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How to resolve common Issues in Train Simulator Classic

Updated

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

You may come across the following issues in Train Simulator. If you receive a different error message when launching the game, it may be related to Steam, so we'd recommend that you contact Steam directly for more information and support. If none of the solutions below resolve an issue, feel free to raise a new support ticket, and we shall try to help you further.

 

Steam Support: https://help.steampowered.com/en/

Technical Issues

Out of Memory Errors

An Out of Memory error is a generic message that can appear in a variety of situations. There is no one solution to this error, because it can be caused by many completely different issues. Therefore, we would suggest that players seeing this error troubleshoot the problem using the Troubleshooting Crashes & Other Technical Issues Guide. If you still require assistance after completing the guide, please raise a new support ticket with the information requested in Step 12 attached.

Corrupt Blueprints

Train Simulator uses blueprints to cache information about the assets required to load something in the game. If you find a blueprints.pak file that is zero bytes, it means the cache is corrupt, and the game cannot read the necessary requirements. This typically happens when introducing unofficial content/mods into the installation folder. Follow these steps to find and delete corrupt blueprints.

  1. Open Windows File Explorer
  2. Navigate to //Steam/steamapps/common/Railworks/Assets
  3. In the search box type "blueprints.pak"
  4. Let Windows complete the search
  5. Then, sort by Size.
  6. If you find any files that are zero bytes, this indicates a corrupt asset.
  7. Note down the file path and Delete the file.
  8. Next time you run the game, the cache will be rebuilt.
  9. If the file reappears as zero bytes, it could indicate that there are duplicate AP files in that folder conflicting with each other.
  10. Delete the duplicate file and verify your game files with Steam.
  11. If it's from a unofficial 3rd-party developer, reinstall the asset pack/route.

Players who use unofficial 3rd-party content, regularly delete blueprints.pak after installing or editing assets, to avoid loading an out-of-date or corrupt cache.

How do I fix missing scenery and/or content?

To fix a problem where you are missing scenery and/or content, please use the How to Find Missing Content in Train Simulator guide.

Why is my frame rate so low?

Train Simulator is a very CPU intensive game due to the amount of AI and physics calculations going on in the background. Due to this game being over 15 years old, it cannot fully utilize modern hardware. 
 
When the game was made, CPUs were getting higher clock speed to make them faster. However, since that time there has been little improvement to clock speed, as manufactures have instead focused on increasing the amount of CPU cores. Unfortunately, Train Simulator is a single-threaded game and cannot make use of multiple CPU cores. This will be a significant limiting factor for your frame rate, and changing your graphical settings will have little impact on your performance. The only way to improve performance is to use a CPU with good single threaded performance and a high base clock speed (4 GHz+).

Unable to load file - Scenario.bin/ tracks.bin

This message displays when there is an issue loading a scenario. There are a number of reasons it can occur. The most common of these is that you are missing some of the data needed to run a scenario. Alternatively, the error may occur if you have made changes to a scenario. In either case, clearing the Train Simulator cache and verifying your files will usually restore the missing data. In the event that this does not address the issue, please contact our support team directly.

Consist builder - Can't load rail vehicle [loco name]

This message will occur when assets such as a locomotive is missing. The content that is missing will appear in the error message. Reinstalling the add-ons may work. It is also advisable to check that you do not have any third-party add-ons installed that may cause file conflict issues with the content.

How to Find Missing Content in Train Simulator

 

Error: Failed to create vertex buffer (D3DERR_INVALIDCALL)

This error message occurs when something 3D is trying to be created in Train Simulator. The main cause of this issue is your graphics card has run out of memory and cannot create the necessary model or scenery. Please use our Troubleshooting Crashes & Other Technical Issues Guide to make sure your graphics card is suitable for playing Train Simulator.

 

This can also occur when you minimise or Alt+Tab out of the game in Full Screen mode. If you need to access other windows/applications while playing, please set Full Screen to Borderless under Settings Graphics. The selected resolution will need to match the native resolution of your monitor.

Why can't I access the game in Windowed Mode?

If you are having trouble accessing the game after changing to windowed mode, this is typically caused when an appropriate resolution for your monitor has not been selected before restarting the game. Next time the game tries to launch, it will be attempting to display an unsupported resolution. Therefore, you won't see the game window, only a tab on the taskbar. 

 

To resolve the issue, start the game in safe mode and revert your graphical settings to the last known working configuration, and remember to select a resolution supported by your monitor before restarting.
 
Starting Train Simulator in Safe Mode
  1. Open Steam and locate Train Simulator in the library.
  2. Right-click and go to Properties.
  3. On the General tab, and scroll down to Launch Options.
  4. Now enter "-SafeMode" without quotations in the text box.
  5. Go to Settings Graphics, select a Full Screen mode and a resolution supported by your monitor (failure to selection a supported resolution will minimise the game to the taskbar).
  6. Press Save and close the game.
  7. You may remove "-SafeMode" once your game launches normally.

Error: Game failed to start [missing executable file]

This error is typically caused by antivirus software wrongly deleting or quarantining the game executable. Please ensure you are running both Steam and the game as an administrator and make exceptions for both in your Firewall and/ or antivirus, as applicable. For more information, please see Is My Anti-Virus Software Interfering with My Games?

After you have ensured your antivirus software is configured correctly, you will need to reacquire the missing files by verifying your game files and clearing the in-game cache. 

 

How to Verify Integrity of Game Files
  1. Restart your computer and launch Steam
  2. From the Library section, right-click on the game and select Properties from the menu.
  3. Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game files... button.
  4. Steam will verify the game's files - this process may take several minutes.
Clearing Your In-game Cache
  1. Open Train Simulator
  2. Select Settings,Tools
  3. Click Clear Cache
  4. Restart Train Simulator

Why is there is no sound in Train Simulator?

No sound in Train Simulator is typically caused by third-party antivirus software that has wrongly quarantined or deleted critical game files. You can learn more about this problem and how to resolve it in our dedicated support article here: Why is there no sound in Train Simulator?

Why doesn’t the camera move with my mouse?

Camera control issues with the mouse and often caused by unsupported VR or eye tracking software. To learn more about this problem and how to resolve it, please see our dedicated support article: Why Is the Camera Not Moving With My Mouse?

Why Is the Screen Is Too Bright & Washed Out?

In rare cases, the screen may appear too bright and washed out if your graphical settings weren't applied correctly. To resolve this issue, you will need to launch the game in safe mode and revert your graphical settings to the last known working configuration.

 

Starting Train Simulator in Safe Mode
  1. Open Steam and locate Train Simulator in the library.
  2. Right-click and go to Properties.
  3. On the General tab, and scroll down to Launch Options.
  4. Now enter "-SafeMode" without quotations in the text box.
  5. Go to Settings Graphics, select a Full Screen mode and a resolution supported by your monitor (failure to selection a supported resolution will minimise the game to the taskbar).
  6. Press Save and close the game.
  7. You may remove "-SafeMode" once your game launches normally.

Why is there a Missing Texture on the Loading Screen?

This issue relates to the background image being replaced with another image that says "Missing Texture. You will see this if you are attempting to start the game using integrated graphics, which is typically a problem only laptops experience. 

 

 

To resolve the problem, your laptop must have a dedicated graphics card with at least 1 GB of VRAM. Then, your laptop needs to configured so the dedicated graphics card is detected as the primary graphics device. To do this, please follow the instrucitons below to set your preferences from within Windows and the Nvidia Control Panel.

 

Set the Windows graphics preferences for the app.

  1. Go to Settings System Display from within Windows.
  2. Under the Related settings section, click on Graphics.
  3. Browse for the game executable or add it as a desktop app.
  4. Under GPU preference, select your dedicated graphics card, which will be labeled as High Performance. 

 

Set the preferred graphics processor in the Nvidia Control Panel

  1. Right-click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel Then click Manage 3D Settings (on the left-hand side).
  2. From the drop-down menu; Select the preferred graphics processor and choose your Nvidia processor.
  3. Once you have selected your preference, click Apply.

Why is the loading screen black?

Some regions can have trouble downloading dynamic loading screens, which can lead to a black screen. To workaround any network restrictions you can set Steam to Offline mode or use a VPN.

How to set Steam to Offline Mode:

  1. Open the Steam client.
  2. Navigate to the top menu and select Steam > Go Offline.
  3. Launch Train Simulator

Workshop Issues

How do I use the Steam Workshop?

How to play scenarios from the Train Simulator Workshop
  1. Open Train Simulator.
  2. Go to Drive, then the Workshop tab.
  3. Click on Browse.
  4. Adjust the filters using the Arrow and Return keys.
  5. To find a scenario for a specific route/loco change Add-ons: to Custom Owned.
  6. Then select a route and/or a loco which is listed at the bottom, then press Ok.
  7. Select a Scenario (the required Add-ons will appear light grey if you own them).
  8. Press the Subscribe button.
  9. Allow Steam to download the scenario (you may need to restart the game).
  10. Go to the Subscribed tab.
  11. Select a scenario and press Drive.

Why can't I upload my Steam Workshop scenario?

A common issue that prevents players from uploading to the Steam Workshop is the size of the screenshot. To resolve this issue, please try lowering the resolution and file size. Ideally, the screenshot resolution should be 1920x1080 and less than 2 MB.

Content Issues

I have Train Simulator in my library, but I am missing the academy and other content

If you acquired the game by claiming the free "Game of Gnomes" standalone add-on, you won't have any other content, unless it was purchased separately.

The base game (minus official content) is added to your account, to allow you to play the Game of Gnomes add-on. If you would like the content that comes with Train Simulator Classic, it will be available for purchase separately on the Steam Store.

I purchased the North London & Goblin Lines Add-On, but I am missing the North London Line content

To help you access your content, please submit a support ticket with a copy of your North London & Goblin Lines purchase receipt and appmanifest.

I purchased the East Coast Main Line London-Peterborough Route Add-On, but I am missing the Class 801

To help you access your content, please submit a support ticket with a copy of your East Coast Main Line London purchase receipt and appmanifest.

I purchased the Sherman Hill Route Add-On, but I am missing bonus content

To help you access your content, please submit a support ticket with a copy of your Sherman Hill purchase receipt and appmanifest.

I purchased the West Rhine: Köln - Koblenz Route Add-On, but I am missing the DB BR 155

To help you access your content, please submit a support ticket with a copy of your West Rhine: Köln - Koblenz purchase receipt and appmanifest.

Do I Qualify for Free Access to the North Wales Coast Line: Crewe - Holyhead Route Add-On?

 

To qualify for FREE access to the rebranded North Wales Coast Line: Crewe - Holyhead Route Add-On, you must own the North Wales Coast Line: Crewe - Holyhead Extension (App ID: 896717).

 

Unfortunately, it is not sufficient to just own North Wales Coastal (App ID: 621928), as the new add-on is based upon the much larger extension.

Do I Qualify for Free Access to the South Wales Coastal: Bristol - Swansea Route Add-on?

 

To qualify for FREE access to the unbranded South Wales Coastal: Bristol - Swansea Route Add-on, you must own the South Wales Coastal: Bristol - Swansea Route Add-On (App ID: 448181).

 

Unfortunately, it is not sufficient to just own South Wales Coastal (App ID: 376940), as the new add-on is based upon the much larger extension.

 

Gameplay Issues

Why are there no controls on the HUD?

Add-ons that are not compatible with Simple Train Controls will not show any controls on the HUD. For the best compatiblity, set Train Controls to Expert, under Settings Gameplay.

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