Quite a few answers here https://www.google.com/search?q=tra...E3OTg2ajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://steamcommunity.com/app/24010/discussions/3/366298942111524332/ Google is your friend, Dr Google makes you worse.
Unfortunately, "cache" is a poor name to have chosen and it misleads many. It is just a kind of database or index of content, so that the game can find items quicker. At startup it will make a quick check of the files (by comparing the "checksums" previously created) and index anything that is new or changed. It doesn't require any action on your part, Dovetail's advice is to leave well alone unless they ask you to do so as part of a fault-finding process. Clearing the cache causes the game to completely re-index content, so loading will be slowed the next time the game starts while it re-indexes everything. A lot of people have convinced themselves they should do this regularly (as in that linked thread), but it achieves nothing - they are thinking of other kinds of cache elsewhere, e.g. a browser cache. John
I use it when I have installed 3rd party content like a new route or consist. If I just try to load the route/consist after installation TSC completely freaks out with all kind of weird behavior and random error messages. After a clear cache and a reboot of the game the route/consist just loads and plays fine. ps. You can just hoover the mouse pointer of the option in game and a pop-up will say what it does.
