From ChrisTrains
Quote;
"As the Stadler GTW mid-life update is now very close to release, I have to pass on some sad news. You may have read about this elsewhere in the TSC community, but recently SBB modified all the license agreements with developers of models for all train simulator games. I don’t know if anyone really knows what happened to cause them to do this, but the short version is this: for me to remain legal with my SBB license, I am now forbidden from including anything other than than the most basic driving functions, in and model that has anything to do with Swiss rail operators.
This means no SIFA and no PZB, among other things. This does not just affect me. It has already affected Paul Mersel's TrainWorx, and is also going to affect all Swiss game content from other developers (for example Rivet Games) if it hasn't already.
What this means for the GTW update is that the Thurbo GTW will have SIFA and PZB disabled in this release, and all future releases, until SBB reconsiders their position.
This isn't anything to do with the use of the SBB brand, and SBB haven't made any public statement as to why they have made this decision.
But the wording of the new license agreement has less to do with specific systems in the train, and more to do with a general requirement that someone cannot learn how to fully start and operate any train on the Swiss network, simply from a simulation game.
Specifically they require that no information screens are accurate or functional (in terms of menus, buttons etc), and that only accelerating and braking be allowed by the players.
Further than that, I'm not going to speculate the reasons why they have made these decisions.
Realistically I only had two options. I could either comply with the updated SBB requirements, or I could remove the Thurbo GTW from the pack completely. While I understand this is disappointing to Swiss rail enthusiasts, there is nothing I can do about this, and no amount of comments, emails or support tickets will result in me re-activating these functions in the model. I have to comply with the terms of my SBB licensing agreement, or I could face legal action.
All other versions of the GTW in the pack remain unaffected."
Realistically; has anyone ever stolen a train and driven it with the knowledge of a simulation? I highly doubt it!!! After all there is so much more to driving a train than ZUB and Sifa. And there is a huge difference from using a keyboard to being at a Fahrpult. Also what’s stopping developers to make a DB BR 189 (or other trains that run on the Swiss network) with ZUB? That would be outside SBBs licencing anyway, so players could still drive with it. Just not on a SBB branded train.
Also, in a time where train drivers are desperately in shortage, simulations is one of the things that actually recruits them. In light of that, the new policy from SBB seems counterproductive.
