Recent reviews by yoimp

I've owned this route since 2013 and live in Altoona, so I'd like to think I can speak relatively authoritatively on this.

It's great to see the PRR recreated in Train Simulator, as it doesn't get enough representation in railroading sims despite its monumental impact on railroading in its entirety. Of course this route is from 2011 and looks & feels as you'd expect such an old DTG route to look. But its flaws go way beyond dated models and textures.

What is inexcusable is the sloppy terrain work (basically, if you're not looking at the Horseshoe curve or the Gallitzin tunnels, the terrain is almost certainly incorrect.) and the era of choice. For many modelers the 1950s transition between steam and diesel is prime for party-pleasing, as there is something for everyone to enjoy. If you prefer the dirty and sooty alco switchers, sleek covered-wagon power, giants of steam like the M1, T1, and K4, the pennsy used em all in the 50s, and it still leaves the route both modern enough for later options like the Geeps and U-boats of the 60s or the thunderous steam of the 20s. However we got none of that. Rather, we got a single K4s pack with godawful sounds and nothing but diesels since! The PRR was starting to slide from its glory days by the mid 50s and it shows in the appearance of their facilities by this time. The Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway had shuttered their Streetcar lines by the end of 1954 (not that DTG modeled that or the tracks!!) and the area was very much in the slow beginning of an agonizing decline. If you're going to pick an era to depict the Altoona area and the Horseshoe Curve... I think they picked a pretty lousy one! And they aren't even playing into the strengths of the transition era, it's just diesels! It all just feels like a real big ghost town. Johnstown's trolley lines are similarly not modeled despite servicing well into the late 60s.

Another issue in Johnstown is the spur running along the main line on the opposite side of the Conemaugh river floats in a startlingly high amount of places. A default scenario for the GE 44 tonner takes place there and the gradeschool-level modeling errors can be seen from the cab as you drive, let alone what you notice if you enter freecam or flyby-cam.

Back to Altoona, DTG decided to do the bare minimum effort modelling the Hollidaysburg branch and snip it after a mile for seemingly no reason. And if you dare venture there you will have clipping issues and more floating track. A huge waste of what could provide some true branchline switching and stopper-service to break up the monotony of mainline driving. Also omitted is the hump yard in Altoona, which was the first hump yard to be built in North America. There are no scenarios for the Altoona Works or Juniata Shops, and with only one type of boxcar the yards look... pretty awful even when full. The freighthouses and transfer facilities are simply not modeled, though some track is laid and labeled. Also omitted is the branch from South Fork to Windber (which lies just next to Johnstown) which again could have offered a more varied experience on this route than what it currently offers. It seems DTG really wanted to get away with the bare minimum for this.

Ultimately, this is a huge disappointment of a route even when it was new, and I'd like to see it redone or get an Altoona-Harrisburg route set in the 1920s-30s to do the region and railroad a proper justice, since by the mid 50s as this route is set many smaller train stations were in limited or no service, like many along the Altoona-Hollidaysburg branch and even ones along the main line like Kittaning Point by the Horseshoe curve. There could be connections with the Altoona & Northern, the Everett Railroad, the Newry RR, the Bell's Gap, and Bald Eagle Valley rr, among others depending how lenient you are with the time setting. With the Altoona works, Juniata shops, and Hollidaysburg car shops, there is so much potential for unique scenarios and fascinating rolling stock/locomotives that this route fails to realize. Hell the Johnstown steel mills are only mentioned ONCE! But seeing as this game is on its death bed and new sims are being announced (heres hoping for SimRail 2021) I doubt much will ever happen here, and honestly, there is much of the US which still needs covered before the PRR can be revisited.

If you really want to work the PRR in Train Simulator, this is your only option. Go for it, but only on a sale. This route is a shame, even by DTG's ever-so-low standards, and hardly deserves to be called a recreation of the PRR's broadway, rather a barely-lucid artist's interpretation of a single wikipedia article. Thanks for reading

Honestly, this is one of the ONLY american steam locos worth owning in TS. It kicks the ass of most other steam DLCs in pretty much all regards.

The detail is very nice and everything is well animated. The firebox casts flickering orange light into the cab as you add coal. Very nice.

The sounds are incredible, and you can press Shift+Space to turn the HUD brake lever into an incremental whistle lever, enabling some very pretty and very realistic whistle patterns.

Comes in a bajillion versions, from the Alaska Railroad in North America to the Soviet national railway, and literally everything in between (that used S160s). With the large variety of loco versions comes a large variety of rolling stock featuring many bits of military equipment on flatcars (Soviet, British, French, and American equipment), tank cars for oil and aircraft fuel, and brake vans (including one with US couplers, making for a neat sight on American rails!)

I can't stress enough how fantastic this DLC is. It drives very well, and isn't prohibitively finicky like some steam DLCs. Simple yet realistic, and a very powerful locomotive for its size. The S160 is a surefire hit for anybody regardless of regional preference, simply due to the diversity of the loco and the pleasure it is to drive. I'd even go as far as to say it's worth the full price, if only to support the dev (Victory Works)

Oh, and there's more than one whistle. It varies from loco to loco. There's a lot of features, its hard to remember them all! stop reading this, get it!!

rats. rats. we're the rats. we prey at night, we stalk at night, we're the rats.

Very nice DLC. The cars are finely modeled, and the multiple skins for varied consists is a nice touch. The sounds are fantastic, and include brake squealing and hissing of the air lines.

Other sound effects include coupler slack, flat wheels, creaking and groaning (including stress sounds on curves and switches)

Effects are randomized so a car that sounds like it has a flat wheel, may not use that sound later. This is a factor of Train Simulator though, not the DLC.

Very good, would reccommend for anyone looking to make better more realistic consists.

This review will change when Gaijin's tune changes.

Yes, this game can still be fun. Yes, there are things I still enjoy. However, Gaijin as a developer is continually showing less and less respect or consideration for their community and paying customers. This disconnect is causing more issues with the community now than ever before, and with actual, paid representatives of Gaijin going on insulting players' complaints, well, that's beyond immature. Look up "Gaijin free Abrams" on youtube and you'll see what I mean.

There is constant imbalance due to rushed mechanics and 'money-makers', and little care to fix them. The combat is cramped and arena like which only suits older, lower-rank tanks. When you reach helicopters, guided missiles, and recon/scout vehicles, things are way too small for them to function well. But that does not matter because to get to that point, you must pay, and all they want is money. See many examples of Mods, Community Managers, PR Reps, etc refuting this new Parts/FPE debate with simply arguments about money. Seriously, that is their only argument. Over a free grind. It's just money. That is all we are to them, and all this game is for them. Do not get rosy because you find it fun starting out.

They constantly overadvertise and underdeliver on new additions to the game, just so they can sell premium preorders and get SOMETHING out so they can simply shrug and say, "Well, we released it, didn't we?"

To wrap this up, see these examples:
Italian Tanks - There are 2 Italian tanks in game, and have been since November 2, 2017. They are both available for money only, and promise CBT access and could have been pre-ordered before their inital addition.

Helicopters - A unique and brand-new-to-game mechanic, which until the next patch is buy-in only despite being featured on many "Free to Play" ads such as the ones on PCgamer.com. Very buggy, poorly balanced, and ill-suited to the meta. And as usual, abhorrent grind.

Italian Aircraft - Italian aircraft are mostly excellent vehicles, and have been in the game since May 27, 2017. Since then, there have been three (3!!!!!!!) aircraft added to that tree, despite historical examples being in no short supply.
NOTE: I'm not including paid-for or event premiums in that total.

World War Mode - Something the game's advertising had been built around until early 2017, the gamemode essentially has been War Thunder's Magnum Opus goal. A mode of continuous war on a global scale, with generals/commanders, and many battles happening at once with every type of combat imaginable. Well, in Summer of 2017 Gaijin ran a closed-test of WWM with many players, and there is a lot of footage of the gamemode on youtube. It was a total flop, and an absolute departure from what they had spent years hyping it up as. As players voiced their displeasure, Gaijin ended the tests and never touched the topic again. It took years for them to do anything as major as testing the mode, and it was just reskinned Tank RB.

These examples, excluding helicopters, are only from 2017. One year, and there were three major scams built around promises of much new content, only for it to be MIA. Many of these blows could have been softened or nullified completely if they had any sense to communicate with their fans and players, but, they simply do not.

As time goes on I'm sure they will continue this trend. Play for fun, but don't invest much in this game like me. They do not deserve so much money in their current state.