Train Sim World 4 is coming September 26th and with it, the ability to dream big and play your way. In this article we introduce more about the exciting new PC Editor (beta) and cover everything you need to know about Antelope Valley Line – our latest foray into California railroading.
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Antelope Valley Line
Our journey through California continues with passenger services, a cab car and a powerful, streamlined locomotive. Fans of California railroading may recognise the sun-kissed setting akin to our previous Peninsula Corridor and Cajon Pass routes and in many ways Antelope Valley Line is a happy marriage between the two.
The Route: Los Angeles – Lancaster
Metrolink’s railroad network accommodates commuters, visitors and locals within the wider Los Angeles area, taking these passengers out to the wider suburbs and cities throughout California. The Antelope Valley Line has origins in the late 1800s and closed to passenger and freight traffic in the 1970s before being reopened as a commuter rail service in the early 1990s.
Trains depart the impressive Los Angeles Union Station – the largest passenger terminal in the Western United States – and head in the direction of Santa Clarita to the north, before turning east toward Palmdale and north again to Lancaster. A brand-new station at Vista Canyon is opening in 2023 and this station has been implemented in-game ahead of its opening in much the same way we did with University Station in Birmingham Cross-City.
Like Cajon Pass, from Train Sim World 3, the Antelope Valley Line depicts the changing and challenging scenery of California railroading, starting in the built-up and heavily populated city of Los Angeles, before fading into rugged terrain, desert and the twisting curves and canyons of the wider LA County. At times players may think that they are in fact operating along a freight route, but with the joy of stopping at stations (there are 13 in total) along the way as well as switching ends and heading back using the cab car.
The Locomotive / Cars
Metrolink EMD F125
Flying the flag for all-American diesel traction is Metrolink’s F125 locomotive. Unique to Metrolink (a new operator in Train Sim World), the F125 is a relatively recent addition the USA’s wide variety of diesels, being built between 2015 and 2021. Its streamlined nose reflects its need to whisk passengers between stations on the line at speeds of up to 79 mph, rather than the sharp angles seen on most freight-hauling diesel locomotives.
Rotem Commuter Cars
Behind the F125 are the multi-level Rotem Commuter Cars, with the final car in the consist having its own cab for push-pull operation. Cab cars as a concept are more popular in the US than they are in places like the UK and allow for the engineer to operate the locomotive from the opposite end of the train. Players of our German content may be familiar with the concept from routes such as Bremen – Oldenburg with the n-Wagen cab car or previous US routes like NEC: New York – Trenton or Peninsula Corridor.
The Rotem Cab Car is unique in Train Sim World, with a high position for the engineer and more streamlined exterior. These cars are built by Hyundai Rotem and are used in real-life at opposite ends of the USA, both here in California and by another operator in Florida.
Services, Layers and other features
Services for the F125 are primarily formed of the end-to-end passenger runs as part of Metrolink’s passenger timetable, stopping at the 11 intermediate stations and averaging a speed of 35-40 mph (max speed 79 mph) across the 75-mile route. A handful of services from LA to Burbank or Via Princessa can also be operated as can non-revenue services from LA to Metrolink Carriage Maintenance Facility.
The F125 sits on the northbound end of each train, meaning that services out of LA are pulled by the locomotive, whereas services from Lancaster heading south are headed by the Rotem Cab Car.
Freight services will also be available to players that own Cajon Pass from Train Sim World 3. A selection of BNSF trains will be available as service layers to give some variety to traffic in and amongst the F125-hauled passenger trains.
With the real-life route being Union Pacific territory, those that own Sherman Hill (available separately and as part of the US Super Bundle pack) will instead see the freight services swapped out with Union Pacific locomotives. Both Cajon Pass and Sherman Hill are required in order to operate these. Additional Union Pacific substitutions for the BNSF services will be available from Cane Creek locomotives too.
There’s also a service layer for the Santa Fe F7, which is part of the TSW Compatible Loco Add-on Bundle.
Scenarios center very much around the Hollywood theme, with one of Train Sim World 4’s new in-game Moments featuring in ‘Blockbuster’. Collectibles include a Cowboy Hats spread far and wide along the route as well as a food vendors. And the brand-new Diorama feature brings track workers and other non-standard NPCs to life, as in all of Train Sim World 4’s core routes.
Antelope Valley Line – Route Preview
You can view a preview of the Antelope Valley Line tonight with the Railfan TV from 18:00 UTC on YouTube and Twitch
PC Editor (beta)
For the first time ever in Train Sim World, skilled and ambitious players on Steam and Epic will be able get creative and craft their own Scenarios, design their own trains and even build the routes they’ve always dreamed of with access to the PC Editor (beta).
In the first of this week’s live streams, the Railfan TV team brought in Junior Software Engineer Will Kaye to discuss the power of this feature and how both Steam and Epic players will be able to utilise the same functions and tools that our Development Team use to make our in-game content.
If you missed the live stream, you can rewatch over on YouTube and see Matt and Will demonstrate:
- Landscaping
- Track Laying
- Route & Scenery Building
- Placing a Train
- Track Markers
- Play In Editor function
- And many questions answered!
The PC Editor (beta) will be available for Steam and Epic players to download from the Epic Games Store for free from launch day - 26th September 2023.
Pre-order & Early Access: Play from September 21st! Train Sim World 4 will release for Windows PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles on Tuesday September 26th.
Find out more about Train Sim World 3 by following @trainsimworld on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.