Pfälzische Ludwigsbahn is just around the corner! We take a deeper look at the timetable for this route, along with the additional layers available for players of other Train Sim World routes and locomotives.
Route Summary
We gave an overview of this route Add-on in our January Roadmap and revealed the release date of 30th January.
Pfälzische Ludwigsbahn: Mannheim – Kaiserslautern is the first German route Add-on to come to Train Sim World 5, covering an area to the south of Frankfurt with a host of familiar trains and rolling stock.
The traffic is diverse, with both S-Bahn and ICE services represented across a route that features a hub of activity at Mannheim and open countryside out east towards Kaiserslautern.
Timetable and Gameplay
The base timetable features the four trains included in this Add-on: The DB BR 425, BR 406 ICE 3M, BR 185 and BR 111. Both the BR 425 and BR 406 ICE 3M have received updates over versions seen in previous Add-ons.
The DB BR 425 operates S-Bahn services across the route with playable S1 and S2 services running the full length of the route from Mannheim – Kaiserslautern. S3 and S4 services are also playable, running between Mannheim Hbf and Schifferstadt.
All S1/2 trains skip Schifferstadt. This is to reflect the status of services during a 'Construction Timetable' where engineering works impacted services.
The BR 406 ICE 3M is the main ICE train to feature on the route, representing services running between Frankfurt Main Hbf and Paris Est across the whole of the route between Mannheim and Kaiserslautern, before heading out of the map as AI at either end.
The BR 185 operates all freight services across the route and the BR 111 serves specific RE7 passenger services that stop at Mannheim. There are four of these RE7 services that operate during the day, two in each direction.
Additional Services Layers
Plenty of additional services and substitutions are available for players of other European Train Sim World Add-ons.
These include (as playable services):
- Additional freight services utilising freight wagons from multiple TSW routes, all hauled by the BR 185.
- The Railpool BR 185 and DB BR 193 substitute in from Tharandter Rampe and Frankfurt-Fulda respectively
- DB BR 363 (from the separate loco Add-on) hauling short freight across parts of the route.
- DB BR 612 from Tharandter Rampe, operating RE trains between Schifferstadt and Ludwigshafen Hbf
- DB BR 101 locomotive operating IC services along the route (note: this layer uses the original DB BR 101 loco Add-on)
- DB BR 411 ICE-T from Frankfurt-Fulda operating one ICE service in each direction.
In addition, railtour services utilising the TGV Duplex from LGV Méditerranée will run two of the Frankfurt Main Hbf to Paris Est services that the ICE 3 does not. AI services using the DB BR 642 from Maintalbahn will also be seen.
Players keeping a keen eye on the development of Mittenwaldbahn will be interested to know that a railtour layer for Linke Rheinstrecke's DB BR 103 will be included that utilises the Rheingold IC coaches from TSG's upcoming route. This layer will be available if all relevant routes are owned. Stay tuned for more details soon!
You can view and toggle the full list of available services layers in Layer Selector on release.
Known Issues
Work continues on this timetable following issues that were not known until later in development, beyond the point of 'certification' whereby the release date is fixed. There are therefore some known issues that players may notice on release.
These are:
[list]
The 628 will run from various places like Kaiserslautern, Neustadt and Schifferstadt, all converging at Ludwigshafen Hbf before heading off out of the map in the direction of BASF. They run towards the BASF station in the early morning and away in the evening but this station does not form part of the in-game route.
We will look to address these issues in a post-release patch, and our teams will communicate a date once this has been confirmed.
A note for players on 8th generation consoles:
After reviewing performance we've amended the timetable to provide a suitable experience for those on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. This timetable will not feature any additional service layers, or any services for the DB BR 111.
The DB BR 111 will still be included in the Add-on and will be available to operate by being spawned into the timetable / Free Roam.
Preview Steam – this Thursday 23rd January!
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You’ll be able to join the Railfan TV team on YouTube and Twitch on 23rd January for a preview of Pfälzische Ludwigsbahn.
Train Sim World 5: Pfälzische Ludwigsbahn: Mannheim – Kaiserslautern route Add-on will release on 30th January for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store, and Steam for €35.99/£29.99/$39.99
