Enable or disable V-Sync in Train Simulator Classic, target the correct RailWorks executable, and solve tearing, stutter or input lag.
To enable or disable V-Sync in Train Simulator Classic, use its display option if your installation exposes one; otherwise create a per-game GPU-driver profile for the RailWorks executable. Set Vertical Sync to On or Off, apply it, then restart the simulator. Avoid changing the driver's global setting.
V-Sync synchronises completed frames with the monitor's refresh cycle. Enabling it removes horizontal tearing but may add input delay or judder; disabling it reduces that delay but allows tearing when frame delivery and refresh timing do not match.
How do I force V-Sync through the graphics driver?
A per-game driver profile is the most dependable method when Train Simulator Classic has no visible V-Sync option or its setting is ineffective.
- Check the simulator first. Open its graphics or display settings and look for V-Sync or Vertical Synchronisation. If it exists, select On or Off, apply the change and restart. Leave the graphics driver set to application-controlled unless you need an override.
- Exit Train Simulator Classic. Driver overrides may not be detected while the simulator is running.
- Create a per-game profile. Add the RailWorks executable from the Train Simulator Classic installation folder, usually under
steamapps\common\RailWorks. - Select the required synchronisation setting.
- In NVIDIA Control Panel, open Manage 3D settings, choose Program Settings, add the RailWorks executable and set Vertical sync to On or Off.
- In AMD Software, select or add the game profile and use the available vertical-refresh control. Choose the equivalent of Always On or Always Off. Enhanced Sync is a different presentation method, so disable it while checking conventional V-Sync.
- In Intel's graphics software, create a game profile for the executable and change its V-Sync setting. Names and menu positions vary between Intel driver packages.
- Apply and relaunch. Test by panning across cab pillars, platform signs or other vertical edges. A horizontal split moving through the image indicates tearing.
Before judging frame delivery, use sensible resolution, anti-aliasing and detail levels. Our advice on balancing Train Simulator Classic's visual settings against performance covers those controls without confusing them with V-Sync.
Which RailWorks executable should I add?
The driver profile must target the executable used by the selected launch mode, not merely Steam or the game's launcher.
RailWorks64.exeis normally the executable to profile when running the 64-bit edition.RailWorks.exeis associated with the older 32-bit launch mode.- If the launcher offers another renderer with its own executable, create a profile for that executable as well.
A mistake we see constantly is applying V-Sync to the 32-bit executable and then launching the 64-bit simulator. Profiling both RailWorks executables is harmless if you switch between them.
Should V-Sync be on or off in Train Simulator Classic?
Enable V-Sync when visible tearing is the problem; disable it when minimum control latency or unrestricted frame rate matters more.
| Priority | Recommended setting | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Remove screen tearing | V-Sync On | May add input delay and produce uneven motion when frame rate drops below refresh rate |
| Lowest possible input delay | V-Sync Off | Tearing may appear, particularly during rapid camera movement |
| Consistent frame pacing on a demanding route | Use a suitable frame-rate limit, with V-Sync tested separately | A limiter is not V-Sync and does not guarantee tear-free output |
| Variable-refresh monitor | Enable the monitor's adaptive-refresh feature and test the driver's recommended V-Sync combination | Behaviour depends on the monitor, GPU and refresh range |
Train Simulator Classic is often limited by its main processing thread or by route asset loading. On a high-refresh monitor, the simulator may remain below the refresh ceiling, so enabling V-Sync will not necessarily change the displayed frame rate.
Why does changing V-Sync have no effect?
An apparently ignored setting usually means the wrong executable, display mode or driver profile is being used.
- Wrong executable: confirm whether the simulator launched in 32-bit, 64-bit or another available renderer mode.
- Application-controlled profile: this does nothing when the simulator itself provides no active V-Sync request. Select an explicit On or Off override.
- Windowed or borderless presentation: the Windows desktop compositor can suppress visible tearing independently. Use the simulator's full-screen mode when comparing settings, if that mode is available.
- Frame rate below refresh rate: a 60 FPS ceiling cannot be observed if the route is running at 35 FPS. V-Sync does not increase performance.
- Conflicting options: disable Enhanced Sync, Fast Sync or similar alternatives while testing standard V-Sync, then introduce only the feature you intend to use.
- No restart: close and reopen Train Simulator Classic after changing the driver profile.
Does V-Sync fix stuttering?
V-Sync fixes tearing, not the asset-loading pauses and CPU-bound hitches common on complex Train Simulator Classic routes. It can make motion look steadier near the monitor's refresh rate, but it may also make drops more noticeable.
If pauses remain, lower the settings that affect view distance, shadows and scenery density rather than repeatedly toggling V-Sync. Route-loading failures, crashes and memory warnings require separate diagnosis; our memory and out-of-memory troubleshooting steps cover those faults.