TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) Summary
Content Up Ahead
- New Screenshots for Frankfurt S-bahn: S1, S8 & S9
Third Party Partners
- Cargo Line Vol.4 – Military from Skyhook Games
- BR194 and E94 Railtour Pack from TSG
- DB BR 420 from TSG
- Manchester Airport Commuter from Alan Thomson Simulation
- BR Class 86/2 & Mk2F Coaches from Just Trains
- TfW BR Class 142 'Pacer' DMU from Just Trains
- Santa Fe Gameplay Pack Images from High Iron Simulations
- Introducing Grump Dog Games – A New Third-Party Developer
Patches and Updates
- Train Sim World 5 April Patches
- Train Sim World 5 Upcoming Updates
- Köln-Aachen Timetable Update for Additional Platforms
Community Corner
- May Monthly Mastery Challenges – Live Now
- TSW Tycoon – New Pets, Tasks & Livery Painting Update!
The Train Sim World Roadmap
New Screenshots for Frankfurt S-bahn: S1, S8 & S9
We're getting closer to the release of Frankfurt S-bahn, our next add-on to TSW, representing the S1, S8 and S9 lines of the S-Bahn Rhein-Main network, and covering over 80 km and a total of 26 stations between Frankfurt am Main Hbf, including the underground (tief) platforms, to Wiesbaden Hbf.
You'll be able to explore a huge range of gameplay, and the chance to traverse over the original airport approach which no longer exists. The S1 line will head directly west out of Frankfurt, calling at suburban locations in the outskirts of the city and running north of the Main river. S8 and S9 lines head south to serve Frankfurt Airport’s Regional station, before stopping at all stations on the Mainbahn, south of the Main. The Frankfurt Airport Long Distance station will also open up new types of gameplay, being able to drive ICE3, ICE1, ICE-T, IC and S-bahn services.
As a reminder for the rolling stock included:
- New DB BR 430, operating the bulk of traffic on the S1, S8 and S9 lines.
- Updated DB BR 423, with physics upgrades and a new interior to represent the S-Bahn Rhein-Main variant.
- Included DB BR 143 and Dosto combination, which runs RB services out of Wiesbaden
All other services which call at Fernbahnhof will be additional layers.
We'll be sharing a Frankfurt S-bahn's deep dive article very soon, where we'll cover all of the specific timetable layering details, but just as a teaser - get ready for a gameplay-packed experience, as the full timetable is coming in at 1000+ playable services included!
Whilst you wait, enjoy the latest selection of new Frankfurt S-bahn screenshots!
Third Party Partners
Cargo Line Volume. 4 – Military from Skyhook Games
Following the release of the Cargo Line Vol. 3 - Intermodal pack last week, Skyhook Games are getting ready to share their next volume: Cargo Line Vol.4 – Military!
Get ready to try out a new KWA ‘Warwell’ wagon in heavily weathered military green livery, consisting of a main deck and featuring a lower central portion and mounted on two wheeled bogies. Conventional draw gear and buffers are located at each end. Additionally, you’ll also get the Class 66 Diesel locomotive in a DB red and grey livery.
You’ll find the wagon is available in three conditions: Unloaded/empty, loaded with a generic tracked armed personnel carrier (APC), or loaded with a 3-axle Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP).
Additionally, in this pack will be Journey Mode gameplay, three new scenarios and additional timetable services for the Great Western Express and WCML: Preston-Carlisle routes
BR194 and E94 Railtour Pack from TSG
We’re checking back in with the TSG team this month for more information on their upcoming BR194 and E94 Railtour Pack that we announced back in April.
TSG: “This week, we’d like to take a closer look at the differences between the ÖBB 1020 and the BR194. While we won’t be revisiting the cab details, we do want to highlight some of the key changes on the locomotive’s exterior.”
“We’ve already outlined the modifications, but this time we wanted to make them more visually apparent. In the image, every part highlighted in pink was built entirely from scratch for the BR194. This really emphasizes the extent of the changes from the ÖBB 1020—not just the roof and windows, but also components like cooling pipes, vents, and lights.”
“This project would not have been possible without the invaluable support of the Elektrische Zugförderung Württemberg (altbauellok.de).”
“From the very beginning, their passionate team has provided us with original drawings and answered every technical question we had. Groups like EZW are the reason these 82-year-old locomotives are still alive and running today. Without their help, we wouldn’t have been able to capture the authentic sounds or gather the detailed information necessary to recreate these locomotives so faithfully.”
“One highlight of this pack is E94 088, which is featured in its current state: a former 1020 undergoing a transformation back to its 1943 E94 configuration. Originally built in 1943, it received major modifications in 1970 to become an ÖBB 1020 and continued service until 1994. After an extensive restoration, it was brought back to operational condition in 2013 and is now proudly maintained by EZW. Today, it still runs on both railtours and regular services whenever an additional locomotive is needed.”
As a thank-you from the TSG team, a portion of their proceeds from this pack will go directly to EZW to support their continued efforts in preserving this incredible piece of railway history.
Please note, the BR194 and E94 Railtour Pack from TSG add-on will be released on Gen 9 (Xbox Series S|X & PS5) and PC platforms only.
DB BR 420 Update from TSG
The TSG team also wanted to continue the conversation for the upcoming DB BR 420 loco release, which will support gameplay on the upcoming Frankfurt S-Bahn route.
TSG: “The drivers seat is a door blocker and we managed to get that working in our loco. So, if the seat is in its normal position, you can’t really open the right cab door and this is visually recreated too, as it would be impossible to enter the cab from therein real life too. The seat is movable, and when slided to the left side, the cab door can be re-opened.
“Another feature we’ve worked on, is working folding seats for AI passengers (and players of course). If an AI passenger takes a seat, the seat unfolds automatically, and likewise when standing up the seat will fold again.”
“Finally, we’ve also made some tiny visual changes in the Frankfurt S-bahn version of the cab, so the speaker panel uses an older variant now.”
We’ll continue to hear more from the TSG team and their projects in the coming months, however, now it’s time to hear more on a project we’ve not seen in a short while…
Manchester Airport Commuter from Alan Thomson Simulation
We previously removed this from our roadmap graphic whilst the team worked hard to support bug fixes and performance optimisation, and today we’re excited to pull this project back into the 0-3 months category as something you can expect coming very soon from the Alan Thomson Simulation team! Let’s hear the recent development news from them:
ATS: “The Manchester Airport Commuter project is progressing well through QA. Timetables and layers are complete, and we’re resolving the remaining bugs at a healthy pace. We have seen massive improvements in FPS and are now finishing up the final station and OHLE fixes We’re eagerly anticipating the public release, and since this is our first project in TSW, we’re committed to making it as exceptional as possible.”
“We greatly appreciate the community’s feedback so far, with many of the points raised already actioned in the latest build. The ATS team would like to sincerely thank the community for their patience as we navigate a steep learning curve. We're immensely proud of our first route and can’t wait for the public to get their hands on it.”
Thank you to the ATS team for the update, we look forward to sharing more on this add-on when we’re able to.
Please note, the Manchester Airport Commuter add-on will be released on Gen 9 (Xbox Series S|X & PS5) and PC platforms only.
Now it’s time to see how the Just Trains team have been progressing on their upcoming loco add-ons.
Class 86 + Mk2f Coaches from Just Trains
Just Trains: “We have been very busy working on the Class 86/2 and its coaching stock. There has been a focus on the much-requested Mk1 RMB Buffet Car which is looking grand inside and out and includes both the Intercity Executive and BR Blue-Grey liveries. Inside behind the working roller blind shutter lays a true cornucopia of food and drink all being offered by the welcoming Steward.”
You can expect lots more information coming for the Class 86/2 with a full announce article landing next week.
Transport for Wales BR Class 142 'Pacer' DMU from Just Trains
Last month, the JT team revealed a new Pacer coming to Train Sim World, in its Transport for Wales livery, and featuring LED Headlights, 2 leaf Bi-Fold doors, updated door open/close operating buttons, sanding equipment fitted to aid with slippery rails, the smash glass to access emergency door handle (non-operational) and NRN (National Radio Network) and GSM-R (Global System for Mobile for Railways) antennas.
Development for this continues well, and we’re looking to share new screenshots and development progress with you all soon! In the meantime, be sure to read the official Just Trains blog.
Santa Fe Gameplay Pack for Cajon Pass from High Iron Simulations
Stand out amongst the desert! High Iron Simulations’s Santa Fe Gameplay Pack is continuing through development, and back in April we shared a range of 30+ new screenshots for this pack, showing the striking red Warbonnet General Electric livery of the C40-8W, and the electric blue-and-yellow Electro-Motive SD40-2. Let’s check in with their team:
HIS: “The High Iron Simulations crew is excited to be approaching the finish line on development of the Santa Fe GamePlay Pack for the TSW5 Cajon Pass route.”
“Both the featured locomotives – the Santa Fe Warbonnet General Electric C40-8W and blue-and-yellow Electro-Motive SD40-2 – have received operational refinements.”
We’ve created and are testing a selection of five scenarios for the Cajon route which offer main line, local, and switching challenges. Together with the more than 250 train movements featured in the services timetable there will be a great range of realistic Santa Fe-era operating experiences for the user to experience on legendary Cajon Pass. Included in the timetable is also a robust Union Pacific layer employing equipment from the Sherman Hill route.
Fine a full selection of images on our May 2025 Roadmap
Introducing Grump Dog Games – A New Third Party Development Team!
We're thrilled to announce to you all yet another new TSW partner into the scene today! Let's give a warm, and possibly familiar, welcome to Liam, the founder of this new studio.
Q: Tell us more about yourself and studio!
Liam: "Hi! I’m Liam, founder of Grump Dog Games. Some of you in the community may already know me as DTG Liam."
"Gaming and trains have both been hobbies of mine ever since I was a kid. The original Railworks is what bought these 2 hobbies together for me. I used the included tools to learn how the game was made and take a shot at creating my own content, from repainting my first trains to creating my first route."
"It wasn’t until my uni days when I really started to get some of my creations out there. My final year project slowly turned into a fully-fledged game, which led to me creating Grump Dog Games and launching my game on Steam."
"Now after years of game development and using my experience from Dovetail Games I’m looking forward to creating some great addons for TSW which I can’t wait to share with you!"
Q: What is it that made you want to develop third party content for Train Sim World?
"I’ve been working at Dovetail Games for a few years now where I've spent a lot of time creating new gameplay experiences or remastering older routes. Working on these things have taught me a lot about the process of developing for TSW while also becoming more familiar the tools."
"Mixing this experience with the passion I have for the railways and gaming it felt natural to me to become a 3rd party developer. Being a 3rd party allows me to create and share content I’d like to see in TSW which I think others will also enjoy."
Q: Tell us about the project you'll be working on!
"My first project as Grump Dog Games will be a Class 43 HST farewell pack for the upcoming GWE remaster. The pack will be focused on the final days of the HST’s running along the Great Western Mainline and include a few special liveries for the Class 43 along with their respective nameplates."
"While it's too early to mention the specific liveries included, it's the perfect time to announce that DTG have re-acquired the licence for GWR! This has opened the doors for us to not only create classic liveries but also some of the special ones designed and operated by GWR."
"With GWR back in TSW, the GWE remaster on the horizon and this year being the 200th anniversary of the modern railway this pack feels like a well-timed and fitting tribute to such an iconic train and one that is a personal favourite of mine."
Q: What part of the development process are you really enjoying?
"For me my favourite parts are when I get to be most creative, both on the route building and gameplay. The gameplay is what the players experience when playing the game so getting to script and create something that you know players will enjoy is a rewarding experience. And with route building it’s adding the small details that I enjoy most. Areas or details that players may not think too much about or even notice at first but add immersion to the route and really bring it together."
Q: Any updates on the GWE remaster?
"A lot! Progress has really kicked up a notch and things are coming along great. While it’s too early to include any screenshots from my HST farewell pack I thought I’d share some community requested screenshots of the GWE remaster. It’s been a lot of fun to make, and I can’t wait for players to get their hands on it!"
Thank you Liam, we can't wait to share more about the development of your new pack, alongside the GWE Remaster, and we're thrilled to introduce you into the community officially as Grump Dog Games!
Upcoming Improvements
We’re continuing to work on regular patch updates for Train Sim World 5, addressing community raised issues and adding new improvements for content. In our next upcoming updates, alongside a range of add-on fixes we’re able to implement, we’ll be planning to release a major free update from Skyhook Games for the Midland Main Line route. Some highlights of this patch will include:
MML Route
- Added TSW5 track shadow improvements
- Added steam emission back to Ratcliffe power station
- Added Aircraft Obstruction lights to the thin chimney at Ratcliffe Power Station
- Added ‘Stay Calm’ posters at Leicester, Derby and Nottingham stations – In support of the CALM suicide prevention charity (Learn more about CALM)
- Implementing new water materials
- Improved static stock at Beeston yard
- Changed Intermodal services to be player drivable with Cargo Line Vol.3 Intermodal
- Expanded support for forthcoming Cargo Line packs
MML Class 158
- Added TSW5 Guard Mode
- Added Dynamic gangways
- Improved interior lighting
- Improved support for Free Roam consist placement and Formation Designer.
- Fixed cab gangways preventing passage when in motion.
- Fixed camera height of Secondman seat.
Class 43 HST EMT
- Improved material when wet to be consistent with the Mk3 coaches.
- Improved support for Free Roam consist placement and Formation Designer.
- Fixed ability to add decals to Mk3 coaches in the 2+6 and 2+8 livery designer options.
And many more route fixes and improvements! We’ll keep you updated when you can expect these improvements in our announcements.
Köln-Aachen Timetable Update for Additional Platforms
Since our release of the new Köln-Aachen timetable update for players on Steam last month, we’ve seen a range of positive feedback for the new volume of services and additional life being added into to the timetable to make it feel busier.
Our teams are looking at when we can get this update shared to players across our other platforms, including Epic games, PlayStation and Xbox. We’d usually aim to share new updates for everyone to enjoy all at once, however we want to ensure we provide a suitable amount of time for our team to complete testing and confirm that the performance for these platforms is at a level we’re confident on.
When we shared the update, we had already completed testing for the Steam platform, and whilst we had a suitable build slot of this update to be released, we felt that players could get into the content and provide us any feedback whilst we continued testing the additional platforms. Thank you all for staying patient, we’ll keep you posted once we can confirm the next update slot that we can get this free timetable update into.
Community Corner
May Monthly Mastery
May I present our latest monthly mastery challenges…
Get your conductor hat ready to check tickets, tidy up luggage and ensure that our passengers are looked after in this month’s set of challenges - Good luck!
TSW Tycoon – New Update! Pets, Tasks & Livery Painting!
For those of you who are fans of TSW Tycoon, towards the end of last month we also introduced some brand new updates and features you can enjoy right now for free in-game!
Update Highlights
- Unlock pets around your station
- Equip a pet and receive perks
- Added Daily Log-in tasks for tickets
- Paint and customise your station wallpaper
- Trains can be painted
- Train logos added
- "1st Stop" Badge fixed
- Additional improvements
If you’ve not heard about TSW Tycoon, this is a free multiplayer experience on Roblox that allows you and a group of friends to build and run your own train stations, and drive a range of locomotives around a charming, stylised world – with easy driving controls that are perfect for all ages! Be sure to check out our TSW Tycoon website to find out more details! So far, we’ve received 10000+ positive ratings and welcomed over 2.3 million total visits! Be sure to hop in and let us know what you think, and we can’t wait to keep developing it further with our friends at the Talewind team!
Roadmap Livestream
Exec Producer Matt, and Senior Community Manager Alex will be talking about all the things we’ve featured above and answering your submitted questions in our May 2025 Roadmap livestream, starting tonight from 19:00 BST on our YouTube / Twitch channels.
Find out more about Train Sim World 5 by following @trainsimworld on X/Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.