Pacific Northwest Rails
Pacific Northwest Rails Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1.0 Object of the Game
To earn more money than any other player by:
- 6.0 Buying and selling stock.
- Earning dividends on stock in a RR making a run.
2.0 Duration
The game ends when any one of the following three events occurs:
- A player goes bankrupt.
- A player holds $1,500 cash.
- 10 years elapse.
2.1 Credit is not allowed. A player is bankrupt when he can't pay taxes and has no stock to auction (See rules 5.0, 5.10, & 12.3).
2.2 When a player declares during his turn that he has $1,500 in cash, play continues until the declarer's next turn. The game ends before the declarer's next move. Players total the money and the value of stock to determine the winner.
2.3 The game lasts 10 years. One year elapses whenever an appropriate Dispatch Card is drawn. After 10 Year Expires cards are drawn, the game ends.
When a Year Expires (a type of Dispatch Card) is drawn, two things occur: taxes must be paid and the stock market is adjusted.
Tax rates are one dollar per share multiplied by the number of expired years.
Example: Six Year Expires cards have been drawn. A player owns 15 shares. The calculation is: 15 x $6 = $90 (tax).
There are 20 Year Expires in the deck for the 10 years of play.
3.0 Game Board
The game board consists of a Perimeter surrounding an Interior upon which RR routes are laid. On the Perimeter are towns and instruction rectangles. On the Interior are towns and movement heralds. The RR routes are represented by the RR Heralds in towns and on tracks.
Some Perimeter rectangles enclose RR heralds, thus indicating the rectangles' associations with their respective RR.
4.0 Stock Market
RR values are kept on the Stock Market (pages 4-5, the paper) with the RR Tokens. Stocks are purchased from and sold back to the bank at the current market value.
At the start of the game Stocks are at their respective starting prices as indicated in Rule 13.4.
All adjustments on the Stock Market are in five dollar ($5) increments or decrements.
Value of a stock increases when:
- A player buys one or more shares.
- A player successfully fills Dispatch Card orders (Rule 10.2).
- A player chooses to reinvest money into the RR (other than stock purchases) and thereby increases the value of the stock.
- A Year Expires card so instructs.
It doesn't matter how many shares a player purchases at one time. The price on the market only goes up by $5 for each RR involved in the run.
When a run is completed, the value is increased by $5 for each RR involved in the run.
When a player successfully completes a run, he may choose to unilaterally or in cooperation with other players, reinvest (pay back to the bank) $10. This will increase the market value by an additional $5. A player may do this with only one RR that was involved in the run.
When a new year is entered as a result of a Year Expires card being drawn, the market is adjusted according to the instructions on the card. Stocks that fluctuate according to the Die Roll are adjusted thusly:
| Die Roll | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| (not printed) | -$10 |
| (not printed) | -$5 |
| (not printed) | No Change |
| (not printed) | +$5 |
| 6 | +$10 |
Note: in the source, the die-roll values for the first four rows of this table are not printed, so the blank cells are left blank rather than filled in.
The value of a stock decreases:
- By $5 for each share sold back to the bank.
- When a Year Expires card so instructs.
Stocks that reach the Zero dollar mark on the Stock Market are bankrupt.
Stocks that reach the $100 mark, split. The price of the stock is changed to $50 and each player is paid $50 per share for each share owned.
5.0 Bankruptcy
A RR goes bankrupt when its value on the Stock Market goes below $5.
Bankrupt Major lines are reintroduced into the game at a Market price of $15 when the next Year Expires card is drawn.
All of the Dispatch Cards that are currently face up on the board and involving the bankrupt Major Line RR are removed from play for the remainder of the game. Other Dispatch Cards involving the bankrupt line that are drawn before the line is reintroduced also are discarded.
Players have the choice to turn in or retain their shares in bankrupt Major Lines. Players receive no compensation for turning in the shares. The advantage of doing so is to avoid paying taxes on those shares later in the game.
Short Lines that go bankrupt are out of the game permanently.
Short Line Dispatch Cards are not removed from play.
Short Line runs may still be completed for their bonus amounts only.
Players may use bankrupt Short Line track only in conjunction with completing a run. The track may not be used for any other movement.
Players must pay $1 per herald penalty for movement on a bankrupt Short Line track (this includes beginning and ending heralds). This is paid in addition to and regardless of the type of normal movement used.
A player is bankrupt when he is unable to pay his taxes with cash on hand or forced stock sales.
A player must first pay his taxes with cash on hand. If additional taxes are still owed, they must be paid through a forced stock sale.
There are no loans.
In a Forced Stock Sale, stocks must be sold starting with the most valuable (highest priced on the Stock Market) first, and continue in descending order of value until the player can pay his taxes.
The stocks are put up for auction to other players, with the minimum bid being the original Stock Market starting price. The high bidder prevails. Professional auctioneer rules prevail – the seller must say, "Going once, going twice, sold." Once that is said, the sale is final.
Each share is auctioned individually, but all shares in the auctioned RR must be sold. For Example: Player A is forced to sell his highest priced stock, GN. He owes $60 in taxes. He owns three shares of GN. Player B buys one share at $65. Even though Player A can now pay his taxes, he must auction the remaining two shares of GN stock.
If there are no bidders, the player must sell his shares back to the bank at the initial Stock Market value.
If after a player has auctioned all his stock and he is still unable to pay his taxes, he is bankrupt and the game is over.
6.0 Buying/Selling Stock
A player may buy or sell stock in one major RR or two Short Lines only when he lands on an appropriate space allowing such.
A maximum of two shares in any two Short Lines (for a total of four shares in the same group) may be purchased at any one time.
- Great Northern – A player may buy only one share at a time in the GN.
- A player successfully completing a run to a destination city of Colville or Wenatchee may purchase a share in the GN at the Stock Market price prior to adjustments resulting from the run.
- Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation – A player may buy a maximum of two shares at any one time in the OWR&N.
- Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway – A player may buy a maximum of two shares at any one time in the SP&S.
- Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound – A player may buy a maximum of three shares at any one time in the CM&PS.
- Northern Pacific – A player may buy a maximum of one share at any one time in the NP.
An unlimited number of shares in only One Major RR may be sold when a player lands on an appropriate Perimeter rectangle.
An unlimited number of shares in only two Short Lines (they must be in the same Group) may be sold when a player lands on an appropriate Perimeter rectangle.
7.0 Acquisition of Short Lines
When the last share of a Major RR is bought, any unsold shares in designated Short Lines are divided among the Major Line shareholders in the following manner (using the NP, CR&N and SL&E as example):
- The majority shareholder in the NP gets the first CR&N share.
- The player with the second greatest holding in the NP gets the second CR&N share.
- The player with the third greatest holding in the NP gets the third CR&N share. This continues until all CR&N shares are distributed.
- In the event there are more CR&N shares available than there are NP shareholders, the above process is repeated.
- Any NP shareholder who doesn't get an equal number of CR&N shares to that of the majority shareholder will receive the cash equivalent from the bank.
- If NP shareholders have an equal number of shares, they determine distribution order by die roll.
- After the CR&N shares are distributed, then the SL&E shares also are distributed in the same way.
The Major RR and their respective Short Line Acquisitions are:
- CM&PS – BB&BC, I&WN, TE
- GN – None
- NP – CR&N, SL&E
- OWR&N – MH
- SP&S – ACRRY, OT
GS and SI are not acquired.
Short Lines that previous sold out and had shares sold back to the bank by players are not subject to acquisition by Major RR lines.
8.0 Travel
On the Interior a player may travel only on RR lines in which he owns at least one share. A player moves from herald to herald, each herald being one movement space.
On the Perimeter, a player travels from rectangle to rectangle, each rectangle being one movement space.
When exiting the Interior to the Perimeter, a player may choose the direction of travel.
There are two Perimeter rectangles labeled "Switchback." When landing here, a player may choose to reverse directions on the next turn, but he doesn't have to do so.
A player gets on a rail line at a rectangle containing the RR herald.
Players may move past one another on the Perimeter or while on a RR track on the Interior.
An unlimited number of players may occupy the same rectangle or herald.
Movement through a rectangle does not allow a player to draw a card, purchase stock, complete a run or take any action associated with that spot. A player must land directly on the rectangle to take advantage of the action associated with that spot.
A player may not reverse directions at cities while traveling on the Perimeter, but may change or reverse directions at Interior cities.
9.0 Movement
Perimeter rectangles, Interior towns, and track heralds are each one movement space.
Movement is accomplished in four ways:
- Movement Cards played
- Die Roll.
- Payment per rectangle or herald.
- Special NP movement.
Movement Cards are dealt to players at the beginning of the game and periodically collected, shuffled and redealt. When a player uses a Movement Card, he must move the exact number of spaces as the number in the corners of the card, unless supplementing with Special NP movement.
Once used, a Movement Card is placed in a discard pile. There are two rectangles on the board that are labeled "Shuffle Movement Cards." When a player lands on this space, all the Movement Cards are collected from all players and the discard pile, shuffled and then redealt.
All players get an equal number of Movement Cards. Any left over comprise the start of the discard pile.
If a player runs out of Movement Cards, he must rely on Die Rolls, Movement Purchases or Special NP Movement until the Movement Cards are redealt.
Die Rolls may be used by a player for movement any time.
If a player is on a Perimeter rectangle and chooses to use Die Roll movement, he must move the number rolled, unless making a run.
If a player is on the Interior or if he is on a Perimeter Rectangle to start making a run, he has the option to use the number rolled, supplement it with Special NP Movement, or stay put and forfeit the Die Roll and turn.
A player may move up to six spaces by purchasing movement at the rate of $1 (one dollar) per rectangle
A player must pay an additional $1 per space penalty when moving on tracks of bankrupt Short Lines,. (Rule 5.5.3)
Special Northern Pacific Movement is unique to NP shareholders.
A shareholder can only use the NP Movement if at the start of the turn he is on an NP herald. The Special NP Movement ends at the end of the NP line and other movement must be used to supplement the NP Movement if the player wants to continue to move beyond the end of the NP line.
The Special NP Movement allows a player to do one of the following:
- Move one space per share of NP stock owned.
- Add to or Subtract from his Movement Card or Die Roll up to the number of NP shares owned.
- Move the number of spaces he has shares and then purchase up to six additional spaces.
Only Special NP Movement may be combined with one other form of movement. Movement Cards, Die Rolls and direct purchases of movement may not be combined with one another in any manner.
10.0 Completing Runs
A run is a route between two different points on the game board. A run becomes available when any player draws a Dispatch Card with a run on it.
10.1 Any player may complete a run as long as he owns at least one share in the RR involved, regardless of who drew the Dispatch Card.
To successfully complete a run, a player must start on the exact starting space and end on the exact destination. Passing through them does not qualify. The route assigned on the Dispatch Card must be followed. No other RR lines may be used.
A run may only be made by a player who has stock in all the RR listed.
A player may complete only one run at a time.
When drawn, a Dispatch Card is placed face up on the table for all players to see and stays there until the run has been completed.
A Dispatch Card may also be removed due to RR bankruptcy. (Rule 5.0)
The minimum number of Dispatch Cards that can be in play at any one time is five, or the number of players in the game, whichever is greater.
The maximum number of Dispatch Cards that can be in play at any one time is ten or twice the number as players in the game, whichever is greater.
Once a run has been completed, the Dispatch Card is placed in a discard pile and is not used again during the game. A new dispatch Card is drawn only if necessary to bring the number of Dispatch Cards available up to the minimum.
Dispatch Cards
Whenever a player lands on a Perimeter space labeled "Dispatch Card," the top card is drawn from the deck. If the maximum number (Rule 10.5) of Dispatch Cards is on the game board, no Dispatch Card is drawn. There are various types of Dispatch Cards, the most common being the type that designates a run.
A run has a starting point, a destination, RR lines used, the per share payoff for stockholders in the lines involved, and the BONUS for the player completing the run.
The start is the space at which the movement originates. Passing through the space and proceeding toward the destination does not qualify.
The destination is the objective of the run, and a player must land exactly on this space to complete the run.
Railroad lines listed on the Dispatch Cards are the only lines that may be used.
The dollar amounts listed after each herald are the per share earnings to be paid to those players owning stock in the lines.
The BONUS is the amount to be paid only to the player who beat the others by completing the run.
Auctions
Auctions are used in this game for:
- Order of play.
- Auctioning stock.
- Forced sales.
Once the original minimum number of Dispatch Cards is drawn and displayed, the first auction is held. The first auction determines who moves first, with the highest bidder prevailing. The second auction determines who moves second, and so forth until all players are berthed.
During his turn and in lieu of movement, a player may auction off any number of shares in a single corporation. He may auction shares individually or by lot. He may set a minimum bid but must accept the highest bid. There are no private sales or trades between players.
Players who can't pay their taxes with cash on hand must auction off their stocks one at a time, starting with their most valuable stock.
The starting price is the same as the stock's initial starting or its current market price, whichever is less.
The stock is sold to the highest bidder. If no other players bid on it, the stock is sold back to the bank for its initial price or current value, whichever is less.
Stocks auctioned to other players doesn't affect the current market price. Stocks sold back to the bank do affect the price in the normal $5 decrements.
Auctions are conducted clockwise starting with the player who caused the year to expire.
Each individual must settle his account before the next player auctions. If a player goes bankrupt, other players must settle their accounts and then the game is over.
Start to Play
The minimum number of Dispatch Cards allowed (Rule 10.5) is drawn and placed face up on the game board for players to peruse prior to commencing bidding for berthing positions.
The players sit in a clockwise manner according to the order established by auctions. (Rule 12.1)
Movement Cards are distributed in the following manner: each player is given one of each type (numbers 1 through 6) of Movement Card, and then the remaining are dealt randomly. Players get an equal number. (Rule 9.2.2)
Each player begins with a movement token and starting capital. For more than six players, divide $1,200 by the number of players.
- 6 players -- $200 each
- 5 players -- $240 each
- 4 players -- $300 each
- 3 players -- $400 each
- 2 players -- $600 each
- 1 player – get a life. Pay people to be your friend.
The starting prices for the RR are:
- All Short Lines -- $15
- SP&S -- $25
- OWR&N -- $30
- GN & NP -- $35
- CM&PS -- $40
All players begin with their movement pawns in Spokane. On their first moves players may use any track leading out of Spokane and head to the Perimeter by using one of the types of movements available. This beginning phase is the only time during the game when players may travel on RR tracks without owning shares in the lines.