Train Simulator 2013: Newcastle to York: Introduction

For about a decade I mocked this game.

Frankly, I believe deservedly so. Other simulators give you a degree of freedom: even Microsoft Flight Simulator, which could be pretty unforgiving, allowed you to laugh maniacally as you decided, mid-flight, to take your London-destined passengers on a trip to Paris. You monster. Here, however, you are in a train. You are literally on a rail. There is no changing course: at worst you can annoy your passengers by stopping the train. At least until you remember this is the rail service and your passengers expect this to happen at least once per journey.

But I shall mock no more! Not until have experienced the ‘game’ itself in-person. My dream was always to recreate the eight-hour Aberdeen-London journey in real-time. Apparently that was too much for this simulator, so for now I have to take charge of a small part of the route - Newcastle to York - in a train already delayed. So it’s got that part of the UK rail service simulated.

This is my train. There are many others like it but this one is mine.

I’m just outside Newcastle station. The light is red but I’m ready to go. I’d like to think this is just what it’s like to be a jockey atop the fastest race-horse just before the gates open. The train is alive. I can almost feel the vibration of the engines, the touch of the control panel, the smell of the sandwich the last driver left behind…

The light turns to yellow. I’m ready for this. Just turn green and I will blast this engine into the heart of Newcastle. I will pick up those passengers and deliver them to York in record time!

The light turns green.

How the devil do I get this thing moving?

I realise I probably should have played the tutorial. I have no idea what any of these buttons do. I start pushing buttons and thrusting knobs. I have the red one at 100%. I toot the horn (I enjoy this so much I do it twice). I go through all the camera options. I open and close the doors. The train remains immobile.

Eventually I discover that while it’s great to have the engines at full, it’s not so great if the brakes are also on. I release them, and the train moves forward at a remarkably gentle pace.

Despite this mess of railway tracks, the game knows where to take me. I love it when making choices is taken away from me in video games. I can still hit the brake, game (really, I know which one that is now) and ruin this whole experience.

But I can’t, for when I pull up to the station and open the doors (I also know that button now) I get a message.

Make up the time? Gentlemen, you clearly don’t realise the driver you’ve hired. Set throttle to full (I know that one too!)