Let's be real for a second. If you’ve spent any time in the Dovetail Games forums or scrolled through the chaotic subreddit during a seasonal sale, you've seen the request. It’s always there. "When is Thomas coming to TSW?" It’s become a bit of a meme, honestly. People want to see a high-fidelity, photorealistic E2 Class locomotive with a giant grey face chugging through the British countryside. But with the release of Train Sim World 5, the chatter has reached a bit of a fever pitch. People are looking at the new features—the conductor mode, the route hopping, the enhanced lighting—and thinking, "Man, imagine Sodor in 4K."
But here is the cold, hard truth: There is no official Train Sim World 5 Thomas DLC.
At least, not right now. And maybe not ever in the way people imagine. Dovetail Games has a very specific niche, and Matt Peddlesden and the team have generally steered the ship toward "hardcore simulation." We're talking about precise brake pressures, safety systems like PZB and AWS, and realistic timetable operations. Dropping a sentient blue engine into the middle of the West Coast Main Line would, quite literally, break the immersion that the core audience pays for.
Why the rumors keep resurfacing
So why do we keep talking about it? Part of it is the sheer technical leap of TSW5. When you see the level of detail on the new Class 390 Pendolino or the Flixtrain BR 193 Vectron, it's natural to wonder what other iconic rail brands could look like under that engine.
The logic usually goes like this: Dovetail has the license for the real-world trains that Thomas was based on. We have the LBSCR E2 (Thomas), we have the GWR 1400 (Oliver), and we’ve seen plenty of LMS Ivatt Class 2MTs (Arthur). If the metal is already there, why not just... put a face on it?
Well, licensing is a nightmare. A total headache. Mattel owns Thomas & Friends, and they are notoriously protective. They don't just want a "train game." They want an ecosystem that fits their branding. Dovetail, meanwhile, is busy trying to make sure the overhead wires in the San Bernardino Line don't flicker when you drive past at 70 mph. These two worlds don't just collide; they repel each other.
The "Serious" Simulation Problem
If you’ve played Train Sim World 5, you know the vibe. You’re standing on a rainy platform in Frankfurt, checking your watch, feeling the weight of a thousand tons of freight behind you. The game thrives on the mundane reality of railroading.
Thomas the Tank Engine is the opposite. It’s whimsical. It’s about "confusion and delay." While TSW5 does have plenty of "confusion and delay" (usually due to a red signal that won't change), it’s not the kind that involves a fat controller scolding you for falling into a ditch filled with fish.
There is also the "uncanny valley" to consider. TSW5 uses Unreal Engine 4 (with some serious modifications), and the lighting is gorgeous. Seeing a sentient, unblinking face in that level of graphical fidelity would be... terrifying? It would look less like a children's show and more like a psychological horror mod.
What about mods?
This is where things get interesting. In the original Train Simulator Classic (the 64-bit veteran that still refuses to die), Thomas content is everywhere. There are entire communities, like those found on Sodor Workshops or through various independent creators, who have spent a decade building incredibly high-quality Sodor routes.
But Train Sim World 5 is a "walled garden."
Because it’s a cross-platform title available on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, the modding capabilities are severely limited compared to the old simulator. We have the Creators Club, sure. You can go in there right now, grab a livery editor, and paint a Class 08 shunter bright blue with some red stripes. You can even try to use the shapes tool to make something that looks like a face. But it’s a 2D skin on a 3D model. It’s a "tribute," not a conversion.
The lack of a public SDK (Software Development Kit) for TSW5 means we can't just import new 3D models. You can't just "drop in" a character. You are stuck with the geometry Dovetail gives you.
The real-world overlap
If you are a Thomas fan who bought TSW5 hoping for a fix, you have to look at the "real" versions of these engines. It's the only way to play.
- The Class 08 Shunter: This is Diesel. He's in almost every UK-based route pack. In TSW5, if you’re running the training center or any of the legacy UK freight routes, you’re driving Diesel.
- The Flying Scotsman: This was a massive DLC for TSW4 that carries over into TSW5. In the Thomas world, he’s Gordon’s brother. Driving the Scotsman on the East Coast Main Line is about as close as you’ll get to high-stakes Sodor lore.
- The Iron Duke: For the lovers of the "old ways," the steam locos in TSW5 offer that tactile, messy experience that the early Thomas books (the Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry) were obsessed with.
The Business Reality
Let's look at the numbers. Dovetail Games was acquired by Focus Entertainment a while back. Focus is a mid-sized publisher that likes reliable, recurring revenue. Thomas & Friends is a multi-billion dollar IP. The cost to license those characters for a niche simulation game would likely exceed the entire development budget of TSW6, let alone a single DLC for 5.
📖 Related: Why This Stay Tuned for Danger Walkthrough is Still Saving Nancy Drew Fans
Plus, there’s the target demographic. TSW5 is rated PEGI 3, but its actual players are mostly adults who enjoy the technicality. Mattel wants kids. Kids generally don't want to spend 20 minutes learning how to unlock the reverser and acknowledge a DSD alarm.
Is there any hope?
Could we see a "Stepney" or a "City of Truro"? Maybe. These are real, historical locomotives that just happen to be characters in the Thomas universe. Dovetail loves historical locomotives. If they ever release a "Bluebell Railway" route or more heritage line content, we might get the engines, but we definitely won't get the personalities.
Honestly, that’s for the best.
The charm of Train Sim World 5 is that it feels like the real world. When you’re in the cab of a BR Class 37, feeling the rumble through the haptic feedback on your controller, you want to feel like a driver, not a character in a storybook.
What you should actually do
If you're looking for that Sodor feeling in TSW5, your best bet is the Creators Club. Search for "Thomas," "Percy," or "Sodor." There are some genuinely talented artists who have used the limited livery tools to create "E2-inspired" paint jobs for the existing shunters and tanks.
Alternatively, if you really need the full Thomas experience, you have to go back to Train Simulator Classic. The "Sodor Island 3D" era may have shifted, but the content is still out there in the wild.
Next Steps for the Realistic Railfan
- Check the Creators Club: Filter by "Livery" and search for "LBSCR" or "Blue." Users have already uploaded hundreds of "tribute" skins that work perfectly with the TSW5 lighting engine.
- Focus on the Steam Era: If you want the Awdry vibe, pick up the Peak District or Spirit of Steam add-ons. The mechanics of managing water and coal are exactly what those original stories were about.
- Manage your expectations: Stop waiting for a "Thomas" announcement in the monthly Dovetail roadmaps. Focus on the upcoming "Route Hopping" updates and the new European corridors which are the actual future of the platform.
- Explore the "Free Roam" mode: TSW5 allows you to spawn any train anywhere. If you’ve got a blue loco, spawn it on a sleepy branch line, turn off the HUD, and just enjoy the scenery. That's as close to Sodor as we're getting this year.
The "Train Sim World 5 Thomas" phenomenon is a testament to how much we love these characters, but for now, they remain in the realm of imagination and custom paint jobs. Stick to the Pendolino for your speed fix and the Class 08 for your shunting—just don't expect them to talk back to you.