RailWorks Wish List

Rail Simulator, and now RailWorks, has some great features. The graphics are a whole lot better—that's to be expected. And we finally got that working turntable everybody had been clamoring for. And don't you just love the 3D cabs? And how about those container loaders? And, and...

Given that the original programming was done by the same group that gave us Train Simulator, it's kind of curious that there are a few features we take for granted in MSTS that are still absent in RW. And of course there is the ever-expanding list of items we hope will be incorporated in the sim some day. The creators of RW are continuing to improve the product, so there's a good chance we'll eventually see our favorite wish-list items incorporated into the sim.

MSTS features not available in RW

• Terrain-illuminating headlights New Feature! September 23, 2011
• Configurable lights: flashing, oscillating, front/rear control   Lights can be animated and controlled by means of scripting.
• Animated crossing gates This and more added October 18, 2010
• Animated hazard objects. This is also very useful for other animations. Level crossing objects can be adapted.
• Control-actuated steam clouds, e.g. whistle, cylinder cocks, popoff valves Whistle and cylinder cocks fixed! August 28, 2009
• Air brakes, including engine brake, in steam locomotives Fixed! August 10, 2009
• Distant mountains Fixed! September 23, 2011
• Variable, multiple switch stands (RW limits us to the one specified in TrackRules blueprint) Users have discovered a viable workaround.
• Less restrictive car spawner (RW limits travel to between "triangles") Improved August 28, 2009; seems to work OK now.
• Steam locomotive bell control (Developers must create custom input-mapper files) Fixed! August 28, 2009
• Night cabs Night cabs can be made using a combination of point lights and scripting.
• North American alerter system for North American diesels and electrics from the 1990s and beyond. This can now be accomplished with scripting.

Next-gen wish-list features for RW

• Curved track superelevation New Feature! September 23, 2011
• More operational parameters exposed for controls and gauges, e.g. tender water level This can now be accomplished with scripting.
• User-defined controls, lever and toggled—let's say three of each—for anything we can dream up This can now be accomplished with scripting.
• Active, programmable LCD displays in locos This can now be accomplished with scripting, although a built-in feature would be better and easier to work with.
• Advanced steam animation, e.g. operating reversing gear
• Dynamic exhaust tied to engine load, affecting color, opacity, discharge velocity This can now be accomplished with scripting.
• Animated crossing signal lights triggered by train approach Standard feature! Added October 18, 2010
• Event-actuated voiceover messages (as in FSX)
• Steam locomotive boiler water level changes as grade incline changes.
• When a steam locomotive boiler is over-filled, acceleration becomes sluggish.
• Fire temperature is a factor that can determine steam pressure.
• Coal accumulates and diminishes in the firebox on steam locomotives when added or burned.
• Steam chest pressure changes as cylinder cocks open and close.

Send me an e-mail if you think of some more of these. I'll update these lists every so often, not only adding new items, but also crossing off items as RW addresses them in their periodic updates.