Best train simulator

[Shorthaul]

I am one of those foamers that would rather create and run real trains on MSTS than work on a layout. The problem is MSTS. To me, it seems like the most realistic simulator in terms of the activities, with the largest amount of addons availible online. But lately, it is starting to annoy me with its constant errors. Is there a better train sim that I should know about? I still want a degree of realism (TRS2006 did not have that). Can you actually operate intermodal cranes or other equipment to load railcars in any simulators? I don't mean A.I. equipment, I mean machines with cabs that you can actually "drive." Do any have multiplayer modes? On second thought, it might be a good thing that there is no multiplayer mode. If I could run a BNSF stack train over cajon pass online, with other trains operated by other "real" people, and others actually dispatching, I might never leave my house again.

[CAT345C]

If you want anything like that ditch MSTS, TRS09 has the same features at 06, but slightly better graphics, the ability to load and unload your cars, it is 100 times easier to place cars, objects and make a route. As for actually driving the equipment, well yes and now, right now I have downloaded excavators, tampers, mow trucks, tractor trailers, cars, you can drive them, but you cannot actually load anything with them, you can drive any object that is considered a "train" in the content manager on any road or railroad track that has a spline under it, one time I accidentally placed a switch at a crossing and took 4 CN GP38-2's and 78 grain cars through durand.

[SD80MAC]

It may be easier, but TRS still looks like toy trains compared to the amazing stuff people continue to bring out for MSTS.

[Y@]

It may be easier, but TRS still looks like toy trains compared to the amazing stuff people continue to bring out for MSTS.

Agreed... now if only we could somehow merge the two together.

[Shorthaul]

Agreed... now if only we could somehow merge the two together.

If "they" could merge the realism of activities and amount of content of MSTS with the graphics of TRS09, than add the online play abilities of Flight Simulator X and the ability to use intermodal cranes and other vehicles of ship simulator 2008, than "they" would have one helluva game

[TrainWatcher]

Ditch that piece of poop MSTS. Get Auran Trainz, and be a man.

[Racer]

I command you all to get Trainz 2010! It has my content and my name in it, end of story!

[Mr. Tops]

I command you all to get Trainz 2010! It has my content and my name in it, end of story!

Yes, and unfortunately the quality is still nowhere near MSTS. No offense. The fact that Auran outsourced some of the work to amatures kinda speaks for itself. Once again, no offense Chris -- just making a point. I think it's real cool you were able to contribute. On the other hand, some of the more experienced amatures can create some pretty decent looking stuff and maybe gets things down to the detail. But the fact that Auran was willing to let amatures put the content together, to me, says they really don't care. Really, it may just be more of a problem of the graphics to begin with can't even touch those of MSTS.

[Racer]

Nah that's ok Tops, non taken. Just glad my content is on there with my name.....and pay.

Back to the main subject: you guys could alway's try Kuju's Railworks which is pretty much MSTS on steroids:

[bnsfben]

I have Rail Simulator, and I am VERY impressed with the graphics. But RailSimulator, for me the editor mode was very hard to build a layout. Also they forgot to put bells into the game (bells on locomotive). I have RailSimulator MSTS and TRS2006. My favorite rated best to worst...
MSTS TRS2006 RailSimulator.

[Racer]

There's a patch you can download online that fixes the Bell and adds bell sounds to the crossings, too.

I thought Rail Simulator (or Railworks, whatever you can to call it) was unfair on the US/ Canadian fans of the game because Kuju went all-out to have accurate models, paint schemes, and sound for their British and Germain content for the European release (including the add-ons, too), but when they did the North American release, they cut so many corners with inaccurate horns and sounds for the US content. They recycled the SD40-2's engine sounds and put them in the ES44DCs and used a boring generic train horn and not an actual K5HL that the GEVOs have. Tisk tisk tisk.

[GrandTrunkFan]

I command you all to get Trainz 2010! It has my content and my name in it, end of story!

Wow talk about tooting your own horn!

Seriously though, Ive said it before and I will still say it now, MSTS may be old but there is way more life in it than most give it credit for. The amount of freeware and pay add ons and the quality of both is excelent and have helped keep MSTS young. I havent seen much content for Trainz that compares to that of MSTS. And when it comes to routes and activites, there are so many avalable to MSTS to keep one occupied for a long time. I was given Trainz a while ago as a christmas present and it has sat in the box all of its life. It cant compare to MSTS for me. Dont knock something because its an old program. Some things get better with time. And judging by some updates ive read about comming down the line, MSTS isnt going anywhere for a while.

[SteveTJ]

I command you all to get Trainz 2010! It has my content and my name in it, end of story!

Is this version of Trainz actually sold in stores or is it only available by download or buying it directly from Auran? I was looking for it at BestBuy (where I bought my last version of Trainz) but didn't see it anywhere.

[CSX_CO]

New York Air Brake makes a pretty mean simulator, complete with full sized desktop or conventional control stand. Routes are made from GPS scans and accurate down to the foot for the lines in the system. I've run a train on the BNSF across Illinois, and across the INRD in Indiana. Only cost you $10,000 to get one, delivery not included.

Practice Safe CSX

[Racer]

Is this version of Trainz actually sold in stores or is it only available by download or buying it directly from Auran? I was looking for it at BestBuy (where I bought my last version of Trainz) but didn't see it anywhere.

Right now, it's only at the Auran Store. If you buy directly from Auran, I highly recommend getting the boxed/ DVD set insted of the digital download.

[esprrfan]

[GP9R]

^Show off

Anyways, I agree with Jon, and Nick. MSTS is the best route to go in terms of everything, Sure the physics are a little screwy. but thats some of the programming errors. I've told Chris this in the past, Having had a chance to run the real thing(25T, 2-8-4 and a 5T Narrow Gauge plymouth) Nothing compares to it. MSTS is probably about the closest we'll get for a long time to the real thing affordably. Also Anyone that keeps track of the MSTS Boards(train-sim.com forums) would know that several people are collaborating on Hacking apart the core code of MSTS and working on improving it. There is some patches and other odds and ends in the works that are bringing MSTS up to RailSim Standards. It also happens I know some of the best talent and I was one of the people that pushed him from just doing renumbers to doing full skins.
My Problem with Trainz is that it is too much like MRRing. Chris's routes look great. he did a good job on it, but some/most of the rolling stock is only ok or worse than that. Saying that, my friend Ethan has a very very nice pair of TSBY GP35s that look and sound great and would be among the better group of stuff if it was MSTS, my guess is they where done by someone that knows what they are doing from MSTS.
bnsfMAN93, Myself, Jon(CR Jon) and a group of others used to be at the forefront of MSTS Multiplayer. Sadly because of Errors, jobs and other things and currently 64bit Vista+MSTS=sadness the group started to disband. We used to hold weekly and during the summer since many of us were still in school and not working, just about every other day if not daily sessions. A couple years ago I had attempted to bring it back, by offering it to the people here, and on the MSTS board. Unfortunatly there wasn't enough interest and I canceled the server because the teamspeak server was coming out of my own pocket. If I was able to get MSTS to work on here and was able to get up enough interest I would be more than happy to try doing this again. I belive that the system we used would be useable for trainz but not as well. We never tested it so I can only go on assumptions
Something that can be done for to help the errors and actually be able to make your frame rates go up in MSTS is to use a program called Trainstore, Don't ask me how it works or how to be able to edit your consists and add stuff that you downloaded because it has been so long since I used it I don't honestly remember. But what it does is moves all of the unused files for what your currently doing into a different folder. When you load MSTS it only loads the route, and equipment you want/need for that session. everytime you want to change routes, or consists you have to exit and reload the whole program. the upside is, you could usually load the whole game fairly quick, and unless the error was on the route itself you won't have any errors

[bnsfben]

I would gladly participate in a MSTS multiplayer session. What do you do? Dispatch trains? And also, I cannot seem to get new stuff onto MSTS. I am too dumb to get it to work, and I REALLY want some new stuff. Can anyone help with this?

[Shorthaul]

I would gladly participate in a MSTS multiplayer session. What do you do? Dispatch trains? And also, I cannot seem to get new stuff onto MSTS. I am too dumb to get it to work, and I REALLY want some new stuff. Can anyone help with this?

Yes. So you can't get the addons to work?
Download the .zip files from train-sim.com, open them with some kind of ZIP file tool (winzip, winrar, etc...)
Inside these files there should be a folder named after the item you are downloading(for example, if you download a BNSF AC44CW, there might be a file called "BNSF_5683" or something like that). Go to C:\Program files\microsoft games\Microsoft train simulator\Trains\trainset. Copy the folder that you extracted from the .zip file (BNSF_5683, or whatever it's called) into the trainset folder. Then you should be able to use this addon in any activity you create or modify

[Mr. Tops]

I would gladly participate in a MSTS multiplayer session. What do you do? Dispatch trains? And also, I cannot seem to get new stuff onto MSTS. I am too dumb to get it to work, and I REALLY want some new stuff. Can anyone help with this?

Yes. So you can't get the addons to work?
Download the .zip files from train-sim.com, open them with some kind of ZIP file tool (winzip, winrar, etc...)
Inside these files there should be a folder named after the item you are downloading(for example, if you download a BNSF AC44CW, there might be a file called "BNSF_5683" or something like that). Go to C:\Program files\microsoft games\Microsoft train simulator\Trains\trainset. Copy the folder that you extracted from the .zip file (BNSF_5683, or whatever it's called) into the trainset folder. Then you should be able to use this addon in any activity you create or modify

Yes, and keep in mind, you NEED to create an ACTIVITY or CONSIST with that unit as the lead unit in order to be able to run it. If you just copy and paste the folder into the trainset folder, you still won't be able to run that locomotive.