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Bruce in the Peg
Bruce in the Peg, I happened to have occasion to get one of the Microsoft versions for $10 from Wal-Mart a year and a bit back. It was a bargain, but the software and graphics are very clearly dated. The disk comes with a German steamer loaded and several game routes, an LNER British Flying Scotsman type with routes, a British diesel passenger, and two major American routes with either Amtrak type fast passenger diesels or freight. On my XP machine, the graphics are what I would classify as rather poor, and there are problems such as steam locomotive drivers spinning much faster than the audio chuff rate...puts me off, frankly. Whistles and horns are not playable on MSTS. Overall, definitely worth the $10.
The other popular one is Trainz, and I have read threads form pleased users and from less than thrilled users.
Note that a knowledgeable team is working on a release of the Microsoft version, a new improved version. I think that is likely to be worth waiting for.
-Crandell
there is quite a bit of downloadable content for both and routes so theres a good community support.
Microsoft apparently has a new sim in the works. At our home we use the older version and it provides hours of entertainment. There is a ton of rolling stock and other add ons that can be downloaded for free from places like trainsim.com
http://www.microsoft.com/games/trainsimulator/
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I had a trains 2004 with the very wonderful 2-8-0 and I can never find a replacement since the disk wore out. Making up a train (With the required cars to satisfy the switch list) in the yard and then heading up the branch to the sawmill was what it was all about for me.
I had other simulators since then and I run a powerful computer here.. those never really did it as good as trainz 04 did. I did buy a copy of the NYC Steam engine and since resold it on ebay. My main beef with that particular sim was that the sound files on the steamer depended on your current speed... has nothing to do with the settings of the controls.
For me, I need that stack talk done right with the software so I can understand what the steam engine is up to.
I hope that future simulators will behave according to the world and your input via the cab controls. Pull into a station and have the thing silence down when you close the throttle will make it just about perfect. I get this on the FSX Deluxe and they need to do it with the train sims.
Sometime ago I heard about the Microsoft Trainsim Two featuring the PRR M1a on the cover and the developer bailed out and the project was closed down. However I hope that they will include some heavy steam in the next sim that has at least something to do with operations somewhere in the USA.
selector wrote:Bruce in the Peg, I happened to have occasion to get one of the Microsoft versions for $10 from Wal-Mart a year and a bit back. It was a bargain, but the software and graphics are very clearly dated. The disk comes with a German steamer loaded and several game routes, an LNER British Flying Scotsman type with routes, a British diesel passenger, and two major American routes with either Amtrak type fast passenger diesels or freight. On my XP machine, the graphics are what I would classify as rather poor, and there are problems such as steam locomotive drivers spinning much faster than the audio chuff rate...puts me off, frankly. Whistles and horns are not playable on MSTS. Overall, definitely worth the $10.
We have MSTS, got a copy from Liquadation World for $9.99 CDN.
Unlike Crandel, we can use the horns and whistles. Our version also came with some Japanes routes. I have heard that MSTS is closer to how a real train operates than the rest. I think it is well worth the ten bucks while you wait for the next version of MSTS.
I bought MSTS this year cheap from Zellers.
CPR has free downloads of several loco's, freight & passenger cars available including the Empress, the Empress of Agincourt, SD9043macs, the Canadian & the list goes on.
All come with sound & work great on my older 650 pc.
Gordon
Brought to you by the letters C.P.R. as well as D&H!
K1a - all the way
Pathfinder wrote: We have MSTS, got a copy from Liquadation World for $9.99 CDN.Unlike Crandel, we can use the horns and whistles. Our version also came with some Japanes routes. I have heard that MSTS is closer to how a real train operates than the rest. I think it is well worth the ten bucks while you wait for the next version of MSTS.
When I use the term "playable" I mean the horn has the same timbre no matter how you tap the button. You can control the length of the horn or whistle blast with long or short presses, but the whistle does not fade or change tone a bit as most steamers will. So, what I end up doing is just give the horn button (space bar) one tap and call that a two longs, one short, one long for a grade crossing. Something's missing. That and a slow chuff below 10 mph while the drivers are moving the loco at about 20 mph just puts me off. Maybe I'm expecting to much...?
Well, right now it is just European railroads, but this one is made by the same developer of MSTS. I think it may be coming over to the U.S. later with some U.S. roads.
http://www.railsimulator.com/en/index.htm
http://www.railsimulator.com/images/RailSimulatorClip.wmv