At the outset of the game, you'll be presented with four "blocks" of action. The Tutorials we'll delve into presently, so the remainder is made up of Routes, Saved Sessions, and Railyard. The last is basically a collection of all the trains in the game, and the parts of their consists. You'll learn that consists are the parts of the train you can construct by coupling engines with other types of cars. Some of the models here are classics that have a rich history and lots of detail, while others appear pretty bland and without much description. In all cases, you can do a full swivel and pan around the train model while you learn more about it. Routes is where you'll likely spend the most time. In this mode, you can explore Outback Australia, British Midlands, and City and Country USA, tackling specific sessions. Sessions are like missions within an area, and those provided here give players a good feel for the different tasks that one can undertake in
Trainz. Moving freight cross-country, moving passengers through busy urban areas, or just cleaning up a cluttered train yard, are all contained in the game's sessions.
Beyond just playing what's provided here, the simulation extends to a full-bodied editor that lets you modify any route or session within a route. You can even create your own from scratch, or build on an established route in a sandbox environment. The depth of the editor can't be overstated. Because Trainz plays to the desires of model railroaders everywhere, you can literally design each and every element in the interface to suit your needs. The problem becomes one of control, more than anything else. It's not that you don't have the power at your fingertips, just that you really won't find the iPad an enjoyable place to do this sculpting. We have to think veteran players will be yearning even more for their PC after seeing this, instead of the other way 'round.
