Our second installment of the Train Sim World 3 Dev blog series is all about power. The game includes some formidable locomotives and units with exciting new features and experiences to enjoy. Coupled with some spectacular , challenging routes that ensure you can test your metal against some of the fastest and steepest railways in the world.

Want to find out more? Of course you do. Read on!

Experience the thrill of powering through over 186 km of dense, forested valleys, over awe-inspiring viaducts, and deep into swooping tunnels from the cabs of some of Germany's most iconic high-speed trains, with Schnellfahrstrecke Kassel – Würzburg. State-of-the-art safety and signalling systems such as LZB keep you safe, combined with the varying weights of the high-speed trains that call this route home you will enjoy a varied and exciting driving experience every time you play.

At night the timetable looks quite different from the daytime services, freight services that also use the line appear more commonly as the number of Highspeed train services goes down overnight, so you’ll need to learn the route in an entirely different way . But be prepared, those High-speed trains aren’t going to stop for a cross-country freight train, you’ll have to head into yards along the route and patiently watch as the distinctive white flash of an ICE hurtles past you.

Expanding on what was one of the most popular routes to grace Train Sim World, Southeastern Highspeed now goes all the way to Ashford, completing one of Britain's most modern railways, HS1. The route has also had a massive overhaul, following feedback from the community we have improved the scenery throughout the route and updated the signalling to be more prototypical. With services stopping at the lower platforms, Ebbsfleet International required some major work to be done on it, and you’ll be pleased to discover you can now explore the station in its entirety.

Between Ebbsfleet and Ashford International station you have plenty of straight flat track to pick up speed, and power over the same stretch of track that saw the British rail speed record smashed in 2003. If local commuter services are more to your taste, fear not we haven’t forgotten you! Extending Southeastern highspeed to Dartford station brings this route up to an impressive 89 miles and gives the Chatham Mainline section a more realistic final destination

Don't forget: Players who already own Southeastern High Speed: St Pancras - Faversham Route Add-on and/or Spirit of Steam: Liverpool Lime Street - Crewe Add-on in Train Sim World 2 will receive the updated versions of these routes for free upon purchasing any copy of Train Sim World 3, including regional starter packs.

For our third and final route, we are heading to sunny Southern California. Curving its way up through the San Bernardino Mountains, Cajon Pass is as popular with railfans today as it was when it was built 140 years ago. Epic terrain, steep grades, and busy freight traffic mean there is so much to experience and a challenging drive for any would-be engineer brave enough to take on this beautiful but deceptively difficult route. With up to 3% grades in places, you will need to perfectly apply power at the right time to haul huge trains laden with hundreds of heavy containers over the mountain pass and into the desert.

Once you have perfected the art of the ascent, you can really test your skills and bring trains down the mountain. Good job you have some of the BNSF’s fleet's most powerful locomotives to assist you in your gradual descent. Just keep an eye on the brakes!

Blasting onto Train Sim World 3 are a plethora of powerful locomotives for you to master, including some of the most powerful trains from across the world. The sleek DB BR 401 ICE 1 EMU, lumbering 4400-horsepower behemoth the BNSF ES44C4, and the record-breaking high-speed BR Class 395 EMU “Javelin” are the headline acts of this incredible line-up.

Paving the way for European highspeed trains for decades to come, the DB BR 401 ICE 1 was the first of 6 ICE inter-city trains to grace the German rail network. At 849 tonnes for a 12-car train set, this impressively powerful train can still reach incredible speeds of 280 km/h, despite its substantial weight.

Crowned with the title of Britain's fastest domestic train, the BR Class 395 EMU has justifiably earnt its nickname “Javelin”. Powering across the Kentish countryside it has a top speed of 140 mp/h. Utilising the modern HS1 high-speed line, it has cut journey times to the Capital from destinations across the Southeast substantially.

Using its variable traction control system, the imposing BNSF ES44C4 allows you to capitalise on the loco's immense power. With advanced software and engineering, it can vary the pressure applied to each wheel, maximising its potential for adhesion. The perfect feature for heavy freight trains crossing vast Californian mountains! Supporting these heavy metal giants is a selection of some of the best locomotives and units Train Sim World has to offer.

Speeding its way across Germany, the lighter DB BR 403 ICE 3 EMU offers an entirely different high-speed driving experience to its much heavier cousin the ICE1, and of course, Schnellfahrstrecke Kassel – Würzburg is home to busy freight traffic, so we have included the DB BR 185 and several freight wagons for you to enjoy.

Southeastern Highspeed includes the ever-popular Electrostar unit the BR Class 375 EMU, and the venerable BR class 465 EMU which was previously only available as a separate Add-On for the route. An updated timetable has also been added to fully incorporate the BR 465, you can power commuters across the Kent countryside from town to town from the cab of your choice. We have also included a brand-new BR Class 66 Diesel which replaces the Class 66 that was previously a layer from a different route.

Finally, Cajon pass receives the staple of America diesel traction, the SD40-2. Found across the States, this widely used Diesel will be performing local freight services and shunting duties. Much like the ES44C4, the SD40-2 is Emblazoned in the awesome bright Orange BNSF livery. Who said trains had to be subtle!

Train Sim World 3 ensures you’ll not only feel the power of massive locomotives but see it too. Be it the sizzling of sparks as the shoes of a unit make contact with the third rail or the flash and crackle of a pantograph arcing as it bounces along the overhead wires. We are very pleased to introduce a brand-new feature to Train Sim World, arcing and sparking. Synonymous with real-world electric trains, these exciting effects give you a sense of the power these impressive trains require.

Increasing your sense of immersion are brand new, highly detailed, and carefully engineered sounds. The joy of witnessing high-speed trains whooshing past you and enormous diesel locomotives powering up steep gradients is captured by realistic and layered in-game sounds, bringing Train Sim World 3 to life, and simulating everything from the squeal of the brakes to the coupling of wagons. You will feel the raw power of the locomotives you control blasting through your speakers , your senses engaged in an exciting and unique experience, enhancing every journey you take.

Be sure to watch the Railfan TV team tonight on Twitch and YouTube at 19:00 pm UTC where our Creative Director Sam and Senior Producer Adam are giving you all a welcome tour around the Training Center, where you’ll be able to learn how to drive the locomotives featured in Train Sim World 3.

You can also look forward to our next Train Sim World 3 gameplay showcase starting at 19:00 UTC, August 25th. James and Alex will be taking to the rails and showcasing the new features and details in the South-eastern High Speed Extension, our first ever extension to a route in TSW!

We had a detailed look at the awesome audio improvements you can look forward to in Train Sim World 3 in this month's Roadmaps, check the out here and here!

There’s been a lot to read about, and there is a lot more to come in the run-up to Train Sim World 3, find out more about Train Sim World 3 by following @trainsimworld on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok.

Train Sim World 3 Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition are available to pre-order now on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox (Deluxe Only), and Epic Games Store. When you pre-order on your selected store you will have 4-day Early Access to Train Sim World 3 as well as a bonus decal pack to use within the livery editor to share on Creators Club, the home of player customization in Train Sim World. Regional Editions will also be available to purchase on September the 6th.

To find out more about the different editions of Train Sim World 3 and more, head to our FAQ here!