This part covers installing, configuring, and troubleshooting complex third-party route and train addons for Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS). It assumes you already know the basics of MSTS addon structure and have completed parts 1–4 (packaging, basic installation, rolling stock basics, and simple route editing).
In the expansive library of Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS) add-ons, the designation “-5 of 6-” implies something crucial: a middle chapter, not quite the introduction, nor the finale. An add-on bearing this title exists in the liminal space of a series, suggesting that by this point, the virtual engineer has already mastered the fundamentals. Now, they are seeking depth, variety, and the specific magic that occurs when two distinct elements—Routes and Trains—achieve perfect harmony. This essay explores why the "Routes and Trains" component of any MSTS add-on, particularly the fifth in a six-part series, represents the heart of the simulation experience.
First, consider the Route. In MSTS, a route is more than a collection of textured polygons and track shapes; it is a world. By the fifth installment of a series, the creator has likely moved past famous mainlines (like the Northeast Corridor or Marias Pass) and into more nuanced territory. This could be a mountainous short line, a decaying industrial branch, or a passenger route set in a specific era of decline or transition. The route’s identity is defined by its geography—the steepness of its grades, the radius of its curves, the density of its signaling. But a route, no matter how beautifully rendered with custom trees, stations, and skyboxes, remains a silent stage. It is a script without actors.
Enter the Trains. An add-on titled “Routes and Trains” implies a deliberate pairing. The fifth of six volumes likely offers not the most famous locomotives (the SD40-2 or the Class 37), but the complementary ones. These are the workhorses suited specifically to the route’s challenges: a light railcar for a rural branch line, a set of heavy coal hoppers for a mountain pass, or a period-correct passenger consist for a historic route. The train provides the route’s purpose. Without the correct rolling stock, a meticulously graded mountain becomes merely an obstacle; with the right locomotive’s torque curve and dynamic brakes, that same mountain becomes a thrilling test of skill.
The true artistry of a great MSTS add-on, especially one deep in a series (like number 5 of 6), lies in the interplay between these two components. It is not enough to have a great route and a great train; they must be engineered for each other. Consider these three symbiotic relationships: MSTS - Addon - Routes and Trains -5 of 6-
Finally, the “-5 of 6-” designation carries a subtle narrative weight. It is the penultimate chapter before the finale. It does not have the novelty of Volume 1 nor the resolution of Volume 6. Instead, it possesses a sense of deepening expertise. For the MSTS hobbyist, installing this add-on is an act of commitment. They are no longer a casual tourist; they are a dedicated railfan and virtual engineer. They appreciate that a great route without the right train is a beautiful ghost town, and a great train without a fitting route is a caged animal. The synthesis of the two, in the hands of a skilled simmer, creates what the original MSTS always promised: not just a simulation of train movement, but the experience of railroading.
In conclusion, an MSTS add-on labeled “Routes and Trains -5 of 6-” stands as a testament to the platform’s enduring legacy. It reminds us that virtual railroading is a collaborative art. The route builder lays the track and the land; the rolling stock builder provides the soul. And by the fifth act of a six-part series, the user understands that the true destination is not the final station, but the journey itself—the scream of flanges on a tight curve, the notch of the throttle against a steep grade, the silent agreement between a digital path and the machine that dares to travel it.
Title: MSTS Addon Spotlight – Part 5 of 6: High Iron & Hidden Gems (Routes & Trains)
Posted by: RailDriver_77
Date: October 12, 2024
Category: MSTS Classic / Addon Reviews Update
Welcome back, engineers and railfans! We’re cruising through the final stretch of our six-part series on Microsoft Train Simulator addons. In Part 4, we covered the heavy hitters—the Marias Pass extensions and the Northeast Corridor revamps. Now, in Part 5 of 6, we’re diving into the high iron and hidden gems: the routes that push the original engine to its limits and the locomotives you didn’t know you needed.
If you’ve been following along, your TRAINSET folder is likely bursting at the seams. Good. Let’s make it worse.
Ask any veteran MSTS user what their favorite disc of a 6-part set is, and they will likely say "Number 5." Here is why:
While every pack is different depending on the creator (e.g., TrainSim.Com’s 2005 mega-pack or the European “Banliyö” series), a typical MSTS - Addon - Routes and Trains -5 of 6- includes two or three of the following masterpiece routes: Finally, the “-5 of 6-” designation carries a
Most route addons came as self-extracting .exe files that targeted your main Train Simulator folder. Always check for:
Surprisingly, Part 5 of this six-part series often includes a traction subfolder. Here, you will find:
Why? Because route builders in the mid-2000s realized that MSTS could model interurbans just as well as heavy rail. Part 5 captures that experimental spirit.