TSW4: Pacer Preston to Blackpool North Gameplay Commentary 

Well, they've modelled the Pacer's flange squeal quite accurately, but it seems like they couldn't depict the pacer's awful suspension (which earned the Pacer nicknames like "jungle bus", "pogo stick", "nodding donkey", and "bouncy castle" for its ride quality, or lack thereof).

4:35 The Pacer did not save branch lines. BR's own numbers stated that they cost more to operate than the Sprinter DMUs.

4:30 never mind a US freght train they did not stand up well to other British trains, winsford rail crash 1999 luckily the 142 was running empty, but it had raised the safety concerns about the trains in 99

Mechanical transmission is actually quite common on British DMUs, even new ones like the Class 195s that replaced the Pacers on the Blackpool Branches. The Pacers were absolutely awful, though - I doubt they could have saved US lines and would have just made the passenger experience much worse. Oh, and Blackpool used to have another station, Blackpool Central, which was huge and very busy right to the end. However, the Blackpool Corporation wished to develop the prime land the station occupied, so saw it closed and the line terminated at Blackpool South instead. That’s why it’s such an awkward terminus - it was never intended to be one.

I'm british. I'll say the pacers ABSOLUTELY deserve the hate they get. a good starter on this topic is gareth dennis' "the pacers were bad and saved nothing." Episode im glad plenty are preserved, and you'll probably be able to ride one here or at least sit in one. but see and ride a class 150 before they're gone. because im so glad they saved me from the pacers (i lived in one of the very last places to get rid of them). The south-west is 2nd worst in the country for transport funding becides the east Midlands. (but we do have the prettiest routes :^) and the Swindon Steam Museum and Tyseley works. as someone who grew up in a tiny village, there needs to be more talk about how bad rural car and road dependancy is, and how it could be fixed quite easily. and no busses are not the answer. especially in hilly places where you get thrown out of your seat, and it takes hours to go barely 10 miles. and sending lorries through tightly packed towns is a nightmare for locals. i like slower videos, casual discussion like this is great but i could actually hear you on the video, and my eardrums weren't bleeding from squealing brakes and everything rattling disconcertingly, so 0/10 for realism

Been playing train sim for about 4 years and love it. Personally I still prefer Train Simulator Classic. Yes it's old, but it's got so much content available for it, and you can get very immersive scenarios. TSW is slowly improving but it's just a different type of game really. As you're from the U.S. I can see why you probably prefer it. There's more good U.S. content for it than there was for TS Classic (I think?). The reason why this Blackpool route is so good because Just Trains made it. They have a lot higher standards than many other developers. Hopefully they do a lot more!

Blackpool is now just a place for bachelor/bachelorette parties, going to the 'pleasure beach' which is like a 6 flags but smaller (apart form the coaster). Oh and they have the Illuminations. Basically they run lights down the entire seat front during winter and people drive for hours...... to come and get stuck in the traffic, for hours, under the lights - its and amazing tradition and you NEED to experience it. 👍

Been on a Pacer twice between Sheffield and Lincoln (Return) and the only saving grace of it is the seats are alright, especially compared to the ironing boards every new train has. Otherwise the ride quality is awful and even in winter was hot and stuffy next to the windows. The Sprinter series was better both for passengers and operationally. To be honest the 158 and 156s, when maintained, have been the best regional rolling stock I've been on.

During Expo 86 in Vancouver a pacer was imported and ran between New Westminster and Abbotsford. It was incredibly popular, so while the train might not have been the best, at least there was regular rail transit service! To this day groups are still fighting to reactivate the line.

Blackpool still has some interesting things to do, Blackpool Pleasure Beach amusement park is somewhere I’d really like to visit someday

I like this, just a short little ramble about trains. Would love to see some more Alan :)

Pacers are fun until you have to use them often although the journey through the hilly countryside on one felt like an old wooden rollercoaster or something so that was fun. Blackpool is still a common holiday destination for northerners I think but more for the weekend and to get drunk or gamble, a bit like a rough part of vegas I would imagine

I think the most comparable rail line in the US is WES in Portland.

Didn't Philly use them on the R8 Chestnut Hill West to Newtown Bucks County via Fox Chase. That should be remembered by people in Philly

the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire (Leeds, Bradford, etc.) suffered the Pacer's more crude predecessors, the class 141, which were such a rough ride you could legitimately get knocked out of your seat if the train took a tight bend at speed they lasted 16 years in service (1983-1999), which is pretty pathetic as far as trains go; the 142s lasted 36 years, albeit with several rounds of major refurbishments, as they were severely underpowered in their original form all but one of the 141s were sold to Iran, who used them as suburban trains in Tehran for 7 years before ditching them there is one 141 still running at the Midland Railway heritage line in Butterley (between Derby and Chesterfield); as it's only about an hour from where I live, I am almost tempted to visit, just to see how bad they really were they also run a couple of 142s, so if you do want to see them in the flesh, that's a good place to do so - it's also near the Peak District national park, which was where much of "The Princess Bride" was filmed, and is well worth a visit in itself

The New Haven had something similar to the Pacer in the form of the Mack FCD Railbus. They lasted a mere four years before the New Haven sold them off in 1956.

Pretty much all KiHa diesels are directly linked as well, so there's a gearbox.

5:00 thought Blackpool has trams and double decker legacy trams too compared to Atlantic City

Reminds me of the Lint 41/Desiro/DSB MR. Good for some branch lines, but the MR was used for mainline service as well. Edit: But seriously, small towns outside of the electrified networks need some better trains. Probably a battery multiple unit with high acceleration, and preferably a top speed high enough to convince the politicians to upgrade the infrastructure. Rural trains can be made useful, but at least an hourly frequency (preferably more), decent speed and comfort are needed.

A diesel train with a direct transmission sounds wild! Now I want to see one with a manual transmission and clutch!

also, if you try routinely commuting to Leeds or Manchester from Blackpool, you are in for a whole world of existential pain - they don't look far on the map, but oh dear god, there are huge practical obstacles in the way

must be set in the 80s or something with that livery, this branch has actually been electrified since then

If it's available, the route form Liverpool Central to West Kirby would be good!

done that trip on that rolling stock just before they were phased out

It's a really nice ans casual video format ^^

I really like these short, kinda rambly like video

This was very nice :) ❤

I def enjoyed this!

Huh, this American knows a lot more about blackpool than Atlantic city. All I really know about the latter is that there are a lot of casinos there. I've never really been to the northeast so I had no idea about its loss of tourist dollars.

the sprinters saved regional railways the shortlines the pacers nearly killed them and there deathtraps with themselves riding on them was being legit thrown around by bad suspension

Septa is still the only major carrier who hasn't done anything with them yet in the US

I'd like to see you do the Huddersfield to Leeds line. 😊❤❤❤😊

The pacer isn't that bad, as someone who's commuted on them, I've never had any quirks riding in one. I love the DLC too, Ormskirk is literally a few mins from my house - so glad this line didn't get Beeching'd