Trainz Railroad Simulator 2004

The product retains all the pluses, ease of use and beauty noted by my colleague reviewer a few years back, and a lot more. It's all here, the authenticity, controls, the dramatic vistas, and now there're products and passengers to give more substance to the experience of learning about, driving and collecting great engines and their rolling stock.

This product is head and shoulders above "Microsoft Train Simulator" in terms of quality, usability and feature set and has significantly broader appeal than "Virtual Railroad 2."

This may be a fine simulation, but it is not entirely realistic – for example, hapless government ministers do not meddle, passenger trains are not cancelled because drivers pull sickies and no key routes grind to a standstill because of leaves on the line.

This is not an action-packed title, which will keep players on the edge of their seats, but it is a complete railroad experience. From designing routes to the intricacies of guiding a monster steam locomotive down the tracks, this title is on schedule to provide a solid simulation-gaming experience.

It's just too bad that the second game in the series turns out to be a bit tarnished instead of the exemplary hobbyist tool it deserves to be.

Everything is improved in what's still the coolest railroad builder around, but oh boy, you better love trains. [Apr 2004, p.85]

Trainz isn't so much a game as a collection of maps, locomotives, rolling stock, and editing tools with which to develop your own Union Pacific Scotsman clones. [Feb 2004, p.73]