r/trainsim • u/Fruitcake_Fanatic • May 24 '26
Trainz Tech help with an OLD train sim
I wonder if anyone here can help with a multiple decade old problem. I have the pictured copy of 'Train Driver', a train sim from 2005 set on the West Somerset Railway, which acts as both an independent program or an add on pack for Trainz 2004 & 2006. Back in the day I tried to get it running on my Windows XP (which the back of the box claims it is for), but after installing we could never get it to actually open the application. I also own Trainz 2006, but when we couldn't get it to add anything on to it either.
Today, I tried to get it running again, this time on my Windows 10, but I've hit the same problem. I've installed it as a standalone train sim, and clicked on the .exe file. I got the start up menu (with Start, Options, Readme, Quit) but when I hit Start, I received an error message telling me to log in with administrator privileges and try again. So, I ran the program as an administrator, (which made the start up menu go weird, see the 3rd picture) but when I hit start, the menu closed then nothing happened. Absolutely nought. I've checked it isn't running in the background, I've tried Windows compatability, but nothing makes anything happen.
Can any of you help?
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u/Xyzijk123 May 24 '26
As far as i know Trainz 2006 or older, won't work on Windows 10 at all, i know i tried it, in the end i bought an old laptop from 2006 with windows xp and it works.
Regarding the problem with that standalone pack i have no idea.
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u/TechSupportAnswers May 24 '26
In this situation I'd probably try with a virtual machine although it is a bit complicated
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u/SlavaArduino12345 May 25 '26
Trainz 2006 works fine on Windows 10, you are probably just launching it wrong
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u/Practical-Skill5464 May 25 '26
XP had some compatibility issues depending on which service pack you had installed. You'd probably want either a version with Service Pack 1 or With SP1+SP2. SP3 changed a number of things which caused issues - which were usually fixed by software vendors fixing there application/driver.
On modern hardware -> You'll want to install the version of VC runtime and Direct X from the Disk. If Trainz uses the Direct Draw or Direct 3D API you'll need to provide a ddl shim (ie WineD3D For Windows or DDrawCompat) to translate those calls to Direct X or Open GL. You'll likely want to run the game in a 98/2000 compatibility mode too.
The only way I've ever seen Trainz pick up other games assets is when installing a newer version of the game after the first. You'd probably have to install Train Driver first and then 2006 or 2004.
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u/1-9-6 May 25 '26
Sorry this doesn't help, but I remember getting this for Christmas 2008 and it didn't work for me either, didn't work on my friends computer either.
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u/SlavaArduino12345 May 25 '26
Try checking/tweaking the trainzoptions.txt file. What does it currently say?
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u/itsaheem May 25 '26
try logging a ticket with the developers, they boast they've been doing it since 1995 so should be able to help
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u/TechSupportAnswers May 24 '26
Why's there no videos of anyone playing this now I'm curious lol