FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS / FAQ TOPICS

• Section 1 - Purchase, initial installation and upgrade
• Section 2 - Basic information about TrainPlayer - importing, file management, feature usage
• Section 3 - More technical questions

Section 1 - Purchase, initial installation and upgrade

 I am having issues when downloading the TrainPlayer Demo. What do I need to do to successfully download your program?

I have noticed on the TP Forum that some users have experienced difficulty installing this upgrade when they are running AVG Antivirus Free Edition. How do I successfully and safely install TrainPlayer with AVG?

Why are downloads slow?

When I look at my Start menu in Windows 7 / 8.1,/ Win 10,  I see both TrainPlayer 6.0 and TrainPlayer 6.1.  Do I need both of them?

Will you be releasing a 3D version of TrainPlayer?

Does TrainPlayer plan to update or release a new version for MAC or iPad?

What operating systems are supported with TrainPlayer? with 32 or 64 bit machines?

Can I use my PayPal account to purchase your products?

I am having some issues trying to complete my purchase using PayPal. Any ideas on what the problem might be?

How and when do I get my new TrainPlayer user name and key code access?

Why doesn't my license code work?

I only get an incomplete download of the setup.exe file. What do I need to do to get the complete download of TrainPlayer?

With my Windows 8 laptop, the download and initial install ran smoothly, but at the end the program did not start as promised. What's going on?

Does my computer need to be connected to the internet to use TrainPlayer?

When should I uninstall an earlier TrainPlayer version?

How do I find out what license I'm currently using and what upgrades are available to me?

I just upgraded to a new version, why don't I see all the commands on the menu on my toolbar ?

I just installed the latest version onto my new Windows 10 PC, but my current license key is not being accepted.  Why?

Q. I am having issues when downloading the TrainPlayer Demo. What do I need to do to successfully download your program?

A. Our installer files are optimized and tested to work with the most commonly used browsers - MS Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Netscape and Firefox. If you are using something other than these, you may temporarily want to use one of preferred browsers for your TrainPlayer download.

Our recommendation is to:first Save our Installer file to your hard drive [c:\user\user name\My Downloads or to your C:\Users\user name\Desktop\ ]. Then, scan it locally for viruses and then run / launch the installer from there. If you choose to purchase TrainPlayer, and we certainly hope that you do, then all you would need to do is insert the user name and key code access we will send you, via email, confirming your purchase.  There is NO need to re-install TrainPlayer at that point.

Q. I have noticed on the TP Forum that some users have experienced difficulty installing this upgrade when they are running AVG Antivirus Free Edition. How do I successfully and safely install TrainPlayer with AVG?

A. Our TrainPlayer program is optimized and has been tested to work best with Microsoft Internet Explorer or Google Chrome and with the standard, most widely used anti-virus software packages: MS Security Essentials, Norton AV, McAfee, Kaspersky, NOD 32 and the paid version of AVG. Our product is virus free based on regular testing and scanning from all of these anti-virus programs. 

There have however been a few cases of AVG Free, Avast, and also Symantec Endpoint Protection and others, identifying part of our installation process as a threat.  This has been shown to be a false positive, but we would recommend you first scan the Setup61.exe file with your installed Anti-Virus software to ensure it is safe.  You can then temporarily disable AVG before running the installer by right clicking on the AVG system tray icon, and selecting "Temporarily Disable AVG".   As soon as you have finished running the installer you should reinstate your AVG protection by right clicking the AVG System Tray icon and selecting "Enable AVG protection".

Q. Why are downloads slow?

A. Google Chrome browser users – you may experience a time delay when downloading various TrainPlayer files as Chrome verifies completion / accuracy of the desired download.  

Q. When I look at my Start menu in Windows 7 / 8.1, /10,  I see both TrainPlayer 6.4 and TrainPlayer 6.5?  Do I need both of them?

A. Typically your Start Menu will look something like this after installing TrainPlayer 6.5.1

You can safely remove the extra “shortcuts” by doing a right mouse click on each of TrainPlayer 6.4 Help, TrainPlayer 6.4 and the TP6.4 Readme and selecting Delete from the pop out menu.

Q. Will you be releasing a 3D version of TrainPlayer?

A. We are not planning a 3D version of our program. Our goal has always been to deliver a high quality two dimensional version of a typical model railroad where you could plan and lay the track work, scenery, add industries and towns and then operate a variety of trains consisting of a range of rail car types and engines from both the steam and diesel eras, all that from the comfort of your "armchair".

Q. Does TrainPlayer plan to update or release a new version for MAC or iPad?

A. We did at one time offer a MAC OS version of TrainPlayer but it was withdrawn due to poor sales. At this time, we do not plan to develop a new version for the MAC or iPad.

Q. What operating system is supported with TrainPlayer? with 32 or 64 bit machines?

A. TrainPlayer runs on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, and Windows 10. TrainPlayer will run on Vista and XP but our support for that OS is now limited. TrainPlayer will run on both 32 and 64 bit computers. TrainPlayer requires a minimum memory (256MB), but more RAM and DDR RAM is better -- the more memory you have, the closer you can zoom in on a large layout. Also, more memory and/or a dedicated video graphics card in your PC will also improve overall performance.

TrainPlayer is no longer available for the MAC OS

Q. Can I use my PayPal account to purchase your products?

A. As of July 1st, 2012 we now support PayPal on our web store along with Visa and Master Card.  If you prefer other options, you can order by sending a check or money order in the mail to TrainPlayer Software, 4200 Arcadian Drive, Castro Valley, CA 94546.

Q. I am having some issues trying to complete my purchase using PayPal. Any ideas on what the problem might be?

A. Our web site is optimized to work with Microsoft's latest version of Internet Explorer browser and Google Chrome. You may experience some issues with PayPal and Firefox version 17.01 and perhaps other browsers.. In those cases, we ask that you use, temporarily, Internet Explorer or Chrome to complete your PayPal purchase transaction.

Q. How and when do I get my new TrainPlayer username and key code access?

A. Generally, our support team tries to get you an order confirmation email which will contain your TrainPlayer user name, key code access and download instructions within two (2) hours of receiving your order from our shop site. Due to hours of operation and our need to sleep occasionally, there may be a delay in the overnight hours. We also ask that you check your Junk Mail filters/folders as sometimes our reply will end up there. If you have not received an email from us within 6-8 hours of placing your original order, please send an urgent email to support@trainplayer.com .

Q. Why doesn't my license code work? I enter it and get "the name/key you entered does not appear to be valid."

A. With the release of TrainPlayer 6.5.0, we introduced a new security / key code licensing system. If you upgrade your version of TrainPlayer to the latest version AND you're using a computer with TrainPlayer already installed on it, then your old license key will automatically be changed to the newest version.  If you are installing TrainPlayer 6.5 + onto a NEW PC which has never had TrainPlayer on it,  please send an email to support@trainplayer.com and we will send you a new key code access to use.

Once  you receive the new  license key but are not prompted to enter it, use HELP\ Upgrade License where you will see this menu.

Use the Copy / Paste approach to place your new information into these boxes and then Click OK to save it.

The Enter Key dialog may have a name in the box which differs from the one provided with your license. Be sure to use the one which came with the license you are entering.

Q. I only get an incomplete download of the setup.exe file. What do I need to do to get the complete download of TrainPlayer?

A. Our TrainPlayer program is optimized to work best with Microsoft Internet Explorer or Google Chrome and with the standard anti-virus software packages: MS Security Essentials, Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, NOD 32 and the paid version of AVG. If you are using a different internet browser / virus package combination, you may need to temporarily turn off your virus protection for the download to complete. In those situations, always scan the TrainPlayer installer file before running it.

Q. With my Windows 8 / 10  laptop, the download and initial install ran smoothly, but at the end the program did not start as promised. What's going on?

A. With TrainPlayer closed, go into the Registry editor via - START\Run\Regedit which brings up the various keys used by various software programs. Go to the Registry Editor Menu bar Edit\Find and type in "TrainPlayer". You will need to take a look at this registry value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TrainPlayer\TrainPlayer\Settings\Data Directory6 which should contain a path to your app data folder, like this: - C:\Users\Jim\AppData\Roaming\TrainPlayer

And there should be a folder full of data there. If not, you will need to add that path information to your TP AppData files manually.

Q. Does my computer need to be connected to the Internet to enjoy TrainPlayer?

A. No. You will have access to all of your own layouts and car types that are on your computer. However, with an active Internet connection, you will be able to immediately access any of our web based content for layouts, car types, scenery and sounds via our various web choosers. You would also have a connection to the web based TrainPlayer and TrackLayer User Manual and Guide and to the Frequently Asked Questions information.

Q. When should I uninstall an earlier version?

A. You do NOT need to uninstall your current version before running a more recent installer. The installer file will overwrite the core program files located under C:\Program Files (x86)\TrainPlayer but does not over-write exisitng files located in your \AppData\Roaming\TrainPlayer location.  To be 100% safe, go to \AppData\Roaming\TrainPlayer and rename the folder to \TrainPlayer_old.  Once the installer has finished you can merge your two TrainPlayer AppData folders or merely delete the newest AppData folder and rename your old TrainPlayer folder by removing the _old from the name.

We suggest following the same method [renaming your \AppData\Roaming\TrainPlayer] when using the Microsoft Add / Delete programs to remove earlier versions fo TrainPlayer from your hard drive.

 Q. How do I find out which license I'm currently using and what upgrades are available to me?

A. Go to your main menu bar and select Help \ Purchase Upgrade. TrainPlayer will identify for you which upgrades are available and their cost. This Help page will also link you to our secure shop site, should you wish to purchase that upgrade.

Q  I just upgraded to a new version, why don't I see all the commands on the menu? My toolbar buttons are fouled up.  

A. When you upgrade without running an installer, sometimes you need to reset your menus and toolbars as follows: Go to Choose Tools \ Customize. On the Toolbars tab, click Reset All.  On the Menus tab, click Reset.

Do this for each menu in each drop-down list. Click OK to dismiss the dialog. Toolbars and menus will now be up to date. This does not apply to most users. If you run the installer, it takes care of this reset.

Q  I just installed the latest version onto my new Windows 10 PC, but my current license key is not being accepted.  Why?

A. When we upgraded TrainPlayer recently to version 6.5 we changed our internal security and key code systems.  If you were installing TrainPlayer 6.5 on the computer where you originally installed it, then the change to the new license / key code would have happened automatically for you.  

For all holders of at least a TrainPlayer 6.0 license, to receive your new user name and key code, please send an email request to support@trainplayer.com .

Section 2 - Basic information about TrainPlayer - importing, file management, feature usage

I bought the web download version of TrainPlayer, where do I find a detailed User Manual /Guide?

Where do I locate my TrainPlayer Files on my PC?

Where do I locate my various Sound files used in TrainPlayer?

Is there a way to customize my toolbars to have my most frequently used features appear on the main toolbars?

Are there some typical Keyboard shortcut commands that I can create?

How do I share my finished layout with other users at TrainPlayer?

Why do I get a "Operation Timed Out" message when I am downloading a car collection / layout?

Why does the train jump the track in some places? 

Why doesn't the turntable stop rotating when it comes to a connecting track? 

How do I zoom in on the action?

How do I download a range of Layouts from the Chooser menu?

How do I search your WEB for a specific layout?

Why can't I get these cars to uncouple?

How do I turn my TP sounds on?

Is there a Switching / Operating plan for TrainPlayer?

Does TrainPlayer let me import any layout designs from other design programs like AnyRail?

How do I import my AnyRail file into TrainPlayer?

I am using AnyRail for track laying and design but when I import my file to TrainPlayer, the resolution looks fuzzy. How can I improve the look of my plan?

Q. I bought the web download version of TrainPlayer, where do I find a detailed User Manual / Guide?

A. Use the Help command on the Main Menu bar in the program. Or see the top of this page for links to download our manual in PDF format.

Q. Where do I locate my TrainPlayer Files?

A. Inside Windows Explorer, TrainPlayer files should be in two locations:

C:\Program Files\TrainPlayer or C:\Program Files (x86) for the TrainPlayer core program

and C:\Users\<Your Name>\Application Data\Roaming\TrainPlayer for all of TrainPlayer's application data files

By Microsoft reasoning, only the program should be in Program Files. All layouts, car types, sounds, etc should be in C:\User\ YOUR NAME\Application Data\Roaming\TrainPlayer\. Only if you want to consolidate ALL your TrainPlayer files in ONE location, would you need to move them to either one of the two locations noted above. After consolidation, you will need to rebuild your trees inside the web chooser.

To find where your layouts are, inside Windows Explorer,  do a "file search" as "*.rrw". This will reveal where the layout files are and typically the associated .jpg or (tpg) files as well.

Microsoft File Explorer often treats these types of application files as "hidden". So, using Windows.File Explorer or "My Computer", go to File \ Organize and scroll down to the Folder and Search options. In the next menu go to the View tab. In that menu scroll down and click on the "Hidden Files Folders" and click on Show hidden Files and Folders to reveal all of your applications files.

With Windows 10, go to File Explorer. Then go to the View tab and on the right side locate and click on the Hidden Files box to make all your files visible

Q: Where do I locate my various Sound files used in TrainPlayer?

A.  With the arrival of TrainPlayer 7.1, you can now easily locate all of our Sound Library choices under the main menu - View/ Windows/ Sound Chooser

You can also find the Sound/Layout library  under the Station menu. Here’s what you do: :

 Also, from the Layout Properties menu, you select the Train tab and first Horn, then Running to get all the other sounds needed to customize your individual engines.

Q. Is there a way to customize my toolbars to have my most frequently used features appear on the main toolbar?

A. Sure thing! Go to View\Toolbars\Customize. In that menu, on the Command tab, click on each subject and scroll through the various available commands. For new commands that you want to add, click on it with the cursor and drag it to a suitable spot on any existing toolbar. The most commonly added commands are: Auto Follow, Check Track, and Preferences. To remove any icons or text labels from an existing toolbar, while using View\Toolbars\Customize, click on the desired icon to be removed and drag it to the centre of your screen. To rearrange the order of your toolbars, just click on the far left corner of any toolbar with the large Track tool cursor, hold and drag the toolbar to your desired location. You can place toolbars at the screen top, bottom or on either side.

IMPORTANT: once you have finished customizing your screen and toolbars, you must Close TrainPlayer to save your new settings

Q. Are there some typical Keyboard shortcut commands that I can create?

A. Yes. Go into Tools\Customize\Keyboard and under the pertinent category select what you want to use frequently. These are the most common:

• Control> L/R for direction
• Control> U/D for speed
• Control> Space for Panic stop (overrides deceleration)
• Alt> L/R to move left/right in the current consist, placing the uncoupler indicator
• Alt> Down to uncouple and change direction -- as in spotting a car
• Alt> Up to uncouple and keep going -- uncoupling on the fly
• Space Bar to throw upcoming switch.
• Control T to toggle TP Ops window visibility

Q. How do I share my finished layout with other users at TrainPlayer?

A. We welcome any submissions of your work either from hand drawn layouts or using the Scenery Toolkit. You can access the "Publish" feature from the File \ Publish menu. In the next pop out menu, TrainPlayer identifies which cars and resources are needed to run your layout and there is a handy descriptive box for you to insert your name and to provide the "story" of your layout. When you have provided this information, press Okay and TrainPlayer prompts you for a location to Save your layout. A handy way to quickly locate these "shared" files is to create a new folder on your Desktop and call it "TP Share". When prompted to Save your "published" version, just navigate to your computer desktop and click on your TP Share folder. Then you send the files to us at support@trainplayer.com  and we will take care of the rest.

If you're having issues, then send us an email at support@trainplayer.com  and please include the following details - the Windows operating system you're using, your browser, any download manager if applicable and a brief description of what error messages you're receiving and / or the steps you are taking during your download.

Q. Why do I get a "Operation Timed Out" message when I am downloading a car collection / layout?

A. When you choose a car collection in the web chooser, before it can show you the images it needs to download the entire collection into the Cartypes_DL folder in your system temp directory. Then if you click Install, it copies them into your regular Cartypes location. If you are seeing this "Operation Timed Out" alert, then inside your Web Cartypes Chooser, at the top of the directory tree, do a right mouse click on Cartypes. This will bring up a submenu. From that submenu, select "Clear Download Cache"

This procedure should eliminate that problem. You can also use this same technique to remove "old images" from your web Scenery chooser as well.

Q. Why does the train jump the track in some places? Sometimes it doesn't move where the tracks do, or splits up at a junction, or does something else odd.

A. There may be some bugs in your track work. If you encounter one on one of our layouts, please report it. You can fix this yourself, if you have TrackLayer.

When designing your own layout and running trains over it, a good recommended practice is to check your track frequently. To set this up automatically, select Tools \ Options from the main menu bar. Then in the pop up window - Preferences , use the left mouse button to "Check Track while Drawing". Another good habit to get into while designing your layout is to Save your work frequently.  You can do this by going to File \ Preferences and from the General tab, select "Auto Save" and set the timers to something like "every 3 or 5 minutes".  Then if you do have a TP crash, when you re-open the program, just go to File\ Restore Back up and the layout you were working on should be on the list a layouts that were Auto Saved.

Q. Why doesn't the turntable stop rotating when it comes to a connecting track? Sometimes it just keeps rotating.

A. This can happen due to faulty track work. If you encounter a faulty turntable on one of our layouts, please report it.

When designing you own layouts, if you have activated the "Check Track" feature, it will clearly identify where a mistake has occurred with a brief explanation. You may find it easier to delete the problem track and re-lay it again.

Q. The layout is so big, I find it hard to see the details. How do I zoom in on the action?

A. There are several ways you can zoom into a layout. The most commonly used method is to go the "+ / -" buttons on the main tool bar to slowly increase or decrease the image size.

If you have Auto-Follow checked in the layout context menu, the zoomed-in view follows the train around.

Since TrainPlayer 5.0 we have provided a new zoom icon in the bottom right corner of the screen which allows fast, proportional zooming from a ratio of 100:1 all the up to 1:2

Q. How do I quickly download a range of Layouts from the Chooser menu?

A. With the Layout chooser open, Use Shift + Select together to grab groups of files.  Also you can use Ctl+select to pick specific items, rather than a range. Furthermore you can use Show All Contents and grab a whole lot at once

Q. How do I search your WEB for a specific layout?

A. You can search by right-clicking a folder in your Layout chooser tree and picking "Find". Then type in a portion of a filename, and it will go to the first hit. Use Find Next to go to the next choice.

Q. Why can't I get these cars to uncouple? The tool is dimmed for no apparent reason.

A. There are reasons you might not be able to uncouple, having to do with physics and common sense. You can't uncouple if the train is backing up, unless you're uncoupling a car which sits ahead of the engine, because if you did, the next movement of the train would cause it to re-couple.

Also, to couple you must be going at a slow speed. The default coupling speed is 15 MPH which you can change this in the Preferences \  Operations \ Coupling dialog.

Also, you are prevented from uncoupling when cars sit atop a junction point (usually at the frog of a switch). If the uncouple button is dim, try moving your train a little forward or backward.

Q. How do I turn my TP sounds on?

A. First off, inside TrainPlayer, open any layout and go into your View menu and Select "Running Sounds". Then select any engine on your layout and start it. If you hear sounds, then all is good. If you want more sound options for your engine, then right click on that engine again to bring up Layout Properties. Then select the Train tab and scroll down the "Running" list until you get to the Download Sound Library. Click on that and you should get a much bigger selection of sounds for your Sounds \ Chuff library to choose from the next time you start TrainPlayer.  That particular download may take a few minutes to complete.

If you want sounds associated with your stations / industries, then turn on the station from the Track menu.  Then click on any station to open the Station properties dialog and to the Sound line.  Click on it to select an existing sound.  If you want  more choices select the web tab, scroll though and tag your choices and select "download more sounds"

Q. Is there a Switching / Operating plan for TrainPlayer?

A.  The Ops system in TrainPlayer has evolved through several stages from stations and simple tools for monitoring train moves in and out of them.  Car loads were introduced in Version 2, then our first complete Ops system in TrainPlayer 4.0. 

In TrainPlayer 7 the evolution took another large step. The extensive body of scripting code from YardMaster was converted to c++ and incorporated directly into the program.  Older facilities were scrapped -- old engine, color codes, stations, ops windows -- and new ones introduced: Ops Central, track labels, new ops engine built from the ground up, based on logic developed over years.  The end result is Advanced Operations (abbreviated to AO).

AO is a sophisticated, customizable, easy-to-use system for conducting both freight and passenger train operations on our TrainPlayer simulated model railroads. The new AO system recognizes that all layouts have different needs regarding operations and incorporates the advantages of the Tag on Car, Card Waybill, Card Order and Computer Generated Switchlist methods of model railroad operation to provide a satisfying operating experience on layouts which may have many different design features. Incorporating these different modes of operation into a single system makes AO suitable for controlling individual car  movements between staging and industries, running block trains to and from major industries, routing blocks of cars in fast freights to classification yards for subsequent breakdown and handling by local trains, and the routing of passenger trains from station to station by updating the “Tag on Car” label automatically each time the “Active Train” stops at an intermediate destination.

Q. Does TrainPlayer let me import any layout designs from other design programs like AnyRail?

A. Users of AnyRail can convert layouts for use in TrainPlayer. The converter handles most standard track elements: turnouts, curved turnouts, wyes, turntables, crossings, hidden tracks, bridges, rerailers, slip switches*. This conversion requires a TrackLayer license.

Q. How do I import my AnyRail file into TrainPlayer?

A.  Inside AnyRail, open your layout and then select from the AnyRail Main Menu  - File/Export As and choose TrainPlayer, as shown at left:

This process converts your .ANY file into an XML file which TrainPlayer can read and it also makes a copy of your layout image. Both the image file and the XML conversion file are needed AFTER you convert your AR plan to TrainPlayer. So you may want to save both files on a NEW folder on your PC’s desktop.

To open your layout in TrainPlayer, start our program and select – File / Import and locate and select your Layout.xml file in your AnyRail folder OR in that New folder on your PC desktop (shown above right).

Then, once the conversion is complete, you will see your layout in TrainPlayer and you can add rail cars and engines to that plan. If you are a licensed TrainPlayer user, you would then Save your newly converted file which will appear as <layout name>.rrw.

Q. I am using AnyRail for track laying and design but when I import my file to TrainPlayer, the resolution looks fuzzy. How can I improve the look of my plan?

A. Both TrainPlayer and AnyRail work hard to keep each other aware of various updates to their respective programs to ensure easy export / import of files. In this case, to ensure a good quality import file for TrainPlayer, you need to make sure that inside AnyRail, you go to View Scale and choose a size which is suitable to display your layout properly. For small layouts in the range of 4 feet X 8 feet, that scale might be set at 1:5. For larger, room sized or club type layouts .you may want to try a scale of 1:8 or 1:10. Next Save your file in AnyRail. Then Export the file to TrainPlayer xml format. Inside TrainPlayer, go to File\Import\AnyRail and our program will convert that file into TrainPlayer formats.

If you're not satisfied with the resolution, you can always go back into AnyRail and change your View Scale settings accordingly. With the enhanced Zoom capabilities added recently to TrainPlayer, our program can handle image sizes up to about 10 Mbs.without too much trouble. Above that size, you may experience PC performance issues depending upon your PC hardware configuration.

Section 3 - More technical questions

This is a problem that I have had with multi-section layouts before. Suddenly the rolling materiel gets stuck in cyberspace, somewhere between the two layouts. What's happening and how do I resolve it?

How do I link together several layouts to make my own railroad empire?

How do I fix this error message - "Can't find Default Cars"?

How can we change the rail spacing to simulate Narrow Gauge track work?

How do I get rid of the blank layout 1 from my opening screen?

How do I clear my list of Recent layouts in TrainPlayer?

How do I access the Registry Editor to delete any corrupted settings in TP?

How do I make my preferred car collection the Default for a specific layout?

Can I connect 2 displays/monitors to a computer and use TrainPlayer across both?

Q. This is a problem that I have had with multi-section layouts before. Suddenly the rolling materiel gets stuck in cyberspace, somewhere between the two layouts. What's happening and how do I resolve it?

A. Cars getting stuck in space is a consequence of the way "linked layouts" work. When the rolling stock are jumping across layouts, there is a copy of the train on both layouts, sitting hidden at the jump-off or jump-on spot until the train is ready to become visible. If something interrupts this process, those cars can still be sitting there, ready to cause problems in the future.

Also there is a more obvious problem. After you jump a train from layout A to layout B, if you were to save either layout to a file, it would save the train where it then sits. So let's say you start in A, jump to B, then save the file and quit the program. Next time you bring up A and jump it to B, you'll find your saved copy of the train on B.

The best advice is to get rid of any phantom cars and trains you find or come across. Since you can not see them, this is not easy, but check the Train menu. The last resort is to edit the xml or RRW file to remove them by force. If this is the case, then drop us a line at support@trainplayer.com

Q. How do I link together several layouts to make one large Empire?

A. Please refer to the TrainPlayer User Manual for detailed instructions on how to set up "Links". Here are some key points to remember:

• Links can ONLY be made from one "stub-ended siding" to another. You can have as many links between any two or more layouts as you want, so long as they are stub to stub type connections.
• Each stub ended siding will support only ONE link and cannot be re-used for any others. The Link ID must be the same for both sides of the linked connection.
• The best recommended practice is to have both of the layouts to be linked, open at the same time. Designate your link point(s), save each file, then test each link by running a train through the link(s) in each direction. If you encounter problems, first go to the main tool bar, Tools, select Check Track. The pop up dialog box will often indicate where the problem is located.
• Presently you cannot generate OPS or switch lists from inside TrainPlayer to include industries spread over 2 or more linked layouts. However, you can, as many of our users do, generate a switch list, save it in Excel format or some other program and then modify it manually to cover your entire linked railroad empire.

If your problem persists, send us a note along with your *.RRW file and we will try to assist you

Q  How do I fix this error message - "Can't find Default Cars"?

A. All of the TrainPlayer data files are located here in Windows Explorer: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\TrainPlayer\.

At the top of that directory tree, you will find listed among the few files, one called "choosers6.xml". This file keeps note of where the program locates various types of files. It may likely have been carried over even after a couple of re-installations. With TrainPlayer closed, please locate and DELETE the choosers6.xml file .

TrainPlayer will rebuild it when you next start it up. Next just start TrainPlayer and see if you can get into the program.  If this does NOT resolve your issue, then send us details on your computer set up - Windows version, TrainPlayer version,  and what anti-virus you may be running, in an email to  support@trainplayer.com.

Q. How can we change the rail spacing to simulate Narrow Gauge track work?

A. With TrainPlayer 6.5, do a right click on any track segment to Open the Track Properties menu. In that menu, click on the drop down arrow for the Default Track settings, to open the Road Styles menu. Click on the Rails tab and set the properties to Prototype feet.  Then enter your desired narrow gauge width.  Finally press OK on that menu to lock in your choice

Q. How do I get rid of the blank layout 1 from my opening screen?

A. You can use Snapshot Windows to get rid of the blank layout. Set up your opening window with the layout you want, not the default blank, then use the Window\Snapshot window feature. Now, close TP and restart. Assuming your File \ Preferences are set to "show last layout on open.", you should see your choice going forward.

Q. How do I clear my list of Recent layouts in TrainPlayer?

A. With TrainPlayer closed, go into the Registry editor via - START\Run\Regedit which brings up the various keys used by various software programs. Go to the Registry Editor Menu bar Edit\Find and type in "TrainPlayer". The correct key location should come up on the 2nd or 3rd "Find Next" and the correct key looks like this: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TrainPlayer\TrainPlayer\Recent File List.

Click on File 1 to select the text and delete it. TrainPlayer will re-build it when it opens again. Close your Registry editor and run TrainPlayer.  Repeat this process for the other entries on your Recent File List to clear them all.

Q. How do I access the Registry Editor to delete any corrupted settings in TP?

A. If, for example, you made some customizations to your menu tool bar and your Windows 7 / 8  / 10 keeps crashing, then the best thing is to delete the registry key folder: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TrainPlayer\TrainPlayer\Toolbar Settings 5, or 15 or whatever number is assigned.

To do this: in the Start search box, type regedit and choose regedit.exe. Navigate to the above key [TP toolbar settings]. Select the folder, press Delete, confirm that you know what you're doing, then close Regedit and try re-starting TP.

This deletion will  reset all your toolbars and keyboard to vanilla and you will be now able to customize it to your preferred settings.

Q. How do I make my preferred car collection the Default for a specific layout?

A. With TrainPlayer 6, you can now attach any car collection to any layout as its "default" collection. Simply open a layout, do a right click somewhere on it,  to open a menu. Scroll down to Layout Properties. In the next menu, select the Train tab and go to the "Default car collection for this layout" and scroll down to the car chooser. In that chooser, select whichever folder you want as the Defaults car set. Save and close that window. Now any time you add a car type for that layout, TP selects one that matches from your choice of the Defaults set.

Q. Can I connect 2 displays / monitors to a computer and use TrainPlayer across both?

A. The answer is dependent upon your PC hardware. If you have a desktop computer with a dedicated graphics card, it often comes with multiple ports " usually VGA and HDMI. HDMI is preferred choice since it will carry sound as well as picture. Windows 7 and Windows 8 / 8.1 will recognize the second screen. Inside your computer's Control Panel \ display options, you can customize the setting to suit yourself. For example you can "undock" the Train Window and have it stretch across both screens to view really long trains. Or, you can have your switch list and schedule appear on one display while the other features the layout itself.