Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/06/26/the-trainz-railroad-simulator.html
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I really don’t get what’s so great about “driving” a train. It goes where the rails go. I suppose you can switch tracks here and there, but for the most part you are a passive observer.
BUILDING a railroad? Now you’re talking!
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Which is why the next season of Temptation Island will be filmed on the Isle of Sodor.
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It’s not quite that simple.
Trains can’t just maintain a constant speed or they’ll go off the tracks. The engine(s) have to be monitored.
I mean, I don’t find it very interesting either, personally. But there certainly is more to it than being a passive observer.
Just sayin is all. Be well 
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Looks really cool. But is the Boing Boing Store writer paid by the word or what?
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The 4 year old me really wants to get this. The 40 year old me doesn’t have the time. Maybe the 42 year old me will make the time. 
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The steering is a small part of operating any heavy machinery. Running a locomotive is about managing momentum, dynamic braking, traction control, engine temperatures, air pressure, radio communication with yards and crew, and a ton of safety stuff. Don’t assume a job is easy jut because you don’t understand it. For a taste, look up YouTube videos of difficult grades. Trains really don’t like to climb hills, and many grades require miles of planning and careful management of sand, heat, and momentum.
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“Master of the rails?” I thought we weren’t using that term anymore because someone decided it was racist.
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I love how the trailer uses Standard Epic Movie Soundtrack.
But it doesn’t answer the key question. Can I make the trains (or trainz) smash into each other?
Surely Trainz run on railz.
Trains are VERY underpowered compared to automobiles. Which is why diesel electrics are used. A geared transmission would require way to many gears to be efficient. Another issue is avoiding wheel slippage, especially on grades or when starting out. Steel wheels on steel rails have low rolling resistance and are efficient, but they also have low traction. If you apply too much torque they will start spinning, and that is a bad thing.
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