Unless users purchase a First Class Ticket with real money, download speeds for the DLS (both in Content Manager and directly through File Transfer Protocol on the Trainz website) are throttled, which tends to be a point of contention in the Trainz community.

The simulators are supported by a large library of freeware assets which can be downloaded from the N3V servers, referred to as Download Station (DLS). Screenshot of TS12 or Trainz Simulator 12 in driver mode showing an Amtrak HHP-8 at 30th Street Station Other software The games emphasize themselves on inclusion of content, and all subsequent games following Trainz Community Edition would allow users to install 3rd-party rolling stock, scenery, routes, and other content under the. The simulators consist of route and session editors called Surveyor, and the Driver module, that loads a route and lets the player operate and watch the trains run, either in 'DCC' mode, which simulates a bare-bones Digital Command Control (DCC) system for the simple stop-and-go of a basic model railway, or 'CAB' mode, which simulates real-world physics and adds working cab controls.

The Australian studio Auran (since 2007 N3V Games) released the first game in 2001. Trainz is a series of 3D train simulator video games.

Box art for 32 bit Trainz Simulator 12 depicting a Norfolk and Western Y6b

Thomas trainz content