Railroad has its merits, but overall was a disappointment. RT2 offers more realism, a map editor, and is less of a hog.
Most of the gameplay was familiar although the interface was different. The first change I noticed was in not having to add trackside maintenance buildings, an non-issue. The following changes, however were.
Issue 1: Its a system hog. It loads slowly and is prone to hang. My system does have decent speed and RAM.
Issue 2: The maps are unrealistic, lack scale and accuracy, and look childish. Mountains are grossly distorted. Some scenerios start you on a cliff where the track grade is radical.
Issue 3: NO MAP EDITOR! That is a huge issue if you enjoy creating your own world and challenges.
On a positive note - The music is great. If this is your first venture into train sumulations, You'll probably enjoy it.