What’s My Favorite Train Sim?

Not that anyone has asked, but my favorite train sim is the one I'm using at any given moment - and generally I use five: Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 (TRS2006), Locomotion, Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS), BVE Train Simulator 2 (BVE2) and BVE Train Simulator 4 (BVE4). I've listed them in the order in which I want to talk about them.

TRS2006. Like all versions of Trainz, except the limited Driver Edition, which is really a demo, TRS2006 is known for its ease of building layouts. I LOVE building layouts, and the Trainz graphical approach fits me to a tee. If I didn't have TRS2006, I would pick its earlier sibling TRS2004. I haven't listed the newer versions, Trainz Classics and Trainz World Builder, because both place too high a demand on my PC's system resources.

Trainz has a few other things that I like: the ability to operate more than one train at a time and its dynamic industries, interactive passengers, and train emitting/receiving portals.

Locomotion. Since I'm on the subject of layout building, I might as well continue with Locomotion. Technically this is a corporate strategy game, but I use it to build empires based on a single theme - rapid transit or trolleys or buses or interurbans. I usually set the game up so that I have enough money - sometimes I challenge myself there - and no competition.

The nice thing about Locomotion, and similar games, is that as soon as you have some track and two destinations and some rolling stock you have a working model. It keeps working as you build it, so you are never bored and you can always take time to just watch the trains. It always looks good and complete, even though you are planning more track, etc.

There's plenty of competition in this category from Transport Tycoon Deluxe (TTD) (Locomotion's sibling predecessor), Open TTD, Railroad Tycoon (RRT), Transport Giant (TG) and several as-yet incomplete homegrown efforts. I prefer Locomotion because I like its graphics better, especially the curved track. I care less for RRT and TG because trains meeting in opposite directions pass through each other. TTD has a strong following based on its more challenging operation. I prefer the simpler mode. Both Locomotion and TTD have a large collection of freeware add-ons available.

MSTS. When I'm in the mood for rolling stock I reach for MSTS. The available collection of third-party freeware is astounding and second to none. I just love 1950s boxcars, and MSTS has many hundreds (thousands? - I really haven't counted). I also like the huge number of available Northeast items for the New Haven, the New York Central, the Pennsy, the Long Island and the other New York region and New England lines, not to mention the available rapid transit, interurban, trolley and commuter rolling stock available. I also like the graphic rendition in MSTS, which is always crisp.

MSTS is now almost eight years old, so it doesn't have some of the newer goodies that Trainz does, such as the ability to generate trains from portals and the ability to control any number of trains; but the realistic train dynamics can be a welcome (sometimes frustrating) challenge when operating a switching layout. The only bugaboo is the sometimes sticky couplers.

You might ask why I haven't listed the Kuju/EA Rail Simulator. I may someday if it ever catches up to MSTS in available rolling stock.

BVE2 and 4. These are the only freeware sims of the group. Even if I had to pay for them I would like and use them. They both offer an unparalled driving experience from the cab - realistic dynamics, sounds and graphics. Third-party developers have taken BVE4 to new heights when it comes to realistic train controls, requiring driver activity every 30 seconds or less to avoid automatic activation of emergency brakes, etc. This is partly why I often opt for BVE2, which has been developed this far and has as part of its interface an informative side panel. This panel has been sacrificed in BVE4 for full screen, higher resolution graphics. A new third-party utility now makes it possible to have high resolution viewing for BVE2 as well.

Cheers,
-- Al