It is suggested that you first of all read the critique published by Vern Moorhouse at his www.vernsrailpages.org.uk website - the link here will open in a new browser window. Also on another page in this site here, you may take a cab ride to see what the programme looks like on your computer screen.

Some of the text of this page is included in the zip file of Australian material. Please read and understand the contents of this note before copying any files into your RailSim directory.

There are limitations to the program, of which you should be aware; generally, software purchased cannot be returned for a refund. It will be replaced if it does not perform correctly, or the disk(s) is/are corrupt.

You should read this file in conjunction with the instruction booklets that come with the Railsim product, and also its readme.txt file; a visit to the program author's website at http://www.railsim.de is also well worth the trouble

It is also suggested that you visit the websites of two other developers of 'third-party' material for RailSim... that of Martin Van der Veer, and that of Joachim Schmid.

Based upon American version:
Because the Australian version of RailSim is based upon the American/Canadian version (which is written in the English language) rather than the European version (which is written in German), all dimensions need to be in imperial measurements.

This is noticeable first of all in the case of track routes where heights are in feet, and distances are in miles.

In the case of locomotives and trains, mass (weight) is shown as tons, and engine power as Horsepower, and train lengths in feet, even though the era represented may well be post July 1975 when Australia adopted a modified version of the SI metric weights and measures system.

The longest possible RailSim US version route length is 100 miles; all 'end' stations are shown as 'through', with departure signals set to red (danger) at the far end. An end station with buffers is NOT part of the RailSim program, though an add-on editor (EdWin) does allow the creation of one in the 'European' simulator format rather than the American format.

Signalling and driver's position:
There is another difference. In Australia, with the exception of the narrow gauge system in Queensland, the trains are driven from the left hand side of the engine, on the left hand track, with signals to the left of each track.

In RailSim this is not possible, because all double tracks are signalled for bi-directional working, with the normal direction being on the right-hand track, as is the US and European practice. The program decides which track you will take whenever there is a choice. Signals are to the right hand side of the track, which is where you would expect to see them if you drive from the right hand side of the train.

In RailSim, signals are always placed on gantries over dual, triple or four track routes. This is not always the case in Australia.

As a compromise, from version 1.28 of the US/CDN program and the equivalent European version (2.80) onwards in development, the program allows one to switch the driver's position to the opposite side of the engine by pressing the backspace key once the train has finished loading, but of course the trackside stuff stays where it is, with signals and signs to the right hand side of the track. The locomotive editor available from Martin van der Veer allows design for left-hand seat cabs.

All engine files supplied here are for left-hand driver's seat, and the right-hand (observer's) seat view may be selected by using the backspace key.

RailSim signals also conform to the American colour-light system, brought to parts of Australia (including Western Australia and South Australia) by General Signal, and Westinghouse Brake and Signal. The more recent Australian signal schemes, particularly those similar in appearance to European ones in urban areas, are unable to be replicated in the USA version of RailSim.

You may click here to see the USA RailSim signals and their meanings.

However safeworking is well assured!

So while signalling may not be prototypically correct everywhere, it works very well, and if you see a staggered two colour light signal instead of a fish-tail upper quadrant 3-position semaphore, the meaning is the same!

In fact, the colour-light signals conform ALMOST exactly to those shown in the Australian National "yellow book", which may be accessed here as part of this project.

Locomotive instrument panel information is identical across all classes of locomotive, and while very functional, it is not, therefore, prototypically correct.

Daylight is able to be varied in a number of steps between pitch dark and broad daylight. There is also a Weather Control which can set an overcast scene, or pouring rain (with the screen wipers working), as alternatives to the normal scene.

Australian style 'Vigilance' control is not currently able to be incorporated; in the European version of RailSim, 'Sifa' is provided, which requires the simulator driver to press the spacebar approximately every 30 seconds to acknowledge - failure to do which results in an emergency brake application. This is very close in its operation to Australian 'Vigilance'.

By changing track characteristics using the editor provided with the full version of the product, it is possible to include a signal acknowledgement function (Enter key) which is required for ATC (Automatic Train Control) in the USA and Europe, but not in Australia. This is an integral part of the the track route file, and is able to be set 'on' or 'off' in the editor, regardless of the original track file design.

Track editor provided with the program:
A seperate section with help suggestions and illustrations is being included here.

Computer program control, and limitations:
All brake, throttle and other control inputs to the computer program are normally by keystrokes from the number pad of a standard computer keyboard.

However, it is possible to build, or to have built to order, a realistic driver's control stand that will work with your computer. What you are prepared to pay will determine the complexity! You can see some ideas developed here for suitable drivers' control stands for RailSim - and with internal rewiring they are also suitable (of course) for any other train driving simulator which uses keystrokes for command functions.

The page linked in the paragpraph above shows two styles of European control stand built by Joachim Schmid, and also a prototype unit built by the webmaster of this site.

Variants of GM (EMD) and GE control stations, of desktop and second generation styles from real life locomotives are also shown.

Enquiries to construct these dedicated control stands to order are not being accepted for either of my control panels, until the economic viability of building them is resolved. However, Joachim Schmidt's controllers are available; please contact him by email - address at the foot of the page.

While the RailSim program is DOS-based, a windows version is being worked on by the author (Jens Schubert). It is possible that there may be a common file format and language conversion in the new version. When released, attempts will be made to translate those Australian track files created for DOS into windows format. The locomotive files should already be compatible.

Just a point though; whatever facilities are provided in the windows version, it will require considerably greater computer resources in order to acchieve its potential.

Please click here to review the apparent difference between version 1.30 (the current one) and version 1.28 (the version the files were written for).

Australian locomotives:
Included is a reasonably comprehensive set of Australian locomotives as seen in South Australia; more will be added in due course.

They have been created from official manufacturers' published specifications, using a registered version of the windows locomotive editor known as RSEDWNe (the e denoting it is the English language version). This is a 3rd-party add-on written for RailSim by Martin van der Veer.

Instructions to use Australian locomotives:
Move the exisiting locomotives in the \loks directory into a new directory (such as \LOKS.OLD) to save them; then copy the contents of the supplied \LOKS directory into your Australian RailSim \LOKS directory. Those supplied with RailSim will be over-written by the new files and irretrievably lost if they are not backed up elsewhere.

These locomotives can only be used with REGISTERED versions of RailSim. They can not be used with the free demonstration version of RailSim.

Australian tracks:
The Australian tracks supplied will also be expanded as and when time is available, and route information obtained. To be able to construct a route, an official railway 'profile' or 'gradient' diagram showing ruling gradients and spot heights against distance is required, as is also a decent survey map of the route, preferably 1:10,000, although in some cases 1:50,000 can be used; the latter will give a less accurate and realistic result.

Routes which are long, straight, and with little variation in height are boring to drive on, whether in real life or in simulator form, so those chosen will be more spectacular and interesting to drive along.

Please email me if you have the necessary details of a track you would like, and are able to supply the information needed to construct it. I would be happy to construct it for you (at a cost), or to add it to the stockpile and you will get it free when its turn in the queue comes around!

The routes supplied on disk (or by zip file) should be copied (in their directories) into your RailSim directories of those names, after saving (backing up) the existing routes supplied with RailSim. Those supplied with RailSim will be over-written by the new files and irretrievably lost if they are not backed up elsewhere.

Routes are being constructed using the standard RailSim track editor (supplied with registered versions), rather than the EdWin track editor which is more comprehensive; there is a technical reason why the EdWin editor cannot be used at the present time with American/Canadian track routes.

These routes can only be used with REGISTERED versions of RailSim. They can not be used with the free demonstration version of RailSim.