Railroader

Railroader is an operations-focused railroad simulator set in transition-era Appalachia. You manage and run your railroad with period steam and diesel locomotives and rolling stock, deciding how to shape its operations and growth.

Serve the communities

Your railroad carries freight to customers and passengers along routes beside rivers and through steep mountain passes. You receive cars at an interchange yard and deliver them to their destinations, from boxcars carrying machine parts to bulkhead flats loaded with pulpwood. Each delivery brings you closer to your goals, whether that means buying powerful locomotives or passenger cars, extending the mainline or upgrading the railroad.

Build your operation

You can choose which customer contracts to accept and take on work at a level your railroad can handle. Run solo or play on a multiplayer server, with options ranging from a quiet daily mixed train to organized crews with formal jobs. AI Engineers can fill gaps in your operations: they can run a manifest freight between yards, or handle the controls while you focus on switching moves.

Run the railroad

ABS and CTC signaling systems help you run safely and efficiently, and also let you take the role of Dispatcher. You can operate a recreated US&S Centralized Traffic Control machine, using its lamps and knobs to direct traffic along your mainline.

Customize your trains

You can change the lettering on tenders and coaches, choose paint colors and swap whistles. The railroad runs through tree-covered mountain scenery inspired by the Southern Railway's Murphy Branch, in daylight and at night.