Included in the Trainz Simulator Engineers Edition Release are several new routes for you to explore as well as improvements to routes you're used to. Developed specifically to run in 'Native' mode, experience the best Trainz® ever. New routes are available for you to drive with upgraded content specific to Trainz Simulator 2010 Engineers Edition including SpeedTree® throughout. High Quality and detailed trees breathe new life into your routes and bring your worlds to life. New to Trainz Simulator 2010 is the inclusion of SpeedTree®. You can build a fun layout in minutes, faithfully recreate a steam railroad from days gone by or develop a fully fledged 100+ mile prototypical route the choice is yours. TS2021 is actually an old simulator called Railworks that was acquired and renamed Train Simulator, and over the years has amassed a huge quantity of DLC and custom content.Product Information Trainz Simulator 2010: Engineers Edition includes everything you need to build and operate your own dream railroad. Every year they change the name to keep it current, but most of the game's content is 5-10 years old if not older. TSW is the reboot with modern graphical fidelity, but it has far less breadth of content. If you want to drive a specific route or a specific locomotive, Train Simulator probably has it. TSW has more detail in each locomotive and lets you walk around the entire train and interact with most of the switches, but I don't think it has any steam locomotives yet, and it overall feels too arcadey, but that's just my opinion. I think you're better off with TS but I'd also like to mention Derail Valley especially if you have any interest in playing in VR! It doesn't simulate a real time or place but the physics and freight operations are great and its a lot of fun. Train sim world is overhyped and extremely bad and unrealistic.
Having played both games, I wouldn't necessarily say so.
Much of TS20XX was just start game in a cab, drive until you get to your destinations, and then the "Well done" message pops up and takes you back to the main screen. Train Sim World on the other hand as a set of first hand exploration functions, most notably exploration on foot and Timetabled services that allow you to either continue picking up trains to drive or to experience the route as a passenger (which, by the way, you can't in TS as you are still technically driving the train), or as an onlooker at a station (See all the TSW trainspotting videos out). While it can do better in certain respects (SimRail has shown that), it is still more realistic than TS2021. If there is one overhyped game in the market of Train Sims, particularly for the fanbase of Train Sim World, I would say it's SimRail. True, it's game mechanics package, with real-time weather, multi-modal playing, and what I think is the killer for many, Multi-player, is ridiculously OP, but that game has been largely regarded as this sort of panacea from the Train Simulation gods as a competitor and if they defected to it, than all their problems with Train Sims would forever be solved. While SimRail is certainly a game that I think u/adrian23138 (the host) would like more than Train Sim World, it won't be without its downsides and disappointment when it comes out on Q3 of 2021,even if it manages to fulfill its promises and this lofty package. Even though are made by Dovetail, they feature different backgrounds and experiences. TS is probably as old as the newer Trainz versions itself, as a game that has been around since 2012 and hasn't changed very much, aside from the addition of new DLC routes.
That said it does feature much larger maps and steam, so between the two, this is probably the better direction for you. Train Sim World has far better graphics, and more exploratory options more represents a merge between isolated FPS and Train Sims with a timetabled set of services.