Optional custom train consists

[Zulnex]

Hello everyone.

I have been thinking about this for several days now, and I am wondering what everyone will think about it.

SimRail is focused on strict realism and I absolutely love that. I was just wondering however, would it be possible to use optional custom train consists on certain passenger routes? 🤔

What do I mean by that? Well, lets take a look at some examples where I will explain further what I'm thinking about.

Example number 1:

On certain local passenger routes, I would love to use locomotive hauled passenger cars instead of EN76 or EN96. How about using EU07 or E186 hauling 2, 3 or 4 passenger cars? Also, I would absolutely love to use the upcoming EN57 electric multiple units on these routes.

Example number 2:

On longer express routes, maybe we could use EN96 multiple units instead of EU07 locomotive hauled trains. This would not apply to Pendolino routes where speeds are much higher.

How would this work?

Before starting a route, players could chose optional train consists in the menu. These consists would be approved and created by developers only! Players would not be able to create their own. This would prevent unrealistic gameplay (players taking Pendolinos on local routes for example).

The above suggestions would not apply in cases where players are taking over trains from AI. In such cases, you would have to drive whatever the AI was driving before you took over the controls.

I feel that having more variety of trains on certain routes would be great.

What does everyone think about this? Would it be too complicated or unrealistic to have these options in game?

Feel free to share your views here. Wishing everyone all the very best. 🙂

[GoppelPL]

To me (as a player) it's very unrealistic. I feel physical pain every time I see an Intercity train hauled by the Traxx, the Elf long distance trains would probably kill me 😛 Keep in mind, that all the trains in the multiplayer are already on the way, so for some players the Elf would suddenly disappear and then return as the Traxx with two carriages, if someone chose to change their rolling stock before entering.

[Zulnex]

I understand perfectly about Elf long distance trains. It makes sense.

How about upcoming electric EN57 maybe being used as an option to EN76 and EN96? This is just something to add extra variety and not using the same trains over and over again on the same routes.

Taking over trains from AI on already active schedule would incredibly complicate things. That's not what I had in mind.

I was thinking more about this: 

Player checks the schedule out and picks a service that will start in 10 minutes for example. Optional train is chosen in the game menu and then the train spawns at the starting station. Then the player waits for the departure time at the starting station. 

The problem we have here however, is how would this custom train appear to others? If I have chosen EN57, maybe in other player's eyes they would see EN76 or EN96...🤔

Edited March 25, 2023 by Zulnex

[Schyrsivochter]

Yeah, that’s rubbish. Train consists shouldn’t be player-pickable in multiplayer, or at least players should only be able to choose between a few predetermined options for the particular service.

[Zulnex]

That's exactly what I was referring to in 2 of my posts above...

Few predetermined options created by developers is all I ask for. Especially as we will have new electric multiple unit soon.