Simulation · December 7, 2023
Railroader (2023)
Experience the romance of the transition era as you take the reins of vintage locomotives, master intricate operations, and witness the beauty of a bygone era brought to life. Railroader is an operations-focused railroad simulator set in transition era Appalachia. Manage and run your railroad to your desire while using period steam and diesel locomotives and rolling stock. Trains with Purpose in a Player Driven World Your railroad is the lifeblood of the communities it serves: delivering freight cars to customers and moving passengers along the steel arteries that wind along the rivers and up steep mountain passes. You'll receive cars at the interchange yard and it's up to you to get them safely to their destinations, whether it's boxcar loads of machine parts, or bulkhead flats of pulpwood. Every car delivered will get you closer to your goals, whatever they may be: buying powerful locomotives or handsome passenger cars, expanding your mainline, or upgrading your railroad. It's your railroad! A Scenic Mountain Railroad On the ground or in the cab, the tree-covered mountain vistas – inspired by the Southern Railway's Murphy Branch – will serve as backdrop to your rumbling mainline, night and day. Climb aboard and watch the miles go by in this picturesque environment. Run Solo or with Friends Railroader is made to scale with your playing style. Shape your railroading experience by accepting contracts with the customers you want to serve, at the level your railroad can handle. Want to run a sleepy mixed train daily? Perhaps a bustling multiplayer server with formal jobs and organized crews? So do we – that's why we made this game! AI Engineers can help you fill in the gaps of your operations, too. What's this about AI Engineers? AI Engineers can run a manifest freight between yards, or, when you're switching, let you focus on the moves while the AI focuses on the controls. Railroader's AI Engineers can help you be in multiple places at once. Make Your Railroad the Model of Efficiency ABS and CTC signaling systems not only enable you to run your railroad safely and efficiently, they also give you another way to play: as Dispatcher! Railroader's lovingly recreated US&S Centralized Traffic Control machine will give you a dazzling array of lamps and satisfyingly tactile knobs to throw in command of your mainline. Chimes, Colors & Characters It wouldn't be your railroad without the ability to make it look and sound the way you envision it. Customize the lettering on tenders and coaches, choose paint colors, and swap whistles to your heart's content!
Community Tag Signals
Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.
- Early Access · 490
- Simulation · 445
- Trains · 438
- Transportation · 417
- Automobile Sim · 407
- Open World · 402
- 3D · 388
- Immersive Sim · 385
- Cinematic · 376
- First-Person · 370
- Realistic · 362
- Top-Down · 341
- America · 337
- Atmospheric · 323
- Economy · 310
Peer Simulation titles
Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.
Simulation releases from 2023
18 Simulation titles launched in 2023 — top 6 by review volume.
Position in Simulation
| Metric | This title | Genre position |
|---|---|---|
| Review volume | 2.7k Steam reviews | Top 80% in Simulation |
| Positive rating | 97% positive | Genre average: 79% — this title sits in top 4% |
| Concurrent peak | 455 players | Top 32% in Simulation by live player count |
| Engagement hours | 134 h average | Top 14% for session depth among Simulation |
Reception Metrics
Steam community
97%Overwhelmingly Positive · 2.7k reviews
2.6k positive · 81 negative
Curator recommendations
2.9k
Peak concurrent players
455
Engagement Profile
All-time avg
134h
extensive (100+ hours)
Median
148h
Typical completion time
2-week avg
12h
Current engagement
Features & Capabilities
Multiplayer
- Multi-player
- Co-op
- Online Co-op
Community
- Steam Cloud
Other
- Single-player
- Family Sharing
Release & Availability
| Release date | Dec 7, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Giraffe Lab LLC |
| Base price | $23.99 -20% |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Estimated owners | 100k–1M |
| External links | [email protected] |
Editions & Packages
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