- Our project provides a train simulator for the largest collection of digital content in the world - routes, rolling stock - and activities - initially developed for Microsoft's Train Simulator product. -
- Microsoft Train Simulator, which was launched in 2001, was very successful but Microsoft had several false starts at developing it further - and these came to an end in 2009. However, Microsoft Train Simulator was an open platform and a host of content both free and commercial has been - developed for it. -
- Open Rails is a successor to Microsoft Train Simulator and runs the trains on routes built for Microsoft Train Simulator. However, there are some differences - worth discussing. -
- Open Rails uses more recent technology so it can take advantage of modern graphics processors. This leads to higher - frame rates, more colors and detail, larger displays and smoother motion. -
-- Open Rails is open, as the name suggests. It is a project launched, developed, maintained and nurtured by a team of volunteers. - Our team is working to provide a sound future for the communities' content and to create the best possible train simulator. -
-- Our use of the GPL (or Free Software) license means that anyone can read the software, find out how it works and create a - modified version. In practice, the project benefits dramatically from this openness with contributions both large and small and, of - course, an overflowing wish list. -
- New, untested, versions of the product are freely and immediately available, so we have many users who quickly find any issues with a new version and maintain quality at a very high level. From its inception, Open Rails has proved much more robust and crash-proof than Microsoft Train Simulator - managed. -
- While the simplest bugs are fixed at once, we maintain a bug tracker to record more complex bugs and monitor their progress through - the stages New, Confirmed, Triaged, Assigned, Fixed. -
-- Started late in 2009, the project is now reaching a most exciting stage as we achieve the goal of replacing Microsoft Train Simulator and move on with plans to do much better - than Microsoft Train Simulator in both realism and facilities such as multi-user, timetables and editors for creating content. -
++ Our Open Rails project provides a free train simulator for the largest collection of digital content in the world - routes, + rolling stock, activities and timetables. + Our statistics reveal that we have around 25,000 active users. +
+ Open Rails is open, as the name suggests and the license guarantees. + It is a project developed, maintained and nurtured by a team of volunteers. + Our team is working to provide a sound future for the communities' content (both free and commercial) and to create the best + possible train simulator. +
+ Suggestions for improvements are welcome – see our Roadmap and also see ideas you can vote on and submit yourself. +
++ Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS), which was launched in 2001, was very successful but Microsoft had several false starts at + developing it further, which stimulated the launch of the Open Rails project in 2009. +
+ Open Rails is independent of Microsoft and now runs the trains on routes built to MSTS standards but with all the + advantages in performance and graphics that the passing years make possible. +
++ The project reached its initial goal – running MSTS trains at least as well as MSTS did – some time ago. +
+ Along the way many valuable features have been added, visual improvements such as superelevation and 3D cabs and operational ones + such as timetables, container cranes and ETCS. + We also provide multi-player and control from connected devices such as RailDriver or a web browser. +
+ The standards for MSTS content have restricted Open Rails in many ways, e.g. curved track must be circular arcs so transition + curves are not possible. + In response, a current aim is to leave behind these restrictions while still supporting content built to these old standards. +
+ Another aim is to make it easier to build routes, with options to generate lineside objects instead of placing them individually. +
+ Our goal is to enhance the railroad simulation hobby through an open platform, designed and supported by the community to + provide a lasting foundation for accurate and immersive simulation experiences. +
++ Open Rails lives up to its name - a railroad simulation platform that's open for inspection, open for continuous improvement, + open to third parties and commercial enterprises, open to the community and, best of all, an open door to the future. +
+-Our goal is to enhance the railroad simulation hobby through a new platform, designed and supported by the community and built to provide a lasting foundation for accurate and immersive simulation experiences. -
--By making the entire source code of the project freely available, we ensure that Open Rails will continually evolve to meet the technical, operational, graphical and content-building needs of the community. Perhaps more importantly, we can anticipate that Open Rails will last for as long as it is needed. Unlike commercial simulators, we are immune from the economic pressures that can kill off a simulator product and suddenly abandon a large investment in building accurate routes and rolling stock. -
-We benefit from community expertise to deliver accuracy not just in appearance, but also operationally. It is mostly in this area that we find existing products lacking. We understand that operations differ greatly, not just between regions, but even from railroad to railroad. -
-For this reason we are working towards an open, extensible architecture that accommodates plug-ins, developed by specialized sub-teams, to reproduce the characteristic aspects of their favorite railroad. -
--One major technical objective has been to achieve backward compatibility with existing Microsoft Train Simulator content, extending the life of community and commercial content developed over the last decade and more. This has been a fascinating challenge; experimenting to discover how the authors of Microsoft Train Simulator solved design issues and working around some poor decisions and incomplete features. We have been largely successful and Microsoft Train Simulator content mostly runs without problems on the Open Rails platform. We try to provide this compatibility without limiting Open Rails and restricting what can be included in the future. -
-For example, we do not feel bound by the limitations of the Microsoft Train Simulator file formats. We are extending those formats to support new and better features and we are creating new file formats to make better use of current computers and graphics technology. -
--Looking into the future, we expect both amateur and professional content creators to develop their existing Microsoft Train Simulator content and to build new content specifically for Open Rails. This content will exploit the new features and capabilities offered by the Open Rails platform. -
-We encourage the commercial enterprises in our community to develop for Open Rails. We look forward to our platform supporting a mix of commercial and free content, add-ons and tools. -
-Open Rails lives up to its name - a railroad simulation platform that's open for inspection, open for continuous improvement, open to third parties and commercial enterprises, open to the community and, best of all, an open door to the future. -
-Next to the "Demo Model 1" route presented in the Getting Started we recommend two other routes -which you can find in the Content Browser.
-{%- include slideshow.html height="62" unit="%" duration="nil" route="scenic" -%}
-- This is a free starter route, created by TrainSimulations. - It comes with trainsets and activities based on the BNSF Scenic Subdivision in the Pacific Northwest Region of the United States. -
-- This route can be installed in OR via the menu Content --> "Auto Installed" form. It starts with the activity "What goes up...". - In this activity you are driving a freight train with 4 BNSF C44-9W diesel locomotives and more then 60 wagons! -
+This catalogue lists free and pay routes from all over the world. Use the search and filter options to find ones that suit your interests.
++ Note that these routes are currently limited to those that a self-contained and require no other files. This makes them easy to install. + We plan to extend this catalogue to include other routes, Train Cars and Trains. +
+If you wish to add an entry to the catalogue, then + + send us a message + . +
+{%- include slideshow.html height="62" unit="%" duration="nil" route="zigzag" -%}
-- This route, now a heritage line, comes with 7 tutorial activities which introduce you progressively to the challenges of - managing a steam-hauled train. -
-- Has to be installed manually. See "Install Zig Railway Route Content" on webpage - Great Zig Zag Railway. -
- -- Some content relies on the presence of files from MSTS, such as sound files and cab interiors. - This is usually the case for free content downloaded from forums, so installing this content can be tricky. -
-- Content which has no such dependence (typically labelled as "stand-alone" or "mini-route") is easy to install. - All the content in the Content Browser is currently stand-alone. -
- -- Although Open Rails will run any routes made for MSTS, many features and refinements are only available in content made - specially for Open Rails. Here are some examples. -
- The Spanish websites Viajeros al Tren and Spain Trainz Rutas are some of the first to offer Open Rails-specific products. -
- Deko Games offer SD60M and SD40-2 locos with 3D cabs exclusively for Open Rails. -
- Some Australian routes (New South Wales) have been packaged by Peter Newell to work just with Open Rails: -
- - - -- See our Trade page for links to commercial vendors. -
-This catalogue lists free and pay routes from all over the world. Use the search and filter options to find ones that suit your interests.
-- Note that these routes are currently limited to those that a self-contained and require no other files. This makes them easy to install. - We plan to extend this catalogue to include other routes, Train Cars and Trains. -
-If you wish to add an entry to the catalogue, then - - send us a message - . -
-The Open Rails simulator operates train services independently of Microsoft Train Simulator and without running any Microsoft Train Simulator code. - Currently you must use Goku's modern editor TSRE5 or even the original Microsoft Train Simulator Route Editor - to build new routes, but we plan to develop our own Route Editor. + Currently, to build your own routes, you must use Goku's modern editor TSRE5 or + even the original Microsoft Train Simulator Route Editor, but we plan to develop our own Route Editor.
- No, Open Rails has no effect on the performance of Microsoft Train Simulator. Open Rails is a completely new simulator. With suitable hardware, most users running Microsoft Train Simulator routes and consists - in Open Rails see significantly higher frames per second (FPS) because the Open Rails simulator uses modern graphics cards (GPUs) effectively. Loading -times are much reduced and larger routes can be accommodated. -
- -- Microsoft Train Simulator displays textures as 16-bit color even though most are stored as 24 or 32-bit ACE files. Therefore, the foundation is there to support these - higher bit textures. Open Rails may also provide better lighting effects and texture effects which gives a better view of the current Microsoft Train Simulator models. + Some older content relies on the presence of files from MSTS, such as sound files and cab interiors. + This is usually the case for free content downloaded from forums, so installing this content can be tricky.
- -- The point of Open Rails is not just better frame rates or display colors, but those are common side effects. Open Rails is more about the future! + Content which has no such dependence (typically labelled as "stand-alone" or "mini-route") is easy to install. + All the content in the Content Browser is currently stand-alone.
- -- Older free and payware routes are often packaged as add-ons to Microsoft Train Simulator and many locos make use of sound and cabview files from - Microsoft Train Simulator. + Although Open Rails will run any routes made for MSTS, many features and refinements are only available in content made + specially for Open Rails. Here are some examples.
- Newer routes have been developed specifically for Open Rails. See our Content page. -
-+ Deko Games offer SD60M and SD40-2 locos with 3D cabs exclusively for Open Rails. +
+ Some Australian routes (New South Wales) have been packaged by Peter Newell to work just with Open Rails: +
+ ++ See our Trade page for links to commercial vendors. +
+- such as the tutorials on Eric Conrad's blog. + such as the tutorials on Eric Conrad's blog.
If you are interested in helping with tutorials, please