You can try out Open Rails by downloading this model to drive the route from Edinburgh towards Glasgow.
Models contain lots of detail and this model, which is cut down from a full-size commercial route, compresses to 250MB. Installation instructions are included.
Edinburgh Waverley station
The model, generously donated by Making Tracks Ltd, reproduces the route between the Scottish capitals during the "blue" period of British Rail. Your service is a morning express from Edinburgh Waverley as far as the town of Linlithgow, about 20 minutes running.You can also watch a player driving the route on Open Rails in this video, which provides a voice-over.
Some content relies on the presence of files from MSTS, such as sound files and cab interiors. This is usually the case for free content downloaded from forums, so installing this content can be tricky.
Content which has no such dependence (typically labelled as "stand-alone" or "mini-route") is easy to install. All the content on this page is stand-alone.
Great Zig Zag Railway
This route is steam-only and provides some good variety for new players to Open Rails.
The Spanish websites Viajeros al Tren and Spain Trainz Rutas are some of the first to offer Open Rails-specific products.
Deko Games offer SD60M and SD40-2 locos with 3D cabs exclusively for Open Rails.
Some Australian routes (New South Wales) have been packaged by Peter Newell to work just with Open Rails:
See our Trade page for links to commercial vendors.
Several routes have been released which make use of the Git repository software. Using the Github Desktop program makes it easy for the user to discover and fetch updates to the content.
This route is a "work in progress" by Mick Clarke and set in 1950's UK. It runs from London northwards to York and includes the lines to Hunstanton and Skegness as well as many of the East Midlands and Yorkshire coal mines. Further extensions are planned. (map) It is a refinement of MidEast Plus which was written for MSTS and set in the 1970's. (Size about 4GB but growing)
This route is a "work in progress" by Martin Phillips and set in 1960's UK. It runs through the Chiltern Hills to London. The route includes the two main lines in the area (ex-GWR/GCR and ex-GCR/Metropolitan) and the lines between but also much of the London Transport underground system where it parallels or shares lines with the two main lines. (Size about 11GB)
This route is a "work in progress" by Rick Loader and set in 1950's UK. It runs from the coastal towns of Weymouth, Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth northwards to Bath and Basingstoke (map). It is notable for its detailed timetable with distinctive operating manoeuvres. (Size about 10GB)