Dovetail Games - Frankfurt - Fulda: Kinzigtalbahn & Flixtrain Vectron Preview - Q & A Thread (2025)

Hello folks,

This is the official Q & A thread for our upcoming Frankfurt - Fulda & Flixtrain Vectron preview stream, which will be live tomorrow, September 11th, 18:00 UTC / 19:00 BST.

A link to the YouTube stream can be found here:

Please keep this thread to questions only, relating to the Kinzigtalbahn and the Flixtrain Vectron. We'll do our best to answer as many questions as we can during the stream, and we'll also post written answers at the end of this thread.

What are the plans to carry over the ICE-T to older routes like KWG or DRA? In what timeframe can we expect this changes?

Why TGV layer is not included in the Timetable on release.

In the original promo image "diverging paths" was mentioned but cant find any mention of it or on the map. What would this be?

Why was 2018 chosen for this route?

Will other DB locos substitute for Dostso services like the 111, 182 and 143?

Because TGV route is the French avignon to Marseille therefore is French not German

• Is the build in the preview the launch build? If not what is present in this build that is missing from the launch build and when can we expect first patches?
• Will we be able to turn of improved track shadows?
• Is TGV AI confirmed?

Is there a difference which Services are driven by the BR114 and BR146 or can you use both for the same services?

What are the scenarios for this route?

For the 8th Gen console timetable, I presume the only way to play/see the ICE 1 or ICE 3 from Kassel-Wurzburg is to spawn it in free roam?

Did you enable substitution for the DB BR101 Expert so we can drive the IC services with it?

PS: Answered in a previous interview.

1 - Will the ICE-T and Flixtrain ever appear in timetable mode for the Kassel-Wurzburg route? Same question, but any other further routes as well?
2 - What's the performance/frame rate like at Frankfurt Hbf for Gen 9 consoles (specifically Series X and PS5)?
3 - Any very interesting aspects of the timetable for Frankfurt-Fulda?
4 - Will services be linked? For example, if I play a specific ICE 1 service from Frankfurt to Fulda, will the same service/train type - i.e. an ICE 1 - be playable from Fulda to Kassel on the Kassel-Wurzburg route etc.
5 - Who created the timetable?

Thats not my question here... I mean what are time frames to include this..... I have changed my post so thats more clear!

Yeah with DTG you know DTG soon can be take ages.... So a bit more deeper dive would be acceptable.

This is the statement by DTG

Lukas has confirmed in one of the gamecom interviews on YT that they will add that later. In original timetable you can use the sandwich formation with the 101 expert for layer sub. I think they will bring the first patch first before they will create the separate timetable.

This was a conversation on Discord in this regard yesterday:

1. How many expert db br 101 and car cab layers are there for this route?
2. Can you show us how Digital Display Screens works? Will we can move the
   cursor on console?
3. Will we can have the old background of new 2D map? The new one seems
   too evident and overlaps on route and trains. It seems close up but the route must be it.
   

Lol, I should read more carefully and remember the news I post .

Thank you all.

PS: Just thinking that it would still be useful to enable substitution for the Expert 101 in the main timetable so we can see IC trains with the white 101 when we play the Journey services.

Could you show us all the layers onto Frankfurt - Fulda? Could you also show us every route the new trains ( ICE-T and Flixtrain) layer onto and show us what type of services you can do? (No gameplay but the list)

Will the Ice T layer onto Dresden Riesa? And will the Ice T and other locos on the route layer onto kassel Wurzburg?

This!
Driving the 112 and 143 is no fun at all in TSW, since you cannot drive it realistically at all. I just don't understand why of all Fahrprogramm (driving program?) buttons they skipped the "Freier Auslauf" (Coast) button, since it's the only one that's directly on the speed selector and thus by definition the most important one... Even the vR-143 on Train Simulator has it, being one of the oldest TS "expert" locos...

1. Will the ICE-T not only replace the ICE 3 on DRA, but also on KWG and HBL?

2. Why are the RMV logos not on the Dostos and the Br423? The license is there as we have seen the logo on the ticket machines at the stations.

Is the frankfurt underground section planned? I know if its not on the roadmap its not a thing, but i cant imagine a (more or less confirmed) 420 dlc for 5 minute services? Would be really nice!
Something Wcml and San Bernardino have... moving elevators. Will Kinzigtalbahn also have them? As far as i know most of the stations have elevators in real life.

I would like to see some of the gameplay for freight.

There are some diverging lines on this route. As I would expect, the freight trains will mainly be A to B services, however, they will not all run all the way between Frankfurt and Fulda.

• I would be interested to see where they go, where they come in, where the player takes them over or leaves them.

• Will there be overtakings taking place on a regular basis?

• Will Offenbach Gbf play any bigger role then just handing trains off or taking them over?

• Is there any shunting anywhere along the route? If yes, in what context?

What was the process of research for this route?

Do PZB and LZB have to be enabled for GNT to work on the Ice T

Can we find Rettungszug on Fulda Bf like the one there IRL? Maybe in form of a Mastery Reward (can be implemeted also in other German routes in TSW where it’s located too)

Can we still get playable frame rates on recommended system settings for Frankfurt?
Thanks

What does this route offer in particular that the other German routes we already have don’t, apart from the tilting ICE?

What is stand out about another 50 or 60 mile inter urban electrified route?

Why this route and not a long distance fast diesel route that could have given the excellent 218 somewhere to stretch its legs?

If you want me to reconsider my buying decision after the disappointment of the other two routes showcased so far and secure my early access order, this is your final chance to “wow” me. Make me want to pay £54 for the Deluxe Pack.

In all the videos and pictures we got so far, the DB Vectron still uses Railpool numbers. Will that be fixed?

Not wanting to drift too much into future route speculation, but what has been learned from doing Frankfurt that could help develop future routes around very busy European hubs?

I'm currently spending time along the route. The route is currently undergoing major works to become 4-track from Fulda to Frankfurt. We currently have high-entry DoStos on the route with BR 114 and Vectron (with PIS display) being used as locos. There are LZB sections near Hanau. I've seen two 218 standing on a siding during entry into Frankfurt (Main) Hbf.

High-entry is really standing out because it is appropriately high for Frankfurt but very high climb in Gelnhausen. But I fear we only see low-entry DoStos again.

My questions are these:

• will the off-world destinations work? (must-have on any new route and shocking they don't have it on WCML)
• will suspension work on all locos released as part of the core route? (was announced upon TSW 5 release announcement)
  
• are the semaphore signals in the southern part of Hanau represented?
• are the S-Bahn tracks in Offenbach represented?
• will the Marienkirche in Gelnhausen be visible? (rather low priority but would be nice)
• will the BR 423 feature RMV branding?
• are there plans for BR 430 (which are used widely for S-Bahn in FFM)?
• will the tunnel light transition work without flashes (was initially a problem on Kassel-Würzburg in TSW 3 and should no longer occur)
• will all physically possible paths from/to platforms in Frankfurt Hbf work? Is relevant for more complete timetables later on that utilize more. I had problems with the lack thereof in Cologne where leaving through a specific track from platform 7 was not possible despite the physical track connection allowing it.
• will platform section signals be present if they are so in reality? Again, in Cologne they were missing so it was much harder to have two trains on the same platform as it happens regularly there in reality.

Fundamentally, I have some questions regarding Q&A:

• how is it possible that you are approaching release on a landmark route and don't have off-map destinations working? It is one directory of available stops. Shouldn't have been too hard to fill it out with all real-world destinations of trains running on the route.
• how is it possible that you announce a release without properly polishing the route beforehand? It regularly seems like the preview stream is the first moment when even DTG sees the route in its entirety with gameplay.
• how are tunnel light flashes still a problem? That was supposedly fixed with TSW 3 on release of Kassel-Würzburg.