For anyone living north and east of New York City, the sight of Metro-North’s M-series EMUs (electric-multiple units) is a truly familiar sight as the trains hustle commuters to and from “The Big Apple” on three busy lines. And soon, one of the New York City region’s busiest and most famous commuter routes – the Metro-North Harlem Line – is coming to Train Sim World 2.

For Train Sim World 2, the Harlem Line route will extend from historic New York Grand Central Terminal to North White Plains, New York. Shared from Grand Central Terminal to Mott Haven (5.4 miles from GCT) with both Metro-North’s Hudson and New Haven line traffic, and on to Woodlawn (11 miles from GCT) with the MNCR New Haven Line, the Metro-North Harlem Line then makes its own way, turning northeast and closely following the path of the Bronx River to White Plains and North White Plains (24 miles from Grand Central Terminal). As re-created for Train Sim World 2, the route will also include a short section of the MNCR Hudson Line extending from Mott Haven to Yankees – 153rd Street Station.

Simply put, the Metro-North Harlem Line is one of America’s busiest and most captivating commuter routes. Between Grand Central Terminal and Woodlawn, the route is primarily four-track territory, with two or more tracks in service on to North White Plains. The line is fully electrified via third rail. The Train Sim World 2 route will include 18 stations, of which Grand Central Terminal, Harlem 125th Street, and White Plains are the busiest and most renowned. In addition to being the site of a station, North White Plains is host to a major Metro-North holding yard as many Harlem Line trains originate or terminate there.

Operations on the Harlem Line in recent years have been predominated by MNCR’s modern M7A EMUs and supplemented by its veteran M3A electrics, and both generations of EMUs will be included with the upcoming Train Sim World 2 route! Dressed in MNCR’s distinctive silver and blue livery, the M7As were constructed by Bombardier and entered service in 2002 while the venerable M3As were built by Budd and date to 1984, although many have been upgraded.

For those with a keen eye and appreciation for railroad history, the Harlem Line is also thoroughly appealing. The route was chartered by the New York and Harlem Railroad and was long part of the fabulous New York Central. In 1968, New York Central was merged with the Pennsylvania to form Penn Central, and in 1972 the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) largely took over management of the line from the by then financially troubled Penn Central. With Metro-North’s formation (as an operating entity for MTA) in the early 1980s, the Harlem Line in recent decades has seen a variety of enhancements, including station improvements across the length of the route and electrification of the line on north from North White Plains to Brewster, New York. Accordingly, a number of the EMU trains operating on the Grand Central Terminal-North White Plains segment of the route originate or terminate at Brewster. Select trains also originate or terminate at Crestwood, 17 miles from Grand Central Terminal. In pre-pandemic days, approximately 88,000 passengers rode the Harlem Line on a typical weekday.

The upcoming Harlem Line for Train Sim World 2 will authentically re-create the famed commuter rail route from the urban canyons of the Big Apple through the dense but often scenic suburbs of New York’s Westchester County, and you’ll have the opportunity to put the M3A and M7A EMUs through their paces in a selection of tutorials, five scenarios, and more than 260 timetabled services!– Gary Dolzall

Soon, one of the New York City region’s busiest and most famous commuter routes – the Metro-North Harlem Line – is coming to Train Sim World 2. The upcoming Train Sim World 2 route will extend from historic New York Grand Central Terminal to North White Plains, New York, and will feature Metro-North’s modern M7A and veteran M3A electric-multiple-unit (EMU) equipment. At North White Plains Yard, M3A and M7A EMUs are readied for their next run.

At North White Plains Station, 24 miles from New York’s Grand Central Terminal, a northbound M7A EMU is completing its run (above). One-and-a-half miles further south, another M7A EMU is loading passengers at stylish White Plains Station, one of the busiest on the route (below).

With the upcoming Train Sim World 2 Harlem Line: Grand Central Terminal – North White Plains route, you’ll handle the ultra-realistic controls and work in the authentic cab of the M3A (above) and M7A (below) EMUs. With 18 served stations on the route, five scenarios, and more than 260 timetabled services, you’ll experience challenging American commuter railroading.

Representing two generations of EMUs, the Metro-North M3A and M7A electrics will each feature realistic and detailed passenger compartments, as illustrated by this M3A interior view.

Metro-North’s busy Harlem Line makes its way through a captivating mix of suburban and urban settings and follows the Bronx River for much of its distance. Near Scarsdale, New York, a set of M3As clatter across the Bronx River (above), while two M7A trains pass under the gaze of nearby condominiums (below).

High above the Bronx River, Metro-North M7As make their station stop at Mount Vernon West (above). Pulling their electrical power from the third rail, a set of “Big Apple” bound M3As glide through Woodlawn Junction where MNCR’s Harlem and New Haven lines converge. Located eleven miles north of Grand Central Terminal, Woodlawn is one of the New York area’s busiest railroad junctions.

The Train Sim World 2 Harlem Line route will take you to New York City’s classic and famed railroading locations. An outbound Metro-North M3A train strides across the towering DB bridge over the Harlem River (above), and (below) nearby legendary Harlem 125th Street Station is abuzz with evening rush-hour action.

Having departed Grand Central Terminal, an outbound Metro-North M3A has cleared the Park Avenue Tunnel and rolls along atop the Park Avenue Viaduct toward Harlem 125th Street. Keep a watch out here at Dovetail Live, and we’ll be providing further information and advance screenshots of the upcoming Train Sim World 2 Harlem Line: Grand Central Terminal – North White Plains route!

Look out for more in the coming weeks and follow @trainsimworld on Twitter and Facebook for updates.