Railroader

Railroader

Early access since Dec 2023

You and your fellow railroaders are the lifeblood of your railroad, just like it is the lifeblood of the communities it serves. Switch cars at industries. Keep people moving while running local passenger trains. Run trains with a purpose in transition era Appalachia – in Railroader!

96% positive · 3,615 reviews
Not yet
In early access, content still planned
High confidence
Content Planned
Not yet
In early access, content still planned
High confidence
Content Planned

Where to buy

Steam $29.99
Can't confirm — worth a look
We couldn't confirm these stores carry this game.
Green Man Gaming Steam key Search IndieGala Steam key Search
Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
Buying through an affiliate store helps support the site

Evaluation

Railroader entered Steam Early Access on December 7, 2023 and remains in that state. Giraffe Lab LLC has maintained a consistent and active development cadence, shipping major updates on the order of every several months, with frequent feature patches and bug fixes in between. The last major content release was version 2024.6.11 on March 3, 2025, which brought Auto Engineer Waypoint Mode, Timetables, new locomotives, new scenery, and more. Since that release, the team has been working on the next major update — version 2026.1 — focused on Maintenance of Way (MoW). This update has been previewed extensively across multiple developer posts throughout 2025 and 2026, covering track wear mechanics, dynamic load models, new MoW equipment, expanded modding infrastructure (including a new embedded scripting language called Relay), and a brand-new in-game map editor enabling map modding for the first time. The July 24, 2026 developer post is the most recent communication, and it confirms the update is in its final stages: the team is planning to release it on an experimental branch "within the next couple of months." The post also discusses post-2026.1 plans for additional map modding features (signals, roads, rivers, progressions), signaling that development will continue beyond this update. The developer's communication has been consistent and frequent, with no gaps of concern. Railroader is clearly in active development with a concrete upcoming release and longer-term plans beyond it.
Evidence
Developer confirms version 2026.1 (including Maintenance of Way, Map Modding, and Equipment Modding) is planned for release on an experimental branch 'within the next couple of months.' Also announces map modding editor and lists additional map modding features planned for future updates after 2026.1.
news post · Jul 24, 2026 source content planned
high
Developer shares a preview video of the MoW update for National Train Day, noting that getting the modding features right is taking extra time but the team is committed to quality.
news post · May 9, 2026 source content planned
high

Media

Details

Publisher
Giraffe Lab LLC
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op

About this game

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!
Last evaluated Aug 15, 2026
Something about this evaluation looks wrong Report illegal or harmful content