Learn what MSTS is, how to install it on Windows 11, fix train.exe failures, and choose between the original engine and Open Rails.
Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS) is Microsoft’s discontinued 2001 Windows railway simulator, developed with Kuju Entertainment. It still works on many Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs, but there is no official digital download: use legitimate original media, apply the 1.2 update, and expect compatibility fixes or use Open Rails.
What exactly is Microsoft Train Simulator?
MSTS is a stand-alone railway simulator built around six routes representing American, British, Austrian and Japanese railways. It includes steam, diesel and electric traction, passenger and freight activities, signalling, cab controls, timetables, and tools for creating routes and activities.
It is not Train Simulator Classic or Train Sim World; those products use different engines and add-on formats. MSTS became a major add-on platform because routes, locomotives, consists, cab views, sounds and activities can be installed through its accessible folder structure. Our preserved library of MSTS routes, trains and utilities shows how much freeware remains available.
Can I download Microsoft Train Simulator for Windows 11?
There is no official Microsoft Train Simulator download for Windows 11 because Microsoft no longer sells or supports the base simulator. Discontinued does not mean freeware: you still need legitimate original discs, an existing legal installation or legally obtained MSTS assets.
Updates and add-ons do not contain the base game. Open Rails is also a separate engine rather than a free copy of MSTS; it does not include Microsoft’s copyrighted routes or rolling stock.
Does MSTS run on Windows 10 and Windows 11?
MSTS can run on Windows 10 and 11, but it is legacy software rather than a supported plug-and-play application. Results depend on the disc edition, installation folder, official update, display configuration, graphics driver and condition of the original media.
Some editions use obsolete disc protection that modern Windows blocks for security reasons. Compatibility mode can help an old application, but it cannot restore a copy-protection driver that Windows refuses to load. This guidance also assumes a conventional x86-64 PC; Windows on ARM adds another emulation layer and is less predictable.
Should I use the original MSTS engine or Open Rails?
Use the original train.exe for authentic MSTS behaviour; use Open Rails when reliability and modern display support matter more.
| Option | Choose it when | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Original MSTS engine | You need the original menus, editors, activity timing, graphics or physics | Legacy disc checks, limited widescreen support, permissions trouble and graphics conflicts |
| Open Rails | You want to run legally obtained MSTS-format content on modern hardware or heavier routes | Some physics, signalling and activities behave differently, and compatibility is not universal |
Open Rails interprets MSTS-format routes and trains without modernising or patching train.exe. Keep both engines when practical, because an activity that misbehaves in one may work in the other. Our instructions for installing Open Rails and connecting an MSTS collection cover the separate setup.
How do I install MSTS on a modern Windows PC?
The most reliable installation uses a short custom folder outside Windows’ protected application directories, followed by the official update before any add-ons.
- Check the original media. Inspect both discs and use a reliable optical drive. Compatibility settings cannot repair an unreadable disc.
- Run the normal installer. Select a full installation so the stock routes and supporting files are copied from both discs. If setup will not start, run its setup program as an administrator and, if necessary, test an older Windows compatibility mode.
- Choose a simple folder. A path such as
C:\MSTSavoids the write restrictions and VirtualStore redirection associated withProgram Files. Reinstall rather than dragging an existing folder elsewhere, because registry entries may retain the old path. - Apply the official patch. Install our archived Microsoft Train Simulator 1.2 update into the same MSTS root folder. It provides original-era fixes and normally removes the routine need for the play disc, but it cannot solve every modern DRM or graphics conflict.
- Test stock content first. Start
train.exeand load a built-in activity with default rolling stock. This separates a base installation fault from a broken add-on. - Change compatibility options individually. If the program exits or displays incorrectly, test Windows XP compatibility mode, disabled fullscreen optimisations or application-controlled high-DPI scaling one at a time. Permanent administrator access should be a last resort.
- Back up the working folder. Older add-ons may overwrite shared files, so preserve a clean installation before modifying it.
Do not replace Windows system DLLs or install an unverified “no-CD” executable. These shortcuts create security risks and make later troubleshooting harder.
Why does MSTS fail to start on Windows 11?
Most Windows 11 failures involve disc verification, protected folders, display handling or missing add-on dependencies rather than insufficient PC performance.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Setup stops or repeatedly requests a disc | Damaged media, optical-drive trouble or an incomplete installation | Check both discs and repeat a full installation into a short custom folder |
| “Please login with administrator privileges and try again”, an unexpected CD request or immediate exit | Legacy disc verification blocked by Windows, or the update targeted the wrong folder | Confirm the 1.2 update path; if the check remains blocked, use legal MSTS assets through Open Rails |
| Black screen, stretched picture or unusable menus | Fullscreen, resolution, high-DPI, widescreen or overlay conflict | Begin with one display and a conservative resolution, disable overlays, then test compatibility options separately |
| Settings, editors or activities will not save | MSTS is installed under a protected folder | Reinstall outside Program Files rather than granting broad administrator access |
| One activity or newly installed route crashes | Missing rolling stock, consists, cab files, sounds, route dependencies or incorrect folder nesting | Remove the latest addition, restore the backup and reinstall one package at a time |
Can old MSTS trains and routes still be installed?
Most MSTS add-ons remain usable when their dependencies and folder structure are correct. Rolling stock normally belongs under TRAINS\TRAINSET, consists under TRAINS\CONSISTS, and routes under ROUTES.
A mistake we see constantly is an extra nested folder that leaves the actual .eng or .wag files one level too deep. A locomotive may also be installed correctly but remain unavailable because it has no consist, or because its cab view and sounds are aliased to stock that is missing. The preserved Santa Fe GP38 locomotive package is one example of the additional rolling stock still available for MSTS.
Some routes require a particular GLOBAL\tsection.dat. Replace that shared file only when the route instructions require it, and back up the existing copy first. Install and test one package at a time; bulk-copying several old archives makes it much harder to identify a missing dependency or overwritten file.