Complete Database Rebuild-Starting Over--Help?

After more than 2 weeks of attempting to 'fix' the existing database, I'm out of luck and (I guess) I'm either starting all over rebuilding from scratch or abandoning Trainz all together and finding a new 'time waster' in my life. I have (literally) hundreds of hours worth of routes that I built and assets that I've accumulated from the DLS and from routes and rolling stock that I have purchased over the years that ar--at least at the moment-- lost. The thought of all the tedious work of finding those assets and dealing with all the download and missing asset issues again has me overwhelmed from even starting at this point.

I can still SEE the old database, but when I attempt to build a .cdp file from the routes that I built, I just get a strange collection of random 'stuff' on the route at the new location, but more assets are missing than visible.

Since I could never determine which asset had the issue that caused the entire thing to crash in the first place, I have been hesitant to move content since (I presume?) that random corrupt asset would have the same impact on the new data path that I have created and I would be right back to square one again?

Other than painstakingly downloading each one of those assets again...one by one...and starting all over...are there any shortcuts to expedite this process and make it easier? Just wanted to seek the collective wisdom of the group before deciding to proceed to abandon ship on Trainz altogether. I'm really frustrated at this point.

Thank you in advance!

This can be real frustrating geno, don't give up too soon


Please check if the path to your local directory(where your routes are) is as it should be
in the Launcher window press [trainz settings] go to the tab [Install]
there you see Local data folder:


Try to find that same folder with windows explorer and check if it is the correct one
inside that local folder are forinstance backups, which have a date


Often there are more than 1 copy of a certain route, so good chance you can get items back
but it's not very user friendly.
hope it helps, greetings GM

Don't give up yet.

Try this:

First take a backup of what you have even if it's broken just in case you want to try this again if you mess up a step.

Using Windows File Explorer, navigate to your Trainz data folder.

Delete the following files:

assets.tdx
asset-cache.tdx

If there is a WAL file, delete that as well.


In Explorer, go to the cache folder and switch to the cache/internet folder.
Delete that content.

In Explorer change to the cache/libraries.
Delete that content. On this folder the process may seem to hang for a minute at the end, even though the folder is empty. This is due to the small size of the files.

Defrag your hard drive because there will be a lot of fragmentation, but you can skip this if you have an SSD.

Start up Trainz again.
At the Launcher, the DBR will run automatically, but very quickly. If it does not, run one manually.

I recommend checking Content Manager for any faulty assets address that situation, check for updates, and clear up anything that's open for edit.

When you start up a route again, you may precache data again, but at least you have everything back.

Make a CDP of the route only and import to the new location and do a DBR. In CM highlight the route and select list dependencies recursively. Highlight all assets and select download. This will download all assets that are on the DLS.
You don't say where the routes are imported from as imports from some versions do have a problem because of how Trainz now saves them.

Some of the routes are purchased from Jointed Rail...another one from another smaller provider...several are from the DLS...but the work hardest to get back would be the dozen or more routes that I had built from scratch.

Probably operator error on my part, but it never seems that I have all the pieces and parts that I eventually end up needing with I download those JR routes...I end up with at least a dozen to two dozen items that are not on the download station and are unidentified on the asset lists. Most of the time the routes from the download station have all their pieces and parts once I download them (as I recall).

Thank you for your assistance with this...I will give it a try.

Thank you for the information and encouragement. I don't fully understand all the folder and file structures (what goes where when you download it)...so I'm sure that's contributing to my intimidation and frustration.

I'm running a MAC M1 without enough expensive Apple memory to use it to store Trainz assets, so the local content lived on a Samsung SSD...which didn't seem to create any issues before the crash. I presume I can simply replace 'Explorer' with 'Finder' in Apple-land and try the same steps. The ONLY good thing about it being broken is...I can't break it at this point, right?

Only thing to watch out for
the local/backups folder/directory, the oldest date gets deleted everyday
so if you think you still need an older date to recover something, make sure they are copied to a safe location

geno1005 said:

Thank you for the information and encouragement. I don't fully understand all the folder and file structures (what goes where when you download it)...so I'm sure that's contributing to my intimidation and frustration.

I'm running a MAC M1 without enough expensive Apple memory to use it to store Trainz assets, so the local content lived on a Samsung SSD...which didn't seem to create any issues before the crash. I presume I can simply replace 'Explorer' with 'Finder' in Apple-land and try the same steps. The ONLY good thing about it being broken is...I can't break it at this point, right?

Click to expand...

Yes, Explorer = Finder.

If you have loaded the data on to your second drive, go there and the data-structure should be the same. You're smart doing that anyway because it makes things so much easier to troubleshoot.

Thanks everyone...I appreciate the help!

In case you haven't fixed it, the easiest thing to do is:
(i) install the game
(ii) download the DLC items you want to install
(iii) download the content you want from the DLS

The problems generally occur when people start moving things, copying things from other builds etc.

It is also safe to just delete the assets.tdx file and /cache folder and that will build you a new db. It also wipes any settings and things like your picklists, but again, it's a simple step.