Chris Sawyer’s Locomotion

2004 Chris Sawyer Simulation, Strategy

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Gamicality score

Metacritic 596

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 811

How it’s combined

Playability today

3.5

Runs today3.5/5

Design today3/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

86%

615 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Chris Sawyer’s Locomotion run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Played Chris Sawyer’s Locomotion lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Chris Sawyer’s Locomotion running today

If the game fails with a graphics initialization error or shows a garbled screen on Windows 10 or 11, install OpenLoco, which runs the game from the original files with modern fixes (Steam thread).
For windowed play without OpenLoco, use the RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 windowed mode hack listed on PCGamingWiki.

Synopsis

Locomotion is an isometric transport tycoon game from the creator of Transport Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon. You build rail, road, tram, sea and air routes between towns and industries, buy vehicles and grow a profitable company over the decades. Forty scenarios set goals, and you can keep playing a map after meeting them.

Developer: Chris Sawyer
Released: 2004
Genre: Simulation, Strategy
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics in 2004 found it too close to the decade-old Transport Tycoon, faulting the dated look, weak AI rivals and fiddly track building, which left it with a Metascore of 59 on PC. Fans of the genre have been kinder over time, and Steam players today rate it highly for its deep, absorbing network building. Several reviewers recommend running it through the open-source OpenLoco project for better stability and higher resolutions.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3.5/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
LAN and direct IP multiplayer still work, and nothing has been removed from the current release (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
The highest native widescreen resolution is 1280×768, with no ultrawide or 4K support (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
The game has no controller support (PCGamingWiki).
?Not confirmed yetSteam Deck Verified or Playable
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki reports that the game runs stable on modern systems, though some players need OpenLoco to get past graphics errors (PCGamingWiki).

Design today

3/5

Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Laying track and placing vehicles on the correct side of a tram line takes fussy cursor work and camera rotation, mouse sensitivity cannot be changed and there is no controller support. Source: steamcommunity.com, pcgamingwiki.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The game tops out at 1600×1200, with 1280×768 as its highest widescreen resolution and no 4K or ultrawide support, so the interface is small and stretched on modern screens. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Games can be saved freely at any point in a scenario, which players advise doing often, and scenarios can continue after their goals are met. Source: steamcommunity.com, pcgamingwiki.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Three tutorials cover roads, land and transport routes, and each can play itself as a demonstration before the player takes over. Source: gamerstemple.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
Forty scenarios range from beginner to expert with short, clear goals, and the player sets the pace of expansion without forced waiting. Source: gamerstemple.com.
Camera or movement fights the player
The fixed isometric camera only rotates in 90-degree steps, and players often have to rotate it just to see or reach the right piece of track. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.