What Rail simulator do you use and why?

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What Rail simulator do you use and why?

  • 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.

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  • Super-C

    I see very few Run 8 users here, and that surprises me; I would think that its realism as far as the physics of real railroading is concerned would be extremely attractive to folks here. Yes, it is a simulator worthy of the name, not a game. Yes, it is not particularly user-friendly. Yes, it will punish you for not knowing how a real loco is operated. And yes, there are more locos, rolling stock, and scenery on other, older programs. So -- you will have to learn how the real thing behaves, and that will take some time and effort, involving some research and talking to real hoggers.

    But it will all be worth it when you take BNSF's Q-CHISTO , a 6000' double-stack with four ES-44's down Tehatchapi Pass safely the first time!

    For those addicted to MSTS, have you tried Open Rails, the freebie that can use all those MSTS files?




    You can count on me I will try to act on your advice .

  • I use Microsoft Train simulator because I like the physics and also, I have a Windows XP desktop.

  • I love heavy hauler even thou I'm actually been playing trainz Sherman hill addon with big boy

  • Trainz is my favorite i am running trainz 12 and find it extremely user friendly. Plusnwith addon content you can build model rsilroads. Inam currently working in the Virginain, Seaboard Shortline and Utah Belt
  • I see very few Run 8 users here, and that surprises me; I would think that its realism as far as the physics of real railroading is concerned would be extremely attractive to folks here. Yes, it is a simulator worthy of the name, not a game. Yes, it is not particularly user-friendly. Yes, it will punish you for not knowing how a real loco is operated. And yes, there are more locos, rolling stock, and scenery on other, older programs. So -- you will have to learn how the real thing behaves, and that will take some time and effort, involving some research and talking to real hoggers.

    But it will all be worth it when you take BNSF's Q-CHISTO , a 6000' double-stack with four ES-44's down Tehatchapi Pass safely the first time!

    For those addicted to MSTS, have you tried Open Rails, the freebie that can use all those MSTS files?

    Owner, Designer, Builder, Financier, Operator, and Caretaker of the

                           Arizona Transfer & Short Freight Railroad

  • Sorry, wrong button. As I was saying: if you have a good system it would probably work better.

    You can not only drive trains, but build the railway and city(s) to, along with the landscape, and everything else!!!
  • I play trains simulator deluxe, engineers edition, for the pc. It freezes sometimes when you go too fast but, if you have
  • BMMECNYC
    Just wait until the next new thing comes out and they stop supporting it. READ and heed the warnings in the Steam forum about Railworks.
    Well, not sure where that came from, but all of my DLC still works from the first release of Rail Simulator to the current release of Train Simulator 2015. Much of it has been enhanced, like the Northeast Corridor pack and the enhanced P42/P40 and electric Amtrak assets, and I didn't have to pay anything extra for those.
  • If you want the most user friendly PC set up TRAINZ is brilliant . . . you'll be running in no time. Microsoft Train Sim is so convoluted it will put you off sims altogether . Speaking from experience over the years ! I still use Trainz 2004 as the new ones don't copy over the tracks made with 2004 into them properly. Stick to 2004 version it'll last you years !

  • I am new to this forum. I have been using TS 20xx for two years now. There have been some major improvements in that time. The two that help me the most are the Google Earth linkage, it is so much easier than the tile procedure that I used before. The other is the adjustable asset block for scenery.

    Yes there are issues, but the program doesn't crash nearly as often and there is a robust and active group of users that can be reached on the RailworksAmerica.com and the uktrainsim.com forums.

    I live and travel in a motor home and I am no longer able to have even an "n" gauge pike. Instead I have created a model of the United Railway branch of the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway in the 1940's in the TS 20xx simulator. I am a volunteer at L. L. "Stubb" Stewart State Park near Vernonia, Oregon and I use the simulation as a visual aid for a weekly talk about the Banks Vernonia State Trail that comes through our park. After my talk I turn the simulation on and let prospective junior (and senior) engineers take a train out for a spin. It is a great visual aid for giving folks a delightful dose of local history.

    If any of this forum's members are local to Banks or Vernonia, or even the greater Portland Oregon area I would love to hear from you.

  • I use Trainz and a simulator from Germany called EEP-X.  They have converted the software to English and it's marketed by Steam under the name Railroad-X.  Unfortunately the updates to the English version happen way after that of the German one, especially since the latest plugin will give us a scripting language. 

  • 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. Crying

  • nymoose
    TS 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.
    Just wait until the next new thing comes out and they stop supporting it. READ and heed the warnings in the Steam forum about Railworks.
  • TS 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.