Train Simulator: Western Pacific FP7 ‘California Zephyr’ Loco Add-On DLC

I love these roadnames, which is exactly why I bought this package. Pros: The engines sound great and have a lot of power. The cab is even better than the Great Northern Empire Builder, which is very similar. The engines are detailed and the MARS lights are a cool feature. The passenger cars are awesome! This is what trains across America looked like back then, and I wish more historic trains and railroads would be introduced. Honestly when I think of American trains, this is what I invision, and this is what I want to drive. Each car is streamlined and highly sophisitcated looking. Also, the pack has one set of cars in WP livery and one set in D&RGW livery. Cons: One thing I don't like about this pack is the passenger view. There practically isn't any. This pack comes with so many cool looking cars, and yet you only get to sit in one of them with two or three positions. I was expecting a little more. Again it's not somthing that makes or breaks a deal, but attention to details like this make me feel like the money I spend on the game overall is not wasted. The cars of the California Zephyr are quite heavy, and I've found that even with an extra B unit on level grade, I have trouble getting the train to move initially. Since this goes with a mountain route it's a little concerning, but if you know what you're doing you'll be okay. Hurry up and buy it before it goes back to full price! RIght now (March 29th, 2017) it's on sale for 50% off!

"Finally the most famous Budd Liner comes to Railworks" that was what was going through my head as I clicked the purcase button. The California Zephyr is one of the most famous trains in the United States and even today it still runs on the American Rail System. Today most of the Budd Cars are in the hands of Private Owners, but they are seen on a lot of Excursions behind either a Steam Locomoitve like Norfolk and Western 611 or Nickle Plate Road 765 or they are see behind the actual California Zephyr. There are a few problems with this DLC. For instance the only passenger view is in the Dome Observation car. None of te other cars have any passenger views. Another problem is the MARS Light doesn't work unless you use the included FP7 or F9. Fanilly because of a licensing issue with the BNSF no one can get the CBQ set of the famous Zephyr. Not even people here in the United States. But even with these problems it is a very beautiful set. There are a ton of scenarios on the Steam Workshop as well as those included in the set. It's a journey back in time where rail travel was luxurious and the sight of these stainless Steel cars would just send a chill down your spine. The locomotives are not the most interactive but the early F and E Units didn't have a lot of features. This is a pretty realistic even without the CBQ set so it is worth a buy.

Okay. This is a great dlc ngl. The only problem is the horrendous brake screech with the Western Pacific Californiz Zephyr. Idk if the Rio Grande has that annoying brake screech too, but I don't doubt it for a second. DTG you need to fix this shit. It's absolutely annoying to have to hear the most unrealistic brake screech I've ever been exposed to and nothing has been done about it. How did this shit get past testing? You know what, I'm not gonna even ask that question because I'm afraid I probably already know the answer. Fix this DTG! For the love of God, it's making my ears scream!

I got it for 14 euros which is a good price I believe. It is not error-free. I found a mistake in the first scenario where the last instruction lists wrong car numbers to uncouple. It is easy to understand it is a mistake, ignore the instruction and do the right thing and the sxenario will work but yet, it is a mistake. Maybe there are more like that. I don't know. Other than that, the left hand loco window seems like "weirdly" open, there is a strange shadow. The passenger cars are empty without any passengers. Such things need certainly to be fixed but... I don't thing they will. I consider it a good addition though. It's an addon which will give many hours to anyone who sees something of the romantic railways era whenever the name "Zephyr" is being said.

A piece of railroading history, and a beautiful train too! The FP7 and FP9 Locos included in this pack are a great inclusion in any user's library, although in hindsight I'd say it's better to purchase these in a sale. Physics wise, I can't see anything wrong with the trains. It takes some pulling power to get the Zephyr going, and you need to be careful in handling the brakes to slow your momentum down. Models are fantastic, every little rivet and screw is detailed. The passenger views in the Bi-level Dome Car at the rear of the Zephyr is also fantastic. Currently, the only passenger views are in the Dome Car. You get three 'views' (or more accurately, positions), which you can switch between with the arrow keys, much like in the Cabooses provided with the Soldier Summit SD40T-2 and GP9. One in the lower level lounge, and two in the upper level. It would have been nice to have passenger views in the other cars; perhaps the Day Coach or the Sleeper Coach, but this isn't really a huge issue to me. It's really relaxing to pick a long route, leave the Zephyr to its own devices and take in the scenery from the Dome Car! Cost is DTG's fairly-common price of £11.99. While I don't regret purchasing this at the full price, I'd say that unless you are a fan of the Zephyr, it'd be better to buy this when it's on sale. In conclusion, the FP7 California Zephyr Pack is a good DLC addon for Train Simulator, and one which is worthy of being in anyone's trainshed, even if there are some disappointing missed opportunities. 7/10

Really nice DLC, ok to be honest I only got this becasue my freind is working on a seaboard silver star reskin for this pack. Its basically just a fancey retool of the Empire Builder but it does have improved textures and great rolling stock! 7/10 Would recomend on sale.

Very nice trainset and it came with a FP7 and F9! PROS: -New cars and an D&RGW F9 loco. -Details on the both the FP7 and F9 locos are spot on. -Both consists for Western Pacific and Rio D&RGW. CONS: -Reused sounds! -Only 2 views on the passenger car very back. I would think that this aren't worth the $25 USD, a sale can still buy this. Unless if you're a California Zephyr fan or love the F7s then go ahead, I'm really not putting a stop against you. I will rate this 7/10!

No, this one isn't worth the price. Very simple reason, the only thing I really expect from the zephyr is multiple passenger views of different cars. Because the earlier zephyr did it already. And also this one costs more. But no, you can only see the dome part of the last coach. You even can't see the lower floor of that coach in passenger view. Also, as you expect, the FP7 and F9 are still the old model with two or three more buttons to play with. And that's all of it. I can't say this is a low quality DLC, but with the standard been risen up from previous ones, you could be disappointed by this one. Buy it as a discount in the future if you really want it.

I don't want to be as negative as some others regarding the bugs and other correctable things. They can and I'm sure will be fixeds. The cars are beautifully detailed and it is wonderful to finally have a new "golden era" trainset that set the standard for rail travel before jets. However, you have shown us a train, perhaps the day it went belly-up. No wonder it failed. Nobody was riding it. I can't believe the artists at Dtg can't find a way to include some passengers. They manage it on other trains including some of the British legacy ones. Even the dated "Empire Builders" of Great Northern and Great Western have people in the cars and provide a variety of passenger views including two observation car ones. All we get is the one dome car view. Take a look at some of your other trainsets to see what is possible: multiple views, multiple people, even a scurrying waiter in a dining car. Come on, guys, make these lovely new cars worth the upgrade.

Okay. I bought this so I could compare this addon to the original MSTS California zephyr add ons. So far, MSTS still wins and I'll tell you why. Let me start with the Pros. (There is only one pro) The detail is absolutely magnificent! I mean the cars on the exterior and interior are as gorgeous as they can be. Not to mention, the excellent detail on the FP7 and F9 locos. Just how I imagined it to be. I could say the colors for the locos are pretty spot on. The streamline style on the cars are really neat and they actually modeled the little grille-style shape on top of the passenger cars (I don't know how to really describe it) instead of just copy and pasting a 2-D picture on it. Very very superb detail! The Cons: Same sounds used in TS2012. The very typical railworks EMD 567 sound. There is really no more to tell about why this is a bummer. Horns are prototypical to which model was on which loco/railroad, but horn sounds are from Train simulator's past product: The Great Northern Empire builder add-on. For example. The horn that is on the WP FP7 is a Nathan Airchime M5. But they place a Leslie S3J horn sound on it. Very unprototypical to me. It should be a M5. Same goes for the DRG&W F9. Supposed (and looks like) a Nathan Airchime M3. But same thing. The Leslie S3J. (this is one big pet peave of mine) The Great Northern Empire Builder add on F-unit cabview is placed in the DRG&W F9. How ridiculous! They make a custom cabview for the WP FP7... But not for the DRG&W F9? The Mars light on both units appear to be working when you first start up the simulator. But when you turn the headlights on bright, the mars light is seemed to be stuck! It only moves when you repeatedly turn on and off the headlights. Another simple problem that Railworks could fix before releasing this. Limited free-look on WP FP7 cab. The camera only makes you look around at about 45 degrees. Thats it. You can't look 90 degrees to left and right or to whats behind you. Obnoxious. Also to mention on the DRG&W F9 cab, the camera is placed so far up to the window that you can't see any of the gauges. How the hell am I supposed to read the gauges if I constantly have to move the camera with the mouse to check the speed, brakes, and amps? I could miss a signal and end my session. Only one view inside the California Zephyr, and that is the dome observation car. NOT ANYWHERE ELSE on the whole entire train. Total Bummer! And least but not least, and I really frickin hate this. The cab on the WP FP7's dynamic brake... FLOATS from one end of the cab to the other when using the dynamic brake. How frickin ridiculous is that! How could they have not seen this problem when they beta tested it?? Absolutely obnoxious! I posted a picture of it on my steam account. Just go ahead and I don't care, just go look at it in my recent activity. The public needs to see that. Well. That is all I can report so far about the Zephyr. I will write more if I find anymore problems. Not worth the $25 dollars. You are just better off waiting for it to be 50% off. I was really hoping to see if Railworks could make a better California Zephyr add on than the MSTS California zephyr version. But I hate, yet love to say it. That MSTS wins. Not to mention that the MSTS version includes CB&Q, DRG&W, and WP F3's. Even CB&Q! I don't see any CB&Q here? That too is a shame. Go ahead and check out Marc Nelson's MSTS website and look at the California Zephyr if you are not familiar to MSTS as to other people are and may know what I am talking about. www.3DTrains.com Time to wrap it up. Sorry for making this such a long review, but I hope your time was spent well on reading this before getting a ripoff on this product. But if you are die-hard California Zephyr fan, I have now way stopping you there. :D All I can say is that the detail is fantastic. (I am a fan myself)