Missed out on a bargain in the Steam Summer Sale? This week you can get up to 70% off selected add-ons in our Summer Encore event. Head over to the Encore Event Page to browse offers, sale ends 18 July!

This railway line has carved its way through the Alpine landscape of western Austria for over a century, providing generations with a vital link from Innsbruck, through the mountains and into Germany’s Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Experience the wonder, beauty, and challenging nature of this scenic line in Train Simulator Classic. Other routes at –70% are Northeast Corridor: New York – Philadelphia and the Sheerness Branch Extension.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/448192/

The beautifully rural Mon Line running through the heart of Pennsylvania springs to life in this route for Train Simulator, complete with mile-long coal trains and distinctive street running. The route includes working coal facilities at Bailey Mine and Emerald Mine, where you can load up with coal before heading off under the power of the 4,400 horsepower ES44AC diesel locomotive. Other US routes on offer include LIRR (-50%), Salt Lake City (-60%), and more.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/258654/

Enjoy historic British steam with this popular Exeter – Kingswear route. Riviera Line In The Fifties features a mix of mainline traffic, branch line facilities, stock shunting, holiday services and more. Included with the route are six classic steam locomotives like the 4073 Castle Class and 6000 King Class. If you’re looking for more British steam traction in the sale check out the Somerset & Dorset Railway which is also –50% off.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/325960/

Famed for its natural beauty and historical importance, the picturesque Linke Rheinstrecke and Mainbahn come together as one in Train Simulator’s Frankfurt – Koblenz route. The lines are served by a mix of regional and intercity traffic, with the route featuring a wide array of locomotives to cover these services. There are six in total including the DB BR 429.1 FLIRT 3 SÜWEX and DB BR 411 ICE T. If you’re looking for more high-speed action check out Munich - Augsburg or Frankfurt High Speed, both –50% off in the sale.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/1267507/

You can find all of these and many more discounted on the Steam Store until 18 July.

The Steam Summer Sale has arrived, and with it discounts across hundreds of add-ons for Train Simulator Classic. With offers available across multiple regions, eras and traction types. Find something new for your collection on the Steam Store, and read on for some recommendations.

Discounted for the first time in this sale, Train Simulator Classic 2024 is one of our biggest route collections to date. Journey to five countries and take a tour of over 450 km of rails. Explore the picturesque North Wales Coast Line in the UK. Travel through the Saxony countryside in Germany with Riesa – Dresden. Head to the USA capital and ride the bustling Northeast Corridor. Race through breathtaking scenery in France with Marseille - Avignon. And discover the stunning Alpine landscape of Austria with Mittenwaldbahn.

• Train Simulator Classic 2024 (-20%)

Get -80% off these popular routes. Board the DB BR 426 EMU and explore one of Germany's oldest railway lines with the beautiful and picturesque Munich – Garmisch-Partenkirchen route. Take on the bustling and scenic Hudson Line with an array or locos and rolling stock giving you everything you need to run freight and passenger services. Experience the pinnacle of high-speed travel in the UK with WCML South, featuring the BR Class 390 Pendolino (pictured).

• WCML South: London Euston - Birmingham (-80%)
  
• Hudson Line: New York – Croton-Harmon (-80%)
  
• Munich - Garmisch-Partenkirchen (-80%)

If you're looking for a new route to master why not check out some of the currently most-played routes by Train Simulator Classic railfans. Travel around the capital of Germany in style with a detailed recreation of Ringbahn Berlin Circle from VirtualTracks (pictured). Explore the historic and remarkable Boston & Albany from G-TraX running passenger and freight services on a famous American railroad. Or experience the scenic diverse landscapes of Scotland with Glasgow to Dunblane and Alloa from Thomson Interactive.

• Glasgow to Dunblane and Alloa (-40%)
  
• Ringbahn Berlin Circle (-10%)
  
• Boston & Albany: Boston - Springfield (-35%)

Learn a new electric, diesel or steam machine this Summer with discounts on a wide range of locomotives. Why not learn a new US locomotive for Independence Day? Return to the glorious age of steam railroading with Machine Rail’s extraordinary Western Maryland H-9 class 2-8-0. Take control of the U25B 'U-Boat', one of the most significant diesel locomotives in North American railroading history. Or climb into the cab of the iconic Amtrak AEM-7 electric (pictured), a powerhouse locomotive that served US railroads for three decades.

• Western Maryland H-9 Class (-30%)
  
• Burlington Northern U25 (-50%)
  
• Amtrak AEM-7 (-20%)

The Steam Summer Sale is live now and runs to 11 July.

15 years ago on 12 June 2009, RailWorks launched on PC marking the start of what would become an epic journey for the simulator and Dovetail Games. A decade and a half later this has grown into Train Simulator Classic, which is played by railfans the world over in 130+ countries! Today the simulator features a wide range of experiences from modern to historic with over 700 add-ons available allowing you to customise your hobby and over 25,000 Workshop creations. You’ve been busy!

In honour of this momentous occasion, we’re running a 15th Anniversary celebration this week at Dovetail Games. Read on to find out more about what’s happening.

As a thanks to all of our players we’re inviting you to pay a virtual visit to the Dovetail Games HQ this week as the Chatham Main Line: London Victoria & Blackfriars - Dover & Ramsgate route becomes free to download and keep on the Steam Store. This picturesque UK route allows you to explore the Kent coast with the BR Class 395, BR Class 465, and BR Class 375. This route is free on the Steam Store for one week only, so make sure you add to your Library before Monday 17 June.
Download Now

As part of our 15th Anniversary celebrations we’ve selected some popular Dovetail Games add-ons from the past 15 years to feature in an special sale. Get big discounts on routes like Peninsula Corridor (-80%), take a step back to the start of Train Simulator including Ruhr-Sieg (-50%), try something new with the Explorer Collection like South London Network (-50%), or learn a legendary UK steam loco like the Castle Class (-60%). You can browse offers over on the Anniversary event page.
Browse Offers

The iconic Train Simulator menu music made a return last month with Train Simulator Classic 2024, and this week we’re releasing a modern rework of the famous menu music that has been created by our resident composer Benjamin Symons for the 15th Anniversary. This moving piece is available to stream now across Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and more. You can also listen to this piece in our 15th Anniversary music video above showing memorable clips from our launch trailer across the past 15 years!
Listen Now[distrokid.com] (External Link)

On Wednesday join us on Railfan TV for a special Train Simulator 15th Anniversary stream. This will feature Matt and Jamie playing some of our favourite routes and two guest stars from the community. We’ll also be announcing a competition giveaway during the stream, so make sure you don‘t miss out! Tune in on 12 June on YouTube from 2PM EDT / 6PM UTC / 7PM BST / 8PM CEST.
Watch Live (External Link)

Thanks to all of our players and developers for all of your amazing support over the past 15 years! What have been your favourite memories from Train Simulator so far? Let us know in the comments.

May has been a busy month for Train Simulator! We’ve updated the core game, released a new routes collection, launched our Rail Subscription and more!

The core simulator has been updated this month with a free patch. This includes performance improvements, updates to tools, new command line options, as well as a range of fixes and updates to improve your experience with the simulator. Full patch notes. You should already have this update, if not make sure you turn on automatic updates on Steam.

Note, with this release the Public Beta is now closed. It will re-open in the coming months as we begin our next phase of work on Train Simulator Classic.

Released on the Steam Store this month...

A new routes collection featuring five countries! Discover Austrian mountains on Mittenwaldbahn. Travel at high-speed through French countryside with LGV Marseille Avignon. Explore Saxony countryside in Germany with Riesa – Dresden. Take on the challenge of a busy American commuter line with NEC Washington DC. And journey on the picturseque North Wales Coast Line. A Deluxe Edition also includes an exclusive 15th Anniversary scenario pack and additional locos.
https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/24010/

Get more out of Train Simulator Classic 2024 with the optional Rail Subscription. The perfect way to get started with the ultimate railway hobby, this includes the base game and 39 DLC covering a wide range of experiences from modern to historic. Explore 1,400+ miles of track, take on 200+ challenging scenarios and master 100+ locomotives. Hundreds of hours of gameplay await.
https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2939280/

Explore the east side of Austria with this route from RSSLO. Start at bustling capital Wien Hbf and pass through urban neighbourhoods glimpsing the architecture of the city before heading out into the scenic countryside. Pass forests, rivers and quaint villages. Notable stops include Mödling at the entrance to the Brühl Valley, Wiener Neustadt which is famous for one of the world’s oldest military academies, and the popular railfan town of Gloggnitz set in breathtaking mountain scenery.
https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2662470/

Experience challenging Stevens Pass railroading during the remarkable and memorable era of the Burlington Northern with this new pack from High Iron Simulations. With this pack you will control five diverse types of BN EMD and GE diesel locomotives running intermodal, manifest freight, unit train, local, and switching operations across ten Career Scenarios.
https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2662510/

Take control of this modern electric multiple unit from RSSLO. Created in 2022, as an update to the 4744/4746, the ÖBB 4748 ‘Cityjet’ EMU can carry more passengers than its predecessors, featuring a four-car set up. Widely used for Regional and S-Bahn services this can be seen on the rails throughout Austria. Take it out for a drive on Tirol as you cross the Italian/Austrian border with the included scenarios.
https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2662530/

A new patch was released this month for the Feather River Canyon Enhanced route. This includes fixes for some scenery pieces, adjustments to correct super elevation, loco updates for the EMD F7 and the U30B. You can find full update notes on the official forums[forums.dovetailgames.com].

The Feather River Canyon Enhanced route is currently 50% off in our Midweek Madness sale. Click the banner below to see this and other offers. Sale ends 3 June.

Train Simulator Classic 2024 is out now, read on for a breakdown of everything you need to know for launch day...

Free to all players, the Train Simulator Classic patch is available now. This includes performance improvements, updates to tools, new command line options, as well as a range of fixes and updates to improve your experience with the simulator. Make sure you automatic updates switched on in Steam to get this update. Read the full patch notes.

Journey to five countries and take a tour of over 450 km of rails. Train Simulator Classic 2024 includes five authentic routes with 12 locomotives to experience. Discover the stunning Alpine landscape of Austria aboard the ÖBB 2016 with Mittenwaldbahn. Race in breathtaking French scenery, across viaducts, through tunnels and past French countryside with the TGV Duplex on LGV Marseille Avignon. Experience a multitude of German operations set in the Saxony countryside with Riesa – Dresden. Take to the rails of the historic and picturesque North Wales Coast Line aboard the Avanti BR Class 221 'Super Voyager'. And take on the challenge of the bustling crown jewel of American railroading with NEC Washinton DC.

The Deluxe Edition of Train Simulator Classic 2024 also includes an exclusive scenario pack created for the 15th Anniversary. Celebrate 15 years of the simulation with new scenarios on the five above routes and three additional iconic locomotives. The futuristic looking Pennsylvania Railroad Class GG1 with its striking art deco shell, the DB BR 411 'ICE-T' high-speed EMU and the British steam legend LNER Peppercorn Class A2 'Blue Peter'.

Also launched today, a new way to play! The optional Rail Subscription is the perfect way to get started with Train Simulator Classic. The subscription includes the base game and 39 DLC add-ons covering a wide range of experiences from modern to historic. With this you will be able to explore 1,400+ miles of track, take on 200+ challenging scenarios and master 100+ locomotives. The content included has a value of over £500 and features hundreds of hours of gameplay. Subscribe on Steam.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/24010/

Train Simulator Classic 2024 is due to launch today at 6PM BST, and with this the free update to core! Make sure you have automatic updates switched on to get this when it launches.

Make a cup of tea and read through the patch notes below...

• Updated main menu.
  
• We have completed work to upgrade several tools to 64-bit and to support 64-bit addressing.
  
  • 64-bit binaries have been added for the Blueprint Editor 2 and associated command line tools ConvertToGEO, ConvertToTG and Serz. These 64-bit tools have a “64” suffix to distinguish them from the 32-bit versions. The 64-bit Blueprint Editor 2 is contained within a Tools/x64 subfolder. These tools are currently considered experimental and feedback on their functionality is requested. Note that on first run of the 64-bit Blueprint Editor, the user should set the RailWorks Folder correctly by using the Tools > Options menu item and restarting the app. These tools are designed to be run in the Tools/x64 folder and should not be copied into a different location, nor should the Schema be copied into this x64 folder. ​
  [/i]

Implemented a fix for the 64-bit build failing to start with some Intel GPUs on Windows 11.

• This could cause the application to silently fail before the splash screen. By default, PhysX is now initialised using software rather than hardware. The hardware initialisation could cause a crash on non-CUDA GPUs.

[/i]

[/list]

Implemented a fix for SilverLining stars not being visible at nighttime.

• In some cases, this bug could result in SilverLining sky being replaced by the default sky (although SilverLining precipitation would still work). The magnitude for stars should be adjustable by editing the SilverLining config file if required.

[/i]

[/list]

Increased the size of the heap using for loading geometry in 64-bit mode from 1 GB to 2 GB to stop some out of memory errors on the streaming heap.

Fix for a situation where a D3D "Device Not Reset" error can occur without first getting a "Device Lost" error. This should fix the remaining D3D crashes, such as those on alt-tab switching.

The FPS limit now defaults to 60fps (as opposed to 30fps). This limit is now enforced during menus and pause screens in all cases (no matter what command line option is used) to reduce uncapped frame rates and excessive CPU usage whilst browsing the menus, especially with some Ryzen CPUs.

Fast sound update optimisations have been implemented but are disabled by default due to triggering failures. These changes spread updates to sounds over multiple frames but could cause problems with delayed sound triggering. This can be accessed by using the command line "-FastSoundUpdate" with an optional value for the update factor, e.g. "-FastSoundUpdate=10" (the default when enabled).

A new command line option "-ShowScriptTiming" has been added to aid developers when optimising their Lua scripts. This renders an overlay on screen showing all the Lua scripts that are being called, the total number of calls, and the total time spent in them.

A new command line option "-ShowAverageTiming" (which must be used in conjunction with ShowScriptTiming) has been added. This provides additional information - namely the mean and medium time spent in each script. This can be used to determine if the scripts are always performing poorly or if there are outliers. For example, an Engine script may be called 50 times, but one of those calls may take significantly more than the others (i.e. for the player loco vs AI locos).

A new log filter has been added - "Script Performance".

• When enabled this will provide performance hints via logmate. Currently, this only has one warning - when a script tries to set a value to the same value it already has (e.g. via SetControlValue). In some situations, this Lua call can have a huge performance hit, because the text-based lookup can be very slow. In general, scripts should only set values that they know have changed. Note that GetControlValue has a similar performance penalty, so using that followed by a SetControlValue will have worse performance overall. Instead, scripts should track these values themselves using internal Lua variables wherever possible to minimise these calls. An example might be a loco script that sets headlights and rear lights every frame, rather than when the loco changes direction. With some scripts this filter can cause a huge amount of extra output to Logmate, so a new filter was added rather than using an existing one. Developers should be aware of this when using the "All" filter.

[/i]

[/list]

Steam Workshop download loop now exits when all active downloads are completed.

Change animation vector/array to use a case-insensitive key, rather than require many manual inefficient calls to "to lower".

Increased hash table size for sound proxies to speed up searches.

Cached mapping of names to controls to speed up sound control lookup.

Added additional clipping for passenger fading.

Added an early out for headlight flare rendering. Should have same behaviour.

Reverted Dispatcher change that was intended to make node deletion on pathing failure more robust, but instead could make it more unstable.

Fixed an STL assert failure in Debug build (this could also cause a crash in release builds) - tunnel iterators were being used after deletion when rendering 2D map.

Removed assert in Landscape texture that causes a crash/break in Debug builds.

Fix for crash in loading of Lingbao to Mianchi Scenario 3 (and other scenarios that include reversing sections). Caused by fix to prevent decrementing a stack pointer when at the beginning of the stack. Previous fix was to change loop check, new fix is a special flag to prevent and recover.

Added command line option "-DisableSilverLining" to fully disable Silver Lining to aid debugging the graphics device lost crashes on alt-tab and screen sleep.

Updated to Silver Lining 6.42 to fix D3D device lost error on screen sleep (and potentially others)

Support for 64-bit addressing in all custom heaps in the x64 build.

Fix for assert in STL when decrementing an iterator at the beginning of a list.

More reliable releasing of landscape textures.

New launcher app to fix launching the same build (x32/x64/Dx12) on graphical or resolution change.

Workaround for screen resolution drop down in settings dialogue running off screen - added an offset to move dropdown vertically to remain on screen.

Mitigation for serialisation crash during texture load. The most common crash in build v75.6a.x64

Code to prevent crash from the dispatcher upon freeing up the same node twice on routing failure.

Added check for -1 pointer in ScriptGetConsistSpeed.

Fix for crash in headlight destructor (5th most common crash in v75.8a.x64).

Potential fix for a crash caused by a ray cast calculation going off the end of a vertex buffer, this was more common in scenario editing mode than drive.

Mitigation for various crashes due to null pointers or use of uninitialized variables in Delta serialisation, Scenario Editor consist placement, loft building.

Initialisation of the "Current Consist" to zero/null on startup so as to mitigate crash during signal script initialisation accessing current consist when it is undefined.

Additional logging to aid debugging D3D error.

[/list]

The update will download automatically for owners when it becomes available. Players should allow at least 24 hours after restarting Steam for the update to appear and before contacting Customer Support.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/24010/

Arriving soon for the 15th Anniversary year, Train Simulator Classic 2024 takes you on a journey to five countries across over 450 km of rails. Read on to find out more about the routes included in this year’s refresh, the extras with the Deluxe Edition, and the new Rail Subscription option.

To celebrate 15 years of the simulation, this year’s route refresh features five countries with some of our most popular routes together for the first time. Explore the picturesque North Wales Coast Line in the UK. Travel through the Saxony countryside in Germany with Bahnsrecke Riesa – Dresden. Head to the USA capital and ride the bustling Northeast Corridor with NEC Washington DC. Race through breathtaking scenery in France with LGV Marseille - Avignon. And discover the stunning Alpine landscape of Austria with Mittenwaldbahn.

The Deluxe Edition of Train Simulator Classic 2024 adds three additional locomotives and exclusive new scenarios created for this release. On these new scenarios you will take control of the futuristic looking Pennsylvania Railroad Class GG1 with its striking art deco shell on NEC Washington DC. Travel at high-speed aboard the DB BR 411 'ICE-T' with services on Riesa - Dresden or Mittenwaldbahn. And step on to the footplate of a British steam legend, the LNER Peppercorn Class A2 'Blue Peter' for a rail tour Special on North Wales Coast Line.

Get more out of Train Simulator Classic with the optional Rail Subscription. The perfect way to get started with the ultimate railway hobby, this new way to play includes the Train Simulator Classic 2024 base game along with a selection of curated routes and locomotives ready to play. Featuring community favourites and developer picks the add-ons will give you a wide range of experiences covering multiple eras, traction types and services. We’ll be revealing the routes and locos that will be in the Rail Subscription in the coming week.

Alongside all of this, you can also look forward to a free update to the base game at launch that features performance improvements and fixes from the recent Public Beta. The Beta will remain available up until the launch of Train Simulator Classic 2024.

Look out for more information on Train Simulator Classic 2024 in the coming weeks, you can also read an FAQ[live.dovetailgames.com] (external link) with more information.

What has been happening on the Train Simulator Classic rails in April? Read on to catch up on this month’s new release and DLC updates.

Thanks to all of you who have been providing feedback and taking part in the Train Simulator Classic Public Beta. Our latest build (77.1a), is still available to try out featuring performance updates and new tools for developers that show performance impact. You can find the full notes and link to join the Public Beta below.

• Public Beta Update Notes[forums.dovetailgames.com] (External Link)
  
• Join The Public Beta

Just one new arrival in April, but an exciting addition to US rails. The Empire State Express No. 999 from Machine Rail came thundering onto the rails of Boston & Albany earlier this month. Today, NYC&HR No. 999 is lovingly preserved at the prestigious Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, but with this superb pack, fabulous NYC&HR No. 999 and the luxurious Empire State Express are again ready to “highball” in Train Simulator Classic. An essential purchase for steam fans.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2662460/

There were two updates in April. First for the recent Tennessee Pass route from Milepost Simulations that included a selection of fixes as well as minor scenery and animation improvements. The second update was for U-Bahn Hamburg U1 from Just Trains. This makes the DT4 fully operable (previously AI only), and adds eight brand new scenarios to the German rapid transit route featuring the loco. Make sure you have automatic updates turned on to get these updates. Links to both store pages below.

• Tennessee Pass
  
• U-Bahn Hamburg U1

What routes have you been playing this month?

What has been happening on the Train Simulator Classic rails in March? Read on to catch up on this month’s news of new releases, Beta updates, DLC patches and more...

This week our Public Beta was updated to version 77.1a. This update includes fixes and some new additional tools to help developers. These tools will help anyone working on Train Simulator Content to optimise content for the best performance. You can read the full update notes over on our forums. There is also a link below for info on how to join the Public Beta.

• Public Update Notes[forums.dovetailgames.com] (External Link)
  
• Join The Public Beta

Releases for Train Simulator Classic in March started with the China Railways HXD1, a powerful freight loco nicknamed ‘Harmony’ which includes scenarios for both South West China High Speed and Longhai Railway. This was followed by the epic German urban loop Ringbahn Berlin Circle from Virtual Tracks, and new gameplay for Saluda Grade with a second scenario pack from High Iron. The last release for March arrived today, with a recreation of the legendary Rio Grande Tennessee Pass from Milepost Simulations. You can find links to all four new DLC below.

• China Railways HXD1
  
• Ringbahn Berlin Circle
  
• Saluda Grade Scenario Pack 02
  
• Tennessee Pass

March has also been a big month for DLC updates. Make sure you have automatic updates switched on to get these.

The ÖBB 1144 & CityShuttle Wiesel has been updated by Skyhook Games with a fantastic patch that features a variety of improvements. This includes updated sounds, updated scripts, cab texture updates, LZB implementation, a new ‘Cityjet’ livery for the Wiesel and some bug fixes. If you don’t own this loco now is the perfect time to pick it up.

Alongside this new updates have been released for the HXD1, DF11G, South Western Expressways and the Just Trains Common Library. You can read the notes on these through the link below.

• ÖBB 1144 & CityShuttle Wiesel Update Notes[forums.dovetailgames.com] (External Link)
  
• HXD1, DF11G, SW Expressways Update Notes[forums.dovetailgames.com] (External Link)

Our hobby section for Train Simulator Classic on Dovetail Live has had a refresh in March. A new ‘UK Intro’ feature has been added to give route recommendations for anyone thinking about starting a UK collection. We’ve also updated some existing guide articles – the Deutsche Bahn, German and Chinese features have all been refreshed this month. You can find all of these through the link.

• Your Hobby Feature [live.dovetailgames.com](External Link)

Happy Easter Railfans! See you in April :)