We are happy to announce new big content update for Rail Route - a train dispatcher simulator.

New Graphics

Let's start with the most notable change at first - the graphics. We have improved the feel and made the game more pleasant for you to play! New background, trains, tracks, signals and effects. Every color have been reevaluated. But that's just the beginning of the long term goal of improving the graphics to make it interesting and enjoyable.

The tunnels

When first rails were laid in mines centuries ago, tunnels were already there. Since then, tunnels were a natural (but expensive) choice when there was a hump to overcome or where the surface space was too restricted for the flat curves of the railways. As the traffic intensity increased, tunnels and bridges were constructed to achieve grade separation – various forms of flying junctions were erected.

Based on this and the feedback from the community we introduce tunnels to Rail Route.

The tunnels are available when researched.

Automatic Routing Queue

We introduce the Automatic Routing Queue – each automated signal has its queue where routes are added if you or some automation rule requests them but they are not possible in the moment of creation (due to tracks being allocated or occupied). Once one of the routes is possible, it is created automatically (if more than one become possible at the same time, first of them is created).

This also makes the Perpetual Route possible as seen above. It is an route that recreates itself once possible. You can use them e. g. if you put multiple signals on long tracks to increase capacity and you do not want to operate them manually.

Same as tunnels, you can research your routing queue component.

Detailed Changelog

NEW FEATURES

2d lights implemented using LRP
Added checkbox to automation dialog that controls if the created routes will be preserved and the deleted routes will be kept deleted once dialog is closed.
Added queue of routing commands + perpetual autoroute
Animation of train when stopped at station
Automation panel UX improvements - objects are highlighted on mouse over and camera moves when clicked
New light effect when allocating the track
New sprite for tracks
Number of routes in queue displayed on semaphore
Options panel for music volume control
Possibility to change the resolution in-game
Possibility to skip Prague tutorial
Separate Stop & Reverse button not to loose Reverse when stopped functionality when Stop & Reverse researched
Splash image
Station timeline opens in full window upon click
Tunnel connector computed and displayed; tunneling impossible if connector can not be constructed
Tunnel Dialog added to display tunnel length in game
Tunnels introduced
UI scale options introduced
New background sprites
New train sprites

UPDATES

Camera zoom & position change is animated
Camera zooming smoothly
Can not delete track to tunnel portal - a stub is always kept to keep portal directionality; stub deleted together with tunnel
Graphical update to the board elements
Platforms can be built to the tracks directly
Removed possible automation action of clearing an existing route (turning semaphore red)
Selecting a train while automation window open can switch to that train automation
Signals cannot be operated in buy mode
Time starts according first train in the timetable

Plus the things we forgot to mention and ton of bug fixes :).

Community

Don't forget this is an alpha preview of the game. If you want to tell us your feedback or have an interesting idea, don't forget to hop into our Discord server and talk to us!