Learn what Microsoft Train Simulator Paint Shed does, how to create and install an MSTS repaint, and how to fix missing trains or textures.
Microsoft Train Simulator Paint Shed is a separate legacy utility for creating custom liveries for supported MSTS locomotives and rolling stock. You choose a compatible vehicle template, apply colours, stripes, lettering or logos, then export the result to MSTS and add the new vehicle to a consist before driving it.
Paint Shed changes a train’s appearance; it does not create new 3D shapes, cabs or physics. It was made for the original Microsoft Train Simulator, commonly called MSTS, and should not be confused with tools for Train Simulator Classic.
Is Paint Shed included with Microsoft Train Simulator?
Paint Shed should be treated as a separate companion utility, not an editor found on the main MSTS menus. It requires its own compatible vehicle templates, sometimes described as skins, and cannot automatically open every locomotive installed in TRAINS\TRAINSET.
Our archived report about an F7 skin released specifically for Paint Shed illustrates this template-based approach. A Paint Shed skin is tied to a supported model rather than being a universal texture that fits any locomotive.
How do you create and use an MSTS Paint Shed repaint?
The reliable method is to create a uniquely named repaint, export it to the correct MSTS installation and then place the resulting vehicle in a consist.
- Verify MSTS first. Make sure the unmodified simulator launches and can drive a stock train. If it does not, resolve the base installation before adding repaints; our guide to running MSTS on modern Windows covers the main compatibility considerations.
- Back up the source train. Copy the relevant folder from
<MSTS>\TRAINS\TRAINSETbefore changing or replacing anything. Paint Shed normally creates or exports a separate vehicle, but a backup protects against an incorrect target path or overwritten texture. - Select a compatible template. Open Paint Shed and choose one of the locomotives or vehicles it supports. A model merely being installed in MSTS does not make it Paint Shed-compatible.
- Apply the livery. Set the available body colours and add stripes, lettering or logos using the controls provided for that template. Keep key details away from panel edges because texture mapping can stretch or mirror parts of the artwork.
- Use a unique name. Give the repaint a distinct folder, file and display name wherever Paint Shed offers those fields. Reusing the source locomotive’s name can overwrite files or leave two vehicles with confusingly identical names in the consist editor.
- Export to the correct MSTS root. Point Paint Shed at the folder containing the simulator’s
TRAINSdirectory. After export, check that the vehicle appears directly under<MSTS>\TRAINS\TRAINSET, not inside an accidentally duplicated directory such asTrain Simulator\Train Simulator. - Create a consist. Open the MSTS Editors & Tools suite and use its consist editor to add the new locomotive or carriage to a consist. Save the
.confile underTRAINS\CONSISTS. A trainset folder alone usually will not appear as a driveable selection. - Test a simple consist. Start with the repainted locomotive and a small amount of stock rolling stock. Once that loads correctly, build the intended train and test it through Explore Route or an activity.
The files produced vary by Paint Shed release and template, but an MSTS vehicle normally relies on a shape file, .ace textures and an .eng or .wag definition. It may also refer to cab and sound resources elsewhere, so do not delete the original model or its dependencies after exporting.
Can Paint Shed repaint any MSTS locomotive?
No. Paint Shed works only with models prepared for its template system; it is not a general-purpose editor for arbitrary MSTS shape files.
| Content type | What it does | Paint Shed required? |
|---|---|---|
| Paint Shed template | Lets you design a livery on a supported vehicle | Yes |
| Texture repaint | Supplies replacement .ace textures for one exact model | Usually no |
| Complete locomotive add-on | Provides a trainset folder and definitions, subject to any listed dependencies | No |
Do not install all three types in the same way. For comparison, this GP38 repaint package with explicit texture-folder instructions demonstrates a model-specific repaint workflow rather than a universal Paint Shed template.
Why does the repainted train not appear in MSTS?
A correctly exported repaint can remain absent from the driving list because MSTS drives saved consists, not loose trainset entries.
- No consist: add the locomotive to a new
.confile using the consist editor. - Wrong MSTS installation: Paint Shed may have found an old, copied or incomplete installation through legacy registry information.
- Nested folders: the vehicle files must sit at the folder level expected by
TRAINS\TRAINSET, not one directory deeper. - Missing parent model: a skin or texture-only repaint still needs the exact locomotive model for which it was made.
- Write permissions: older utilities may fail to save into a protected Windows program directory. Use a writable MSTS installation or export to a staging folder and copy the completed files with the required permission.
Why are the textures white, black or scrambled?
Broken textures usually mean the .ace files do not match the model’s expected filenames, texture layout or transparency information. Restore the backup, select the correct Paint Shed template and export again rather than renaming unrelated textures.
A common mistake is treating two locomotives of the same class as interchangeable. Models made by different authors can use completely different texture maps, even when both represent the same real train.
Why does MSTS crash when loading the repaint?
A load-time crash usually points to a missing shape, texture, cab, sound or consist reference rather than the paint colours themselves. Test the original locomotive, then the repaint in a minimal consist, and restore each required dependency.
If stock trains also fail or the simulator closes before the repaint loads, the fault is broader than Paint Shed. Work through the checks in our MSTS crash troubleshooting guide before editing the repaint again.