A double twelve set of dominoes is used. The dominoes are shuffled and distributed as equally as possible among the players. With four playing, three will have 23 dominoes and one will have 22. The players stand their dominoes on edge so that their faces are visible to the owner but not to the other players. The player who has the 12-12 begins the first game by placing it in the centre of the table.
Players then take turns, in clockwise order around the table, to add one domino to the layout.
Each player has their own train , which is a single row of dominoes starting from the 12-12 in the centre and extending towards the player. The ends of adjacent dominoes must match in number and the centre facing end of the first domino played must match the centre domino, in this case a 12. To begin with players are only entitled to add a domino to their own player or to the caboose. The nickel is placed on the caboose, to distinguish it from the other trains and show that it is open to all players. The caboose can be started by any player, beginning like the other trains with a domino which has a 12 at one end to match the centre domino.