Crib Notes: Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006

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 Trainz. The hallmark of Trainz is its ease of use, which is not to take away from its many other features. For example, driving can be in one of two modes: Cab or DCC. The former uses controls inside the cab; the latter uses a controller similar to a model railroad. Uncoupling cars and throwing track switches in Trainz are done visually, using the mouse.

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.

A. Startup

1. Launch Trainz. The TRAINZ RAILROAD SIMULATOR 2006 window displays.
2. Select Start. A menu displays.

B. Select Mode

3. Select Surveyor from the menu. The SURVEYOR ROUTES window displays.
   NOTE: You can select Driver instead and a route that already has one or more consists placed.

C. Select Route

4. On SURVEYOR ROUTES window, select a route and select Load button. The route displays.

D. Place Consist (Train)

5. Select the Trains ‘F7’ menu (bottom tab along right side of window)
6. Select a piece of rolling stock and click the place on a section of track where you want the item positioned. You can place a consist instead if the Consist mode ‘C’ button at the top of the menu is selected.

E. Continue to Driver Mode

7. Select the Quick drive ‘Ctrl F2’ button in the top right menu and select Save when asked
8. Enter a name for the session or accept the default and select the checkmark. The Select Train Control Mode window displays.
9. Select DCC mode for a quick start

F. Go Forward/Stop/Reverse

10. Increase throttle forward (W key)
11. Decrease throttle forward (X key)
12. Stop (S key)
13. Increase throttle backward (X key)
14. Decrease throttle backward (W key)

Cab/Train Views

• Select Cab View, External View, Tracking View, Free Roaming View buttons in control panel
• Rotate and raise/lower using left, right, up, and down cursor keys (or hold down right mouse button and move mouse)
• Zoom in (Page Up) (or roll mouse wheel forward)
• Zoom Out (Page Dn) (or roll mouse wheel backward)

Throw Track Switch

    Highlight switch lever with cursor and click

Uncouple

• Select Toggle decouple mode button in lower right corner of window
• Position cursor over coupler and click

Couple

    Push cars together slowly

Driving Aids

    Toggle on/off with F5

Miscellaneous Controls

• Headlight on/off (L key)
• Whistle (H key)
• Bell on/off (B key)
• Pantograph up/down (select Pantographs button in control panel)

Help

    Select ? button at top left of screen (displayed by cursor)

Save in Surveyor

    Ctrl-F2 keys

Save Game

    Select Save game… button at top left of screen (displayed by cursor)

Exit

    Esc key