or so, with a selection of my favourite aircraft and some terrific scenery all setpup and ready to go at the drop of a hat. I have plenty of stored flightplans etc... so whenever i get a window of spare time, i can jump right in and simulate a flight to a very high degree of accuracy. Currently i focus on FSL A320 and PMDG 744 (although rarely used as its long haul). And right now, im just getting into the MaddogX and enjoying reading about the real world MD80 and perusing real FCOMs in my spare time between using Flight Sim.

"And on that bombshell..." (in reference to your pic! 🙂 )

Knowing me Neal McCullough, Knowing you Rich Bates. A-HAAAA.

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Best regards,

 

Neal McCullough

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You could take a look at Rolling Line, a fun little PC title that also works in VR, and costs less than $20

(And lets you create your own routes) https://store.steampowered.com/app/754150/Rolling_Line/

 


We are all connected..... To each other, biologically...... To the Earth, chemically...... To the rest of the Universe atomically.
 
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32 minutes ago, byronp said:

Have you looked at Euro Truck Simulator.

Brian

Aye, I have it, and a couple of the expansions. It's pretty good but it gets a bit...samey after a while. I'm guessing TSW does too, but I just thought at least it would be a bit of a change.


Best regards,

 

Neal McCullough

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53 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

You could take a look at Rolling Line, a fun little PC title that also works in VR, and costs less than $20

(And lets you create your own routes) https://store.steampowered.com/app/754150/Rolling_Line/

 

Hiflyer do you have the game? did you tried in VR? If yes give me your opinion please.


Marques

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I also notice that as regards to train simming, hardly anyone ever mentions Run8, which is considered by many to be the "simmers train sim", with extremely realistic operation. (Pretty much a train version of study level)

That focus on realism comes with a steep learning curve that chases many away, and makes the title not nearly as financially successful as the much more accessible DTG train titles, but while Trainsim is wide but not very deep, Run8 is very VERY deep. http://www.run8studios.com/

 

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We are all connected..... To each other, biologically...... To the Earth, chemically...... To the rest of the Universe atomically.
 
Devons rig
Intel Core i5 13600K @ 5.1GHz / G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series Ram 32GB / GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GAMING OC 12G Graphics Card / Sound Blaster Z / Meta Quest 2 VR Headset / Klipsch® Promedia 2.1 Computer Speakers / ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279Q ‑ 27" IPS LED Monitor ‑ QHD / 1x Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB / 2x Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB /  1x Samsung - 970 EVO Plus 2TB NVMe /  1x Samsung 980 NVMe 1TB / 2 other regular hd's with up to 10 terabyte capacity / Windows 11 Pro 64-bit / Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Motherboard LGA 1700 DDR5

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1 minute ago, dmarques69 said:

Hiflyer do you have the game? did you tried in VR? If yes give me your opinion please.

I think it's fun as heck. As in, little kid running around in a candy store fun.

 

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We are all connected..... To each other, biologically...... To the Earth, chemically...... To the rest of the Universe atomically.
 
Devons rig
Intel Core i5 13600K @ 5.1GHz / G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series Ram 32GB / GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GAMING OC 12G Graphics Card / Sound Blaster Z / Meta Quest 2 VR Headset / Klipsch® Promedia 2.1 Computer Speakers / ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279Q ‑ 27" IPS LED Monitor ‑ QHD / 1x Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB / 2x Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB /  1x Samsung - 970 EVO Plus 2TB NVMe /  1x Samsung 980 NVMe 1TB / 2 other regular hd's with up to 10 terabyte capacity / Windows 11 Pro 64-bit / Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Motherboard LGA 1700 DDR5

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What you want/need is 'Transport Fever'. It's on Steam and it'll cost you 32 Euro and that's it. All DLC (and there's a LOT! )is freely available via Steam TpF forum/workshop. Perfect for slowly loose your flightsim addiction because, next to, railway-, tram-, bus-, truck- and boat lines you can run airlines as well. (yes, you can ride along with any vehicle too).

Starts in 1850 ( if you want) so you get a wonderful overview of what's been going on in the transport business thru the ages. The programming is amazing, you can even follow each and every individual that inhabits the villages, towns and cities as he/she travels around to their homes, work, shops, etc. Never crashed on me once. There's an abundance of  'maps' from countries all over the world (including Ireland) or fictious as well. From completely flat like The Netherlands to nothing but mountains and valley's to wiggle your way thru. You can choose either European or American setting.   

First en foremost: it looks absolutely gorgeous and you won't get bored easily because there's quite a bit of learning to do too.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/446800/Transport_Fever/

  

 

 

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Jan

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2 hours ago, nealmac said:

It's pretty good but it gets a bit...samey after a while. I'm guessing TSW does too, but I just thought at least it would be a bit of a change.

It does. I find ETA (or nowadays ATS) a lot more entertaining than TSW. I drive in ATS every now and then for a short while when I don't feel like flying. You have a lot more freedom, obviously, in a truck sim than in a traim sim. In TSW it's mainly a matter of speeding up and speeding down (in time) on the same old track all the time. That's about it. ETS/ATS is a lot more like flight simming, you have a lot more freedom. If I had to choose between TSW or ETS/ATS (as a sim to play when I don't feel like flying) I'd pick ETS/ATS. ATS runs (and looks) better on my PC too: TSW isn't bad but has more obvious popup.

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3 hours ago, J van E said:

It does. I find ETA (or nowadays ATS) a lot more entertaining than TSW. I drive in ATS every now and then for a short while when I don't feel like flying. You have a lot more freedom, obviously, in a truck sim than in a traim sim. In TSW it's mainly a matter of speeding up and speeding down (in time) on the same old track all the time. That's about it. ETS/ATS is a lot more like flight simming, you have a lot more freedom. If I had to choose between TSW or ETS/ATS (as a sim to play when I don't feel like flying) I'd pick ETS/ATS. ATS runs (and looks) better on my PC too: TSW isn't bad but has more obvious popup.

I have American Truck Simulator, but don't really run it all that often. Then again, what would that really accomplish when I actually drive the thing for a living.


Captain Kevin

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Thinking about it, I think I may be in need of something different myself. I've been in the community it seems like forever now, and looking back, pretty much nothing has changed at all, really. I started simming when FSX was just being released and X-plane was almost a cult thing that nobody but a chosen few took seriously.

Fast forward, and I'm still using FSX (with lotsa lipstick) and X-plane is finally getting some attention after toiling in the shadows for over a decade.

That's a lot of dog paddling to be in just about the same place. It can't be surprising that people get burned out, and look around for something that feels new, or even wander off altogether after being a bit too long in the genre that time forgot...... 😪

 


We are all connected..... To each other, biologically...... To the Earth, chemically...... To the rest of the Universe atomically.
 
Devons rig
Intel Core i5 13600K @ 5.1GHz / G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series Ram 32GB / GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GAMING OC 12G Graphics Card / Sound Blaster Z / Meta Quest 2 VR Headset / Klipsch® Promedia 2.1 Computer Speakers / ASUS ROG SWIFT PG279Q ‑ 27" IPS LED Monitor ‑ QHD / 1x Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB / 2x Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB /  1x Samsung - 970 EVO Plus 2TB NVMe /  1x Samsung 980 NVMe 1TB / 2 other regular hd's with up to 10 terabyte capacity / Windows 11 Pro 64-bit / Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX Motherboard LGA 1700 DDR5

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