====== Frequently Asked Questions ======

//Note: Updated in November 2023 to cover the changes in the game and frequently asked questions from recent time.//

We have a lot of questions people have asked us. Some are unique while others aren't. Here's a list of some of the more common bugs and questions.

==== General Game Questions ====

=== How do I clear an allocated (green) track or other element? ===

Game clears them once a trains runs over them. However, under some circumstances, they may be left over allocated - e.g. after you build something from an allocated track or reverse a train so it does not use the whole route.

If it is a Signal, just right-click it.

If it is some other element:
  - Open its Configuration by middle click or clicking 'V' when hovering it.
  - Press the Clear button (it has a broom icon).

=== How do I get red experience points in Endless? ===

Red experience points are granted by
  * Freight contracts (one-time)
  * Regional contracts (recurrent, one point for each leg)
  * Urban Transit contracts (recurrent, one point for each run)

These contracts will only appear if you have their respective System Upgrades installed and Dispatcher Office building built.

To install the first two upgrades, you need 3 red points that are granted once you reach some threshold in green points per hour (8 in most maps but can be set for each map individually).

To get red experience points:
  - Open System Upgrades to check the throughput threshold to get 3 red points, it is displayed above the bar on top (usually it is 8 green points per hour).
  - Reach this throughput threshold and get the points.
  - Open System Upgrades, switch to Red tab and install either Freights[/] or Regional trains upgrade.
  - Open Construction and build a Dispatcher Office at some of your stations.
  - Wait for a red contract to be generated.
  - Accept the contract and operate its trains.

=== Why I am not getting Freight / Regional / Urban Transit contracts? ===

Red contracts are covered by previous section. Here you will find a brief checklist of things needed to get them:

  * Upgrade installed
  * Dispatcher Office built. Preferably at some non-border station (to make things simple)
  * Station of Dispatcher Office servicing wanted contract type. Middle-click the station sign to inspect. 
  * Other unlocked station servicing contract type. Mostly (except Urban Transit) you need at least one border station for trains to come in.
  * Urban Transit only: Coach Yard built for the same station as Dispatcher Office.

=== Why my Regional train does not wait when I set the waiting time? ===

It is a situation when Regional train is being shunted using the shunting commands and a Reuse command with some large time (like 15 minutes) is enqueued. Surprisingly, the train does not wait but proceeds immediately.

In fact it is not a wait time, but an advance time.

Advance Time: Time before the next leg's schedule start when reusing is performed.

It is because intermission duration may vary between 10 and 30 minutes but the preparation time is almost constant. Using the advance time setting, the train waits for variable time and then goes to the platform in a constant time frame, moving the variability from platforms to stabling tracks.

So the recommended value is something like like 3 minutes.

=== How do I set signals to always route to the same connection? ===

You need to:
  - Unlock Routing Queue in the Green tab of the System Upgrades panel.
  - Create the desired route.
  - Hover the signal and press V or middle-click the signal. Signal Configuration opens opens up for the signal you selected.
  - Click the Perpetual Autoroute button (has ∞ symbol)

Now the signal will continuously route to the desired destination.

=== I changed the UI scale so I do not see its slider anymore ===

Press Ctrl + U

If it does not help, try to reset game settings (including video settings).

=== What are the dashed parts of the tracks? ===

They are Autoblocks. Autoblocks represent long sections of the tracks between the stations with signalling that allows automated movement of trains in segments of 1km length.

In real-world railways and in Rail Route as well, most of the control is performed in stations and sometimes junctions where trains can change direction, be routed to various destinations etc. These "hot spots" are connected by long and relatively simple tracks where trains just run one after another.

To condense the view, these are not depicted in full detail but just as a "shortcut" either in real dispatcher software or in Rail Route.

=== Are there cheats / sandbox mode? ===

There is a Debug Menu. Press F2 to access it.

You can pour money and research points to the game either to try things or to play unlimited / sandbox mode.

Beware that score disappears once you cheat.

=== How long are the tracks? ===

Each track has a specific length in meters. These lengths are:
  * Straight track: 100 meters per square
  * Diagonal track: 140 meters per square
  * Autoblock: 1000 meters per segment

=== How to dispatch a Regional train in reversed order from a Coach Yard ===

Reg trains have just one cab and are slow when running reversed. However, they can be either turner around when stabling or dispatched in reversed order from a Coach Yard if needed (e. g. in Masaryk Station).

To do so:
  - Click the train
  - Open its Contract Configuration ('X' key).
  - Switch to the leg that should be dispatched in reversed order.
  - Click the button displayed at it's first stop.

=== I can't accept trains onto station platforms without a sink in my custom map! ===

Custom Timetable maps now support only trains that come via the border stations. Support for trains that originate at the Coach Yards building is on the ToDo list. You can work around by creating a separate coach yard station.

==== Bugs ====

=== Game does not start on a Mac ===

Symptoms including but not only:
  - Game turns into fullscreen mode and logo is displayed.
  - Screen becomes black with rainbow spinning forever.

Try changing the SIP Settings - we encountered situation when the game ran only if set to the more strict mode.

=== Game does not start on Linux ===

Try running the game with OpenGL instead of Vulcan. To do so, put the following into launch options:
<code>-force-opengl</code>

=== Game is crashing or frozen when trying to start it ===

Rarely happens e.g. when using fullscreen on two monitors or or fullscreen at all.

Solution is to reset game resolution settings:
  - Update GPU driver and try again
  - Completely uninstall and then install again the GPU driver. Chose complete rather than express installation. (We had cases when just updating was not enough. The driver was presumably installed incorrectly and the driver installer did not update that particular file because it was not changed by in the new version. Only fresh install helped). Try again.
  - If possible, open Options → Video → Display and change Window mode from Borderless Fullscreen Window to Windowed or vice versa.
  - If not possible or did not help, open game settings location:
<code>Windows: Winkey+R, Run "regedit", find Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\bitrich\
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/bitrich/
Mac: ~/Library/Preferences/bitrich/</code>
  - There, delete the Rail Route directory.
  - Restart the game.

If the problem persists, please try older versions of the game. They are available as Betas section in Steam Client. Some older GPUs can run older versions but fail to start newer as they are missing some API the game needs to run.

=== Texts aren't loading ===

An uncommon bug on Linux.

Solution:
  - Open Options
  - In Video section, set Window mode to Borderless Fullscreen Window
  - Restart the game

=== My anti-virus software reports the game executable malicious ===

If the file is from official Steam distribution, you should not worry. To be sure, feel free to upload the file to be scanned by dozens of respected anti-virus programs. Seldom it happens that there is false-positive detection even by first-class program.

You can even send the file to the anti-virus software vendor for investigation and white-listing.

=== No audio on Linux ===

Maybe you use a Linux distro with Pipewire. If so, put the following into launch options:
<code>FMOD_ALSA_DEVICE=pulse %command%</code>