NIMBY Rails Reviews

I would like to like this game as its shows promise. BUT after an hour of trying I haven't managed to make a single line work. The Tutorials haven't been written yet and there is no in game help. So I will come back to this but surely a simple text file of HOW TO BUILD YOUR FIRST TRAIN would be standard. Its a very complicated game with a million things to do, but if I cant even get started then why bother. Sorry but I don't have time to spend hours just learning how it works.

Fun game to play out fantasy of having a good rail network in USA

digital uberadictive research chemical. love it. cant stop.

You have to be a railfan or RailNerd to really get 'into' this game. I've been playing it for years, since early in the beta and I have a network from Seattle to the Guatemala border north to south and San Francisco to Berlin, Germany west to east. There are a lot of ways you can play this. You can be more realistic, down to scheduling exact departure time, or more fantasy-like and just find out "what works"without your stations either overloading or always being empty. There's no competition (once you pay off your initial loan and provided you're not losing money). This is kind of like Lego, except for trains (everything from trams to High Speed Rail to even airplanes) and you can't really disassemble what you built and start again (though you don't need to). Bit of a steep learning curve, but there's plenty of help out there for the basic functions to get you started.

quite expensive but really fun when you get into it, if you are a fan of trains, this will be a very fun game for you. one problem is that it’s quite difficult to get into because there are no tutorials so i recommend just searching one up on youtube and you will eventually get the hang of it

Its a really fun Game to play for Long hours. Building Thought the cities was a difficult task (8.9) out of 10

The best game on the market if you want to build realistic transit networks in real life cities. This is the only game I have played that allows full transcontinental rail lines and local streetcars/busses operating in the same map with no compromises.

While I do enjoy the game there are some setbacks that make me have less fun than I could be having. But I'll sum up the two big issue I have 1. The UI Its a common complaint and managing the timetables is part of the fun in the game, but the Ui itself is clunky and confusing. It doesn't help the experience much when I'm spending a quarter of my time trying to figure out which button to press to do this thing 2. Railways over Roads Another more Niche Issue I have is that building a railway over a road is problematic for when the game decides i can. I understand I can't build over the road when my rails are curving, but if I'm building straight over at an angle and not perpendicular to the road I can't do that? This may not be a problem for others but It is one for me and I wish there was a more concise guide on this as I don't want to build all of my rails either underground or elevated Anyways I enjoy this game as a play for a bit every once in a while and I do find it fun! ^-^

I'm a train guy, and this game's concept is amazing, I wanted to love this game. But first off lets figure out if it's a game... ok, it sort of classifies itself as a game, it has budgets and challenges to overcome, it's not _just_ a route designer, but I can understand the stance that this is just a transit simulator. A game like this has 3 pillars, these are the core parts of the game. Track laying, simulation, and growth. But that's about it, it really is just a route designer with a tacked on scoring system, and some major drawbacks that make even rebuilding existing train lines a bit of a challenge. The fact that existing train lines are removed is an interesting choice, but it isn't possible to recreate track in the game without abusing the fact that tunnels and viaducts basically ignore existing roads and waterways. The track laying isn't bad, per se, being able to add control points to the middle of a rail would be a nice touch, and being able to override ground level warnings would be nice too. Real world data is lacking and it would be nice to be able to build existing tracks yourself, the height system is a little silly, having a height scale of -4 and 4 and three types of track feels like it shouldn't have 7 options that you have to then edit by swapping out the track or the height. First off lets actually talk about that point, height, obviously the map source used has no height information on the existing roads, this isn't really the game's fault, but it does make this more like viaduct simulator, everything's a raised station or a subway because you can go over a 6 level "stack interchange" with a level 1 viaduct, and cross any ocean with a depth 1 tunnel. I don't really know how you go about fixing the lack of data, but it is a fundamental issue with using real world data. Speaking of issues with real world data, rail systems are part of a greater network of transportation, the major flaw here is how the "population" data works. As an example making a train stop at an airport in game is basically useless, despite the fact that connecting to the airport connects to every air traveler. At the very least the population of the airport should probably reflect the number of travelers that pass through that airport on average. Similar stories for park and rides and other connections to existing inter-modal hubs. Finally the last pillar of the game that is just plain missing, growth. A big part of these kinds of transit games is that "growth" occurs, connecting a small-ish town with a train station can boost its economy, make commuters more common, and make the immediate area around the train station a sort of community hub. A train station is just a mall with a couple of train platforms, really, and the area around the train station would become very desirable, and dense. Roads would change to accommodate the rails, but then they would change as drivers get replaced with riders. A big selling point of this game is that it allows you to give NIMBYs the middle finger and build it to prove how good of an idea it is, but it's missing the main factor that shows the benefits of actually building it, you really can just prove how profitable a route would be, using the same statistics already used to "prove" that the rail proposals are a bad idea. Real world data shoehorned this as a very basic simulator, which is a pretty common trend with real world data games, they forget that the most basic feature is modifying the world, and show that your modifications have an effect on the world.

NIMBY Rails is a remarkably expansive and technical rail construction simulator that gives players unprecedented control over designing transportation networks across a real-world map. Using detailed data from OpenStreetMap, the game allows users to build train lines anywhere on the planet—from recreating iconic subway systems to inventing entirely new intercontinental rail corridors. This global scope is both its most ambitious feature and one of its greatest strengths, offering a level of geographical freedom rarely seen in simulation games. The core gameplay blends creative freedom with management strategy. In sandbox mode, players can build without limits, but the financial mode introduces realistic constraints—budgets, fares, loan repayments, and operating costs—that force careful planning. The financial systems aren't overly punishing, but they require thoughtful decision-making, especially as your network grows. Players need to consider factors like passenger demand, route efficiency, station placement, and travel time, all of which impact satisfaction and revenue. Watching a complex network evolve over time and respond dynamically to these factors is incredibly rewarding. Station and track construction is impressively robust. The tools allow for intricate design, from multi-platform hubs to elevated lines and tight underground connections. Recent updates have enhanced this system with features like station editing and predictive track placement, significantly improving usability and accuracy. Adjusting signal systems, managing junctions, and scheduling lines are essential to optimizing traffic flow and avoiding collisions, especially as the number of trains and routes increases. Timetabling and shift management have seen significant improvements, making it possible to create realistic and efficient service patterns. Updates have added push-pull train configurations and more flexible assignment options, giving players greater freedom in how they structure operations. The game even simulates real-time operations across days and weeks, so it’s possible to build complete transport schedules that mimic real-world public transit patterns. There’s a steep learning curve for new players. The interface is dense, the terminology is precise, and the game lacks traditional tutorials. Instead, players are expected to experiment or seek guidance from community resources. For those who enjoy mastering systems and solving complex logistical problems, this challenge is part of the appeal. But newcomers to transport sims might find the early hours confusing without external help. Performance is generally solid, but large-scale builds come at a cost. Networks with hundreds of stations and thousands of passengers can strain system resources, especially on older hardware. That said, the game is optimized for multi-core processing and handles background simulation impressively well. The decision to remove certain artificial passenger limits has increased realism but also added pressure on performance, which the developers continue to address. One of the most unique aspects of NIMBY Rails is its multiplayer functionality. Friends can join a shared save, each managing parts of the network independently or cooperatively. Shared budgets, coordinated expansions, and collaborative design are not only possible but encouraged. The multiplayer system has been refined to prevent desynchronization and to make large-scale co-op builds more stable and enjoyable. There are still areas for growth. Elevation-based construction costs are not currently implemented, meaning players can build tunnels through mountains without penalty. Similarly, there’s room to expand on realism features like public opposition (true to the “NIMBY” name), land acquisition challenges, and more advanced signal systems. These mechanics are planned for future updates, and the game’s active development cycle suggests a strong commitment to ongoing improvement. Modding support and community involvement are major assets. Players regularly share entire regions and cities they've recreated with impressive accuracy, and the Steam Workshop offers new trains, assets, and quality-of-life mods. The developer maintains a responsive presence on forums and Discord, frequently incorporating feedback and suggestions into updates. NIMBY Rails is a specialized but incredibly powerful simulator for those who are passionate about transportation, infrastructure, and logistics. It doesn’t cater to casual gamers or those seeking flashy visuals, but for players who thrive on detail, scale, and planning, it offers an endlessly satisfying creative platform. The freedom to build anywhere on Earth, combined with evolving management systems and robust multiplayer support, makes it one of the most compelling rail sims available today. Rating: 8/10