Set up the Train Simulator Classic Google Maps overlay, georeference your route, and fix API-key errors, blank tiles and misaligned imagery.
To use the Google Maps overlay in Train Simulator Classic, create a Google Maps API key, enter it in the simulator's Tools settings, make sure the route has the correct latitude and longitude origin, open the route in World Editor, then press Ctrl+G. The imagery is an editor-only alignment aid.
How do I set up the Google Maps overlay?
The overlay works once Train Simulator Classic has a valid Maps Static API key and the route itself has a correct geographic origin. Google's account, billing and restriction screens can change, but the simulator still needs permission to request static map tiles.
- Create a dedicated API key. In Google's API management service, create a project, enable the Maps Static API and complete any billing requirements. Train Simulator Classic does not provide a shared key.
- Protect the key. Restrict it to the required maps API and set sensible usage limits. Browser-referrer restrictions can reject requests from a desktop simulator, so check the rejected-request reason if a restricted key produces blank tiles. Never distribute the key with your route.
- Enter the key in Train Simulator Classic. From the main menu, open Settings, select Tools and find the Google Maps API key field. Paste the key without spaces and save the setting. If the editor was already open, close and reopen it; restart the simulator if necessary.
- Check the route origin. A real-world route needs an origin latitude and longitude, normally defined in its route template before the route is created. Use decimal degrees in the expected geographic datum; longitude west of Greenwich and latitude south of the Equator use negative values.
- Open World Editor. Load the route for world editing, move the camera to the construction area and press
Ctrl+G. Press the shortcut again to hide the tiles. - Use the image as a tracing reference. Position track, roads, rivers and major structures against recognisable ground features. Turn the overlay off when it obscures object selection or when you are not using it, which also avoids unnecessary map requests.
The overlay does not replace the editor itself. Our practical guide to Train Simulator Classic route building controls covers camera movement, track placement, terrain tools and saving work.
Why is the Google Maps overlay blank?
Blank or error tiles usually mean the map request was rejected, blocked or never made. Work through the symptom rather than repeatedly generating new keys.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
Nothing changes after Ctrl+G | Wrong editor mode, missing key or shortcut conflict | Confirm that World Editor is active, recheck the Tools setting and test whether another application intercepts the shortcut. |
| Error or placeholder tiles appear | API disabled, billing problem or rejected key restriction | Confirm that the key can use the Maps Static API and inspect its rejected requests. |
| Tiles load briefly, then stop | Quota or usage limit reached | Check request usage and limits. Moving rapidly around the route can generate many tile requests. |
| A previously working overlay becomes blank | Expired credentials, changed restrictions or service-side API requirements | Verify the same key outside the editor's saved settings and review the provider's API status and request errors. |
Train Simulator Classic may provide little detail when a tile request fails. Our LogMate troubleshooting walkthrough explains how to capture simulator errors, although authentication and quota failures are usually clearest in the API management console.
Why is the imagery in the wrong place?
A map opening in the wrong region points to an incorrect route origin, while a smaller offset can come from the source imagery or mismatched coordinate data.
- Wrong country or distant location: check for swapped latitude and longitude, a missing negative sign or an origin copied from the wrong route template.
- Everything has a similar local offset: verify the route origin against several fixed ground features. Do not calibrate against rooftops, bridge decks or tall objects, which can appear displaced through image perspective.
- The error increases along the route: check that every coordinate source uses a compatible datum and projection. Moving individual track sections to compensate will leave curves and scenery inconsistent.
- The railway is not visible: the imagery may pre-date construction, post-date closure or be obscured by vegetation. Cross-check several permanent features rather than assuming the track alignment is wrong.
Set the geographic origin before substantial construction. The overlay cannot infer where an existing fictional or arbitrarily positioned route belongs, and changing a template later does not automatically reposition laid track and scenery.
Does the overlay provide terrain elevations?
No; the Google Maps overlay provides a plan-view visual reference, not elevation data. Use suitable terrain elevation data or shape the ground manually, then use the imagery to judge horizontal alignment for cuttings, embankments, roads and waterways.
Is Google imagery included with the finished route?
No; the overlay is a temporary editor reference and is not packaged into the route. Drivers do not need an API key to use the finished route, but another route builder who wants to see the overlay will need their own authorised key.
Do not extract, cache or convert the displayed tiles into distributable ground textures unless the imagery licence expressly permits it. The built-in display does not grant permission to redistribute Google's map content.