The Iron Seed

**The Iron Seed** is the first mission of the classic campaign in Railroad Tycoon II, as well as the first scenario of the North American act. The basis of this scenario is the construction of the early stages of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad during the early 1830's. The map is a representation of Chesapeake Bay.

## Overview

### Introduction Spiel

> *Well here you are, on the threshold of greatness! With the sweatin' labor of the first spikes you drive, you'll be launching your first trains, and at the same time, an era of revolutionary transport. Watch as the nation grows with the help of your iron horses! The people of that nation, if not the whole dang world are watching and hoping, so don't mess up!*
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### Victory Conditions

* **Bronze:** Connect Baltimore to Washington and haul 4 lifetime loads before 1840.
* **Silver:** Also connect to Harper's Ferry and haul 8 lifetime loads before 1840.
* **Gold:** Also connect to Philidelphia and haul 12 lifetime loads before 1840.

A loss is triggered if the bronze medal condition is not met by the end of 1840.

### Available Bonuses

* **Choice 1:** +$50,000 available starting cash
* **Choice 2:** 10% lower track laying cost
* **Choice 3:** 2-4-0 John Bull available early (immediately)

The choice made by the player usually shouldn't have too much of an impact in this scenario. The first choice is pretty rubbish, since the player will have close to $1,000K of company cash available already once they issue a bond, so $50K is close to nothing. The second choice is decent, but once the company gets going, it tends to be a cash cow anyway, and 10% ends up being not as significant as it sounds. The third choice is also decent, as the John Bull becomes available 18 months early. This can be an effective choice, because the John Bull can arguably haul trains close to twice as fast as the Stephensons Rocket, and can gain greater profits early, which can help expand the size of the company.

### Starting Situation

* **Starting Year:** 1830
* **Player Name:** Philip Thomas
	+ **Starting Player Cash:** $20K personal cash
	+ **Starting Player Stock:** 1000 shares of Baltimore & Ohio
* **Company Name:** Baltimore & Ohio
	+ **Starting Company Cash:** $349K

The player starts with a large station in Baltimore with unfinished single track towards the north-east and west. The station in Baltimore is equipped with a Saloon, Sanding Tower, Water Tower and Roundhouse.

### Ending Spiel

> *Not bad for a beginner. You started a trend there! Now look at them all scrambling to jump on board!*
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## Strategy

This scenario is not too difficult to beat for the majority of players. There is no AI, no concentration required on personal finances, and victory conditions are easily met when the company gets going.

### Starting Out

When the game is loaded, it's recommended to immediately issue a bond, and then connect the remaining bit of track to Relay; a medium station should suffice here. If Elicott Mills has 4 houses or more, then there's no reason why it shouldn't be connected too. Two passenger/mail trains (two or three cars each) should be made to run between Baltimore and Relay. After a couple deliveries, there should be more than enough money to cover the rest of the track between Baltimore and Washington. It's probably recommended to use single track to connect the two stations (it's cheaper initially), and lay a medium station in Washington with a sanding and water facilities. There should be enough supply of passengers to have 5 or more passenger trains between the two cities. The original locomotives running between Relay and Baltimore should also add Washington to their route. The four lifetime loads should have already be completed, and the Bronze medal has been attained.

### Next Steps

For the silver medal, the main goal is just to connect to Harper's Ferry in the west. The trains between Washington and Baltimore should be making bundles of cash, and as soon as $1,000K has been attained, the player should start building towards Harper's Ferry. Though Elicott Mills can be bypassed, it's recommended to build a station at Frederick with sanding and water facilities. A few trains can run between Fredrick and Baltimore/Washington. When the player reaches Harper's Ferry, the silver medal should be attained, as the 8 lifetime loads should also already have been completed. If the early locomotive bonus wasn't taken prior to the scenario, it's important to upgrade the Stephenson Rockets to John Bulls once it becomes available mid-1831.

### Victory

Within a couple years, money will again be available to build the track to Philadelphia (the connection requirement for the gold medal). There are several rivers to cross, so $1,500K may be needed. Once again, single track is all that is needed for this job. Connecting to Wilmington is optional along the way, and when Philadelphia is reached, the gold medal should be given to you by the end of the month.

## Historical Context

"The first railroads built in the United States were a mix of old-world technology and new-world pioneering spirit. The very first locomotives were barely more powerful than horses, if even that good. However, the beginnings of a modern rail service in the United States of America planted the seeds of expansion and industrialization that would grow strong for over a century. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) was founded by a seven-member committee of Baltimore merchants. It received its charter in 1827 and provided the United States with its first all-steam railroad in 1835. The B&O provided passenger and freight services between Washington, Baltimore, and Harper’s Ferry (powered by an 0-4-0 steam locomotive) and set in motion the dominant form of transportation for the nation. As chairman of the B&O, it’s your turn to follow in the footsteps of those seven Baltimore businessmen and try to duplicate their success. Your start date is 1827." - Railroad Tycoon II strategy guide.