If you haven't heard about it yet, there's a new site to add to your bookmarks!

OpenRails is a brand new development getting underway to build a new simulator that is compatible with MSTS!

All existing and future Making Tracks products that are developed for Microsoft Train Simulator should be basically compatible with OpenRails once it is finished. That said, at this stage Open Rails is still in development and we simply cannot commit to any specific support for Open Rails until its finished. Once the team reach that stage we will know what we are working with and what might be needed to ensure MT products work.

 

Here's the link:

http://www.openrails.org

We're going to be keeping a close eye on this one and you should too!

They've already managed to make astounding progress loading MSTS routes in and getting trains drivable so it's well on the way.

Note however that it is definitely still a work in progress, lots of stuff still to be done and/or may not work at all well so give it a try and if you have some positive feedback (or even some code to contribute!) then I'm sure that the authors will be very grateful - but don't expect it to work smoothly or flawlessly yet.

 

The thing to remember is that Open Rails  is a stand alone Train Simulator, it is not an upgrade to MSTS like MSTSBin, it is a brand new sim, which runs MSTS content. There is no other connection / requirement to have MSTS other than to provide it the content (routes / stock) to run. Overtime OR will probably have a less obvious requirement for MSTS to be installed, but for now you need to point it to your MSTS content (but it could be a folder that just contains routes and stock).

Very exciting news for and we wish the developers the best of luck in this wonderful project!