From: mitton@dave.enet.dec.com (Dave Mitton)
Subject: Re: Railroad Tycoon hints?
Keywords: games, railroad tycoon
Reply-To: mitton@dave.enet.dec.com (Dave Mitton)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Littleton MA
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 18:39:44 GMT


In article <86629@netnews.upenn.edu>, vinson@shiva.seas.upenn.edu (Jack Vinson) writes:
>From: vinson@shiva.seas.upenn.edu (Jack Vinson)
>Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games
>Subject: Re: Railroad Tycoon hints?
>Date: 20 Aug 92 13:52:57 GMT
>
>Now I have some questions:
>
>1)  Has anyone ever been able to build textile mills or forts in the Europe
>scenario?  It always tells me the location I've chosen is unsuitable.   I
>vaguely remember this happening in the US for one of the industries, but I
>can't remember which.

        I too have had a lot of problems with getting "acceptable" industry
sites.  It seems that it often doesn't like to build in areas that are built
up or within a current station's radius. Often you may have to build further
out than you would prefer. Occasionally, I've been able to build near a
smaller station, then expand that station after the industry is in, to
encompass it. Or pick a random location on the proper rail route, build the
industry, then put a station next to it.

>2)  Why can the computer cheat when building railroad and we can't?  i.e.
>Track coming out of stations at odd angles, 135 degree turns, several
>sections of track over a river, etc.

        Resign yourself to the fact that the computer opponents are not
duplicating your effort, they are just abstractions.  It is funny to see
that it doesn't always get the track to connect square-to-square!

        Someone pointed out, and I seem to have confirmed this in a game
recently, that the computer opponent has a limitation that it can only build
relative straight line routes.  If there is an obstruction or other track in
the way, it cannot work around it.  I had taken over an Italian RR in a
European game, and was trying to build from Venice to Trieste before the
Frence RR cut me off in Northern Italy.  I could not get it to follow
the coast line, nor jump directly across the sea to Yugoslavia.

	You can build really neat sneak arounds and use "ferries" (eg: build
on the ocean) to get around blocks by the computer.  I once built from NYC
all the way through NJ (skirting an opponent in Trenton) down to Wilmington
and started a whole new southern division.  I ripped up the track during a
Boom, but got screwed when it generated a Priority cargo from north to
south.  Next time, just leave the track in.

>3)  What is the highest retirement bonus anyone has ever achieved without
>cheating?  I've only made it to about 3.5 million at the %100 difficulty
>level.

	I don't finish enough games to keep track.  
(hmmm... maybe I need to play on faster pcs... yeah that's the ticket ;^)

>4)  Related question:  How does one continue to increase profits even as
>expenses continue to increase?  After about 70 years it seems that my
>profits increase at about the same rate as my expenses which keeps me from
>making a whole lot more money and my shareholders begin getting pissed if I
>don't start doing something.

        I guess I don't have this problem if I have a successful game.
(I do have the problem more often near the beginning)  
The only answer I can offer is that you have to run the railroad more 
efficently;
- Upgrade trackage to allow trains to flow efficently
- Try to deliver all the offered cargo before it ages
- Upgrade cities (Restaurants,Hotels,Switching)
- Watch maintenance costs, upgrade locos regularly
- Watch revenue figures, retire/reroute trains that are NOT doing well enough
- Cut off/abandon trackage that isn't useful
	(you pay a maintenance fee for track miles,
	however sell only during Boom, or Prosperity to get the
	best real estate value... this would be for spur lines to 
	resources that have dried up.)

>5)  Is there an "easy" way to take over another RR so that your not ending
>up paying off all their debt?  The only thing I've figured out is to
>slowly buy them out and beat them on getting to 60% of their stock.
>Completely buying them out becomes rather expensive.

	Haven't figured this one out myself.  I get the impression that
this is part of the game.

        I am just getting to the point of being more aggressive in starting
Rate wars.  I can usually be successful in the early game or with small RRs.

	It seems that juggling your money in the early game is key to
your success later on.  I usually over extend my initial RR and spend most 
of energy staying out of debt.  Not good.

        Dave.