Microsoft rides the rails again with Train Simulator

Almost six years ago, Microsoft brought its Flight Simulator series down to Earth with the release of Microsoft Train Simulator. The game offered more than 600 miles of re-created railroad routes to run and a level of detail that took into account everything from the rate of coal shoveling on steam trains to the logistical problems of switching cars in a crowded rail yard.

The publisher apparently has boxcars in its blood now, as Microsoft has announced it will return to the rails with a new Train Simulator. A teaser site has surfaced with links to some of the developers' blogs. In Rick Selby's blog, the lead game designer on this installment of Train Simulator talks about his work on the first game, as well as a canceled follow-up to the original of which he says, "Unfortunately, we hit our collective thumb with the hammer on that second attempt."

The new game will be developed by Aces Studio and built on the Flight Simulator X platform. No other details were announced, but the teaser page promises that more information will be revealed later this year.