2014 · Simulation · Train simulator

SimSig

Welcome to the world of railway signaling! SimSig brings the signal box to your home PC and with it the enjoyment and frustrations of running today's (and some of yesterday's) railways. How often has your train been delayed because of "signal failure" and you've wondered why trains can't be routed around the problem - or why it is even a problem in the first place? You'll soon see exactly why - with SimSig!

Released: 3 June 2014
Platforms: Linux Windows
Genres: Simulation Train simulator
Developers: —
Publishers: —
Modes: Co-op Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Non-fiction
Country: United Kingdom
Languages: English (UK)

About

SimSig is a mixed donationware and commercial Windows-based train simulator of modern railway signalling systems in Great Britain, from the point of view of a railway signaller. Users have also had success running SimSig on Linux using Wine.

The program was written in Delphi 6, a dialect of Object Pascal, by Geoff Mayo and has been in development since the late 1990s. Visually, it resembles the British Rail Integrated Electronic Control Centre (IECC), though most of the simulations do not cover areas operated by IECC-based signal boxes. It simulates overlaps, approach locking, time-of-operation point locking, shunt routes, warner routes, call-on routes, and more.

Keywords

train simulator
trains
management
traffic
signalling

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Train motion is simulated according to train type and loading, and is controlled via the use of timetables. With a keyboard and mouse, the player sets routes and operates level crossings as necessary as well as simulations/timetable specific tasks such as operating ground frames. Solid State Interlockings (SSIs), the main electronic technology in use at present on British railways, along with approach locking, swinging overlaps, shunt routes, warner routes and call-on routes are all available. The simulations may be played in real time or sped up.

The aim of play is to achieve a good score by overcoming problems and ensuring on-time train running. Points are accumulated for good operation and deducted for errors or late running.

Reception

SimSig is referenced in the 2nd edition of Railway Operation and Control by Professor Jörn Pachl of University of Braunschweig - Institute of Technology. Doctor Marcelo Moretti Fioroni of the University of São Paulo, in a paper on rail simulations and their applications in Brazil, cited SimSig as an extremely realistic simulation, reproducing real scenarios.

The Rail Safety and Standards Board recommends the use of simulation software as a classroom aid and specifically mentions the SimSig website as a source: