How do you get the most out of Trainz?

I hope nobody minds this thread, I'm just curious and you never know, it might just help me out.

To avoid confusion I'm not asking how I can get the most out of Trainz, I'm asking what YOU readers of this thread do to get the most out of Trainz, as I said, just curious.

(This is what I do.)
For the Sim itself:
Be optimistic, look for the good things about the sim or the assets you may be using.
If I have created something (I.E. a route, loco, etc.) take pride in the accomplishment and if I am not quite satisfied with what I have created then I fix it so I can be satisfied.
If I can't find anything you like about the sim or content, then I try to see what the it can become and perhaps make suggestions in the suggestion boxcar here on the forums.

For the Community:
Patience is key, not everyone has the same opinion, some folks may be new, and some I just have to force myself to be patient with.
Compliments, suggestions, and constructive criticism can go a long way...
Avoid asking for content or release dates. (I know that I have done this in the past but since then I have learned.)
Avoid insults, provocations, and being just plain rude. (I have been rude once before in the past however I apologized to the said person at whom my insult was directed at.)
If I have insulted someone, I apologize to them.
Thinking before I post.
Sometimes I just have to have "thick skin" and ignore some things.
If someone lacks wisdom, help them or explain to them whatever wisdom they are lacking.

Some good things there.

I think the most important thing to remember is to have fun!

Being realistic about the level of detail required in meshes or routes to avoid being stuck in an endless loop of updates/improvements.

The ability to build the model railroad of your dreams without having to worry about money or space, the amount of freedom it comes to building stuff without spending money on every new addition needed to add to your route also is a big thing.

Learn to take breaks so that route-building burnout doesn't occur or doesn't occur too often.

Heck I've been at this going on 14 years this coming January and haven't stopped since so I must be doing something right.

Rushing is never the way to build a route both in model railroading or in trainz I sometimes have stop and read a book or work on other projects I have.

Don't pretend to yourself that you can 'build the world' in your layouts. Only work within your limitations. Start small, then extend it a little, then enjoy what you have accomplished.

However, it's good to have great ideas, but remember, we can learn from one another to expand those ideas further.

Look forward to new things.

So to get the most enjoyment from our hobby, I believe we need patience, tolerance and occasionally a little rest.

I would add...get a good book, such as Track Planning for Realistic Operation: Prototype Railroad Concepts for Your Model Railroad (Model Railroader)(3rd Edition), by John H. Armstrong. This is a book that has been around for a long time, and is a great reference for understanding the train world.

Many members of this community are either involved with train operations, or have retired from such. But even to have worked on the railroad, one's knowledge of why everything is done the way that it is can be daunting. Even though there is great information on this site and in the forums on constructing a great layout, much frustration results from simply not knowing exactly what to do!

If you are like me, railroads have been a fascinating part of my life, but understanding the intricacies of how they operate are beyond me. This kind of book explains the basics in great detail.

Start small. I still have my first route. Extended it to all of 3x3 boards. I'm amazed at how much I managed to squeeze in - I put in everything I could think of: rolly-polly Irish landscape, desert, swamp, rivers for bridges, mountains for tunnels, industry for goods transport, even a fast-track when the TGV came along, a seaport, and a dense city that wrecks the frame rate. I still travel it - love the crazy variety.

To me it's about re-creating an era of railways that I've never experienced in real life. But Trainz is also more than that, I find route building and modelling in Blender very relaxing, it kinda serves like an Anti-Depressant sometimes, that distracts you from the problems in the real world

The really good thing about T:ANE is that nothing is written in stone. If something you're doing isn't working out, change it. If you run into problems, just step back and take a break. Sometimes, a good night's sleep will bring the answers you're looking for. As you continue to work on a route, you'll constantly improve it with new downloads and over time, you'll have created the railroad you've always wanted.