Train Simulator: Springfield Line: Springfield – New Haven Route Add-On DLC

With the discontinuance of the Bessemer and Lake Erie (which is still available off the G-Trax website for free), the Springfield Line is the best route for vintage American railroading. The only disadvantage is the lack of variety available in motive power; surely more than the GP9 and the 44 tonner could have been reskinned to New Haven livery. With that caveat, the Springfield Line is eminently satisfactory.

Fun route, where one can have fun with the MSTS crossover stuff. The models ain't stellar, but the sounds are fresh and the look is nice. Not 40 dollars nice, i'd say "on sale" nice maybe.

This is a cool route, granted its a bit older but just grabbed it on sale. On the route you get a bunch of fun scenarios with a nice route that lets you enjoy a variety of game play. Combined with the recent release of Penn Central Pack 01 you get a heap more scenarios to play.

It seems poorly made. The graphics are not of the same level as other DLCs and some locos have small issues. The GP9, for example, the headlight does not work when you use the driver's switch. It only works if you use the hud. Also, amps meter of the dynamic brakes does not work.

Beware the reviews that are overly positive about using terms like breathtaking and gorgeous. This game still looks like it was made in the 1990's. But...when compared to some of the worst routes in TSC, this is definitely one of the better ones. Not worth $40 in 2023 and hardly worth the Steam Sale cost. Lots of low resolution textures to be found, hard angle ground elevation changes. Smoke stacks emit a single round static picture of a piece of smoke and it spins as it goes up hahaha just ridiculous. Grass and low vegetation is just in a line, not evenly distributed across the ground. Thumbs up to the variety of vegetation though, and trackside density. The trains sound good. Terrain is mostly flat and I like how there are sidings from one end of the route to the other. Lots of workshop activities too.

I like to start out by saying thank you steam for your winter sale, Now for the route one of the best. There is so much that comes with it I couldent beleave it, Three loocomotives and so much rolling stock enough to make your head spin. I still cant beleave all the freight and passenger cars that come with this Amazing vintage route, I very much recommend this classic to every one.

The Springfield Line DLC, is a great representation of the 61 mile Springfield Mainline of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NH). This route depicts the line as it was in the 1950s before the turbulent 1960s, and the NH's inclusion into the Penn Central fiasco in 1969. Scenery is plenty as you navigate between New Haven Union Station on the Air Line to the connections with the Boston & Maine (B&M) and Boston and Albany (New York Central subsidiary) at Springfield. From densely populated New England cities to small towns that have only grown in recent years, the route captures the feel of the NH. Scenario wise, we have a good mixture of freight and passenger runs, including partially working on the branch lines that made up the NH. I do wish the route came with more passenger scenarios, and some more stock from the McGinnis era of the NH, along with the non-NH rolling stock having names on them to represent other roads, but, I attribute the lack, probably due to licensing, and maybe some static electric stock for around Cedar Hill Yard or Union Station in New Haven, since electrics did go that far. But, I digress. I also wish there was some more branch line work that didn't require going to the Steam Workshop, but, I attest that to developer requirements, so it's not a complaint. If you want to get behind the throttle of first-generation diesel units with 40 foot boxcars, and cabeese, or just the New Haven Railroad, in general, then this, might be right up your alley.

I was so happy this week to see that the Springfield - New Haven NYNH&H route was available on here. A line I use to railfan back in the 1970's under PC then CR control. Was it worth the wait............ YES ! The route modeled in the 1950's era is a piece of art. Great thing is you can run vintage 1st Gen Diesels & Steam or run 2nd Gen & early 3rd and it looks perfect. This area of New England mostly looked the same from the 50's into the early 80's. Glad to see finally a true vintage era payware route here for TS2016. If you like switching, short hauls or maybe a short term mainline run of freight or passenger set in the transition era... This route is for you. A 9 out of 10 Star for me.

Simply put: this is a great route. I grew up watching the last years of the New Haven and this route captures the feel of it better than anything else I have encountered in my years of train simming. I can almost see my father getting off a passenger car and walking down the platform holding his rolled up newspaper. When I added on some Workshop scenarios to augment the ones that come with the package my enjoyment grew. While there are a few cosmetic compromises here and there you really have the feeling you are rolling through Springfield, especially when the Memorial Bridge comes into sight. It is a delight to make a station stop in Hartford and see the State Capital through the windshield. And the industries along the way, it reminded me that southern New England was once dotted with factories and mills even if so many of them are now long gone. It delivers a sense of "place" like no other route I encountered so far, except for maybe the Weardale & Teesdale Network Route, which is another great one. I love the Hancock air whistle on the GP-9, but in my memory they were more robust than in the game. But my memories are more than 45 years old now. There are a couple of minor nitpicks. One is that the Boston & Maine and New York Central boxcars are sans logos. I don't know if this was a licensing issue or something that has been addressed in previous incarnations of the route, but I would have liked to have see the cars "complete." Another minor logo issue is the N over H on the GP 9 should have the "foot" at the bottom of the N. Many model railroad manufacturers miss this detail too, so I am not suggesting lighting torches and taking to the streets over it. The last thing is the lack of semaphore signals. The New Haven was known for its semaphore signals and I would have enjoyed seeing them when I was out on the road. I find that my mind's eye tends to insert them even though the route uses search light signals. None of those things should prevent anyone interested in the 1950s, U.S. railroading or the New Haven from getting this route and supporting the efforts. I know that when (I am being hopeful) add-ons like RS-3s, FAs, PAs, stainless steel passenger cars and even steam locomotives are released I will be first in line to buy them. It would be great to see some New York Central units too, to switch the West Springfield yard and bring interchange to the New Haven and Boston and Maine. If you build it, I will buy it. Thanks again for a great route.

This is the most interesting US line in my quite extensive collection. Plenty of switching to do, heaps of variety in the rolling stock and to top it off it's in my era "The 1950's" when one can authentically run Steam and Early Diesel. The Alco S2 switcher is very nicely modelled. I have yet to experience the other locos. I already owned version 2 of this route and was rapt to see it come to Train Simulator in its updated version. If you like switching, then this is the route to purchase. The GP9 that comes with this route looks great from the inside and the outside, but there is a problem with the sound of the horn IMO and at times the engine sound will die out when in the cab view. I recall that was a problem with this loco in version 2 as well. Hopefully it will get rectified. I will send a ticket to the Support Team at DTG.