American Powerhaul Train Simulator

American Powerhaul Train Simulator is a train simulation game developed by Dovetail Games, released on March 11, 2016. Players take control of America’s most powerful locomotives, testing their skills on challenging routes including the detailed Sherman Hill route. The game offers both first-person and third-person perspectives for an immersive experience operating heavy freight trains across North American landscapes.

American Powerhaul Train Simulator: A Derailed Vision on Sherman Hill

In the vast and intricate landscape of simulation games, few titles manage to be as simultaneously niche and infamous as Dovetail Games’ 2016 release, American Powerhaul Train Simulator. It is a title that exists not as a landmark of achievement, but as a curious case study in branding, consumer expectations, and the fine line between a dedicated expansion and a standalone product that feels perilously like a cynical cash grab. This is not merely a game about trains; it is a journey into the heart of a specific, and ultimately flawed, development philosophy.

Development History & Context

To understand American Powerhaul Train Simulator, one must first understand its developer, Dovetail Games, and its flagship product, Train Simulator. For years, Dovetail had perfected a particular business model: a base game that served as a platform, supported by a veritable avalanche of downloadable content (DLC). Individual locomotives, routes, and scenarios were sold à la carte, often at premium prices, leading the community to half-jokingly refer to the base game as the most expensive on Steam once all its DLC was acquired.

Released on March 11, 2016, American Powerhaul was positioned as a “standalone” product. The vision, as inferred from its marketing, was to create a focused, high-intensity experience centered on the raw power required to conquer one of North America’s most legendary and challenging rail routes: Sherman Hill in Wyoming. This 60-mile stretch between Cheyenne and Laramie, with its grueling grades and harsh weather, was a perfect setting for a sim focused on heavy freight and brute-force engineering.

However, the technological and commercial context is crucial. This was not built on a new engine nor did it represent a generational leap. It was constructed from the very same assets and codebase as Train Simulator. The “standalone” distinction was, in practice, a marketing one. It required the Train Simulator base game to function, blurring the line between a new title and what was essentially a large DLC pack bundled with a stripped-down version of the platform. This decision, more than any other, would define its reception and legacy.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

As a hardcore simulation, American Powerhaul Train Simulator does not feature a narrative in the traditional sense. There is no cast of characters, no plot twists, and no dialogue. Instead, its narrative is one of environment and engineering; its themes are those of man versus machine versus nature.

The “story” is told through the twenty-three included scenarios. Each one is a vignette, a specific challenge set on the Sherman Hill route. Titles like “Big Blow’s Descent,” “Through the Storm Over Sherman,” and “Full Throttle Over Sherman” establish a clear thematic throughline: adversity. The player isn’t just conducting a train; they are battling a force of nature. The narrative arc is one of mastery—from the introductory scenarios that familiarize you with the controls and the route, to the brutally demanding final missions that test every ounce of your skill and patience.

The characters are the locomotives themselves. The game invites you to develop a relationship with these mechanical behemoths. The 8,500hp Union Pacific Gas Turbine, nicknamed the “Big Blow,” is portrayed as a fuel-guzzling titan, a relic of a bygone era of unbridled power. In contrast, the modern ES44ACs and SD70Ms represent efficiency and computerized control, while the classic SD40-2s offer a nostalgic, hands-on analog experience. The thematic core is a reverence for American industrial might and the evolution of rail technology, all set against the immutable and punishing beauty of the Wyoming landscape.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

The core gameplay loop of American Powerhaul is identical to that of Train Simulator. This is a fidelity-first operations simulator. The primary loop involves:
1. Selecting a scenario.
2. Carefully following a detailed set of instructions and timetable.
3. Managing the throttle, dynamic brake, and independent brake to maintain control of thousands of tons of freight on steep grades.
4. Navigating signals and switches to ensure a safe journey.
5. Reaching your destination within specified parameters.

The mechanics are unforgiving and complex. There is no “arcade” mode. Misjudge your braking on a descent, and you will experience a runaway train. Overpower your throttle on a curve, and you will derail. The game demands a meticulous, patient approach.

However, this is where the game’s fundamental contradiction emerges. While it sells itself on the “powerhaul” fantasy of raw, untamed horsepower, the mechanics are those of a precise, technical simulator. The thrill of controlling the massive “Big Blow” turbine is arguably the game’s unique offering, but it is hamstrung by the same underlying systems—and bugs—present in the main Train Simulator title.

Player reports from the Steam community highlight persistent technical flaws that shattered immersion. The most damning was a reported bug where the game would falsely register a derailment at exactly 10 minutes and 52 seconds into any scenario, regardless of the player’s actions. Such a game-breaking flaw, if widespread, points to a product that was not adequately polished or tested before release. The UI, while functional for veterans, was known to be impenetrable for newcomers, with a steep learning curve that the game’s minimal tutorials did little to alleviate.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The game’s singular focus on the Sherman Hill route is its greatest aesthetic strength. The 60-mile stretch is rendered with a respectable attention to detail for its time. The art direction is grounded in realism: the vast, sweeping plains giving way to steep, forested climbs, all under the immense sky of the American West. The visual representation of seasonal changes, particularly the brutal winter conditions, adds a palpable sense of atmosphere and challenge.

The sound design is a critical component. The roar of the Gas Turbine is distinct from the diesel-electric grind of the EMD and GE locomotives. Each engine has its own acoustic personality, from the deep-throated rumble of the SD40-2 to the high-tech whine of the ES44AC. The sounds of creaking cars, clacking rails, and howling wind contribute significantly to the immersion. When the mechanics work in harmony with the audiovisual presentation, there are moments of genuine brilliance—the feeling of wrestling a massive train up a snow-covered grade during a blizzard is visceral and compelling.

However, the overall visual fidelity was showing its age even in 2016, based on the older Train Simulator engine. Textures could be muddy, and environmental details were often sparse compared to other contemporary simulators. It was a functional, but not a groundbreaking, technical achievement.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, American Powerhaul Train Simulator was met with confusion and criticism. With a Steam user review score languishing at a “Mostly Negative” 40% based on 25 reviews, the consensus was clear. The criticism was not aimed at the Sherman Hill route or the locomotives themselves, which were generally considered high-quality Dovetail content. The outrage was directed at the product’s very existence as a standalone title.

Players and critics alike derided it as a transparent attempt to double-dip. The discovery that it was essentially a repackaging of Train Simulator and its DLC led to accusations that customers were being fooled. Questions abounded on forums: “Is this Train Simulator 2016 + Sherman Hill DLC??” and “Why did they release it as a single game?” were common refrains. The sentiment was perfectly captured by one user who simply asked, “what on earth is this?”

Its legacy is therefore not one of innovation or influence, but of caution. American Powerhaul Train Simulator stands as a textbook example of how not to handle an established franchise and its community. It reinforced the perception of Dovetail Games as a company more interested in monetization than in delivering coherent, valuable products. It did not spawn a new sub-series of “Powerhaul” games; instead, it became a forgotten, odd footnote in the Train Simulator timeline—a bizarre misstep that the community remembers as a low point in the franchise’s history.

Conclusion

American Powerhaul Train Simulator is a game of profound contradiction. At its core, it contains a compelling simulation experience: the legendary Sherman Hill route and a roster of powerful, iconic locomotives. In a vacuum, this content is well-crafted and offers exactly what hardcore train sim enthusiasts crave.

However, a game cannot be reviewed in a vacuum. Its execution as a standalone product was fundamentally flawed, cynical, and poorly received. The decision to market it as a new game, despite being utterly dependent on an existing platform, was a catastrophic error in judgment that alienated its core audience. When combined with persistent technical issues, the entire package felt like an overpriced, undercooked DLC masquerading as a full release.

Its place in video game history is secured, but not as a champion of the genre. It is a case study in misguided branding and a warning of how quickly developer trust can be eroded. For the few who could look past its problematic packaging, American Powerhaul offers a challenging and authentic slice of American railroading. For everyone else, it remains a curious and disappointing detour on the otherwise long-running mainline of train simulation.