Are certain routes missing from your Quick Drive Menu?

From time to time, and for various reasons, you may suddenly notice that most of the routes in your Quick Drive Menu have disappeared.

Fortunately this is a caching issue and is easily remedied.

The in-game cache can become corrupted by crashes or by interrupting the loading process. If the cache has become corrupted, it may be necessary to force the game to rebuild the cache by deleting the existing cache files.

Go to your RailWorks folder, then open the Content folder and remove following files:

SDBCache.bin
SDBCache.bin.MD5
RVDBCache.bin
RVDBCache.bin.MD5
TMCache.dat
TMCache.dat.MD5

Now restart Train Simulator.

This will rebuild your routes database, and all the routes which had previously disappeared will now reappear.

You can create a batch file to do this.

Type the following in notepad (or any other text editor) and save the file as ClearCachcs.bat


Place this file in your Railworks\Content folder and run it to clear the cache manually.

You can create a shortcut to this batch file and place it on your desktop for convenience.

When you run the game, if you notice that certain scenery objects are missing (bridges, buildings etc.) it's probably because your scenery density level needs adjusting to a higher level in the game settings.

Here's how to fix it.

Here is the main settings menu. Click on the Graphics button and then choose Advanced.



When the next window opens, adjust the amount of scenery shown. It's called Scenery Density. Just slide it all the way to the right. Then click Save.



You will need to re-start the game for the new settings to take effect.

All scenery objects in the game will now show up, and previously 'invisible' objects will now be seen throughout.

Do you suspect that Steam has not correctly downloaded and installed your DLC? The following advice in this section has been copied directly from the forum.

Steam will usually automatically download any content you have purchased/redeemed a Steam key for but in the rare occurrence that it doesn’t you should try the following steps:

- Open the Steam “Library” tab from within the Steam client.
- Right-Click on Train Simulator
- Select “Properties”
- Select “DLC” from the tabs along the top
- Ensure a “tick” is placed next to the item you wish to download and install

If the “State” updates to “Installed” after a short delay your item has now been downloaded and is available in the game

If the “State” still shows as uninstalled after waiting a short while please follow the below steps:

-Clear your download cache within the Steam client: Clear download cache
-Go to the following folder (default location): C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\
-Delete the "Steamworks Shared" folder (if you have it; be sure to check your other drives if Steam is not installed to your C: drive)
-Go into the folder for Train Simulator and delete the "_CommonRedist" folder (if you have one)
-Verify the Integrity of your game files. The next section in this guide explains how to do this.
-Re-launch Train Simulator

You should then find that your content is now downloaded and available in the game.

If you find that the content is still not installed we would suggest contacting Steam Customer Support advising them you have tried all of the above steps: https://gtm.you1.cn/helpsteam/en/

It is a good idea to verify the integrity of your game files when you still have the Out of Memory (OOM) error or indeed any other unexplained problem..

It can be done via the Steam Library Page.

First right click on Train Simulator to bring up the dialogue, then select Properties



Now choose Installed Files and then Verify Integrity of Game Files


With a solid state drive (SSD), this process should only take a few minutes - even with hundreds of DLC installed.

One or more files may fail to verify.

This is normal for most Steam games. The files that fail to verify are local configuration files that should not be replaced as part of this process. You can safely ignore this message.

Steam Support FAQ

As a general rule, if you already own an item of DLC, you will be able to find its manual in the following folder on your computer.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\Manuals\EN

But, for route manuals, there is an easier and much more convenient way. Just follow this link.

TS Routes & Scenarios [www.railsims.com]

If it's just loco manuals you're after, and you don't yet own the item, for the time being you can look at the list of all available DLC, find the loco you are looking for and download the manual from its store page.

Some of the older loco manuals are not downloadable from the store page. You might be able to find them elsewhere online. Here are links to a few.


If you are still unable to find the manual, ask others in the forum if they are able to assist.

If you encounter problems getting the game to load, there are a number of steps you can take which may help. We suggest you try them one by one in the following order: -

1. Delete the file PlayerProfiles.bin which is found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\Content
   A new Profile will automatically be created when you re-start TSC.
   
   
2. Clear the cache. Of course you will need to do this outside of the game, since you can't get it started. This guide says how. https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=465303891
   
3. Check that your windows resolution settings match the monitor settings. Once you gain access to the game, check that your TSC settings do not exceed the maximum monitor settings.
   
   
4. Verify the game's files are installed correctly. It can be done via the Steam Library Page. First right click on 'Train Simulator' to bring up the dialogue, then select 'Properties.' Now choose 'Installed Files' and then 'Verify integrity of game files.'

If you still can't load the game, do a search of the community forum and see if there is a solution. If not, post details and ask for suggestions.

https://gtm.you1.cn/app/24010/discussions/8/

By default, Train Simulator Classic is set to run in Full Screen Mode. However, this can lead to instability and errors - especially when using the Alt-Tab function to bring up other concurrently running programs.

Therefore, we highly recommend changing the setting to run the game in Borderless Mode.

Start Train Simulator and click the 'Settings' button.

The third item on the Graphics page is Full Screen and by default this is set to 'Full Screen.'



We will want to change this to 'Borderless' by selecting it from the dropdown list.



Please note: The second item on the Graphics page is your game Resolution setting, and it should be set to match the screen resolution you are currently using for Windows . This is recommended by Dovetail Games as the ideal resolution for smooth TSC gameplay.

Now we have changed the setting to 'Borderless' all we have to do is click 'Save' and we are done.



Stability will be improved, and Alt-Tabbing will be smooth and error free.

It is very important to make sure your video card is configured so that the game uses it rather than using the CPU's integrated graphics card. Otherwise your game will not run smoothly at all.

Here's how. In the Windows settings (might be different or not even apply for versions of Windows earlier than Windows 11), Choose System > Display > Graphics and you should see the following dialogue window. Type RailWorks in the search box and you should see the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the game.



Click on the one you want to check, choose options and then select 'High performance.'



Then save and exit.

Also open the control panel of your graphics card and make sure it is enabled for both versions of the game (32-bit and 64-bit).



This ensures that the game will make full use of your video card.

Turn on hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling.

With Windows 10 May 2020 update, Microsoft introduced a new GPU scheduler as a user opt-in, but off by default option. With the right hardware and drivers, Windows can now offload most GPU scheduling to a dedicated GPU-based scheduling processor.

To enable hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling using Windows 10 or Windows 11 Settings, follow this procedure:

1. Open Settings
   
2. Select System > Display tab.
   
3. Locate Multiple displays
   
4. Click on Graphics Settings.
   
5. Select the Change Default Graphics Settings option.
   
6. To enable the feature, toggle ON the button next to the Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling.

Reboot your Windows device to apply the changes.

Although enabling Game Mode should usually prioritise games and minimise background tasks to improve performance, many games encounter poorer frame rates, stutters, and freezes.

In my experience, Train Simulator is one of these games, so I strongly advise you to turn Game Mode off.

Open the Start menu, select Settings, choose Gaming, Game Mode and under its settings turn Game Mode OFF.




Also under Gaming, choose Captures and make sure Background recording (Record what happened) is OFF - unless of course you actually need to do such recording.




These changes should help to improve performance and result in better and smoother gameplay for Train Simulator, and may help prevent the OOM error.

Similar advice for Microsoft Flight Simulator is given at this website:

Flight Simulator Blog - Best Graphics Settings Guide [www.flightsimulator.blog]

By always running the game as an administrator, you may potentially avoid many issues that could impact the game's performance. You might also get a "Please Login to Steam" message when launching the game via a desktop shortcut.

In order to make 'Run this program as an administrator' the default option, you must correctly configure the executables: -

RailWorks.exe

RailWorks64.exe

Find them in your RailWorks folder: -
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\

Then right-click on each in turn, select 'Properties' then choose the 'Compatibility' tab and place a check mark in the 'Run this program as an administrator' box as in the following image.

If you haven't done so already, you will want to make some adjustments to the game settings to get the best out of Train Simulator. It is important to choose settings which match the capabilities of your computer.

The choices can be confusing, and will depend very much on the specifications of your computer.

Here, for your reference are screenshots of my own system's TS settings. I use an ASUS ROG Strix G731GV Laptop with Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz with 12 logical processors and 6 physical processors with 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD together with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Primary VRAM: 6 GB. Monitor Refresh Rate: 143 Hz. Supported MSAA Modes: 2x 4x 8x

For me, at least, these give me virtually flawless gameplay, free of any stutter or freezing, with typical FPS of 70 or more and great looking graphics. I also do extensive work in the World Editor.



You will note that I have set the resolution to 1920x1080. It should be noted that for best results you should set this number to whatever matches your Windows native/default/recommended resolution settings. In my case this is 1920x1080. You will have to look for yours in your computer's Windows/System/Display settings.








You will want to enter your own settings to suit your needs, so the above is to be used just for reference.

In almost every case, very low FPS (or frame rate) is caused by a GPU issue. GPU stands for 'Graphics Processing Unit' and is your computer's high-performance graphics processor. Either your GPU's driver has not started correctly - or it has not been configured to automatically use the GPU to run Train Simulator. In both cases, the game will default to using your computer CPU's integrated graphics and result in very low FPS.

In this example (given for reference) we shall assume we are running Windows 11 and that our GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060.

Let's first quickly check that the driver is actually running properly.

We right click anywhere on the desktop background to bring up the context window. in Windows 11 it looks like this.



We click the 'show more options' link at the bottom, and the 2nd widow appears. As we can see, the 'NVIDIA Control Panel' link is visible, which means the video card has been recognised and the driver is present.



If, as is sometimes the case, the 'NVIDIA Control Panel' link was not there, it would probably mean that the video driver had not initialised properly. If so, we would firstly shut down our computer and start it again from cold. This would usually solve the problem. Then we would check again to see if the 'NVIDIA Control Panel' link was there. If we still experienced problems, it would mean we had a video card problem and we would have to reinstall our video driver. In that case we would use the latest version by downloading it from the manufacturer's website.

Assuming all is well, we now check that the video card has been configured so it will automatically be used to run Train Simulator.

We click on the link to the 'NVIDIA Control Panel and should see this.



Under the 'Manage 3D Settings' heading, we select the Program Settings tab, select our preferred edition of Train Simulator to customise in section 1 (either 32-bit or 64-bit), and make sure that in section 2 we have selected 'high performance NVIDIA processor.' Important Note: If we were running the 64-bit edition, we would need to add a new profile for it. We would click 'Add' and then navigate to the 64-bit executable which is found at: -
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\RailWorks64.exe

If we wish, we can always configure the settings in section 3 to suit our needs.

Here, for reference only, are my settings for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060




We save any changes we have made before exiting the NVIDIA Control Panel.

**** Please note: All the above instructions have been given as an example for users with Windows 11 using an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU. If yours is different, or your version of Windows is different, the procedure will also be different. But the principle is the same: In short. make sure the video card is installed and running, and make sure it is configured so that the game uses it rather than using the CPU's integrated graphics card.

Run the game and check the FPS levels in-game. Your PFS levels should now be at their optimum.

The best way to display the FPS (frames per second) in-game is to activate the in-game counter which comes with Steam itself.

Start the Steam App and open the 'Steam' tab at the top left of the screen.

Under 'Settings' choose 'In Game'.

Then find 'In-game FPS counter' and select your preferred position for the counter.

Right underneath this activate 'In-game FPS counter high contrast colour.'

I do not own an AMD Radeon graphics card, so I have no direct expertise to share. However, others in the Steam Forum have given their views

The following advice has been shared by the user known as 'Chicken Balti.'

Go to the AMD Adrenalin settings interface and click on the 'Gaming' tab. Find TSC and click on it so you can adjust the graphics 'just for that game', always remember, don't change anything under the 'Global Settings' section for Display and Graphics, unless you want your changes to apply to all your games and applications at once.

• Set Radeon Anti-Lag to Enabled.
  
• Set Radeon Image-Sharpening to Enabled (don't adjust sharpening slider).
  
• Set Radeon Enhanced-Sync to Enabled.

Now click on the 'Advanced' tab below above settings.
Leave 'everything' here 'off' to use default settings as already set in this interface section.
We want TSC itself 'within its own' graphics 'Settings' section to control these aspects.

Next. Exit the AMD interface and start up TSC.

Once TSC has loaded up, go to the TSC 'Settings' tab.

• Under the Screen Resolution options, make sure 1920x1080p is selected to match your Monitor (if a 1080p Monitor you are using).
  
• Under the AA section, select a medium range AA option first (to test performance and display quality). You will need to try each setting to a point where display quality and performance frame-rates meets your acceptance.

When happy, 'Save' your 'Settings'.

Next. All other settings test and adjust to your liking but make sure the 'Details' slider is set to max to avoid missing graphic detail in game.

• Don't forget to 'Save' changes you make in the TSC 'Settings' section before exiting.
  
• Don't alter anything at all in the AMD Adrenalin TSC game profile interface after making changes to the TSC Settings section, or you will be back to square one again and mess-up TSC's control of the graphics (we want TSC to have 'full control' over displayed graphics).

Are you constantly getting the 'Out of Memory' error?

Please refer to our other guide which explains how to resolve this issue.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2297125586
Click here to open the above guide in a new window

If you cannot launch the game normally anymore, try using safe mode.

We assume for this section that you previously had the game working, but you made some changes to the in-game settings which have messed things up. Now the game won't start. It's probably the graphics settings causing the problem.

The problem is, how do you change return the graphics settings to the way they were if you can't even get as far as the main in-game menu?

Try this.

The -safe launch option will cause the game to launch with minimal video settings, in windowed mode and with a 640 x 480 resolution. This can be helpful for solving video configuration problems.

• Open Steam
  
• Go to the "Library"
  
• Right-click the game which needs to be reconfigured
  
• Select "Properties..." from the menu
  
• Go to the section "Launch Options"
  
• Remove any launch options currently shown in the input box (make a note of them)
  
• Type -safe in the box.

Hopefully, you will now be able to start the game. If so, set the graphics to default. Save the settings and exit the game.

Now remove the -safe parameter from the launch options and restart the game in normal mode. You should now be able to make any necessary adjustments to the settings.

When you purchase Train Simulator through Steam, the game will automatically be downloaded to your computer and will be accessible via the Steam Interface. Owning the base game means you have both the 32-bit and the 64-bit editions of Train Simulator, and both will have already been automatically installed to your system, ready to use.

Launch Steam and choose the Library tab. Scroll down and select "Train Simulator."



Then click the "Play" button. This will open up the "Play Train Simulator" dialogue window.






You have 2 choices.

The first (default) radio button launches the 32-bit edition of the game.

The second radio button launches the 64-bit edition of the game.

Then click "Play."

If you are running Windows 10/11 you will probably then see another dialogue box asking "Do you want to allow this app from an unknown publisher to make changes to your device?"

Underneath will be the name of the app - either RailWorks.exe or Railworks64.exe, depending on which one you have chosen to launch.

Click "Yes" and the game will start to load.

If you always want to automatically start in 64-bit mode, without seeing the above startup dialogue box, you can choose to do so by changing the Launch Options choice configuration setting.



Click on the dropdown selector and choose your startup mode.

There are many options you can choose when you launch the game from the Steam interface. These are passed through in the form of text codes placed in the 'launch options box.'

To add options, open Steam, go to the Library, right-click on Train Simulator and choose 'Properties.'

The following dialogue window should appear. in the 'Local Files' section enter your launch parameters in the box provided.



Normally these parameters start with a single hyphen '-' immediately followed by the code. Each individual parameter is separated by a space, as in the example.

in the above example there are 3 parameters being passed.


In the above example I entered -refresh 144, but you can change the number to suit whatever monitor you have (could be -refresh 175 for a 175Hz monitor, or -refresh 120 for a 120Hz monitor).

You may not wish to use any of the above parameters - and they are all optional.

There are many other codes you can use. Here's a list. Exercise caution when using any of them.

Command Line Options[sites.google.com]

Many people choose to launch the game directly from the desktop, without starting Steam. This saves some system memory which would otherwise be used by the Steam interface.

To do this you will need to create a Train Simulator shortcut and place it on the desktop. Then all you need to do is to double-click on it to launch the simulation.

Create the shortcut by finding the game executable file

You will find the file in the RailWorks folder. On your system you can probably find this here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\

Find the edition you want to run (RailWorks.exe for the 32-bit edition, or RailWorks64.exe for the 64-bit edition)

Then right click on the file and select "Create shortcut."

The file will appear in the RailWorks folder and will be named either "RailWorks.exe - Shortcut" or "RailWorks64.exe - Shortcut" depending on which edition you have chosen.

If you haven't already set the game executable file to 'Run this program as an administrator' (see the section of this guide on how to do this) then you will need to achieve this through the shortcut properties - otherwise you might get a "Please Login to Steam" message.

To set the shortcut's properties, select the compatibility tab and tick the 'Run this program as an administrator' checkbox.

Then move the new shortcut file onto the desktop, and you are done



To launch the simulation, simply go to the desktop and double-click the shortcut.

There are many options you can choose when you launch the game from the desktop via a shortcut. These are passed through in the form of text codes placed after the executable in the 'Shortcut > Target' box. Here is an example of how they should be added.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\RailWorks\RailWorks64.exe" --enable-backups -nojoy -refresh 144

Note that the executable address must be placed entirely inside the inverted commas, and the parameters are added after this (outside the commas), each starting with and separated by a space.

To add options, right-click on the Train Simulator shortcut and choose 'Properties.'

The following dialogue window should appear. in the 'Shortcut' section find the box called 'Target' and enter your launch parameters in the manner described above.



As stated previously in this guide, these parameters usually start with a single hyphen '-' immediately followed by the code. Each individual parameter is separated by a space, as in the example.

in the above example there are 3 parameters being passed.


In the above example I entered -refresh 144, but you can change the number to suit whatever monitor you have (could be -refresh 175 for a 175Hz monitor, or -refresh 120 for a 120Hz monitor).

You may not wish to use any of the above parameters - and they are all optional.

There are many other codes you can use. Here's a list. Exercise caution when using any of them.

Command Line Options[sites.google.com]

Compiled by Peter Hayes, with contributions from Warwick Rail, Bob Artim, Dr Magnum
Wolf, and Cardinal 51.

From Peter Hayes

-allowJump (allows jumping AI trains in scenarios)
-blocking
-BlockingPhysics
-ConvertDistanceData
-DisableAWS
-DisableDump
-DisableEAX
-DisableSignals
-DisableSound
-DisplayLocMe
-DontBakeDistances
-DontUseBlueprintCache (possibly rebuilds blueprint .pak's each time?)
EnableAsyncKeys (NB: No '-' required)
--enable-backups (needs double hyphen)
-EnableEAX
-EnableFullEditor
-enable-perforce
-EnableSound
-EnableSoundDebugDialogs
-EndTrackCheck
-FilterForDirectionality
-FilterForManualJcts
-FlashStrings
-followaitrain (used scenario testing. CTRL+Click any train to follow it. Also enables instant
switching of trains in Free Roam. Use external view then press PgUp/PgDn)
-ForceSWMix (should disable anything more than basic playback through soundcard)
-force-d3d9 (vertex buffer fix?)
-FPSLimit=xx (sets the frame rate limit to a defined figure)
-fs (smaller fonts - narrative text and menus)
-generateDetailLevels
-IgnoreCoupling
-ignoreTrackTypes
-Language
-LeipzigDemo
-ManualCoupling
-NASKU
-NoClearType
-nomemorybias (vertex buffer fix?)
-NoPlayerTrain
-NoSplashScreens (disable intro splash screens)
-NoWagonBraking
-nvperfhud (create NVIDIA performance HUD (not confirmed))
-oogbb_noh ????
-QuickStartSteam
-relaunchmce
-SaveDistances
-SetDefaultButtonSound
-Show3DPaths
-ShowAudioConsists
-ShowControlStateDialog (Expanded HUD)
-ShowDestinationMarkerList
-ShowDriverList (adds a 'Driver' button inside the Driver Properties window (MK2?))
-ShowSoundDeviceSelector (allows choice of system sound device)
-ShowTrackLinks
-SkipIntros
-TakeADump
-TrackPatternEntityFixup
-updateRVNumbers
-UseFastBlueprintCache
-UseFastStreamCache
-UseSoundDevice
-UseStreamCache
-VerboseAudioDebug

From Warwick Rail

-nojoy (disables joystick support)
-refresh xxx (sets refresh rate to a defined figure)

From Bob Artim

-LogLocStrings
-LogMate
-lua-debug-messages
-ResetAchievements
-ResetStats
-SetFOV
-SetLogFilters
-ValidateNetwork
-ValidateSignals

From Dr Magnum Wolf

-AutoTest
-AutoTestCamera
-CullDist
-DebugChannels [CTRL +D (multiple options to check: Depth, Depth Decoded, Albedo,
VSN, MatID, Emissive, Aux1, Aux2, Aux3, Aux4)and press CTRL+F8]
-DebugShadows
-DLCLiveURL
-EnableDistCull
-ForcedDump
-MaxiDump
-MLAA
-MultiCore
-NoAStar
-NoClearType
-OculusRift
-OculusTest
-PhysXDebug (needs to connect to PhysX debugger to work)
-QuickDriveDebug
-RemoveLogFilters
-RevertHUD
-SafeMode
-ScaleformDebug
-ShowPassengerState
-TrackIRHorizontal
-TrackIRView
-updateRVNumbers

From Cardinal 51

-cpuCount=x
-exThreads=x
-maxMem=xxxxx
-maxVram=xxxxx

When you purchase the game, you get both the 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Train Simulator. Both are installed, and you have the option of running either of them whenever you wish.

Depending on your system's specifications, you may wish to use the 32-bit edition rather than the 64-bit edition - or vice versa. Route builders sometimes find the 32-bit edition more robust in certain situations involving linear object editing. For general gameplay, the 64-bit edition is preferred by most.

Here are the system requirements for each edition.

32-bit Edition



Recommended for 32-bit:
Operating System: 32- or 64-bit Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 8.1 or 10 Required (Other OS versions and types are not supported)
Processor: Intel Core-i5 4690 3.50 GHz Quad Core or AMD Ryzen 7 1700 3.80 GHz Quad Core or Better
Memory: 4 GB RAM (maximum possible under 32-bit Windows)/16 GB or Better (For 64-bit Windows)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 480 with 4 GB Dedicated VRAM or Better
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet Connection Required (May incur additional costs for use)
Storage: High Performance SSD Recommended with 20 GB or more available space (Additional Add-Ons will require more)
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Audio Device
Additional Notes: Requires mouse and keyboard or Xbox Controller

64-bit Edition



Recommended for 64-bit:
Operating System: 64-bit Edition of Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 8.1 or 10 Required (Other OS versions and types are not supported)
Processor: Intel Core-i5 4690 3.50 GHz Quad Core or AMD Ryzen 7 1700 3.80 GHz Quad Core or Better
Memory: 16 GB RAM or Better
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 480 with 4 GB Dedicated VRAM or Better
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet Connection Required (May incur additional costs for use)
Storage: High Performance SSD Recommended with 20 GB or more available space (Additional Add-Ons will require more)
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible Audio Device
Additional Notes: Requires mouse and keyboard or Xbox Controller

Laptop, Notebook, Mobile or Low Power versions of the above specifications (including Intel® or Integrated Graphics) may work but are not supported. Updates to Chipset, Graphics and Audio Device Drivers may be required.

In the above section, we listed DTG's recommended system requirements for running the 64-bit edition of the game.

While this may be adequate for some users, more serious gamers will probably want something slightly more powerful.

Here is a typical configuration for those who wish to experience a smoother, more pleasing and realistic performance.

Operating System: 64-bit Edition of Windows 11
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz 12 logical processors 6 physical processors
Memory: 32 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB Dedicated VRAM
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Monitor Refresh Rate: 143 Hz
Network: Broadband Internet Connection 100 Mbps
Storage: High Performance SSD Recommended with 1 TB available space
Sound Card: Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)

After the game has finished loading you will see a main menu screen which will look something like this.



If this is your first time to play the simulation, you will probably wish to start by choosing the "Academy" button. If you are already familiar with the basic controls and features of the game, then you may wish to choose the "Drive" button instead.

If you are new to Train Simulator, the Academy is a great place to start. Here you will be able to pick up the basics of driving different types of trains under a range of conditions, and will be able to learn how to carry out various tasks - such as picking up and dropping goods and passengers, changing points (switches in USA terminology), shunting, etc.

Academy tab

Learning the Ropes..


In the above menu, you can select a basic task to learn - and the list can be filtered according to loco or type of task. In each lesson, there are helpful on-screen instructions to explain exactly how everything works.

Tutorial tab

Getting started.


The above menu contains a list of tutorials for you to complete. These are specially written for various locos and routes and are generally slightly longer and more extensive than the lessons contained under the basic Academy tab. Again, there are helpful in-game instructions to guide you every step of the way.

Even experienced players, route-builders and scenario-makers have nothing to lose by occasionally running the scenarios contained in the Academy. They are well-written and contain interesting and informative material.

Have fun!

After you open the Drive Menu, you will have several choices in front of you.

• Quick Drive
  
• Career
  
• Workshop
  
• Standard
  
• Free Roam

Quick Drive

A Quick Drive scenario will allow you to drive any of the trains you own on any of the routes you have (both Official and Workshop) provided the destinations indicated on the route are possible using the power mode of the locomotive selected. An electrically-powered loco will not be able to drive on track which is unsuitable (no electric power). After you select the loco and the route, you choose the 'Depart' point and the 'Destination' point.



Career

Career scenarios are mainly supplied by the developers who create the routes, although there are a number of Workshop career scenarios available. Driving these scenarios will result in a score being given.



Workshop

Although it is possible to select and drive workshop scenarios from this tab, I would advise against attempting to do so. There are a number of technical limitations associated with it. Find them from the Standard tab instead. The Workshop tab should mainly be used just to check which workshop scenarios you have already subscribed to.



Standard

This is the tab to select to find and play and workshop scenarios you may have subscribed to, as well as any standard scenarios provided by the official route developers. No scoring is involved, and the outcome of the scenario is confined to either success or failure. This type of scenario is popular for most players.



If you wish you can use the filter to show only workshop scenarios.



Free Roam

Here you will find a list of scenarios allowing Free Roam. After the scenario loads, you will generally be able to see one or more locomotives nearby. Simply click on a loco to take control of it. You will then be able to drive it anywhere you wish on the route without restrictions and without any scoring to consider. You are also able to switch locos at any time, simply by clicking on a different one. You are responsible for ensuring that the points (switches in USA terminology) are set correctly for the path you choose to follow, and you can change them where necessary via the 2D map (press number 9).

The Profile Menu is a way of checking on your status, progress in the game and also the various locos, routes and marketplace items you may have acquired via Steam. You can also find and launch Career scenarios from it for you routes and locos.

Profile tab



The above menu shows various statistics for gameplay, as well as your list of friends. You can't really do anything from this tab, apart from changing the name shown here underneath your official username, but it is okay as a reference.

Locos tab



The above menu lists which locos you have. You can filter them according to country and motive power. Most (but not all) loco images have a small train icon to the bottom right.



Clicking on this will take you to another screen where a career scenario for that particular loco will be ready for you to run. Clicking on the Loco image itself, on the other hand, will bring up the Loco Details window, from which you can read various information and also access the Career Drive scenarios.



Routes tab



The above menu lists which routes you have. You can filter them according to country, motive power or terrain. Each route image has a small train icon to the bottom right.



Clicking on this will take you to another screen where a career scenario for that particular route will be ready for you to run. Clicking on the Route image itself, on the other hand, will bring up the Route Details window, from which you can read various information and also access the Career and Quick Drive scenarios.



Marketplace tab



The above menu lists which marketplace items you have. This is a very useful way of checking whether you already have the European Loco and Assets Pack or the US Loco and Assets Pack or both, as well as any other odd items. Apart from that, it has no other function.

To play a Workshop scenario, you will first need to subscribe to it. Ideally you should do this via the scenario's Workshop page. When you subscribe, the scenario will be flagged to automatically download and install to your computer. You will then be able to check that this has been done by clicking the in-game 'Workshop' tab on the Drive Menu and selecting the 'Subscribed' button underneath.

The best way to find scenarios for the routes you own is to use the dedicated database provided at railsims.com by Warwick Rail.

TS Routes & Scenarios [www.railsims.com]

Or, for specific locos you can use the other method provided here.

TS Workshop Menu [www.railsims.com]

Search for what you want, a list of workshop scenarios will appear for you to inspect.


Choose one of these (say '(57XX) Wheal Henry Steam') and click its image. You will now see the scenario's main workshop page.


Inspect it carefully and make sure you have all the necessary requirements needed to run it.

Then, if you want to try it out, simply click on the green 'Subscribe' button. The scenario will be automatically downloaded onto your computer and the next time you launch Train Simulator you will be able to find it.

You can always check which workshop scenarios you have subscribed to. Go to the Drive Menu and select the 'Workshop' tab and press the 'Subscribed' button underneath.



This will show your complete list of subscribed workshop items, but is it not the best place from which to launch scenarios. It is rather buggy and there is a good chance your scenario will fail to load.

So do not bother to use the 'Workshop' tab to run anything.

Instead, still under the Drive Menu, select the 'Standard' tab, or if it's a career workshop scenario select the 'Career' tab.

Find your route by scrolling down, and your newly-subscribed workshop scenario should be listed among its related contents. There is a filter to just show workshop scenarios, should you wish to use it.



Select your scenario and press the 'Start' button. Enjoy the trip, and stay safe!

The official manuals are very thorough in listing which keyboard controls are appropriate for any given route or locomotive, but there is a handy list of controls which covers most situations. The guide was written in 2015, but is still very useful.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=243521602
Click here to open the above guide in a new window

For convenience, I am placing the main keyboard controls here - with thanks to morrelo

• A - Throttle/Regulator UP
  
• D - Throttle/Regulator DOWN
  
• W - Reverser UP
  
• S - Reverser DOWN
  
• E - Gear UP
  
• Shift+E - Gear DOWN
  
• ' - Train Brake UP
  
• ; - Train Brake DOWN
  
• ] - Loco Brake UP
  
• [ - Loco Brake DOWN
  
• . - Dynamic Brake UP
  
• , - Dynamic Brake DOWN
  
• / - Handbrake toggle
  
• Backspace - Emergency brake

• J - Small ejector on/off
  
• C - Cylinder valves on/off
  
• F, Shift+F - Open/close the locomotive fire box
  
• R, Shift+R - Increase/reduce the rate the fireman shovels coal
  
• I - Turn on/off the live steam injector
  
• K, Shift+K - Increase/reduce flow of steam to the live injector
  
• O - Turn on/off exhaust injector
  
• L, Shift+L - Increase/reduce flow of steam to the exhaust injector
  
• N, Shift+N - Increase/reduce blower
  
• M, Shift+M - Increase/reduce damper

• T, Shift+T - Open doors/Load/Unload/Refuel (depens on your train and position)
  
• H, Shift+H - Headlights cycle
  
• J - Secondary lights (some locos)
  
• K - Tertiary lights (some locos)
  
• L - Cab lights toggle
  
• V - Windscreen wipers ON
  
• Shift+V - Windscreen wipers OFF
  
• U - Blinds/glare panels toggle
  
• Z - Engine toggle start/stop
  
• P - Pantograph UP
  
• Shift+P - Pantograph DOWN
  
• Q - Alerter CANCEL
  
• C - Guard Acknowledge (non-steam locos)
  
• K - DRA toggle
  
• X - Sander toggle
  
• Space, Shift+Space - Horn (high/low)
  
• B - Bell

• Tab - Red Signal request permission to pass AHEAD
  
• Tab, Ctrl+Tab - Red Signal request permission to pass BEHIND
  
• G - Points (junction switch), turntable or reverser change AHEAD
  
• Shift+G - Points (junction switch), turntable or reverser change BEHIND
  
• Ctrl+Shift+C - Couple/uncouple rolling stock
  
• T, Shift+T - Open doors/Load/Unload/Refuel (depends on your train and position)
  
• Ctrl+-, Ctrl+= - Change cab

• 1 - Cab view
  
• 2 - External front camera
  
• Shift+2 - Head-out-of-cab camera
  
• 3 - External back camera
  
• 4 - Trackside camera
  
• 5 - Passenger view
  
• 6 - Front coupling camera
  
• 7 - Overhead camera
  
• 8 - Exploration (free) camera
  
• 9 - Toggle 2D map
  
• Left arrow, Right arrow - Alternative cameras for the current view
  
• Ctrl+, Shift+, Arrow keys, Mouse scroll wheel, Holding RMB - Various options for adjusting your view

• Esc - Pause menu
  
• Pause/Break - Pause game without showing pause menu
  
• Ctrl+Q - Quit menu
  
• Ctrl+E - Enter world editor
  
• F1 - Task info
  
• F2 - Save menu
  
• F3 - Small HUD (ON/OFF)
  
• F4 - Full HUD (ON/OFF)
  
• F5 - Technical HUD
  
• F6 - Toggle labels
  
• F7 - Toggle rail vehicle number
  
• F8 - Toggle destination overlay
  
• F9/Shift+F9 - Reload assets
  
• Shift+Z - Show framerate
  
• Ctrl+S/F12 - Take screenshot
  
• Ctrl+Shift+1, Ctrl+Shift+2 - Increase/decrease braking difficulty

Sometimes, even after reading your loco's manual, you might have difficulty getting your train to move.

The user purno has written an excellent guide to this issue, so I am not going to try to better it here.

For the checklist of what to do, please visit the guide

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1566264177
Click here to open the above guide in a new window

Unable to complete a scenario because of a red light?

Try pressing the 'Tab' key or 'Ctrl + Tab'

The 'Tab' key sometimes permits you to pass a signal at red, or SPAD as it's known. It's the virtual equivalent of ringing up the signalman and asking if it is OK to proceed. This procedure is often needed when entering or leaving a yard. If you are reversing, you need to press 'Ctrl + Tab' instead.

If your path is not affecting any AI trains and the points (switches in the USA) are set correctly, pressing the 'Tab' key will normally result in the message "Permission to pass signal at danger approved." If your path is not safe, either because an AI train has not finished crossing your path or if the points are against you, the message will say "Permission to pass signal at danger denied."

A signal shows Yellow to indicate "caution." In most cases this will be because at that particular moment the next signal is at Red. Exceptions occur because of either "approach control" or "limited aspect" or both.

Approach control may be used at certain locations requiring a large speed reduction, such as the final signal governing entry into a terminus station or yard. Approach control, when implemented for a particular path at such a signal, affects the preceding signal so that it will show a Yellow "caution."

Limited aspect, on the other hand, affects the entry signal itself. When implemented for a particular path at the signal, it forces a Yellow "caution" for that path. It is used where the path leads into the terminus or yard, and where there will be no further signals except perhaps for the 'end of line' buffer lights.

If you have configured 'Auto Braking' in your game settings, the emergency brakes will be applied If your train is travelling too fast. To disable this feature, simply go to the Gameplay section of the settings and make sure that there is no tick mark in the box for the 'Auto Braking' option.




If the route on which you are running has a built-in driver response requirement, like AWS or DSD for example, the simulation will occasionally activate an alarm which requires you press Q for AWS or Q/E/Numpad Enter for DSD. You must respond within a few seconds, otherwise the emergency brakes will be applied automatically. The manual for your route or loco should explain this in full.

On some locomotives, if you merely apply the brakes fully (to 100%) the emergency brakes will come on and bring your train to a halt. Again, it is a good idea to read the manual.

Sometimes, the emergency braking system can be turned off in-game by pressing 'Ctrl + D'

At first glance, driving a steam locomotive might seem to involve a rather complicated set of variables. There are other guides available dealing with this, but I shall give a fairly simple explanation here to get you started - and keep you going.

In the simulation there are 3 main controls and 2 main gauges to keep an eye on.

• Regulator (level of steam supplied to cylinders)
  
• Reverser (direction of travel and amount of steam being used up in each cylinder cycle)
  
• Brake Lever (level of braking pressure being maintained)
  
• Brake Pressure Gauge (measured in inches - Hg)
  
• Steam Pressure Gauge (measured in pounds per square inch - PSI)

Perhaps one of the most important things to remember is that steam locomotives need a certain level of steam pressure to provide enough power to pull the train.

The way in which you manage and balance the use of the regulator, the reverser and, to a lesser extent, the brake lever, will serve to either increase, maintain or diminish the available steam pressure.

The Regulator



The regulator lets you control how much steam is being supplied to the cylinders. The trick is to supply just enough steam, but no more, than is necessary to achieve the power required. When starting off you will smoothly increase the regulator to maximum 100% level until the train begins to move, and then quickly reduce it to around 75% while the train begins to pick up speed, thereafter slowly reducing it to a level which allows optimum performance.

The Reverser



The reverser determines the direction of travel (forward or reverse) as well as the point in the piston stroke at which the supply of steam to the cylinder is cut off by the closing of the valve. Maximum cutoff of 75% is used for starting a train and is reduced by the operator as the train accelerates to speed. Generally, you will never find it useful to reduce this setting to less than 12%.

The Brake Lever and Brake Pressure Gauge




When you wish to get moving, pull the brake lever all the way down to zero and wait for the brake pressure level to reach its maximum reading. Then slowly move the lever up until you see the word 'Running' in the box above the pressure gauge. Press 'C' to allow steam to escape from the cylinders. During the first few turns of the wheels, this will allow any water which has collected inside to be expelled. If you don't do this, the cylinders will explode and your train will be disabled. After you get going, remember to press 'C' again once the wheels have completed four full turns or more to prevent steam being expelled needlessly from the cylinders.

The Steam Pressure Gauge




This is the gauge you need to keep an eye on to ensure that steam pressure is not falling too low - or your train will simply slow to a halt.

When this gauge is coloured green, it means that steam is being produced at a rate equal to or greater than the rate at which it is being used up.

If the gauge is coloured red, it means the locomotive is using up steam faster than it is being produced - and will eventually drop so much that the steam pressure can no longer drive the engine.

Once your train is running at a decent rate, it is a good idea to reduce the levels of both the regulator and the reverser as far as you can without losing speed. These levels will vary for different locomotives. You will need to get just the right combination of regulator and reverser for the steaming conditions at hand. In some locos with an average load, for example, speed may be maintained with the regulator set at 28% and the reverser set at 18%. You will need to experiment to find the best combinations for your loco and the conditions under which it is operating (going up a hill, accelerating, coasting or slowing down etc.).

Here's a list of steam engine keyboard controls.

A, D - Increase/decrease throttle or steam engine regulator
W, S - Reverser
Apostrophe, Semicolon - Increase/decrease the train brake
Square brackets - Increase/decrease the locomotive brake
Period, Comma - Increase/decrease the dynamic brake
/ - Handbrake
J - Small ejector on/off.
C - Cylinder valves on/off.
F, Shift+F - Open/close the locomotive fire box.
R, Shift+R - Increase/reduce the rate the fireman shovels coal.
I - Turn on/off the live steam injector.
K, Shift+K - Increase/reduce the flow of steam to the live injector.
O - Turn on/off exhaust injector.
L, Shift+L - Increase/reduce the flow of steam to the exhaust injector.
N, Shift+N - Increase/reduce blower.
M, Shift+M - Increase/reduce damper.

No two locomotives are the same, but most have manuals which describe their individual controls in greater detail.

That's it in a nutshell. More comprehensive guides about driving steam engines can be found here.
https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=247333283
Click here to open the above guide in a new window

and here
https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=117906786
Click here to open the above guide in a new window

To operate them press either G or Shift-G

One question which occasionally crops up in the forums is "how do I operate turntables?" The same question is sometimes asked about traversers.

Turntables and traversers are fairly similar in nature. They both comprise a section of track which can be animated and moved to connect to one of a number of track paths. When placed on a turntable or traverser, a player's locomotive may be moved so that it can travel over a new path or additionally, in the case of a turntable, be rotated so that it faces the opposite direction.

Think of turntables and traversers as being rather like glorified junctions. They are operated just like points (or switches as they are known in the US)

As with junctions, they can either be controlled manually (via a lever) or remotely by issuing a request to change the junction ahead (or behind). This request can be made via the menu, or by using the shortcut key G (or Shift-G).

Sometimes you may find that the turntable or reverser seems to get stuck and will not move. In this case move your loco slightly so that it is as near to the centre of the movable track as possible and try again. This usually resolves the issue.

Need to stop the radio chatter? The following guide shows how to remove or replace the in-cab radio.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=380273971
Click here to open the above guide in a new window

The following are some common error messages you may see in Train Simulator. If you receive any other error messages, they may be Steam-related so you are advised to contact Steam directly for more information and support. If none of the solutions work, you should contact Dovetail Games customer support directly and they will try to help you further.

Unable to load file - Scenario.bin/ tracks.bin
This message displays when there is an issue loading a scenario. There are a number of reasons it can occur. The most common of these is that you are missing some of the data needed to run a scenario. Alternatively the error may occur if you have made changes to a scenario. In either case, clearing the Train Simulator cache and verifying your files will usually restore the missing data. In the event that this does not address the issue please contact our support team directly.

Failed to save dump file to or Saved dump file to (dump file location), Railworks.exe has stopped working
All of these messages occur when Train Simulator encounters an error which causes it to close. Clearing the Train Simulator cache and verifying your files will in most cases resolve the issue. This could be due to hardware limitations also, so we recommend that you check to ensure your machine specifications are suitable by checking them against those listed in the game's Steam store page.

ERROR: Failed to create vertex buffer (D3DERR_INVALIDCALL)
File: DxCommon\cHcVertexManagerDx.cpp
LINE:1234
This error message occurs when something 3D is trying to be created in Train Simulator. The main cause of this issue is your graphics card has run out of memory and cannot create the necessary model or scenery. Please try the following steps:

1. Check that your systems RAM meets the minimum specifications required to play Train Simulator. Please note that if you are running a 32 bit operating system they will limit your total RAM available to approximately 3GB. We strongly advise ensuring you are running a 64- bit operating system to run our products on. If you are running other programs alongside the game this may take up memory that could be used to run the game successfully. You can see what programs you currently have running in the windows task manager- please try closing programs and unnecessary processes before running the game.

2. Check that your graphics card meets the minimum specifications required to play Train Simulator.

3. Check that you are running the latest drivers for you graphics card. This can usually be found on the website for manufacturer of your graphics card. If you have updated your graphics card driver and you are now getting this error when you wasn’t previously please revert to the earlier driver.

4. Reduce your graphics settings in the Train Simulator menu to a lower level. You could be asking your graphics card to do more than it can handle. Reduce the various graphics settings to their lowest and run a scenario. If there error does not occur increase the graphics settings to the next level and run the scenario again. Repeat this process until the error does occur. When it does, reduce the graphics settings back to the last level when Train Simulator ran without an issue. The 'scenery detail' graphics option is a good place to start.

5. Try reinstalling DirectX. You can find a local installation here: [Installation drive]\Program Files (x86)\steamapps\common\RailWorks\Install

Error: Game failed to start [missing executable file]
This is usually a permission issue- please ensure you are running both Steam and the game in Admin mode and make exceptions for both in your Firewall and/ or anti- virus, as applicable.

Consist builder - Can't load rail vehicle [loco name]
This message will occur when assets such as a locomotive is missing. The content that is missing will appear in the error message. Reinstalling the addons may work. It is also advisable to check that you do not have any third- party addons installed that may cause file conflict issues with the content.

This guide may not be able to answer all of your questions. If so, you may be able to find solutions at

Dovetail Train Simulator Support[dovetailgames.freshdesk.com]

TS expert Peter Hayes has written a comprehensive guide to Train Simulator containing a wealth of very useful tips and information. To access it, please use the following link.

The Peter Hayes TS Troubleshooting Guide[www.dropbox.com]

In addition, there are many other members of the TS community who have put together helpful guides and videos.

Train Simulator Guides

You might also find answers to your questions in the following sections of the forum.

General Train Simulator Discussions

Playing Train Simulator

Get Help and Advice

Support FAQ

We have written a range of guides for Train Simulator Classic

Click the link below to access them all:

Warwick Rail's TSC Guides

If you have found the above advice and information useful, please rate this guide by giving it a thumbs up - and of course don't forget to add it to your favourites.

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This guide © Copyright Warwick Rail 2022-2023, all rights reserved.