Cog Railway Simulator is a detailed railway simulation focused on a historic Austrian rack railway.

Take control of a classic steam locomotive together with other players and experience what it really takes to operate a train on steep mountain routes. Simply pushing the regulator forward is not enough. Fire, water, steam pressure, tractive effort, braking, and the unique demands of rack railway operation all require constant attention.

A Steam Locomotive Is Teamwork

In cooperative multiplayer, players take on different roles aboard the locomotive.

As the driver, you control the locomotive, operate the regulator, reverser, and brakes, and keep an eye on speed, track conditions, and train load.

As the fireman, you make sure there is enough steam available. Fire management, coal, water level, and boiler pressure determine whether the driver has enough power to keep the train moving.

Both roles are closely connected. A good driver needs a good fireman, and vice versa.

Rack Railway Instead of Ordinary Rail

On steep sections, adhesion between wheel and rail alone is no longer enough. This is where the historic rack railway system comes into play.

The transition between normal adhesion operation and rack operation is intended to be a central part of the simulation and requires a different driving style from that of a conventional railway.

A Living Environment

Weather and surroundings are more than just scenery.

Temperature, air pressure, wind, and weather influence the atmosphere around the locomotive. Smoke and steam react to the current conditions and change their behaviour depending on the environment and the load on the locomotive.

Historic Technology You Can Experience

Locomotives, the cab, track systems, buildings, and the surrounding environment are recreated using historical photographs, drawings, and surviving original equipment wherever possible.

Our goal is not to build a modern railway with an old paint job, but to make the unique technology and working methods of a historic rack railway feel as authentic and believable as possible.

Planned Core Features

• Historic steam locomotive with interactive controls

• Rack and adhesion operation

• Cooperative multiplayer

• Playable roles as driver and fireman

• Detailed steam, fire, and boiler simulation

• Dynamic weather and temperature

• Physically influenced smoke and steam

• Authentically reconstructed vehicles, buildings, and sections of the railway

• Additional playable roles planned for later versions, including brakeman and ticket inspector

Cog Railway Simulator is being created with a strong focus on historic railway technology, mechanical detail, and an era when operating a machine still required someone who genuinely knew what they were doing. 🚂