I'm interested to hear everyone's comments about their favorite railroad software. What do you use and why do you like it. i personally use both railroad simulator and Trainz.
Me, personally, I just use a copy of Trainz (I want to say 1.2) with the paint-shop edition. (the one you can get for $10.00 from BJ's)
I also use Microsoft Train Simulator, with several free downloads.
That's all I use
I am new to this and have no space for a layout. I am wondering about a computer program that will allow me to build and run a system (within reason)??
I am using T/S 2009.Realy I was a model trains railroader with a n "N" layout of a good size,but a move cut everything and I was forced to dismantle a work of 15 years.Then a found the simulators and now Im just enyoig the facility of just close a session simply swithching off the cp.is great.
lokmotoro frm Madrid(Spain)
I feel your pain. 15yrs and had to dismantle your layout Wow! Well I built one and had it looking pretty good until I started playing trainz and now railworks 3. I enjoy free roam and also the screnarios on rw3. Just yesterday I took apart my HO scale 16ft long by 8ft wide model layout and boxed it up. I hadn't played it in about 8months. I fully understand you and I to enjoy simply turnings the computer off or on to start or end a session. Maybe put it back up when I retire in 30 years. The computer versions are stress free and cheaper plus lots of fun.
I run both Trainz 12 and railworks hopefully MSTS soon.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
The last post was in 2010, so II thought I'd update this topic. Microsoft Train Simulator is still alive and well. Free routes on MSTS.com have been uploaded, such Horseshoe Curve, Pennsylvania Eastern Region, the New Haven Branch of Metro North, and my favorite, the Bernina Bahn. The newest routes do require some serious computing power though. Now there is the Open Rails project which uses MSTS content, but utilizes the power of the GPU, whereas MSTS itself utilizes the CPU, thus affecting frame rates. Open Rails is open source and is developing progressively. I have used Trainz and Railworks, but stick with MSTS for the content availability.
Does anyone make a train simulator for X-Box? My ten year old grandson would love that. He loves trains and he loves his X-Box Connect.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Train Frontier Express (worldwide) and A-Train HX (Japan release only).
Cheers!Marc - Riverside
I use ThirdPlanIt Layout software's 3d simulation mode. I get to build any layout I want at what ever detail I want. Then run trains on it and have a wonderful one may operating session.
MSTS.com doesn't exist anymore. MS doesn't have this obviosly.
nymooseTS 2014. It gets better everyday. Just got the New Haven To NYC which has both Penn and Grand Central. MNCR M8's, AC 64's and HHP - 8 for Amtrak. They did a god job on the CP rail Passes route and their AC4400, Stevens Pass for BN and the Surf line San Diego to LA with BN equipment and FP 59's for Amtrak.
After years of struggle to decide, I keep BOTH Trainz 2010 and Railworks 2012 on my PC. I like each for different reasons. Switching back and forth seems to help me keep from being bored as I'm always having to re-learn things again, which I like.
Both have obviously gone toward the money now, so I just ignore the ads.
Trainz 2014 just won't cut it on my PC. Perhaps if there were a switch to turn the moving trees off.