Msts Routes Here

The original MSTS game no longer runs well on modern Windows (DirectX 7, 32-bit, no GPU scaling). But the routes live on.

  • Notable routes to seek out:

    • MSTS shipped with six iconic routes, each chosen to demonstrate different operating styles:

    | Route | Region | Era | Focus | |-------|--------|-----|-------| | Settle & Carlisle | UK (steam) | 1920s-30s | Heavy steam, scenic hills | | Arlbergbahn | Austria | Modern | Alpine electrics | | Marias Pass | USA (BNSF) | Modern | Heavy freight, grades | | Northeast Corridor (NEC) | USA (Amtrak) | Modern | High-speed electric | | Hisatsu Line | Japan | Modern | Rural diesel/commuter | | Tokyo–Hakone | Japan | Modern | Dense urban commuter | msts routes

    Each route introduced unique signalling, speed limits, and operational feel. Marias Pass, with its 2.2% grades and helpers, became the sandbox for American freight simulation.

  • Scenery and terrain
  • Track assets and rolling stock
  • Signalling and control
  • Timetables and activity files
  • Scripting and logic
  • Metadata and packaging

    • While MSTS itself is a relic, its routes are immortal. Open Rails can read MSTS routes natively, correcting many of the original game's flaws (such as the infamous "shape load error" crashes). In fact, most new route development today is done using tools like TSRE, which is designed for Open Rails but keeps the MSTS file structure. The original MSTS game no longer runs well

    If you discover a new route labeled "for MSTS" on a forum today, the creator likely expects you to run it in Open Rails.

    MSTS routes transformed a commercial train simulator into a platform for lifelong creativity. From the high-speed NEC to the steep grades of the Arlberg, and from tiny switching layouts to 300+ mile prototypical monsters, these routes offered endless exploration. While the original program is now legacy, the routes themselves continue to thrive in Open Rails, preserved by a dedicated community of builders, fans, and archivists. Notable routes to seek out:

    All aboard — the next stop is anywhere you can lay virtual track.

    Many complex routes require default shapes (trees, houses, signals) to be copied from the original six routes. Look for a file called installme.bat inside the new route’s folder. Double-click it. A DOS window will flash—this is moving hundreds of files. If you get "file not found" errors, your default routes are missing or corrupted.