'All Aboard!' -- Train & Rail Simulators

Jul. 2009
Kuju Ent, the developers of the original MS Train Simulator, released Rail Simulator in 2008, and shortly after, disbanded the Rail sim team to work on other projects. But former members of that design team banded together and released RailWorks, the latest and greatest continuation of the Rail Simulator and MS Train Simulator legacy.

Jun. 2009
The long-running Trainz series' latest release is the 2009 World Builder Edition, which includes content from all previous Trainz titles, plus extra new content, world building tools, and an updated graphical engine.

Apr. 2009
Outside Japan, this long-running series, which started back in 1992, is now in its 8th release. Run your transit company to maximize profits and to help achieve urban growth by setting proper schedules and freight tracks, or gamble in the stock market and real estate market to gather extra cash.

TBA - possibly canceled
MicroSoft halted the sequel to MSTS and let go the developer of the series, Kuju Entertainment. In 2007, MS announced they will re-launch development using the team that brought out MS Flight Simulator X, running on same graphical engine, but that studio was axed by MicroSoft in January 2009, leaving future plans for both MSTS2 and all future Flight Simulator releases in limbo.

Jun. 2008
Collection compilation which includes Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006, Trainz Add-on Routes 1 to 4, Trainz 2004, collection of all classic Trainz releases, as well as Trainz Paintshed.

Mar. 2008
An Xbox360 game based on A-Train 7 for PC (Japanese only release).

Jan. 2008
After Kuju Entertainment, the developers of the first Microsoft Train Simulator, were dropped by Microsoft in 2004, they joined forces with publisher Electronic Arts and released a worthy and superior rival to MS.

Oct. 2007
An updated version of Trainz 2006 which includes two new scenarios - a historical Harlem Line, and a tramway Metropolis Line, as well as updated graphics.

Dec. 2006

Being in business from 1900 to 1993, Lionel Corporation made some of the best model trains in the world, with its toy trains being prized by collectors. But since the company is no longer in business, pick up this DS game and build your own Lionel trainyard, tracks, and let Lionel model trains run in your virtual world.

Oct. 2006
Sid Meier, the creator of the original Railroad Tycoon, designed this spiritual successor to the series, 16 years after the original game. Railroad Tycoon II and 3 were not developed by Sid Meier, so this marks a fresh return by the famed designer to breath new life into the franchise.

Sep. 2006
Based on the Trainz 2006 simulator, the Driver edition puts you in the seat with either simple or ultra-realistic engineer controls, but minus all the detailed management system found in the full simulator series.

Mar. 2006
Pushing new standards in realism and immersion, the 2006 edition allows the player full control over every aspect of managing a virtual railroad, including long-haul freight lines, high-speed commuter trains, and challenging yard operations.

2005
A freeware train simulator written by a Japanese graduate student. Many routes and tracks can be downloaded here: BVE Trainsim downloads.

Feb. 2005
This expansion for Transport Giant adds a scenario for building a tranport empire in Australia, something not found in any other train series.

Sep. 2004
Chris Sawyer's latest game on one hand is a sequel to one of the most loved classic games, Transport Tycoon. On the other hand, the minor tweaks and whistles don't hide the fact that it is virtually identical to its 10-year old predecessor. And with the free open-source project OpenTTD, Locomotion has been a tough sell.

Jun. 2004
Influenced heavily by the Transport Tycoon games, this game places you in charge of a fleet of train, truck, airplane and ship routes to build up a business empire, with a scenario in the US and one in Europe.

Feb. 2004
Another attempt by a publisher to cash in on the Railroad Tycoon craze, this title was marred with memory leaks and too simplistic gameplay, with trains gaining 'experience points' you can then use on upgrades.

2004 to present

Open Source project that clones, improves, and continuously updates that classic Transport Tycoon Deluxe game, originally designed by Chris Sawyer.

Oct. 2003
The second installment of the Trainz series takes everything from the original and gives you more locomotives and better graphics engine.

Oct. 2003
The third installment in the Railroad Tycoon series brings the track-laying, empire-building and economic simulator into the realm of 3D graphics.

Jun. 2002
Industry Giant II blends gameplay elements from Transport Tycoon with Capitalism, and even some Zeus: Master of Olympus style of city building.

Feb. 2002
Launch in 2002, the Trainz series one-upped the MS Train Simulator franchise by not only making a good realistic train simulator, but by incorporation model railroading, allowing players to construct and place their own track layouts before riding on them.

Sep. 2001
An ambitious attempt to compete against the Railroad Tycoon series, Rails puts you in charge of spreading your train empire across all of America.

Sep. 2001
A compilation of Railroad Tycoon II, its expainsion 'The Second Century', extra levels found in the Gold Edition, new music, and 50 new scenarios.

Jul. 2001
Developed by Kuju Entertainment for Microsoft, this game pioneered the 'virtual train engineer' genre, and spawned dozens off add-ons and expansion packs, featuring special locomotives and scenic track passages.

Oct. 2000
A kid-friendly train & track game, based on the famed Lionel model trains.

Aug. 2000
Another Transport Tycoon clone, this one concentrates only on people traffic, not transporting goods and resources. Set your trains, trams and buses to the best locations to help alleviate gridlock and to turn a profit.

May 1999
This expansion pack to Railroad Tycoon II, which comes included in the Platinum edition, bring scenarios and gameplay into the next century. Steam and locomotives make way for new electric, diesel, and even magleve high-speed trains.

Sep. 1998
After PopTop acquired rights to the Railroad Tycoon name, they brought 'Gathering of Developers' to design up the sequel to Sid Meier's hit strategy game. PlayStation and Dreamcast version were also released.

1998
In this kid-friendly train sim, you can build LEGO buildings and LEGO train tracks to move your people around your town.

1997
A German-developed Transport Tycoon clone, which adds more industrial element to the business strategy. Instead of just raw goods going to factories like in TT, in this game you need to have rail lines going from raw source to factory and then to stores in towns.

1995
Although sharing similarities with Railroad Tycoon, 1830 is actually based on an Avalon Hill board game by the same name, and using its trademark hexagon spaces, it allows you to build up your own rail empire in the early American history.

1995
An improved version of Chris Sawyer's classic DOS-era hit, which brought gameplay improvements and new scenarios.

1995
C.E.O., aka AIV, is the fourth title in the A-Train series, and the follow-up to 1992's A-Train. The name change is significant as the series departs from its train management roots, incorporates other transport modes, and focuses strongly on stock trading, company mergers, and profit making.

1994
Chris Sawyer took the Railroad Tycoon formula from Sid Meier and greatly expanded it, with his trademark isometric world (which would be used later on in the hit series 'RollerCoaster Tycoon'). And although trains are an integral part of the game, players could also build and control a truck fleet, bus fleet, shipping lines and airports.

1993
Set in a future after the world gets thrown into a man-created ice age, you control a giant steam locomotive and journey to towns to trade supplies, slaves, and mammoths.

1992
Although still going strong in Japan with A-Train 8, this series by Artdink is perhaps best known for its classic train and economy simulator from the early DOS era. Perhaps a bit 'too' pessimistic for its own good, the only way to truly expand your train empire is to build hotels, golf courses, and gamble on the stock market in order to subsidize your fares and keep updated your aging fleet of locomotives.

1990
The classic 'train empire' game by Sid Meier, you are in charge of one of several train corporations that strive to expand and gain market share by building new tracks and maximizing profits on routes in the early days of American history.

1989
The 'A-Train' game from 1992 was Artdink's third actual 'A-Train' title. The series dates back to 1986, with 'Railroad Empire' being the second part of the series, and even though it precedes the Railroad Tycoon games, it received little to no recognition.

1988
Part train simulator, part action game, you play as a French resistance soldier who takes control of a German train. In between action scenes at train stations where you shoot a canon at the enemy, you control the throttle, the coal level, and steam level of the train to evade the Nazis.

1983
Possibly the earliest 'train managerial' games was this early C64 title where you control trains and try to turn a profit by moving different loads to different stations.