A 2026 REVIEW OF THE “Train Simulator Classic” First Capital Connect Class 321 EMU DLC.
For today’s review, let’s go back 13 years ago to one of Dovetail Games earliest DLC’s.
The early years of “Train Simulator Classic” (ala “RailWorks 3: Train Simulator 2012”) and of course, since the release of DLC, there have been improvements to “Train Simulator Classic” and how developers are really trying to squeeze a lot out of a very old engine and for the most part, seeing impressive creations. While it’s sibling, “Train Simulator World” has now poised itself of getting the love and fanfare thanks to easier and forgiving gameplay and magnificent graphics.
With that being said, while TSW is popular for today’s graphic loving gamers, “Train Simulator Classic” is still the definitive train simulator. With hundreds of DLCs and community support, it’s still the world’s best train simulator.
With that being said, “Train Simulator Classic” as it did in 2009 and to 2026, while it remains a wonderful game, it’s also one heck of a game that is known to be unforgiving, challenging, long and frustrating because you can give your all, but in the end, while you may complete a scenario, doesn’t mean you will earn any points, stars or anything special.
Part of the problem with “Train Simulator” is that some DLC’s demands you to be on time. Punctuality is king and if you are late and don’t arrive in time, you fail. Even if you go at a super high speed, you will go through curves that will affect drive quality. So, in essence, some DLC scenarios are easy to fail and if you are able to pass, you feel that sense of accomplishment. But if you drive for over an hour or nearly two hours, nothing is more frustrating to find out by the end of a long ride that you failed.
Before I get to my review, I am a train fan who travels worldwide to ride in trains, collects trains (N-Gage) and is passionate about train simulators and raised on “Densha de Go” and play many train games to this day. But with that being said, I am not the technical train fan who looks for perfection in depiction or sound. While there are some people who are hardcore about that. I am not that type of railfan.
Nor am I going to say, “purchase a weather pack, sound pack or liveries” from another site. If you have the money to do so and the technical know how to do so, go for it! The beauty of simulators especially for trains and planes, you have that freedom thanks to its supportive community.
Now on to my review.
Train Simulator: First Capital Connect Class 321 EMU
When I first got this DLC, I’m going to be blunt in saying this, because of the “negative rating”, I was more than happy to get this DLC because of when it comes to simulator games, there are people who review unfavorably because they demand perfection and audio perfection.
The reviews I tend to tune off are the “Train Simulator Classic” fans who try to tell people to not purchase a DLC unless they visit a third party website and purchase additional content that cost three times as much as the DLC. A lot of those reviews were a product of that era of a subset of railfans who complain about everything that is not perfection.
In 2026, a lot of these reviews mean nothing. People want the convenience to purchase from STEAM and not a third party website and to purchase additional sounds or liveries at double or three times the cost of the original DLC (esp. on sale) doesn’t fly in today’s world. Especially for security and today’s modern standards.
The FCC Class 321 EMU is by no means a DLC that should have received a flood of negative reviews that looked like an organized negative campaign from the start. It’s quite evident because their reviews are almost all alike.
But as mentioned, in today’s modern setting, we know that “Train Simulator Classic” DLC’s go on sale OFTEN and this particular DLC goes for under $8 occasionally. Which is inexpensive.
This DLC features the First Capital Connect Class 321 EMU (Electrical Multiple Unit). The 321 is a British Rail passenger train built between 1988-1991. For First Capital Connect, they operated 13 units from London Midland and operated on Great Northern services from London King’s Cross to Petersborough through 2017.
These trains have since been replaced by the Class 387’s but you may still see some of them being used by Greater Anglia and a few converted to Class 320/4s for Abellio ScotRail (which operated the ScotRail franchise from 2015-2022) and were used on the Northern Rail.
This DLC is no doubt a product of a time when First Capital Connect (FCC) was owned and operated by FirstGroup, which ended in 2014 and became known as the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise, which is now the largest railway franchise in the UK.
The First Capital Connect colors were evident with the dark royal blue and yellow front. Years before this DLC was released, it was a time when people were not quite fond of FCC. The trains were overcrowded and customer service was not the best.
So, that’s one of the things that may make BR fans like or not want this DLC. But let’s assume you are a person who wanted it for it’s low price and scenarios.
GAMEPLAY:
The First Capital Connect Class 321 EMU DLC is surprisingly not as punishing on punctuality as other TSC DLCs of its time.
You get two career scenarios and two tutorials for the Academy under the tutorial tab. There are no standard scenarios. And it operates on free run Quick Drive mode. But to play these scenarios, as always with train DLC’s, you will need to purchase a route DLC to run the train on. In this case, it’s the East Coast Main Line London-Petersborough.
The FCC Class 32a EMU DLC is tailored for beginners and intermediate players. Power can be controlled via A/D, Reverser via W/S, V for windshield wipers, H for headlights, space bar for horn, to name a few.
The usual keyboard keycap presses like other TLC DLCs. So, this will be an easier DLC for beginners who want to get quick achievements as well!
You will be riding the Class 321 which includes the DTCO, PMSO, TSO and DTSO vehicles.
GRAPHICS AND SOUNDS:
In 2026, if you want Train Simulator with great graphics, then “Train Sim World” is what you should be playing. Not to say that TLC doesn’t have great looking DLCs as some third party developers have been able to squeeze whatever they can with a 2009 graphics engine.
But you are playing TSC for the plethora of DLCs available and its added challenge. The train looks good as it can on TSC, as for the route, East Coast Main Line shares a similar 2013 style of ugly trees and green environments but when it does show certain homes, shops, etc. that’s where this route shines and you can also see other trains and their rolling stock passing by. I will say that ECML route has people that look better and show them walking unlike many of today’s DLC’s which often show a barren station.
Now if you want more liveries and a soundpack, yes there is a third party seller that sells it for nearly 17 pounds ($22.51 US). Seriously, I’m not going to spend that much to make this DLC better. I’m quite content with how it looks and sounds are as I am not a technical rail fan expection perfection for an under $8 DLC (on sale).
JUDGMENT CALL:
By no means is this a DLC that should have received any negative or its collective troll vitriole especially when most of the reviewers are biased towards a third party developer and are willing to fork that much money on their website. For that much money, to me that could go to more Train Simulator Classic DLCs, created by third party businesses who do sell on STEAM. And no way am I going to spend double or triple the cost of a low priced DLC.
A DLC great for beginners and those who are nostalgic of a train from the First Capital Connect era.
