Present day train simulators

[hobby]

Some time ago there was quite a bit of correspondence here regarding the various train simulator programs available MFTS. BVE etc.

Can anyone who regularly uses train simulators recommend a good stable up to date computer simulator which would cater for my preference - the GWR later the BR Western Region. I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of such programs.

[DarrenL]

Railworks, you can buy the Wester Region deisels like the Class 52s and others, plus lots of freeware GWR stuff. You can also add freeware routes for the region.

Westerns (payware) - http://www.ironhorsehouse.co.uk/

Routes (freeware) - http://www.uktrainsim.com/filelib-direc ... path=,ty=9

Also use the UKTrain sim for other bits, but there are other sites as well.

[hobby]

Thanks DarrenL.

I have spent most of this evening watching promotional videos for 'railworks 2'.

Very attractive simulator with lots on offer. Very attractive scenery and well presented videos. Will probably purchase later this week.

[DarrenL]

The biggest headache with Railworks is getting assets (locos, scenery, rolling stock) needed for any scenario you might download or any new freeware route. There are some sites where people have made asset packs, all you need for a route rather than manually search the UKTSim lists and downloading one by one. But once you build up a good database you find you need fewer or none each time you add more. Some do need further payware items but again you can get around this by using a tool called RWTools it can scan a route or scenario and tell you what it needs, what you are missing and if you want to replace the missing items with some that you do.

I was on my mobile earlier but heres a few other useful links.

RW Tools - http://www.rstools.info/rw_tools.html

RS Trainsim - http://rs-trainsim.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=forum (downloads)

Armstrong Powerhouse - http://armstrongpowerhouse.com/ (sounds and scenarios)

Digital Traction (not working right now, must be a temp glitch) - http://www.digitaltraction.net/ (check out free downloads)

Railworks America - http://railworksamerica.com/ (routes, assets and scenarios)

[Tarasdad]

Well, I was going to redownload and reinstall RW since I purchased it on Steam a while back - but lo and behold, it seems that RW1 is no longer available from their content servers. Imagine that, a game that I paid hard-to-come-by money for (I live on Social Security Disability) removed from my account. Yet they will gladly sell me Railworks 2 in place of it.

I'm more than just a little bit peeved about this. Seems to me that denying access to purchased content amounts to theft on their part.

[austerdriver]

Another site that may be of interest to you is http://trainsim.com/

[DarrenL]

Well, I was going to redownload and reinstall RW since I purchased it on Steam a while back - but lo and behold, it seems that RW1 is no longer available from their content servers. Imagine that, a game that I paid hard-to-come-by money for (I live on Social Security Disability) removed from my account. Yet they will gladly sell me Railworks 2 in place of it.

I'm more than just a little bit peeved about this. Seems to me that denying access to purchased content amounts to theft on their part.

Railworks 2 is a free upgrade for Railworks owners. Install Railworks, log into Steam and if it hasn't updated straight away start Railworks and it will. If you log into the account you bought Railworks on it will be in your game list anyway to reinstall, then it will update.

And it is exactly the same game but with an extra method of control added.

[decapod]

Some time ago there was quite a bit of correspondence here regarding the various train simulator programs available MFTS. BVE etc.

Can anyone who regularly uses train simulators recommend a good stable up to date computer simulator which would cater for my preference - the GWR later the BR Western Region. I have absolutely no knowledge or experience of such programs.

A new free one in development - beta version available http://www.openrails.org It loads routes and models made for MSTS1

Plug time...
There are a few GWR locos at my old site http://www.highworth.freeuk.com and the Highworth route is available to download from www.uktrainsim.com

[hobby]

Managed to buy a copy of Railworks 2 today but cannot set up an account with 'steam' at this time, I don't know why but the pictures were excellent and many thanks for the website addresses.

Have just printed out a couple of manuals and will try to establish an account 'steam' later this evening.

My purchase of this program may save me quite a bit because i now do not have to build a DCC controlled layout!!

[Chris Trott]

Well, I was going to redownload and reinstall RW since I purchased it on Steam a while back - but lo and behold, it seems that RW1 is no longer available from their content servers. Imagine that, a game that I paid hard-to-come-by money for (I live on Social Security Disability) removed from my account. Yet they will gladly sell me Railworks 2 in place of it.

I'm more than just a little bit peeved about this. Seems to me that denying access to purchased content amounts to theft on their part.

Have you sent a support message to Steam on the issue? As was said above, if you purchased RailWorks, then RailWorks2 is a free upgrade so you should be able to download and install RailWorks2 without problem.