Train Simulator - DR BR 86 Loco Add-On (DLC)

Train Simulator's DLC catalogue is enormous, and the DR BR 86 Loco Add-On is one of its quieter corners. Developed by 汐留姉妹 and published by Dovetail Games, this add-on drops you into the cab of a recreation of the DR BR 86, a classic German steam locomotive, and asks you to haul it across a route network stretching over 70 kilometres. That network includes multiple tracks, tunnels, and scenery shifts that keep longer runs from feeling like a static backdrop loop. For a single-locomotive add-on, that's a respectable amount of physical space to operate in. From a systems perspective, this is squarely a simulation add-on, not a sandbox strategy title, so my usual grid of decision trees and late-game scaling doesn't apply in the traditional sense. The depth here is tactile: throttle management, brake timing, reading signal states, and respecting the quirks of a steam-era machine on track layouts that include single-track sections with their own passing logic. If you treat each run as a puzzle with a timetable as the constraint, there's genuine decision-making buried in what looks like a straightforward drive-the-train package. That framing makes it accessible even if you haven't spent hours in Train Simulator before, provided you treat the cab tutorial as mandatory rather than optional. The Early Access label is the most important flag here. As of its January 2023 release, the developer has signalled that single-track operations and additional rolling stock types are planned for future updates. That roadmap language is encouraging, but it's still a promise, not a delivered feature set. Three Steam reviews at 100% positive is statistically meaningless for a purchase decision. You're essentially betting on a small developer's follow-through, and the mod ecosystem around this specific add-on is effectively non-existent at this stage, which matters if you're the type who extends replay value through community content. Who should genuinely consider this? Committed Train Simulator collectors who specifically want DR-era German steam traction, or players building out a roster of historically flavoured locomotives for long-haul sessions. If you're new to the base game, the 70 km route does offer enough variety to learn fundamental cab operation without being overwhelming, and the scenery changes give you natural checkpoints to gauge your progress. Just go in knowing the content footprint is modest right now and expansion depends on continued development. The honest bottom line is that this is a specialist purchase inside an already specialist hobby. The BR 86 itself is a respectable subject, the route length is adequate, and the early access additions on the roadmap could meaningfully improve the package. But thin review data, no rated Metacritic score, and an incomplete feature set mean you should treat this as a patient investment rather than an immediate full-experience purchase.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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