Train simulators are better than model railroads because...
- Thread starter Tony_Hilliam
- Start date
My Trainz "World" is on my Desktop and laptop. I was on a recent cruise and I was able to play at sea! Of course I long for the feel of touching my models in HO, but consider space, portability and flexibility to create what can never be done with HO or N or Z !! And so, without too much effort, my "WorldZ" keeps growing! And no matter what the "black hands" may say, Trainz is the best.
BruceFreeland
New member
I enjoy running HO scale trains on a museum-quality layout. After running the same route for several years, however, it can become a bit repetitive. With Trainz I have a number of advantages:
1. I never have to clean track!
2. It's easier to use a mouse than the ten thumbs I'm stuck with trying to inject some detail into a layout.
3. Variety!!! If I want I can switch from American prototype to British or German or French or Australian or any of several dozen different locales in this fantastic world. That by far is the most enjoyable aspect of virtual railroading, being able to travel much further than the one locale I've spent years working on, as much as it means to me.
4. Although I have some good friends that I enjoy model railroading with, the Trainz community is very special, too. The fact that it is international is particularly exciting. And the talent out there is incredible. Every time I visit the DLS and download some items, I am continually amazed and impressed by the quality of work done by the members of this Trainz community.
5. Because my knees are starting to crap out on me (getting old is not necessarily fun), it's nice to be able to enjoy trains sitting down rather than standing for long periods at a time (which you have to do with a large HO layout).
Bruce
1. I never have to clean track!
2. It's easier to use a mouse than the ten thumbs I'm stuck with trying to inject some detail into a layout.
3. Variety!!! If I want I can switch from American prototype to British or German or French or Australian or any of several dozen different locales in this fantastic world. That by far is the most enjoyable aspect of virtual railroading, being able to travel much further than the one locale I've spent years working on, as much as it means to me.
4. Although I have some good friends that I enjoy model railroading with, the Trainz community is very special, too. The fact that it is international is particularly exciting. And the talent out there is incredible. Every time I visit the DLS and download some items, I am continually amazed and impressed by the quality of work done by the members of this Trainz community.
5. Because my knees are starting to crap out on me (getting old is not necessarily fun), it's nice to be able to enjoy trains sitting down rather than standing for long periods at a time (which you have to do with a large HO layout).
Bruce
Both electric model trains and train simulators have their place.
I do not have the room or finances, however, to have an realistically scaled H.O. (or even N gauge) electric model railroad of the entire North Central Colorado and southern Wyoming region in my home.
Trainz 2006 has given me the tools to make that happen.
Jim D.
I do not have the room or finances, however, to have an realistically scaled H.O. (or even N gauge) electric model railroad of the entire North Central Colorado and southern Wyoming region in my home.
Trainz 2006 has given me the tools to make that happen.
Jim D.
Prowler901
The Silver San Juan
This is a great thread.
For me one is not better than the other. I love to work with my hands. So the tactile sensation of working with real models is what I love about model railroading.
However, the cost of actual model railroading for me is prohibitive. Especially being "narrow" minded. Narrow gauge equipment is just so darn expensive. And, of course there is the space issue. I'd need a very large room to a reasonable version of the RGS and/or D&RGW. And, even with a large room I'd be limited to only a section of the line.
But, with Trainz my world is almost unlimited. And, I can have more than one layout built at the same time. Or, if I want I can expand and combine layouts. Also, being able to create and share my own content has been awesome. I love to create models in gmax. It's great exercise for my mind. And, that feeling when you export something and see and hear it in Trainz for the first time. It's awesome.
And, I can have almost the entire roster of D&RGW and RGS equipment of the 1940's without having to invest huge amounts of money.
So, for me Trainz is the best of both worlds. I can be creative and see my own work. And, I can have my dream layout without the limits of cost or space. COOL!
Todd
For me one is not better than the other. I love to work with my hands. So the tactile sensation of working with real models is what I love about model railroading.
However, the cost of actual model railroading for me is prohibitive. Especially being "narrow" minded. Narrow gauge equipment is just so darn expensive. And, of course there is the space issue. I'd need a very large room to a reasonable version of the RGS and/or D&RGW. And, even with a large room I'd be limited to only a section of the line.
But, with Trainz my world is almost unlimited. And, I can have more than one layout built at the same time. Or, if I want I can expand and combine layouts. Also, being able to create and share my own content has been awesome. I love to create models in gmax. It's great exercise for my mind. And, that feeling when you export something and see and hear it in Trainz for the first time. It's awesome.
And, I can have almost the entire roster of D&RGW and RGS equipment of the 1940's without having to invest huge amounts of money.So, for me Trainz is the best of both worlds. I can be creative and see my own work. And, I can have my dream layout without the limits of cost or space. COOL!
Todd
Disturbnthapeace
New member
Hey maybe the Reason why people favor Simulators over Models is
Models Can break and Simulators dont break
2. Models Cost 100s even thousands each
MSTS Trainz are around 20-30 bucks
3. Models Take too much space upp................
Models Can break and Simulators dont break
2. Models Cost 100s even thousands each
MSTS Trainz are around 20-30 bucks
3. Models Take too much space upp................
# You have to model / buy / download only one Wagon for the whole train.
# You need a small place for the train - Your desktop.
# You never have problems with dust. :mop:
# You can build the whole wold in a map, without areal limits.
# You can drive inside a train
# You can control the loco as real as posible.
But:
It isn't a only model railroad simulator! Isn't it?
# You need a small place for the train - Your desktop.
# You never have problems with dust. :mop:
# You can build the whole wold in a map, without areal limits.
# You can drive inside a train
# You can control the loco as real as posible.
But:
It isn't a only model railroad simulator! Isn't it?
It's eight in the evening, you've had your buddies/neighbours/girlfriend/stock broker over for dinner, for lack of any topic of conversation, you ask if they want to see your model railroad.....]
Wait a minute. You mean a model railroad can actually help you find a girlfriend? Wow, I gotta be more serious about that.
Oh. Okay, never mind then.
Seriously though. I would have to fall into the camp who believes that the two are really not the same. Not entirely at least. I'm active in both model/garden railroading and (now that I've upgraded) virtual railroading. Speaking for myself, my goals for both activities are different.
Down in the basement where my small On30 pike is set up, I'm focusing on modeling one tiny section of an admittedly tiny line. While I can do that in Trainz, this form lends it's self a bit better in my view as the minimum dimensions for a layout in Trainz is 720mx720m. And I always feel obliged to use that space. But that's going off track and really not my argument. Right, focus. My goal with On30 is tactile. I want to be able to pick up that Porter and disappear in the workshop for four hours on a rainy Sunday afternoon and emerge that much later with only a very, very nice 1:48 scale red toolbox on the footplate to show for it. That's not much of an exaggeration either, sadly.
With Trainz, my goal is not to simulate real world railroading as accurately as possible (Model Railroader once ran an editorial on the many reasons why such a thing would actually be quite boring, such as sitting at a signal, waiting for long periods of time), but to achieve a happy medium. I want to be able to sit down for an hour and transverse a larger distance than I can ever possibly hope to recreate in the basement.
And garden railroading? See my argument for On30. The one difference is what I do for four hours on bright and sunny Sunday afternoons: sit under the tree with my favorite alcoholic beverage and watch my train go around.
Oh yeah and the neighborhood kids seem to like it to.
Betriebsleiter
Mornin`Mr.Radio
The money.
On model railroads you have to pay for every screw, every track and so on.
The place, you can fill 1000 kilometers with railroad, tons of railroads you can`t even pay.
On model railroads you have to pay for every screw, every track and so on.
The place, you can fill 1000 kilometers with railroad, tons of railroads you can`t even pay.
I havn't really found a reason. I like working with my hands more then a mouse.
1. Cost: start collecting/ saving, evetually you'll get there (thats what i say)
2. space: I had to conivnce my mom for a 4x8 but in the end, if i want to run long trains, theres always the club!
On the note of track cleaning, i just keep a car with a bright boy attached to the bottom on my roster so whenever i run it, it cleans the track.
1. Cost: start collecting/ saving, evetually you'll get there (thats what i say)
2. space: I had to conivnce my mom for a 4x8 but in the end, if i want to run long trains, theres always the club!
On the note of track cleaning, i just keep a car with a bright boy attached to the bottom on my roster so whenever i run it, it cleans the track.