And it's not BVE either 
. This sim is called Zusi, and I found it to be quite immersive. Granted, it's been in existence for some four years, but it was only recently that I was recommended to try it out, and less than three weeks that I bought it.Not unlike BVE, Zusi is essentially the work of just one freelance programmer, Carsten Hölscher, though most of the routes and rolling stock have been, and still are, created by several other designers. Zusi is geared mostly towards German railroading practices, but can also simulate Austrian, Swiss and possibly other networks to a certain degree. As always, almost everything depends on the skill of the route builder, and it's quite possible that Carsten might further open up the sim's architecture to allow for even more creative freedom.
As you will be able to see from the screenshots further down in this posting, Zusi, which is currently available as version 2.4, does not yet support textured objects, but I heard this is planned for version 3 and beyond. Therefore, it certainly doesn't quite compare with the other major train simulators yet, but the more I played the demo and then the full version, the less this bothered me. It does, however, offer sound support, which is really not bad at all, though I believe it's not quite on the same level as what BVE or indeed some of the more recent payware add-ons for MSTS have to offer. Presently, Zusi offers only cab sounds and no outside or other ambiental sounds. But since the sim - just like BVE - could be considered a permanent WIP, I could imagine Carsten and his friends might also add further improvements here.However, Zusi definitely shines with its pretty accurate simulation of the cab controls and safety systems of typical German motive power. Ever wanted to get an impression of how to operate the various types of our Indusi/PZB safety system, or indeed LZB cab signalling? Ever wanted a more realistic rendition of German trackside signals than currently available in MSTS? Then this sim might be something for you. However, be advised that Zusi is currently available only in German, though I believe I read an English translation is planned for an update in the not-too-distant future.I should also add that Zusi - as I stated above - is payware, but I would like to stress that I don't intend to do any official advertising with this posting. I merely would like to inform you about the background of this sim to help you in your judgment of the screenies I am about to post.
The content of the Zusi CD is, in my view, very impressive compared to what many brand-name simulators have to offer. Aside from the basic modules - the actual driving simulator; cab, loco/car and route editors and a dedicated add-on installer/manager - you get a full plate of some 600 (!) locomotives - many of them in different liveries and with varying cab layouts and PZB equipment - and 800 passenger and freight cars plus over 40 real and fictitious routes.However, since I really don't want to create the impression that I'm doing any official advertising here, I would like to refer you to http://www.zusi.de for first-hand information. Note that Carsten and his crew also offer a support forum which includes a section for non-German speakers.
Anyway, now on to the screenies .
"Wednesday afternoon, and the evening rush is just about to get under way. My roster for this week is late shifts only, which means getting up late and going to bed late. Oh well, could be worse...and, after all, this is the job I always wanted, so I oughtna complain.
I showed up at Düsseldorf Central Station around quarter to three to check in, pick up my mail, chat some with the colleagues and receive my papers for today's services. Nothing remarkable in there...no construction works, no TSRs, well, that's fair 'nuff.
Looking over my assignment sheet, I saw that my first service for today would be S96683, a S6 extra service between Langenfeld (Rheinland) and Düsseldorf Central Station. These services, which we use to call "Verstärker" or "Kurzpendel", provide shorter intervals on certain sections of some S-Bahn lines where passenger numbers are particularly high during peak hours.
Anyway, as it turned out, Sebastian, one of my buddies had to handle a long S6 service right through to Horrem, and could give me a hike to Langenfeld. We both grabbed another cup of coffee, and shortly after three, we walked out to the platform.
Around 1511, the destination monitors hung over the platform were updated, and some 30 seconds later my hike screeched to a halt in front of us. It was a four-car consist of "x" cars with a 143 pushing at the rear, but I couldn't remember which particular unit it was. Oh well, I would be able to look over in Langenfeld. Out of the cab car climbed Marius, one of our colleagues from Essen, who'd now have a short break and then get a RE3 service to Hamm, as he told us. No particular problems with this consist, he told Sebastian, and wished us both a good ride. While Sebastian was setting up his controls, I held station at the left-side window, looked at my watch and then pushed the "close" button on the hand-held microphone. No announcement was necessary - indeed, I would actually not even have had to monitor the procedure from the window, since the doors are safeguarded by light barriers and collision sensors, but since I was here anyway, I could as well do something useful, couldn't I? And thus we went on our way.Some twenty minutes later we trundled into Langenfeld, where I grabbed my rucksack, wished my bud a safe ride and stepped out of the cab onto the platform, which was indeed getting crowded. I noticed three BGS officers, who in turn also spotted me and told me they were gonna ride with me. Nothing unusual about this these days, just doing their duty, roving up and down the lines and making sure our stations are safe. Having said that, they walked down the platform to where the first car of my train would be standing.I climbed down the narrow stairs at the end of the platform and walked across the switch to the reversing siding where my train, consisting of four "x" cars and headed by locomotive 143 596, was waiting. I walked to the left side of the loco and started to climb up the ladder when the door was opened from the inside. It was Tim, another buddy from Düsseldorf, who greeted me and whisked me aboard. Unfortunately, there was not too much time to chat, because he was scheduled to take the next S6 service to Cologne, which would be arriving within a few minutes. Watching him walk over to the platform, I stowed my rucksack and sat down on my seat, fiddling with the EbuLa display in order to load up my Buchfahrplan for the ride to Düsseldorf. While the device was working, I got up, grabbed a form sheet and walked into the warm engine room to copy down the energy usage for the folks in the accounting section. Returning to the cab, I proceeded to tune the radio and enter my train number, so that the dispatcher would know who I was and where I was headed. Since I had a few minutes left until I was to pull out of the siding and up to the platform, I put on my day-glo work vest and climbed down from my loco once again and walked down the entire length of the train for a quick visual check of the chassis and coupler areas. Remarkably enough, I couldn't spot any graffiti on the outside, but was not so sure whether the interior was in perfect condition. Well, maybe there is actually some truth in the statement that any community gets only whatever it deserves. I also noticed that the cars were somewhat dirty, but then remembered this particular consist was to be washed tonight anyway. Returning to my locomotive, I bent down to check whether the flanges were in proper shape, lest they split a set of points and possibly derail my train.At 1553, the Schutzsignal changed its aspect to Sh 1, telling me I could begin my ride. I set the speed selector to 40 kph, and the power lever to a limit of 15 notches, after which the brakes were released automatically and the loco would apply the required power all by itself. The ventilation fans started up, and within moments S96683 was moving out of the siding.
I stopped short of the Ne 5 board - the head end position indicator - and unlocked the doors, wondering if them passengers would ever learn not to block the light barriers unnecessarily. I mean, how are we supposed to run our trains on time when some folks seem to think we gotta wait for every single passenger and block the doors until the last person within a 500-meter radius or so has boarded?
Surprisingly, all doors were closed in time, and I set the speed control to the maximum setting of 120 kph and the throttle to 26 notches. Once again, I had to smile at the strong acceleration of the 143, which makes these locos uniquely suitable for S-Bahn service; much more so than them 111s we had until some years ago. Oh, in case you wondered, that chart you see at the left is my Buchfahrplan - the kind of road book us drivers use to monitor the progress of our run and to know the location of stations, speed limits, arrival and departure times, signals and other stuff like that.
'The next stop is Langenfeld-Berghausen', the announcement system said halfway between the two stations. I still can't help but think that the guy they hired to record these announcements has a funny voice.
As I pushed the throttle open and the controller started notching up the power, an Intercity headed by a 101 zoomed past on the long-distance track to the right.
Having crossed within Düsseldorf's city limits, I called upon Düsseldorf-Hellerhof, while another Intercity screamed along, headed for Dortmund, I believe. The loco looked like a 120.
Approaching Düsseldorf-Garath, I met the next S6 service to Horrem, and me and my colleague waved at each other.
I'm always getting tense whenever I pull into a station where another train is waiting, cuz there almost always are some dumba**es who think playing chicken with trains is real smart. I mean, what are them underpasses there for?! And as if I had expected it, there was some idiot who was apparently so much afraid of missing his train that he ran across the tracks right in front of the waiting RE and my approaching train. I grit my teeth as I blasted him with my horn - as did the driver on the 146, whose horn is arguably much louder than mine - and flashed him an angry glance as my train shrieked to a halt without hitting that idiot. I also noticed how the driver on the 146 looked out his window an shouted something unfriendly at that guy. But while I was coming to a halt I remembered I still had those BGS officers on board, and thus I grabbed my microphone and said, "Attention, this is an advice for the BGS officers on board. Please apprehend a guy, roughly 6 feet tall, wearing a black leather jacket, black baseball cap, white jogging trousers and sneakers. You know the cause. Should enter your car any moment." Shortly after I finished this announcement, I unlocked the doors and walked to the left window, curious if I could spot anything. And sure enough, I did. That guy was dumb enough that he wanted to enter through the first door, right where I remembered the officers were, and before he even set a foot into the car, he was grabbed by the arm and lead back onto the platform. Naturally, he started to argue with the officers, but both me and them had been through this before, and there was no way for him to talk his way outta it. One of the officers waved and nodded at me, and I gave him a thumbs-up in return. Meanwhile it was time for me to depart, which I did with a grin on my face.
Approaching Düsseldorf-Reisholz...basically, a station like countless others.
Calling upon Düsseldorf-Eller Süd. Not too much further to go now .
Leaving Düsseldorf-Oberbilk, I wondered whether the BGS would want to talk to me as a witness soon. Wouldn't be the first time for me. And no, I'm not really fearing revenge from any of them idiots I helped apprehend in the past. I mean, look at it this way, better be fined with money than dead, no?
That signal you're seeing there is a distant signal repeater, cuz it's lacking the Ne 2 board which we just saw at the actual distant signal a few hundred meters before, and it's fitted with this white light.
Leaving Düsseldorf-Volksgarten. That train in the background is a class 425 EMU returning empty to the depot.
Having arrived at Düsseldorf Central Station, I shut down the cab of my loco and climbed down, making my way through them hordes of passengers to the cab car at the other end of my train. All that's left to do for now is to return this train to the depot. See that white letter board on the signal mast? That's a Zs 2 signal. This tells us where we're headed - 'W' meaning 'Wechselgleis to Düsseldorf Stabling Area or Düsseldorf-Reisholz via long-distance tracks.' The exit signal is showing aspect Hp 1, meaning 'proceed with highest permissible speed.'
We're gonna be routed onto another track soon, so we got to slow to 60 kph.
See that signal? On top is a Zs 3 speed indicator, imposing a limit of 60 kph from this signal onwards. This is in addition to the aspect of the main signal - the large one right below - which shows Hp 2, or 'proceed with restricted speed.' Without the Zs 3 on top, the limit would be 40 kph. The distant signal at the bottom shows 'expect stop', or Vr 0.
Back to the daylight. Very well, the semaphore's showing Hp 2. No Zs 3 signal here, so we're gonna proceed with 40 kph.
I was stretching myself in my seat as I slowed down in front of the Schutzhalt signal, which still showed Sh 0. However, shortly before my train was stationary it switched to Sh 1, and I reapplied power. These cab cars have an impulse throttle regulator - it'll notch up your power as long as you hold it forward and down as long as you hold it backward. Takes some getting used to, but I like it better than those throttle wheels on them old locos...blah. There's a double unit of class 628 DMUs to the left of the shed, by the way.
Being mindful of the workers standing by inside the shed, I slowed to a scant 10 kph before driving in. The foreman was standing near the gate and talking to a colleague, but waved at me when he spotted me, which I returned. I had some time to get back to the station for my next duty, so I figured I could chat with him for some minutes, cuz he's a pleasant guy, if you ask me. Uhm, now what was my next service? Right, RE6 to Bielefeld. Another ride on a 146, probably...cool."
Dominik
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