Building Real Routes/Tutorial
While its certainly possible to make fictional routes, many users prefer to re-create a real route from somewhere in the world to operate.
With these routes it is particularly important that signal placement, speed limits, and distances are all set correctly to allow an accurate timetable to operate.
Some possible resources are suggested below for these purposes.
Worldwide
Track Layout
- Open Railway Map
- Map Meurisse - also useful for measuring distances
Timetables
Africa
Asia & Pacific
Australia
Track Layout & Signal Placement
United Arab Emirates
Track Layout
- CartoMetro - Dubai
Europe
Austria
Track Layout
Belgium
Track Layout
France
Track Layout
Germany
Track Layout
Italy
Track Layout
Luxemburg
Track Layout
Netherlands
Track Layout
Spain
Track Layout
Sweden
Track Layout
- CartoMetro
- Trafikverket
- Bangårdar - Station track plans
- Ritningar Drawings - Track plans and some other stuff
Timetables
- 1409 - Based on data from the Swedish Transport Administration, seems to be only real-time data
Switzerland
Track Layout
United Kingdom
Track Layout & Signal Placement
- Traksy
- Open Train Times
- CartoMetro - London & Glasgow
- Signalbox Track Layouts - especially useful for historic routes
- Railway Guide - information about infrastructure such as bridges, tunnels and level crossings
Speed Limits and Distances
- Network Rail Sectional Appendix - No need to subscribe, just scroll down and they are all available at the bottom of the page
Timetables
- RealTimeTrains - Live running data (particularly useful for planned platform allocations)
- Open Train Times - Live running data, although less accurate than RealTimeTrains
- TfL Working Timetables
- Network Rail Public Timetable
- Network Rail Working Timetable
- DPSimulation Timetable Archive - timetables for the last few decades
North America
Canada
Track Layout
United States of America
Track Layout & Signal Placement
- Chicago Metra
- Chicago Amtrak
- CartoMetro - Los Angeles
- Vanshnookenraggen - NYC and Boston