Crib Notes: Microsoft Train Simulator

By Alfred Barten

As longtime readers no doubt have discovered, I like ALL train sims and am prone to spending intensive blocks of time with one sim and then another. When I return to a sim after having been immersed in another sim for an extended period of time I often find I�ve forgotten the important procedures and keystrokes for even the most basic actions, like placing and driving a train. With this in mind, and also as a possible boon to newcomers, I�m putting together a series of crib notes for various train sims.

This set of crib notes covers Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS). The goal of the MSTS designers, it seems to me, is realism and attention to detail consistent with this goal. For example, European trains will not properly mate with American trains because the two use different couplers. I know of no other sim that is this particular. Also, electric powered trains will not operate on track that does not have overhead or third rail power. When operating a train in MSTS you have direction, throttle, and braking to concern yourself with, not to mention track switches and signals. You can go farther, if you choose, and concern yourself with such things as fuel consumption and boiler water levels.

The following steps and controls are the ones I use the most and consider basic knowledge. There are additional, more advanced controls that you may wish to get to know in time. These can be found in the user guide that accompanies the software on Disk 1.

A. Startup

1. Launch Train Simulator
2. On Microsoft Train Simulator window, select Drive a Train. The ROUTE & ACTIVITY SELECTION window opens.

B. Select Route

3. On ROUTE & ACTIVITY SELECTION window, select a route in the ROUTES pane

C. Place Consist (Train)

4. In the ACTIVITIES pane select a LOCOMOTIVE and a CONSIST
5. Select START button

D. Go Forward

6. Raise pantograph if one is available and not already up
7. Set Reverser to Forward (W key)
8. Release all brakes (left bracket and semicolon key)
9. Advance throttle/regulator (D key)

E. Stop

10. Decrease throttle/regulator (A key)
11. Apply train brake (comma key) or
• Engine brake (right bracket key)
• Emergency brake (backspace key)

F. Reverse

12. S key

Cab Views

• Ahead (1 key)
• Look left (left arrow)
• Look right (right arrow)
• Head out window forward (up)
• Head out window back (down)

Movable External Train Views

• External 1 (2 key)
• External 2 (3 key)