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Based upon American version:
The US/Canadian (and also Australian version) of RailSim has a route editor supplied as part of the program for which you pay; it does not come with the free simplified demonstration copy.

Please read this set of pages BEFORE you start any route construction.

Here then is a series of pages about how to create routes effectively using Jens Schubert's USA/CDN Route editor as supplied with the US/CDN version of RailSim..

Self-contained Route editor:
The editor provided with registered copies of RailSim is completely self-contained. All commands are via dedicated keys, in much the same way as the commands for controlling a train while driving the simulator are also from the keyboard.

Starting out:
I would recommend that you photo-copy maps which show contour lines, cuttings, embankments, tunnels, bridges over and under, grade crossings, stations... all the features you expect to place on your route.

Photocopying is better than working with the originals because you can annotate the photocopies - write notes on them as you go about your design. Then, having filed the design away, you won't have to try and remember why you did things the way you did on the digitised track.

Make sure that you also photo-copy the map scale, as you will need to measure how far apart things are from each other on the map when you place them in the route file. If you can get a Gradient Profile, you will be able to make a much more accurate route file... a typical profile will give distances along the bottom of the graph, the elevation above sea level upwards, and hopefully the actual Spot Height of specific locations.

Anotation:
In addition to making notes on the data sheets from which you intend to compile your digitised route, you can also make notes on the digitised files too. The information you need to use later can thus be kept with the project.

They may be left there permanently - as in the case of the curve numbers and lattice bridge shown above - or indeed they may take the form of something to be deleted later, as in the comment 4.10miles=20.23miles in the image below - which are a reminder where to put a temporary intermediate terminus on the route being designed.

Open a New File:
Let us assume that you are starting completely fresh, with a "blank piece of paper".

Having run the editor command, you are presented with a menu which gives you three choices...

• [L] Load - Load existing route from disk
• [N] New - Create new route
• [Esc] Quit - return to DOSor Windows

The route that loads, ready for your modification, has a number of defaults...

• There is no stated direction, which needs to be set.
• There is no minimum height above sea level - it defaults to zero.
• There are no curves.
• There are no gradients.
• There is absolutely nothing after the start station, for 100 miles.
• The route is NOT electrified - the alternative is for overhead catenary.
• There are no signals, and when you place them, you will need to set acknowledgement parameters in the Automatic Train Control setup screen.
• Because there are no signals, there is a speed limit of 15mph for the entire route!
• Because there is no end station, it cannot be saved.

Initial setup
I would recommend that you always start a new track file this way...

• Set minimum height (above sea level) of route.
• Set the direction of starting in compass bearing notation, for example due west is 270.
• Set the speed at which Automatic Train Controlis actuated. Select 75mph if you do not want it to operate.
• This is all done with the window which opens for the key combination Shift-F2

I suggest that you write these facts down on the notes you already started when you photo-copied the route information you are about to digitise. Then you can type them directly in to the window from your notes when prompted. This will save you having to go searching for information later.

• Electrification or not - F2 is a toggle which switches between overhead catenary being there or being removed. The default is no electrification.
• Setting of trees is done by pressing F4. Strictly speaking it is "Reorganising Trees" - the default (as loaded) has no trees at all, and by pressing F4 a number of times you add trees, then vary the distribution. You cannot add or remove individual trees.
• Naming the route is done by the key combination Alt-F8. If you don't name it, your route will be called "New Route".

Now you are free to start constructing your route, having done those basics.

geography - gradients - curves - features - speeds - reversing the route