Ultimate Railroads
Ultimate Railroads Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Symbols & Sorting
- Contents Overview
- Contents & Setup — Base Game for 4 Players
- Player Setup
- Introduction & Key Concepts
- Track Extension — One Step at a Time
- Locomotives — Even the Best Railroad Is Useless Without Engines
- Factories
- Locomotives & Factories
- Industrialization — The Other Route to Scoring Points
- Auxiliary Actions
- Engineers — Variable & Private Action Spaces
- Turn Order — "He Who Comes Too Late Is Punished by Life"
- Coffee Break — You've Earned It
- Player Board
- Scoring Phase — Finally, Some Rewards for All Your Hard Work
- End of the Game
- Changes for 2 and 3 Players
- Tactical Tips
- German Railroads
- American Railroads
- Dual Industry Track
- Stocks Board
- Asian Railroads
- Industry Board
- Coal Module — Under Pressure, Coal Can Turn to Diamond
- Manufactory Train Module
- Special Ideas Module
- Additional Engineers
- Solo Variant — Emil Wants to Play Too
- Combinations & Special Cases
- Explanation of Cards and Tiles
Symbols & Sorting
To make organizing the game easier, game components are marked with symbols. These symbols show which expansion a component is from, and help sort the contents and choose the right combinations.
- The core game contents have no symbol.
- Russian, German, American, Asian Railroads, the Coal Module, and the other small expansions each have their own symbol.
- Whenever possible, symbols are always on the reverse side of the components. However, there are some exceptions, such as the route tiles, which have no back, or components that need to be the same on the reverse side. So, if you cannot find a symbol right away, turn the component over.
For example, if you want to play with German Railroads, take all the components with no symbol, as well as all the components with the German Railroads symbol.
Contents Overview
We suggest sorting the contents as follows before your first game, and sort the contents by expansion after each game. There are 2 inserts provided to allow for easy sorting, with sections labeled for each expansion. The assembly instructions for the upper section can be found on the title page of the rulebook.
Shared components (no group number):
- A: 1 game board, 8 player boards + 1 industry board
- B: 1 stocks board
- C: 1 manufactory train board
- D: 4 industry tracks
- E: 4 Osaka route upgrades
Group 1 + 3 — Each player takes these components (prepare 1 bag for each player):
- Wood pieces (in each color): 8 workers, 1 locomotive
- 1 pawn, 2 wrenches
- 12 tracks: 3x, 3x, 3x, 2x, 1x (the five track colors)
- 1 #1 locomotive
- 1 20-point medal
- 1 valuation tile
- 1 coin
- 9 idea tokens
Group 2:
- 40 locomotives (4 each numbered 2-9, and 8 #10 locomotives)
Group 4:
- 14 engineers numbered 2-15
- 12 point tiles
Group 5:
- 20 coins
- 30 doubler tokens
- 2 turquoise + 1 wooden worker
Group 6:
- 4 turn order cards
- 4 starting bonus cards
- 12 end bonus cards
- 5 idea cards
- 1 #9 locomotive (without purple reverse side)
- 1 #1 engineer
- 1 last round tile
Group 7 — Asian Railroads:
- 4 #2 locomotives
- 4 idea tokens, 1 idea card
- 12 construction site tiles
- 15 maintenance cards (3 in each color and 3 purple)
Group 8 — Additional Content (I):
- 9 engineers
- 4 idea tokens
- 5 special idea cards
- 1 special factory & 1 freight car
Group 9 — German Railroads:
- 18 route extensions (6 each of 2, 3, & 4)
- 8 oval income markers
- 1 special valuation tile
- 1 purple wrench, 1 idea card
Group 10 — American Railroads:
- 8 idea tokens
- 12 small "done" tokens
- 8 dividend tokens
- 8 boulder tokens
- 4 stock price tokens, 3 steelworks
- 4 Golden Spike tokens
- 1 screw nut token
Group 11 — Additional Content (II):
- 11 manufactory tiles
- 18 solo cards (Emil)
Group 12 — Coal Module:
- 1 coal board
- 25 coal wagons
- 12 foundries, 2 blockades
- 1 idea token, 1 engineer, 1 coal factory
- 1 starting bonus card, 1 idea card
Contents & Setup — Base Game for 4 Players
The following 2 pages cover setting up Russian Railroads for 4 players. Setup changes for the different expansions can be found at the start of their respective sections. Setup changes for 2 or 3 players can be found on p. 23.
- Place the game board in the middle of the table. Be sure that you are using the 3 or 4-player side. Place the point tiles next to space 100 of the scoring track.
- Place the idea cards face up.
- Shuffle the 4 turn order cards and deal 1 card to each player. These determine turn order in the first round. Place the cards, openly visible, with the number side up. The turn order cards have different reverse sides, so shuffle and deal them without looking at them.
- Shuffle the end bonus cards, face down. Return 2 of them to the game box without looking at them. Place the rest in a face-down pile.
- Place the 2 turquoise workers onto this space. Place the wooden worker on its corresponding idea card.
- Place the coins in a general supply near the game board.
- Place the doubler tiles in a general supply near the game board.
- Sort the engineers into 2 stacks by letter: A and B. One engineer has no letter. Add that engineer, along with a coin, to the corresponding idea card. Shuffle the A- and B-stacks separately. Place the top 4 engineers from the B-stack on spaces 6, 5, 4, 3. Place the top 4 engineers from the A-stack on spaces 2, 1, 40. Place the engineers light side up on the horizontal spaces, and dark side up on the vertical spaces. Each space has a shape that fits the engineers when they are placed correctly. Return any unused engineers to the game box.
- Make sure all locomotives (#2-10) are locomotive side up (we will talk about the purple side a bit later). Sort them by number and set them out in separate piles. Arrange the piles as shown, from smallest (#2) to largest (#10). There are two kinds of #10 locomotives. Sort these into separate piles. One of the #9 locomotives has no box in its upper left hand corner. Add that locomotive to its corresponding idea card instead.
- Place the last round tile next to the game board. You won't need it until the last round of the game.
- There will be some components left over for each player. See p. 6 for what each player receives, and how it should be set up. For now, each player should choose a player color and place their corresponding engine on space 100 of the scoring track.
Player Setup
- Take the Russian player board in your color.
- Place the valuation tile in the space at the top of your player board, with the marked side up.
- Place your #1 locomotive on the space shown.
- Place 1 of your wood-colored tracks onto the first space of each route. Set your other tracks aside for now - you won't be able to use them until later in the game.
- Place 5 workers in your color next to your player board. Place 2 workers with your other tracks - you won't be able to use these until later in the game either. Return the remaining worker to the game box - you won't need it this game.
- Place the Russian industry track below your player board. Take one of your wrenches and place it on the starting space on the industry track.
- Place your idea tokens near your player board, along with your second wrench and 20-point medal.
- You start the game with 1 coin, placed with your workers.
- Place your pawn on the turn order track space matching your turn order card.
- Lay out the starting bonus cards. The player in 4th position takes one. The player in 3rd position does the same, followed by the player in 2nd position. The start player doesn't get a starting bonus card. Then, all players who took a card perform their card's action. These are simple actions that you will learn about shortly. Finally, return all starting bonus cards to the game box.
Introduction & Key Concepts
In 1835, Czar Nicholas I commissioned the construction of the first railroad in Russia. The roughly 27km long route connected St. Petersburg with Zarskoje Selo (modern-day Pushkin) and was officially opened in 1837. It formed the foundation for what would eventually become thousands of kilometers of rail lines crossing the entirety of the country. In this game, your goal is to develop a rail network in Russia as quickly and efficiently as possible. In addition to extending routes, you will buy locomotives, advance industrialization, and hire new workers and engineers. Through all of this, the object is to score as many victory points as possible.
Key Concept: A Game Turn
Players take their turns in order. Keep doing so until all players have passed. A scoring phase then follows, after which a round is over. The game lasts 7 rounds. After some final scoring, the winner is the player with the most points.
On your turn, you must either resolve an action or pass. To resolve an action, choose an unoccupied action space and place as many workers as required on that space. Then, resolve that action.
Action spaces on the game board (and any engineers on it) let you resolve direct actions. All other actions, if not specifically labeled as direct, are indirect actions.
Keep the following in mind:
- You must choose an empty action space (an action space without any workers or coins on it).
- You must place the exact number of workers required by the action space (1, 2, or 3).
- You can use only workers from your supply.
- You must either resolve exactly 1 direct action or pass.
- You must resolve the direct action in its entirety.
- Engineers you have hired count as indirect actions. You can partially resolve these actions.
- Actions that become available to you (either by choosing an action space or otherwise) during your turn go into your action pool. This means that you can resolve these actions during your turn, in any order you choose. You can also choose not to resolve indirect actions.
You cannot save actions for your next turn.
Action Spaces
There are various types of action spaces, separated into 6 sections of the game board. The various sections and the associated actions are explained in more detail on the following pages: Track Extension (p. 8), Locomotives & Factories (p. 10), Industrialization (p. 13), Turn Order Track (p. 16), Engineers (p. 15), Auxiliary Actions (p. 14).
The graphics without an arrow icon are not action spaces. The lower one shows the components needed to set up the game (p. 4). The upper one shows the possible key actions (p. 19).
Track Extension — One Step at a Time
To build track, you need: track extension actions, and tracks (in five colors: wood-color, green, bronze, silver, gold).
Track extension actions are some of the most important actions in the game.
Your player board has 3 railroad routes shown, which you can build over the course of the game. The better developed your routes are, the more points they are worth at the end of each round.
The routes on your board are named as follows: Route 1: Trans-Siberian. Route 2: St. Peterburg. Route 3: Kyiv.
How Do You Build Track?
Choose an empty track extension action space and place the required worker(s) on it. This allows you to move your tracks a certain number of steps. Move your track(s) forward the indicated number of spaces.
Example 1: You place 2 workers on this action space. You move 1 of your wood-color tracks 3 spaces forward.
You can freely split track movement between different routes. You do not need to start with Route 1.
Example 2: You first move one of your wood-color tracks 2 spaces forward. You then move another one of your wood-color tracks, on a different route, 1 space forward. You have still advanced your tracks a total of 3 spaces (built 3 of these tracks).
The action is then completed.
Over the course of the game, to score more points, you will want to keep extending your routes. Higher-quality upgrades are represented by tracks of different colors. However, only wood-color tracks are available to you at the start of the game.
How Do You Upgrade Tracks to Other Colors?
To upgrade tracks to other colors, you first need to gain access to them. This requires you to reach certain spaces on your player board with your wood-color tracks.
Example: As soon as you reach or pass space 2 on your Trans-Siberian route, immediately take the 3 green tracks from your supply. Place these to the left of your player board, one next to each route. You can now build these too, to upgrade your routes.
Example: You choose this action space. With the first move, you place your track on space 1 of a route. With the second move, you move the track 1 space forward.
As soon as you gain access to tracks in different colors, you can use the corresponding action spaces to build/upgrade your routes. In all cases, when you choose an action space, move the corresponding track(s) forward as many spaces as indicated.
Once you reach space 6 with your wood-color track, take 3 green tracks. ...2 bronze tracks when reaching space 10. ...and 1 silver track when reaching space 15.
There are several other special spaces along with railroad route. These are explained in detail on p. 18 & 19.
Keep the Following in Mind When Extending Track
- You must always build/upgrade track in this specific order: wood-color track first, followed by green, bronze, silver, and finally gold.
- Tracks can be moved only onto empty spaces. You cannot leapfrog other tracks. Tracks cannot occupy the same space.
- When you can advance tracks multiple spaces, you can always split the movement between multiple routes.
- Not all routes use all track colors. Your player board shows which colors go with which routes. (Trans-Siberian uses all 5 track colors; St. Petersburg uses 4 track colors; Kyiv uses 3 track colors.)
The Two Lower Track Extension Actions
To resolve this action, you must place both a worker and a coin (see p. 14) from your supply. You get two track moves of your choice. As always, you can split these moves between tracks and routes as you like. You can build/upgrade only track types you have gained access to.
Example: You choose to move both the silver track and the bronze track forward 1 space.
This action space is the only space in the game you can choose to resolve more than once.
When you place a worker on this space, you must move either your wood-color or your green track forward 1 space. This does not count as occupying the action space, so it can be used again by other players, or by yourself.
Example: Even though you have already used this action space, it remains available to all players. Blue chooses to place a worker on the action space, and can move either their wood-color or green track.
Locomotives — Even the Best Railroad Is Useless Without Engines
To build a locomotive, you need: locomotive actions, and locomotives in the supply.
How Do You Build a Locomotive?
Place the required worker(s) on a locomotive action space. Then, take 1 of the lowest-numbered locomotives from the supply and add it to 1 of your 3 routes.
Both the #10 locomotive stacks become available once the #9 locomotives stack is empty.
Example: You take a #2 locomotive... ...and add it to your St. Peterburg route.
You can have at most 1 locomotive on the St. Peterburg and Kyiv routes, and at most 2 locomotives on the Trans-Siberian route.
The numbers on the locomotives shows how far they can "travel"; i.e. how many spaces they can run.
The #1 locomotive you get to start can reach only 1 space. The #4 locomotive can reach up to 4 spaces.
The Trans-Siberian route is the only route where you can have 2 locomotives. Add one to the left of your player board, as normal, and the other on the indicated space on the board. If you have 2 locomotives on the Trans-Siberian route, add the values of the 2 locomotives together to determine how many spaces can be reach on this route.
What Are Locomotives Used For?
When points are scored at the end of a round (see p. 20), you score points only for the spaces that can be reached by your locomotives.
Additionally, certain spaces are activated only when you reach them with both the required track type and your locomotives. See p. 19 for more details.
Can Locomotives Be Upgraded?
Yes, you can upgrade an existing locomotive by replacing it with a higher-numbered one.
Example: 1. You take a #4 locomotive and add it to your Trans-Siberian route. You already have #3 and #1 locomotives there. You choose to upgrade the #1 locomotive.
The "old" locomotive is not lost when upgraded. You can add it to one of your other routes:
2. You take the #1 locomotive that you just replaced, and add it to your Kyiv route, which doesn't have a locomotive yet.
When you add an old locomotive to a route that already has a locomotive, a "chain reaction" can occur:
3. On a future turn, you add a #4 locomotive to your St. Peterburg route, replacing the #2 locomotive that was previously there. You decide to add the #2 locomotive to your Kyiv route, replacing the existing #1 locomotive. In this example, you cannot add the #1 locomotive to any of your routes.
Remember, you can add a new locomotive to a route only if that route doesn't have a locomotive yet, or if you are upgrading a lower-numbered locomotive. You may stop upgrading at any time, even if you could still do so.
What Happens to Locomotives You Can't or Don't Want to Add to Your Routes?
If you can't or don't want to add a locomotive to any of your routes, you must turn the locomotive tile over to its violet side and place it next to the locomotive supply. Locomotives returned to the supply in this way can be placed only as factories from now on. We will explain factories shortly.
4. This #1 locomotive can't be added to any of your routes. Instead, you flip it over and return it to the supply as a factory.
As long as you have any empty spaces for locomotives left on any of your boards, you cannot choose to return an upgraded locomotive to the supply as a factory.
Factories
Factories are shown on the reverse side of locomotives. You will need them to advance industrialization. We will explain how you score points and obtain advantages by doing so on p. 13.
Each factory has a specific action. Each factory's action is also shown, as a reminder, in the top-left corner of the locomotive side.
All 4 factories of a single level have the same action in most cases. The #10 locomotives offer two different actions, which are described on p. 48.
Locomotives & Factories
How Do You Build a Factory?
To build factories, you use the same action spaces you use to build locomotives. In the same way, you place the required worker(s) on the action space. Then, in the same way, take the locomotive tile with the lowest number. Now, turn the tile over to the reverse side and add it to your industry track as a factory. You must fill the gaps in your industry track from left to right.
Example: You take a #2 locomotive... ...flip it over, and add it to your industry track.
Once all five factory spaces are filled, you can replace factories. If you want to build a new factory, first choose one of your existing factories to return to the supply (it stays violet-side up). Then, add the new factory to the newly open space. You do not need to replace factories from left to right.
The effect of factories will be explained in the "Industrialization" section to the right.
What Do You Need to Keep in Mind When Building Locomotives and Factories?
The locomotive supply is made up of separate stacks, with different stacks for each locomotive number. Each stack has the same number of locomotives in it as the number of players (i.e. 4x #2, 4x #3, etc. in a 4-player game).
You can take locomotives only from the stack with the lowest number. At the start of the game, that is the #2 locomotive stack. Once that stack is empty, you can take #3 locomotives, and so on.
Exception: If you want to build a factory, you can choose between the lowest-numbered locomotive or any factories returned to the supply. (Of course, only if any factories have already been returned. How factories end up back in the supply is explained on p. 11.)
How Are the 3 Locomotive Action Spaces Different?
- The upper action space is similar to the example previously given. Place 1 worker and take 1 locomotive tile, adding it either to one of your routes as a locomotive or to your industry track as a factory.
- The middle action space is identical to the topmost action, except that you must place 2 workers instead. This makes it more "expensive".
- The bottom action space requires 3 workers. You must then take and place 1 locomotive and 1 factory. You may not choose 2 locomotives or 2 factories instead. You can choose whether to add the locomotive first or the factory first.
The order of placement matters when you get 2 locomotives with different numbers on them (for example, the last #3 locomotive and the first #4 locomotive). It also allows you to first upgrade a locomotive, returning a factory to the supply (as explained on p. 11), and then choosing and placing the just-returned factory.
Industrialization — The Other Route to Scoring Points
Industrialization is another type of action. Industrialization scores you points at the end of each round, and lets you take advantage of your factories.
For industrialization, you need: industrialization actions, the industry track below your player board, and a wrench.
How Do You Develop Your Industry?
Place the required worker(s) on an industrialization action space. Then move your wrench forward the number of spaces shown.
Example: This space lets you advance 1 space on your industry track. Move your wrench forward 1 space.
What Are the Gaps in Your Industry Track For?
After the first 4 spaces, you will come to a gap. You cannot move your wrench onto the gap and you cannot skip the gap.
How Do You Fill the Gaps?
To keep moving forward, you need to build a factory in the gap, as described under "How Do You Build A Factory?" on p. 12. This extends your industry track.
Each factory shows a space you can move onto. The next space on your industry track is now also reachable.
You cannot reach the end of your industry track until you have fill all 5 gaps.
Example: You have built a factory in the first gap. From now on, you can move onto that factory, and then beyond it to the next space on the track.
What Happens When You Move Your Wrench onto a Factory?
When you move your wrench onto a factory, you immediately receive the indirect action shown. If you cannot use it on your turn, you lose the action. The various factories are described on p. 48.
Example: You move 2 spaces from this action. The first move lands on a factory. You resolve the action on that factory. You then continue to the next space.
How Are the 3 Industrialization Actions Different?
- For the upper action space, place 1 worker to advance 1 space on your industry track. The middle space requires 2 workers to advance 2 steps.
- For the bottom action space, place 2 workers to advance 1 space on your industry track and 1 of your wood-color tracks.
Auxiliary Actions
In addition to track extension, building locomotives and factories, and industrialization, there are a few other important action spaces. These actions are easy to perform.
Doubler
Place 1 worker and take 1 doubler tile from the supply. Place it on an empty doubler space, above one of your routes (in the base game, only the Trans-Siberian route has doubler spaces above it). You must fill these spaces from left to right. You cannot have more than 1 double tile per space.
It doesn't matter if you have built track beneath the double space or not. If you did, the points you score from that track are doubled at the end of each round. If there are no double tiles remaining in the supply, you cannot choose this action space.
Coins
Place 1 worker and take 2 coins from the supply, adding them to your workers.
Coins are not limited by the amount in the supply. In the rare event that you run out of coins, substitute another component.
What are coins used for?
- Coins replace workers. Instead of placing workers, you can place 1 or more coins on an action space on your turn. The space is then occupied, by you, exactly as if you had used workers.
- You can combine coins and workers.
- There are some action spaces that always require you to use a coin.
Coins can replace workers, but workers cannot replace coins. Action spaces with coins on them are occupied, and cannot be used again in the current round. Unlike temporary workers (see right), you can keep unused coins in your supply for future rounds.
Example: You place 1 coin instead of 1 worker to use this action space. / You place 1 worker & 1 coin. / To use this action space, you must use at least 1 coin. You can also use 2 coins. / To use this action space, you must use 1 coin. You cannot use workers.
The 2 Temporary Workers
Place 1 worker and take the 2 turquoise workers. You can use these "temporary" workers this round as if they were your own.
You cannot use these workers immediately, since you just resolved an action. Add the workers to your supply.
Just like coins, you can use the temporary workers alone or in combination with your own workers and coins. You cannot keep the temporary workers for the next round: at the end of the round, you must return the temporary workers to their action space.
Engineers — Variable & Private Action Spaces
Engineers offer their services over the course of the game, and can score you bonus points at the end of the game.
This is the engineers section of the game board: variable action spaces, hiring space.
How Do You Hire & Use Engineers?
Each round, exactly 1 engineer is available to hire. This engineer is located in the hiring space.
To hire this engineer, place a coin onto the space. Take the engineer from the board and place them, horizontally and light side up, next to your player board.
Example: You place 1 coin and take the available engineer... ...placing it as shown next to your player board.
Engineers show action spaces on their light sides. If you have hired one or more engineers, then you (and only you) can resolve your engineers' actions.
Most engineers' actions will be familiar and similar to those on the game board. They are a bit stronger, or score you some victory points too. We explain the individual engineers on p. 48.
The actions from the engineers you hire count as indirect actions, you may partially resolve them.
The Horizontal Engineers - Variable Action Spaces
The engineers on these two spaces of the game board are arranged light side up, so that their action spaces are visible. You cannot hire these engineers this round. However, you can use them just like any other action spaces on the board. You must fully resolve these (direct) actions. Like all actions, they can be used only once per round.
Example: You place 1 worker on the left-hand engineer's action space. You take 1 doubler tile from the supply. You also score 5 points, moving your engine 5 spaces forward.
The 4 Left-Hand Spaces
You cannot use or hire these engineers. At the end of each round, move each of these engineers 1 space to the right.
Thus, these engineers will become available in future rounds. They are visible so that you can plan for upcoming rounds. See p. 22 for details on how engineers move to the right.
Turn Order — "He Who Comes Too Late Is Punished by Life"
How Does Turn Order Work?
Turn order is determined by the turn order track. This means that you do not play in clockwise order. The player whose pawn is in first place (furthest left) goes first, followed by the rest in placement order. After the last player has taken their turn, it's the first player's turn again.
If you can't or don't want to take a turn any more, you must pass for the rest of the current round. To show this, turn your turn order card over and immediately score any points shown on the reverse of the card. The remaining players keep playing until everyone has passed.
Even if you have no remaining workers, you can still use coins to resolve actions.
Example: Yellow is the first player, followed by Blue, Green, and finally Red. Then Yellow continues the turn order.
How Do You Move Up in the Turn Order?
You can place a worker on 1 of the 2 action spaces below first and second place on the turn order track. This means that you will start the next round in that position.
You cannot occupy the action space below your own pawn, and you cannot occupy both action spaces.
How Is Turn Order Rearranged?
After all players have passed, remove the pawns of each player who occupied a turn order action space. Move the remaining pawns to the right, onto the later-acting spaces, to make room. Finally, place the removed pawns above the corresponding players' workers.
Example: 1. You and Red remove your pawns from the track. 2. Yellow and Blue move to the right to make room. 3. You and Red return your pawns to the track, above your workers.
Special Case: If the current first player places a worker on the second space (so as to not fall too far back in turn order), and no other player places a worker on the first space, then the turn order does not change.
Example: Yellow places a worker on the second space. The first space remains empty. Turn order does not change.
Special Case: It is important to know what the turn order will be for the next round, which means it is important to know who placed workers on these action spaces. If you place a worker not in your color, or a coin, here, immediately replace it with a worker in your color.
Moving Workers from the Turn Order Track
You can reuse the workers used to adjust turn order. After turn order for the next round has been determined, players can move these workers to different action spaces and resolve additional direct actions.
The player whose worker is on second place chooses first. Take the worker and place it on another empty action space of your choice, including one of your engineers. Immediately resolve the action.
Example: You move your worker from the turn track to this action space, and advance your wood-color track 1 space.
Then, the player whose worker is on first place chooses in the same way.
When moving workers, the following rules apply:
- You can move workers only to spaces that require exactly 1 worker (you cannot combine this worker with other workers, temporary workers, or coins).
- You can still move your worker in the first special case described above.
- If you receive coins or additional workers from the action, you can use them only during the next round.
The bottom track extension space is always available.
Coffee Break — You've Earned It
We have now covered the various sections of the game board, which is an important part of the rules.
- We will now take a look at your player board and review the special spaces on it
- followed by scoring,
- and finally a few tactical tips.
- You can find a summary of the different tiles and cards from p. 46 onwards.
Player Board
We will now take a look at the player board in more detail. The board is organized into: The 3 Routes (p. 8), Spaces for locomotives and factories (p. 10), Industrialization (p. 13), Spaces for doubler tiles (p. 14), Spaces for Engineers (p. 15).
The Special Spaces on Your Player Board
Various special spaces along the routes on your player board give you benefits when you reach them. In the base game, these are the spaces marked with a pin icon in the diagram above, which we will now explain.
General: To receive a benefit, you must have reach the space with a track. If no track color is shown, then you receive the benefit as soon as you reach the space with your wood-color track. In other words, nothing ever happens until track is built on the space.
In some cases, you also need to be able to reach the space with your locomotive, and in other cases this is not necessary. This is referred to as the prerequisite.
The prerequisite remains fulfilled even when you upgrade the space with another track color.
This space's prerequisite is that you build on it with your wood-color track. You do not need to be able to reach it with a locomotive.
This space's prerequisite is that you build on it with your wood-color track. You must also be able to reach it with your locomotive. You receive the benefit only if you fulfill both requirements.
Spaces That Do Not Require a Locomotive
Benefit: New Tracks — Once you reach these spaces, you gain access to new tracks, as described on p. 8.
Here, you gain access to your wood-color track. You can also immediately advance that track 2 spaces. As normal, the spaces need to be empty. If you don't have enough empty spaces, you lose the moves you can't use.
Benefit: Key — Once you reach the end of one of your routes with your wood-color track, you immediately receive a key.
When you get a key, you can immediately choose 1 of 2 options: either advance a wood-color track 1 space and any track 1 space, or score 10 points (see the game board for a summary). The third option is available only when playing with Asian Railroads.
You can never move your track past the end of a route.
You can obtain keys via the industry track or one of your idea tokens too.
Benefit: New Worker — Once you reach one of these spaces with your wood-color track, you immediately receive an additional worker in your color from the supply. You can use that worker for the rest of the game, starting in the current round.
Spaces That Also Require a Locomotive
Benefit: New Worker — This space also lets you receive an additional worker. Once you reach this space with your wood-color track and a locomotive, immediately receive a worker as described above.
Benefit: Route Doubling — Once you reach this space with your green track and a locomotive, you score twice as many points for that route during all subsequent scoring phases.
Benefit: Bonus Points — Once you reach any of these spaces with your wood-color track and a locomotive, you score the points shown during all subsequent scoring phases. Scoring of these spaces is cumulative.
Example: If one of your tracks is on space 3 of the Kyiv route, and you have at least a #3 locomotive on that route, then you score 6 points (1+2+3+) during all future scoring phases.
Benefit: Idea tokens — Once you reach one of these spaces with your wood-color track and a locomotive, you choose 1 of your idea tokens, resolve the associated action, and place the idea token on the space shown.
You can use each of these spaces only once, at the moment when you fulfill the prerequisite.
Example: You have a #5 locomotive on the St. Peterburg route and move your track onto space 4. You choose 1 of your idea tokens and resolve the associated action (see p. 46). Finally, you place the tile on the space shown to show that you can't use this space or idea token again.
Idea Tokens on the Industry Track
To receive this benefit, you must reach the space shown on your industry track with your wrench (you don't build track or add locomotives here). Choose and place an idea token as described above. You can use this space only once.
Scoring Phase — Finally, Some Rewards for All Your Hard Work
At the end of each round, once all players have passed and you have determined turn order for the next round, a scoring phase takes place.
During scoring, you count up the points for your:
- 3 routes on your player board
- Your industrialization progress.
1. Scoring Your 3 Routes
Fundamentally, only spaces reached by locomotives are scored.
Each track (other than wood-color) on a route can score points. The tile at the top of your player board shows how many points each type of track is worth.
Each type of track scores points for the space it is on, and for any empty spaces behind it. These empty spaces are treated as if they were occupied by tracks of the same color.
During scoring, you can envision the route as such: 2 spaces treated as bronze track, Bronze track, 3 spaces treated as green track, Green track, 1 space treated as wood track, Wood-color track.
As an example, we'll score your Trans-Siberian, St. Peterburg, and Kyiv routes.
1. Step-by-step scoring for the Trans-Siberian route:
You have #6 & #2 locomotives on your Trans-Siberian route. Together, these locomotives can reach space 8. You score only spaces 1-8.
You have bronze tracks on spaces 1-3 (treating the 2 spaces behind the track as bronze). Each bronze track is worth 2 points. You have a doubler over space 1, so that track scores 4 points instead. You score a total of 8 points for your bronze tracks.
You have green tracks on spaces 4-7 (treating the 3 spaces behind the track as green). Each green track is worth 1 point. You score a total of 4 points for your green tracks.
You treat space 8 as having a wood track on it, because it is behind your wood track. This track is worth zero points.
You score a total of 12 points from your Trans-Siberian route.
2. Step by step scoring for the St. Peterburg route:
Your points for this route are calculated the same as the Trans-Siberian route.
Note space 7 on this route. Once you reach this space with your green track and a locomotive, this route's points are doubled.
3. Step by step scoring for the Kyiv route:
Your points for this route are also calculated in the same way as above.
Note spaces 1-4 & 8 on this route. Once you reach these spaces with your wood-color track and a locomotive, you score the points shown in the stars.
Example: You have a #2 locomotive on your Kyiv route. You score only spaces 1 & 2. Your wood-color track is worth zero points. You do not have any other tracks on this route, so you stay at zero points for tracks. However, space 1 scores you 1 point, and space 2 scores you 2 points. Your total score is 3 points for your Kyiv route.
2. Scoring Industrialization - Where Is the Wrench?
For the industry track, you score points as shown on the industrialization space your wrench is on. If that space does not show any points (a factory, for example), then you score the points shown on the previous space.
Example: Your wrench is on a factory. Since no points are shown on that space, you score the points shown on the previous space, which is 5 points.
Each player should score their 3 routes and industry track as described above.
Example: During this scoring phase, you scored the following points: Trans-Siberian route: 12 points. St. Peterburg route: 0 points. Kyiv route: 3 points. Industry Track: 5 points. You scored a total of 20 points, which you track by moving your engine forward on the scoring track.
After the Scoring Phase
After all players have scored their points, prepare for the next round. Resolve the following steps:
- Return all of your workers from action spaces to your personal supply.
- Return all coins on action spaces to the general supply.
- Return the 2 temporary workers to the corresponding action space.
- Move the engineers, as described on p. 22.
Move all engineers 1 space to the right. If the engineer on the hiring space was not claimed, return them to the box. Always place engineers with the dark side up on vertical spaces, and light side up on the horizontal spaces.
The newly-empty space will show a number, which corresponds to the number of rounds remaining in the game.
- Finally, take the turn order cards back from all players and redistribute them to players based on the new turn order (see p. 16). Place the cards on the table, number side up.
Then, the next round begins.
Final Round Only: At the start of the last round (the 7th round in a 4-player game), place the last round tile onto the turn order action spaces. Because these turn order spaces have no effect during the last round, they are replaced with a new action space that allows you to advance 3 steps on your industry track.
End of the Game
After the scoring phase of the 7th round, a final scoring takes place, then the game ends. You score 2 things during final scoring: End Bonus Cards and Engineer Majority.
End Bonus Cards
All players reveal their end bonus cards.
Most of the time, you will have only one of these cards. There are ways of getting more, though. Some player may not have any, although that is not recommended.
How you score points for each individual end bonus card is explained on p. 47.
Engineer Majority
The player with the most engineers scores 40 points. The player with the second-most engineers scores 20 points. In the event of a tie, the tied players check the numbers on their engineers: the tied player with the highest number on one of their engineers breaks the tie.
Players without any engineers cannot score points for engineer majority.
Example: You have these 3 engineers. Blue has these 2 engineers. Red has these 2 engineers. Yellow has no engineers. You have the most engineers and score 40 points. Blue and Red are tied for second. Between the tied players, Red has the highest-numbered engineer and breaks the tie, scoring 20 points. Blue and Yellow do not score.
After final scoring, the game ends. The player with the most points wins the game! In the event of a tied, the tied players share the victory.
Changes for 2 and 3 Players
2 Players
Setup
- Place the game board on the table, with the 2-player side up. The crossed-out spaces are not available during the game.
- Return 2 locomotives of each type to the box. There should be 2 locomotives in each stack.
- Use only 6 engineers (3x A, 3x B), to match the number of spaces on the board. There is a reminder of this along the bottom of the game board.
- Start the game with 6 workers instead of 5.
- Start the game with 2 coins instead of 1.
Gameplay
- Play only 6 rounds.
- You can place a worker on the action space below your own pawn.
3 Players
Setup
- Return 1 locomotive of each type to the box.
- Use only 6 engineers (3x A, 3x B). Leave the left-most engineer space empty. There is a reminder of this along the bottom of the game board.
- Start the game with 6 workers instead of 5.
Gameplay
- Play only 6 rounds
Tactical Tips
Read these tips aloud to all players before your first game:
- When extending your tracks, be sure to leave some room for the more valuable tracks.
- When adding or replacing locomotives, pay attention to which spaces they can reach (for instance a #2 locomotive on the St. Peterburg is not usually helpful).
- The varying engineer spaces on the board can be particularly useful.
- Coins are more flexible than temporary workers.
- You should aim to place at least 2 idea tokens.
- The industry track is worth a lot of points early, but building track pays off more in the long run.
German Railroads
Contents & Setup
On December 7th, 1835, the Ludwigsbahn (named for the Bavarian king, Ludwig I) between Nüremberg and Fürth opened. This 6km-long route made passenger travel possible in Germany for the first time. Much like its English inspiration, the route was built in 1.435mm "standard" gauge and was initially serviced by English "Eagle" steam locomotives.
Until 1871, private companies financed the construction of new German railroads. You will have the same opportunities to build important connections, increase your income, and stay one step ahead of your competitors. Who will be able to secure the best routes and advance industrialization in Germany?
For German Railroads, you will need the components marked with the German Railroads symbol. Aside from a few changes, described on the following pages, setup and gameplay are the same as the base game.
- Flip the Russian player boards over to show the German player board in your color. Place the base game industry track below your player board as normal.
- Place all 18 route extensions next to the game board, sorted into 2, 3, and 4 space sizes.
- Place the 8 oval income tiles next to the game board, along with the purple wrench.
- Add the new idea cards to the existing cards, along with the new special valuation tile.
German Player Board — Upswing and Change
The German player board shows 3 routes, like the base game. Unlike the base game, however, these routes are not quite finished. This gives you the chance to adjust the routes to your chosen strategies, but will also require you to make difficult decisions. You can affect your routes in 3 ways.
The routes are named for their starting stations: Dresden route, Munich route, Nüremberg-Fürth route.
1. The Switch on the Munich Route
On the Munich route, you must decide after space 8 whether to head for Hamburg or Berlin. When you move your wood-color track onto space 9, you must decide which space 9 to move it onto.
The longer route to Hamburg can score you more points, and is the only way you can obtain and use your gold track. The shorter route to Berlin lets you reach the special spaces sooner, though.
Once you choose, your route is set for the rest of the game; you cannot extend track on the other route, but must continue building and upgrading track along the chosen route.
You can build only either towards Hamburg or towards Berlin.
Example: Your wood-color track is on space 6, and you move it 3 spaces forward. The third move reaches space 9, and you choose to build towards Hamburg.
2. The Route Extensions
There are a few gaps in the Dresden and Nüremberg-Fürth routes. You will need to fill these gaps with route extensions.
You can see stations on the first spaces of the dashed areas on your player board. These are Hannover (on the Dresden route), as well as Wurzburg and Frankfurt (on the Nüremberg-Fürth route).
When you first move your wood-color track onto one of these stations, you must immediately choose and add a route extension to your player board.
Note the following when doing so:
- You must choose 1 of the available route extensions next to the game board that exactly fits the dashed area (size 2, 3, or 4).
- Place the route extension onto the dashed area and place your track onto the first space of the route extension.
If you meet the prerequisites for a special space, you receive the benefit shown as normal. If you still have moves remaining, you can still use them as normal.
If you reach a station before the other players, you will have a greater selection of route extensions to choose from.
Example: 1. You reach space 4 on the Nüremberg-Fürth route with your wood-color track. 2. You choose one of the available size 4 route extensions next to the game board and place it on the size 4 dashed area. You then place your track onto space 4 of the track extension. You can continue resolving other actions, if available.
3. The Silver Tracks
All 3 routes on the German player board show a silver track. This means that you can build this type of track on all 3 routes. However, as in the base game, you have only 2 silver tracks available. You will have to choose which routes you want to build silver tracks on.
Special Spaces
Most special spaces on the route extensions will be familiar from the base game. The normal rules apply: once you fulfill a special space's prerequisite, you immediately receive the benefit shown once. On the left, for example, this benefit is 2 moves on your industry track.
An Additional Industry Marker
Once you reach this space with your wood-color track, take the wrench from the supply and place it on the first space of your industry track. You now have an additional wrench that you can move along the track. It functions like a normal wrench and scores points, activates factories, and so on as normal. You can have multiple wrenches on a single space.
You can still choose the idea token that gives you an extra wrench. This means you can have up to 3 wrenches. If you do, take the purple wrench from the supply and place it on the first space of your industry track.
Additional Worker
Once you fulfill this space's prerequisite, you immediately receive an additional worker (the same as the base game).
You can receive up to 2 additional workers total.
Income
Once you fulfill one of these space's prerequisites, choose one of the remaining oval income tiles next to the game board. Place it in front of you faceup.
If you fulfill another income space's prerequisite, you receive another income tile.
You can use each income tile once per round (including the round in which you received it). This gives you the benefit shown.
Keep the following in mind:
- You can use income tiles only during your own turn.
- You can use multiple incomes tiles on your turn.
- You can use income tiles before or after a direct action (or even before passing).
- You can use income tiles even if you can't fully resolve the action shown.
- You cannot use income tiles after passing, after moving a worker from the turn order action spaces, or during scoring phases.
- After using an income tile, flip it facedown.
- After your next scoring phase, flip all of your income tiles faceup again.
Example: 1. You use one of your income tiles on your turn. You move one of your silver and bronze each forward 1 space. 2. Afterwards, you flip your income tile over. You cannot use it again until the next round.
Special Valuation Tile
If you choose this idea token, immediately take the special valuation tile and place it along the top of your player board. Return the base game valuation tile to the game box.
From this point on, you score points as shown on the special valuation tile during each scoring phase.
Special Case: You cannot choose the revaluation idea token (which allows you to turn your valuation tile over) if you have previously chosen to use the special valuation tile idea card. Similarly, you cannot choose the special valuation idea card if you have previously chosen the revaluation idea token.
American Railroads
Contents & Setup
Since the mid-19th century, railroads have played an important role in the history of the USA. Initially, routes were concentrated on the increasingly-congested eastern seaboard. Once gold was discovered in the West, however, the westward push was on. Completing a rail link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans became a political and commercial priority. Two large railroad companies were tasked with the construction: the Central Pacific Railroad headed east, while the Union Pacific Railroad headed west. On May 10th, 1869, the two routes connected with each other near Salt Lake City, the state capital of Utah. To mark this historic occasion, the final spike driven home was a "golden spike".
For American Railroads, you will need the components marked with the American Railroads symbol. Aside from a few changes, described on the following pages, setup and gameplay are the same as the base game.
- Take the American player board in your color and the matching industry track.
- Take the 2 boulder tiles in your color. Place 1 onto space 8 of the bottom route on your player board, and place the other onto the 15 point space of your industry track.
- Take 1 golden spike token and add it to your personal supply.
- Take 3 "done" tokens and add them to your personal supply.
- Take 1 of each of the 2 new idea tokens and add them to the other idea tokens.
- You start the game with both of your wrenches. Place them on both of the 2 industry track starting spaces.
- Place the stocks board on the table so that it is visible to all players.
- Place the stock price token in your color and place it on the bottom row of the stocks board.
- Place the 8 dividend tokens next to the stocks board, so that the actions on their front sides are visible.
- Each of the 3 steelworks shows a locomotive and a $ symbol on their front sides. The reverse sides look similar to factories. Place each of the 3 steelworks to the right of the corresponding locomotives, as shown below.
You will need the screw nut token only if you combine the American player board with the industry board (p. 46).
American Player Board
The American player board also shows 3 routes. At the top is the main route, the Rocky Mountaineer that stretches from Los Angeles to New Orleans. The other 2 each form half of the transcontinental railroad: the Sacramento route from the west, and the Omaha route from the east. These two routes meet at the golden spike.
Blasting
The 2 boulder token block the spaces they are on. As long as a boulder token remains, you cannot move tracks or your wrench onto or past these spaces.
You must first blast these obstacles. To do so, you must fulfill the prerequisite of one of the two special spaces that show a blasting symbol. You will find these on spaces 3 & 4 of the upper route. When you do, immediately remove one of the two boulder tiles from your player board, returning it to the box.
You immediately score 10 points. You can then build or move your wrench onto the "cleared" space as usual.
Once you fulfill the second space's prerequisite, you remove the second boulder as described above.
Spaces with Coins
3 spaces on the American player board show, in addition to track, a coin as an additional prerequisite.
Once you reach one of the spaces with the track shown, you may pay a coin to receive the benefit shown (in this case, a stock increase (see next page)).
You can also choose to do this on future turns.
Special Case: Passing still counts as one of your turns. However, receiving benefits from the stock market and moving workers from turn order action spaces do not. This means that you cannot pay a coin at those times to receive the benefit.
After paying the coin and receiving the benefit, place one of your "done" tokens onto the matching space on your player board to show that you have done so. As usual, you can obtain each benefit only once.
You need to use the "done" tokens only on spaces with coin prerequisites. Resolve the other benefits on your player board as normal when you fulfill their prerequisites.
The Golden Spike
You will see a dashed box, with 10 bonus points shown, on your player board when the 2 lower routes meet. Once you fulfill the prerequisite for 1 of the 2 routes' end spaces, you score these points during each scoring phase.
If you fulfill both spaces end space prerequisites, then you score this bonus twice.
You can increase the value of this bonus to 25 points (each) by using the golden spike idea token.
The golden spike does not mean that these two routes have become one. You still cannot move tracks past each route's end space, or combine locomotives across both routes.
Track Colors
Each route on the American player board shows all 5 track colors, which means that you can build all of them on any route.
However, as in the base game, you have only 2 wood-color tracks and 1 gold track. You will have to choose which routes you want to build these tracks on.
Doubler Tokens
The Sacramento and Omaha routes have room for 3 doubler tokens each. You can place doubler tokens in the same way as on the Rocky Mountaineer.
Dual Industry Track
Your American industry track shows 2 tracks. You can choose which wrench to move, and may split steps up between both tracks. The lower industry tracks works in the same way as in the base game.
The upper industry track lets you move onto and past the gaps. Instead of moving onto the factory as usual, move your wrench onto the industry space above the gap.
If you built a factory in the gap, you receive the associated action. If the gap is still empty, nothing happens.
If you later build a factory in a gap that you previously moved your upper wrench past, then you do not retroactively receive the associated action, even though your wrench was technically there first.
Each of your wrenches is tied to a specific industry track. You cannot switch tracks.
Stocks Board
When you fulfill a prerequisite for a space on your player board with this symbol, you receive a stock increase. Move your stock price tile on the stocks board up 1 level.
If you are the first player to reach this level, place your stock price token to the far left on the new level. Then, choose a dividend token and place it on the new level's star. Finally, resolve the action shown on the dividend token.
Thus, the first player to reach each new level chooses the action for that level.
If you are not the first player to reach this level, place your stock price token to the right of any other stock price token. Then, resolve the action shown on the dividend token.
If your stock price token is at the top of the stocks board and you receive a stock increase, leave your stock price token where it is. You receive a personal payout.
Personal Payout
During a personal payout, you can resolve dividend token actions for the level your stock price token is on, as well as all levels below it.
You can resolve these actions in any order. You can also choose not to partially or fully resolve these actions.
Example: Blue receives 5 points, 1 coin, 2 industry steps, and moves each of 1 wood-color, 1 bronze, and 1 silver track 1 space forward.
Steelworks
If you take the last locomotive from a stack to the left of a steelworks, then you receive the steelworks in addition to the locomotive.
You may turn the steelworks over and build it like any other factory, placing it in a gap in your industry track. You can also choose to return it to the box. Then, finish your turn as normal.
Steelworks are somewhat weaker than normal factories. If you move your wrench onto a steelworks, move your wood-color track 1 space forward.
When you build a new factory, you may replace the steelworks with the factory, even if you have not filled all 5 gaps in your industry track yet. If you do, return the steelworks to the box.
A general payout for all players, starting with you, takes place after the turn in which you received the steelworks.
General Payout
Just like a personal payout, you may resolve dividend token actions for the level your stock price token is on, as well as all levels below it.
Then, the other players follow, in turn order, and receive similar benefits base on the locations of their stock price tokens.
Example: Red takes the last #4 locomotive along with the steelworks to the right of the stack. A general payout is triggered. Red receives 1 coin and 1 industry step. It is then Yellow's turn. They also receive 1 coin and 1 industry step. Green receives 1 industry step. Finally, Blue receives 1 coin, 1 industry step, and 1 wood-color track move.
Players must resolve these actions during the general payout in which they receive them. You cannot save them until it is your turn.
The Stock Idea Token
When you choose this idea token, first move your stock price token up 1 level, resolving the next level's action as normal. Then, you receive a personal payout.
Final Scoring
The player whose stock price token is highest on the stocks board scores 20 points. The player in second place scores 10 points.
In the event of a tie, the tied player whose stock price tile is furthest to the left breaks the tie.
Asian Railroads
Contents & Setup
The first railroad on the Asian continent went into service in 1853 in India, built by a British company. It was also a British enterprise that opened the Woosung Railway in 1876 in Shanghai. The first railroad built by Chinese engineers and funded by the Chinese government was completed in 1909, stretching from Beijing to Zhangjiakou, and later extended to Baotou. In Japan, the first rail line ran between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872, and in Korea, the first section of the Noryangjin-Jemulpo route opened in 1899.
For Asian Railroads, you will need the components marked with the Asian Railroads symbol. Aside from a few changes, described here, setup and gameplay are the same as the base game.
- Take the Asian player board in your color.
- Take 3 construction site tokens and place 1 on each of the 3 locomotive spaces marked on your player board.
- Take the 3 maintenance cars in your color and add them to your workers.
- There is no industry track in this expansion. Instead, place the industry board near the game board, so that it is within reach of all players, using the correct side for the player count. Place a wrench from each player on the starting space.
- Take the Osaka route upgrade in your color and the associated idea tokens.
- Add the new idea card to the others, along with the 3 purple maintenance cars and 1 coin.
- Return the #2 locomotives from the base game to the box. Instead, use the #2 locomotives with the Asian Railroads symbol. Use a number of locomotives equal to the number of players.
Asian Player Board
The Asian player board also shows 3 routes, named for their starting stations. At the top is the Beijing route, then the Seoul route, then the Tokyo route.
Construction Site Tokens
You can have up to 3 locomotives on the Beijing route, and up to 2 on the Seoul route. The pre-printed spaces for additional locomotives on these routes are not available at the start of the game, though, because they are blocked by the construction site tokens on them.
Once you reach certain special spaces, such as Tokyo space 1, you must immediately remove the construction site token of your choice from your player board, returning it to the box. After this, you can place a locomotive on the empty space.
When you remove a construction site token, you receive either 1 industry step or 1 coin.
Other Benefits
There are many special spaces on this player board that have various different prerequisites. Many of them are recognizable from the base game.
Bonus Points — As in the base game, there are special spaces worth bonus points. Once you fulfill the prerequisite for one of these spaces, you score the points shown on that spaces during all subsequent scoring phases. Points are cumulative for each route.
Silver Tracks — On this player board, you can obtain your silver tracks from two different routes. Once you reach 1 of these 2 spaces with your wood-color track, you receive your silver tracks. If you reach the other space at a later time, nothing happens.
Take a Locomotive — Once you fulfill this space's prerequisite, you may take a locomotive and add it to one of your routes, following the usual rules (you cannot use this benefit to build a factory).
Osaka Route Upgrade
When you choose this idea token, you can extend the Tokyo route to Osaka. Immediately place your Osaka route upgrade onto the indicated space on your player board, shifting your wood-color and green tracks onto the new board as necessary (bronze and higher were not possible yet).
Place your existing tracks onto the same spaces they were on previously. The upgraded route with some additional potential benefits is now available to you.
The old route's special spaces are no longer available, as they are no longer visible. However, you do not lose any benefits you have already received.
If you obtained the benefits from space 1 (construction site tile) or space 6 (new worker) already, then as usual, you cannot receive them a second time.
Industry Board
Instead of your own industry track, with this expansion you use an industry board common to all players. You use it to move your wrench forward as usual along the track.
There can be multiple wrenches on the same space, even of a single color.
As normal, you score points during each scoring phase for the space your wrench has reached. If you have multiple wrenches, you score points for each of them.
Some spaces allow or require you to move onto a factory. The pre-printed factories cannot be moved onto, however, as you can see from the "X" symbol on their industry spaces.
How Do You Build a Factory?
When you build a factory, choose a pre-printed factory on the industry board and place the new factory on top of it, building over it. You can even later build over the new factory. However, you can do so only if all pre-printed factories have been built over. You can start a new "layer" of factories only when the previous "layer" is full.
Example: You can add a third factory to a space only once all spaces have at least 2 factories on them.
What Happens When You Build a Factory?
When you build a factory, 2 actions are triggered:
- Resolve the action of the factory you are building over.
You can place a factory on a space only if you can fully resolve the action you trigger. Unlike normal factory actions, this is an additional direct action, so you must be able to fully resolve it, not just partially resolve it.
Example: You receive 1 wood-color, 1 green, and 1 bronze track move by building over the factory. If you cannot resolve all 3 moves (for example, because you do not have access to those tracks yet), then you cannot build over this factory.
Example: You receive 2 track moves of your choice. Those moves trigger an idea token placement, but you have already placed all of the idea tokens. You can still place the factory, however.
- Place 1 of your maintenance cards on a space shown on the industry board, or move 1 if you have already placed all of your maintenance cars. Place it on its side next to the factory of your choice, including pre-printed factories that have not been built over yet. You can have only 1 maintenance car of your color per factory.
While the maintenance car is on its side, it is inactive and cannot be used yet.
If all of your maintenance cars are on the workshop space (see next page), then you do not resolve this action.
Moving Wrenches onto Factories
When you move your wrench onto a factory, 2 things happen:
- As in the base game, you can resolve the factory action.
- All inactive maintenance cars currently next to the factory become active. To indicate this, stand them up, but don't move them yet.
This means that your maintenance cars also become activated when other players move their wrenches onto factories with your cars next to them.
Other Industry Board Benefits
Some industry spaces allow you to resolve actions when you move your wrench onto them. Once you move your wrench to those spaces, you receive the benefit shown once.
Idea Token or Key
Once you reach this space, choose 1 of your idea tokens and receive the benefit shown. Place the chosen token on the space shown on the industry board.
You can obtain only 1 idea token this way.
If you reach this space with a second wrench (or even a third if playing with other expansions), then you must choose a key instead.
The Maintenance Cards
Using an Active Maintenance Car
Maintenance cards remain active until you use or move them. You can use an active maintenance card once, then it is moved to the workshop, where it must be returned before it can be used again.
On your turn, instead of resolving an action with workers or coins, you can use an active maintenance card. Resolve the action of the factory the chosen card is next to.
You cannot use a maintenance car on the same turn it was activated.
It is possible that the actions your maintenance cars allow you to resolve will change over the course of the game. This can happen when factories are built over.
Finally, place the used maintenance car on the workshop space. You can bring your cars back into the game using specific actions, which we will cover later.
Example: Instead of placing a worker, you choose to use one of your active (standing up) maintenance cars. You receive 2 track moves of your choice. You then move the maintenance car to the workshop space. Red's car at this factory is not affected.
Returning a Maintenance Car from the Workshop
The industry board gives you a new action you can resolve when you receive a key.
You can use a key to move 1 of your maintenance cars from the workshop space to the factory of your choice. Place the car on its side, inactive.
You can also move purple maintenance cars this way if you chose the corresponding idea card.
Purple Maintenance Cars Idea Card
This expansion adds an additional idea card that shows 3 purple maintenance cars. If you choose it, you receive 3 additional maintenance cars along with 1 coin.
Do not add the purple maintenance cars to your personal supply. Instead, immediately place them, inactive on their sides, on the corresponding spaces next to 3 different factories.
You can place the purple cars on factories where you already have one of your own color maintenance cars. You can add only 1 purple car per factory.
Coal Module — Under Pressure, Coal Can Turn to Diamond
The progenitors of railroads can be found in the mines. The engineer Trevithick invented a self-driving engine for a mining railway in south Wales in 1804. Even though the cast iron rails soon broke under their own weight, the first steam locomotive was born.
For this expansion, you will need the components marked with the coal-wagon symbol. You can combine the Coal Module with the base game, or with any other expansions. You will need to note a few things for some combinations, which you can find on p. 46.
We recommend using the base game or German Railroads when playing with this module for the first time.
Contents & Setup
Aside from a few changes, explained below, setup is the same as the base game. This section explains setup for 4 players; changes for 2 & 3 players are found on p. 41.
- Place the coal board, with the side showing 3 action spaces faceup, on the game board. It goes on top of the stopwatch.
- Place the 25 coal wagons next to the game board as a general supply (referred to as "coal" from now on).
- Place 1 blockade onto the last space. The game is 1 round shorter when using the Coal Module (so only 6 rounds in a 4-player game). During setup, place 1 fewer A-engineer. For a 4-player game, use 2 A- and 4 B-engineers. Do not place an engineer on the blockaded space. We recommend always including the coal engineer when using the Coal Module.
- Shuffle the 12 foundries and place them next to the game board in a facedown stack. The stack should show the boilerman side. Draw the top 2 foundry tiles and place them next to the stack, faceup.
- Give each player 1 coal and 1 coin (all players start with 2 coins, or even 3 coins in a 2-player game). Take the 4 coal idea tokens and add it to the other idea tokens.
- Add the new idea card to the others, along with the coal factory associated with it. Add the new starting bonus card to the others. You receive 1 coal if you choose it.
How Do You Get Coal?
Actions with the coal symbol provide you with coal. Take them from the general supply and keep them in front of you. Keep the coal until you use it (see next page).
There is no limited to the amount of coal you can have. If the general supply runs out, use a replacement component.
This action spaces gives you 1 coal.
If you choose this action space, you take 1 of the 2 faceup foundries. Place the foundry at the top of your player board (we will explain how to use foundries below). Additionally, you receive 1 coal. Finally, reveal a foundry from the facedown pile.
How Do You Use Coal?
There are coal action spaces that you can use only with coal, not workers or coins.
All action spaces on the coal board are direct actions (this is relevant only if foundries run out).
When using coal, note the following:
- You can use coal action spaces only in addition to your regular action.
- You can use these spaces before and/or after your regular action.
- You can use multiple coal spaces on your turn.
- You can use coal on the same turn you received it.
- As normal, you can use only empty action spaces.
- You cannot use these spaces when passing or when moving a worker from the turn order action spaces.
- After each scoring phase, return any used coal to the general supply.
The Boilerman
To use the bottom space on the coal board, place 2 coal from your supply on it. Take the top foundry token from the facedown stack and add it as a boilerman (with this side up) to 1 of your locomotives or factories.
What Happens When You Add a Boilerman to a Locomotive?
- The boilerman increases your locomotive's number by 1.
- Thus, the locomotive can reach 1 space further. If this fulfills a special space's prerequisite, you receive the benefit. That locomotive's value is 1 higher for the rest of the game.
- You can add only 1 boilerman to each locomotive.
- Once a boilerman has been added to a locomotive, it permanently counts as part of that locomotive. You cannot move the boilerman to another locomotive or factory.
- If you replace a locomotive and add it to another route, move the boilerman with it. If you return a locomotive (or factory) to the supply, return the boilerman to the box.
What Happens if You Move onto a Factory with a Boilerman?
When you move your wrench onto a factory with a boilerman, you can resolve an enhanced version of that factory's action.
Depending on the type of factory, the enhancement varies:
Factory with exactly 1 benefit: You can resolve the action twice. Example: You can take up to 2 locomotives and/or factories.
Factories with multiple benefits: You receive 1 of the benefits twice. Example: You can move tracks of your choice a combined total of 3 steps.
Factories that score points: You score 1 additional point. Example: [factory action] + 1 point.
- You can add only 1 boilerman to each factory.
- As with locomotives, the boilerman is permanently attached to the factory. It cannot be moved.
The Foundries
You can use the foundries along the top of your player board once per round. Pay 2 coal from your personal supply to resolve the action.
You cannot use the foundries next to the game board.
Closing Foundries
When you use a foundry, you can choose to close it after resolving the action. If you do, flip the foundry token over and add is a boilerman to one of your locomotives or factories, as previously described. Return the coal on the foundry to the general supply. You cannot flip the tile back over again to use as a foundry.
You can only choose to close a foundry immediately after using it (before resolving any additional actions you can receive from using the foundry).
Example: 1. You activate your foundry (before or after your regular action) by placing 2 coal on it. 2. You move 1 track 1 space forward and take 1 doubler token. 3. You then decide to close the factory and add it to your #3 locomotive as a boilerman.
Each foundry token shows the action you can resolve. 2 of the more complicated actions are described below.
Reuse 1 action space that you previously place 1 or 2 workers on this round. It does not matter if you used workers or coins for that action spaces, but you cannot reuse an action space that you must pay coins for.
Move 1 of your tracks 1 space forward. Then, score points equal to the value of your highest-numbered locomotive.
The Coal Factory
When you choose this idea card, take the coal factory and add it to your industry track. Then receive 2 coal.
Once your wrench moves onto the coal factory, you receive 2 track moves.
This factory also allows you to resolve an additional action when you move onto it.
When you move onto the coal factory, you may pay up to 3 coal from your supply. For each coal you pay, you receive an additional 2 track moves. This means you can receive up to 8 track moves when using this factory.
If you added a boilerman to this factory, you receive 1 additional track move.
Changes for 2 Players
- Place the coal board so that the side with only 2 action spaces is faceup (the top 2 spaces are combined on this side).
- Place the second blockade on space 5.
- Use only 2 A- and 3 B-engineers.
- Play only 5 rounds.
All other 2-player changes from the base game remain in effect (see p. 23).
The Combined Action Space
In the 2-player game, the top 2 actions on the coal board are combined. This means that, each round, you can choose to use either the top or bottom portion of the action space. So, you can either place 1 worker to take 1 coal or place 1 coin to take 1 foundry and 1 coal.
Once either player has placed on this action space, it is occupied and cannot be used for the rest of the round, as normal.
Changes for 3 Players
- Place the second blockade on space 5.
- Use only 2 A- and 3 B-engineers.
- Play only 5 rounds.
All other 3-player changes from the base game remain in effect (see p. 23).
Manufactory Train Module
You can use the Manufactory Train Module together with the base game as well as any other expansions. The components needed for the Manufactory Train Module are marked with the "additional components" symbol.
When using this module, play 1 fewer rounds. Use 1 fewer A-engineer when setting up.
Setup
- Place the manufactory train board next to the board, so that all players can see it.
- Shuffle the 11 manufactory tokens facedown. Draw 2 randomly and place them faceup on the 2 rightmost spaces on the manufactory train. Leave the first space empty for now.
- Draw 3 more tokens and place them, faceup, next to the manufactory train. Place the remaining 6 tokens above the manufactory train in a facedown stack.
Gameplay
The manufactory train is an action space like any other, and counts as a direct action. When you use it, first choose 1 of the 3 faceup tiles to the left of the board and place it on the first (empty) space on the manufactory train board (the space directly behind the locomotive).
Then, resolve all 3 actions shown on the manufactory tokens. You can resolve them in any order. If you cannot fully resolve all 3 actions, you cannot choose to use the manufactory train.
Example: You place the industry step manufactory token on the empty manufactory train space. You then resolve all 3 actions in the order of your choice.
After resolving this, all other players may choose 1 of the 3 manufactory token actions to resolve. Multiple players can each choose and resolve the same action.
Example: You are third in turn order. The other players follow in turn order 4 - 2 - 1. Red chooses to take 1 coin. Yellow chooses 1 industry step. Finally, Blue also chooses to take 1 coin.
After all players have resolved their actions, shift all 3 manufactory train tokens 1 space to the right. Put the token that was pushed off the board to the bottom of the facedown stack of tokens.
Finally, reveal another token from the top of the stack and add it to the remaining 2 to the left of the board, so that 3 tokens are available to choose from again.
Special Ideas Module
You can use the Special Ideas Module together with the base game as well as any other expansions. The components needed for the Special Ideas Module are marked with the "additional components" symbol.
Place the 5 special idea cards next to the game board faceup. Add the freight car and special factory to the matching cards.
If you choose the special idea token, choose 1 of the available special idea cards and immediately receive the benefit shown. Return the card you chose to the box.
Starting immediately, you can choose to receive double the number of industry steps from most actions. At each opportunity, you can choose whether or not you want to double the steps. Keep this card as a reminder.
You cannot double the industry steps received from idea tokens or idea cards.
Choose an engineer not currently in play, from the box. Place that engineer next to your player board as normal.
You cannot choose an engineer with the same number as an engineer already in the game. All players should agree during setup whether or not the Additional Engineers (see below) can be chosen with this card.
Take the freight car, which shows 2 track moves of your choice. Place it behind 1 of your locomotives numbered 3 or higher. It does not occupy a locomotive space.
You can replace this locomotive as normal, but the freight car does not move from the route you added it to.
The freight card activates each round, right before the scoring phase. You can advance any tracks on the route with the freight car a combined total of 2 steps.
Take the special factory and add it to your industry track. When you move a wrench onto the factory, choose 2 idea tokens and receive their benefits. Place the chosen tokens on the special factory.
If you move another wrench onto the factory, nothing happens. You can replace this factory as usual. If you do, return the 2 idea tokens to the box.
The 2 idea tokens on the factory count towards end bonus cards, but only if you do not replace the factory.
Additional Engineers
In addition to the engineers in the base game, some additional engineers with special abilities are included. These engineers are marked with the "additional components" symbol on their dark sides.
You can shuffle these engineers in with the others during setup. Be sure to add them to the correct group (A or B). You can include any combination of additional engineers you choose.
You cannot use 2 engineers with the same number.
As normal, these engineers have actions on them. Any additional clarifications are listed on p. 48.
Solo Variant — Emil Wants to Play Too
So, you want to play Ultimate Railroads, but your friends are all busy? Maybe the Yucata and BGA servers are down too? Maybe you're just looking to kill some time? Emil can help, he's bored too.
Setup
Set the game up for a 2-player game, with the following changes:
- Place a blockade on the 2 coins action space. This action space is not available.
- Set the last round token, the turn order cards, and the starting bonus cards aside. You also do not need the turn order pawns, because turn order is not used in this variant.
- Take 5 coins.
- Use the solo cards to represent Emil. Shuffle these cards and place them in a facedown deck. Give Emil 6 workers in the color of your choice. Place his other 2 workers next to space 50 of the scoring track. Emil does not use any other components.
Gameplay
Play 6 rounds, as in the 2-player game. Emil will block your actions during the game.
Emil takes the first turn.
Draw 1 card from Emil's deck. Each card shows an action space on the game board. Emil wants to block the revealed space. Place the necessary number of workers on that space. Emil does not resolve the action shown on the space, except for locomotives and factories (see the next page). Then, discard the card and take your turn (see next page).
The object of the game is to score as many points as possible, and to beat your scores from previous games.
Special Rules for Emil
If Emil Is Blocked
Sometimes, Emil cannot place workers on the action space he draws, because you have already occupied that space, or because he does not have enough workers left.
If this happens, discard the card and draw a new card from Emil's deck. Resolve the new card as normal. Continue doing so until you either draw a space that Emil can block, or the deck is exhausted.
If Emil is out of cards or workers at the start of his turn, he passes. After Emil passes, you can continue taking turns as long as you want to or are able to.
Emil Draws a Space Requiring Coins
Emil does not use coins. If you reveal a space that requires coins, place coins from the general supply to pay for him. For spaces that require both workers and coins, place workers as normal.
Emil Blocks Only Spaces You Can Use
If you draw a card that corresponds to an action that you cannot use (usually, a track color that is not yet available to you), discard that card and draw a new one, continuing to do so until you either reveal a valid space for Emil to block, or the deck is exhausted.
Emil Collects Locomotives and Engineers
When Emil takes a locomotive or engineer, place the token in front of him. If there aren't any locomotives left in the supply, he takes the lowest-numbered factory instead. Locomotives and factories don't do anything for Emil, he just collects them.
The engineers Emil collects count towards engineer majority at the end of the game.
When this card is revealed, Emil blocks the light engineer on the game board.
Emil Gets New Toys
As soon as you reach 50 points on the scoring track, give Emil 1 of the 2 workers next to the 50 point space. He has 7 workers from now on. When you reach 150 points, give Emil his last worker.
Most of the time, this will happen during scoring phases. If you pass these milestones while placing workers, and before Emil has passed, then he can use the new worker during the current round.
Your Turn
After Emil has blocked an action space, it is your turn. Unlike Emil, you are playing to win. Choose an action space as normal and resolve the corresponding action.
You may need to be careful with your coins, since the 2 coins action is not available.
After your turn, draw a new card for Emil. Continue alternating turns this way until you cannot or do not want to take any more turns. Score your routes and industrialization as usual at the end of each round.
After scoring, return all workers to their respective supplies and reshuffle Emil's cards to form a new facedown deck.
Game End
The game ends after 6 rounds as normal. Add up your points for the final round's scoring phase as well as for final scoring. Emil does not score any points.
If Emil collected more engineers than you, you score second place points for engineer majority.
Use these Emil cards only if you are using the corresponding expansion modules (Coal or Manufactory Train). See p. 46 for more information.
Combinations & Special Cases
American Player Board or Industry Track:
- If you use the American player board with a different industry track or the industry board, only place the boulder tile on the player board.
- If you use the American industry track with a different player board, do not place any boulder tiles.
American Player Board + Industry Board:
- During setup, place the large screw nut token onto the last space (35) of the industry board. Once you reach this space with your wrench, you receive either a key or a stock increase.
- You cannot add a steelworks to the industry board. If you receive one, return it to the box and move 1 wood-color track 1 space forward.
American Industry Track + German Player Board: If you receive the third wrench from a route extension, you can add it to the industry track of your choice.
Coal + Manufactory Train Modules: Play a total of 1 fewer round.
Asian Player Board or Industry Board:
- When using the industry board, always use the alternative #2 locomotives. If you use the Asian player board without the industry board, you can choose to use the #2 locomotives from the base game instead.
Industry Board + Coal Module:
- You cannot add the boilerman to factories.
- If the coal factory is built, it is available to all players.
Industry Board + Special Ideas Module:
- You cannot choose the special factory idea card. Return this card to the box during setup.
Emil:
- + Coal: Play only 5 rounds. Shuffle the coal solo card into the deck. Use the 2-player side of the coal board. Emil always uses a worker instead of a coin on the coal board.
- + American Railroads: During setup, place Emil's stock price tile on the far left of level 3.
- + Industry Board: When Emil blocks a locomotive or factory action space, he always builds a factory. He always builds in the first legally available space in counterclockwise direction (i.e. the order you reach factories when moving on the track).
- + Manufactory Train: Play only 5 rounds. Shuffle the manufactory train solo card into the deck.
Explanation of Cards and Tiles
Expansion cards, idea tokens, and factories are explained when necessary within the rules for each expansion. You can tell which expansion a component is from by the symbol on the reverse side.
Idea Tokens
- Choose an end bonus card from the deck and place in front of yourself, face down. This card will score you points during final scoring. Additionally, choose 1 of the available idea cards and receive the corresponding benefit. Then return the idea card to the box.
- Flip the valuation tile at the top of your player board over. From now on, your tracks score more points, as shown, during each scoring phase.
- Place the 20-point token onto the space for it on your player board. From now on, you score 20 additional points during each scoring phase, provided you meet the tile's prerequisite. (Asian Railroads: You have additional choices of where to place this tile on the Asian player board. You can still only place it once, and may not move it once placed.)
- You receive 2 keys (see p. 19).
- Place your second wrench on the starting space of your industry track. You also receive 2 industry steps. You choose which wrench to move. You can also split the movement. Both of your wrenches can also be on the same space. You score points for both wrenches during each scoring phase. If you move your second wrench onto a factory, you can resolve the factory's action a second time. You cannot choose and place a second idea token. (In American Railroads you start with 2 wrenches. You do not receive a third wrench by choosing this tile. You can still choose it to receive the 2 industry steps.)
Idea Cards
- Take the wood-colored worker. You have an additional worker available to you for the rest of the game. When you place this worker (alone or with other workers or coins) on an action space that provides you with at least 1 wood-color track move, you receive 1 more. The action must specifically show wood-color track to receive the extra move. You do not receive an extra move from actions that allow you to move any track.
- Take the #9 locomotive from this card and immediately add it to one of your routes. The locomotive acts like a normal locomotive.
- Take the engineer and coin from this card. Place the engineer, light side up, next to your player board. You can choose to resolve this engineer's action during the current round.
End Bonus Cards
- Score 4 points for each factory in your industry track. (American Railroads: Steelworks count as factories.) (Asian/Industry Board: This card scores 0 points when using the industry board.)
- Score 20 points if you have between 4 and 6 doubler tokens. Score 30 points if you have 7 or more doubler tokens.
- Score 6 points for each engineer you hired (including the extra engineer end bonus card).
- Score 1 point for each space you moved with your wood-color track.
- Score 10 points for each route you reached the last space (end station) of. Other stations along your routes do not count. (American Railroads: Omaha and Sacramento count separately.)
- Score 7 points for each idea token you placed. Idea tokens removed from the game do not count.
- Score 1 point for each space you moved with your gold track and your silver track. Note the factory action of one of the two #10 locomotives, covered on the next page. Both function identically despite slightly different graphics.
- This card counts as an extra engineer when counting engineer majority during final scoring.
- Score points based on the number of keys you received (the idea token with 2 keys counts too).
- Score points equal to the sum of your 4 highest-number locomotives.
- Score 10 points for each extra worker you received during the game (max. of 3 with the wood-colored workers).
Engineers, Locomotives, and Factories
- Choose an action space you previously occupied with a single worker (or temporary worker, coin, or wood-colored worker). Resolve that space's action again. You cannot choose the temporary worker action space, spaces you placed more than 1 worker on, or spaces you must pay coins for. If you choose an action space that gives you a choice, you can make a different choice the second time. Special case: If you choose a space with the wood-colored worker on it, you do not receive a second additional step.
- Take the starting bonus card and choose one. Receive the benefit shown twice. Score 3 points. Place the remaining starting bonus cards on the table faceup. In turn order, each other player chooses 1 bonus to receive. Players can choose the same bonuses.
- Shuffle all starting bonus cards facedown and choose 2 of them at random. Receive the bonuses shown.
- Resolve the action of 1 of your factories. (This engineer cannot be used with the industry board.)
- Move 1 of your gold tracks such that it is immediately behind the silver track on that route. You cannot move past the spaces your locomotive(s) on the chosen route can reach. You cannot split this movement.
- Immediately place a second worker on the unoccupied action space of another player's engineer. Resolve the corresponding action. That engineer is now occupied. We recommend using this engineer only in a 2-player game.
- Move 3 different tracks forward 1 space each. Each track must be on a different route.
- Score as many points as the sum of the numbers of all of your engineers.
- Score as many points as the sum of your 2 highest-number locomotives.
- Choose another end bonus card, or score 10 points if you do not want any of the cards.
- Score 1 point for each space you moved your silver track and your bronze track. Example: You moved 6 silver and 4 bronze steps on the Trans-Siberian route. You moved 4 silver steps on the St. Petersburg route. You score 14 (6+4+4) points.
- Choose 2 of your remaining idea tokens. Receive the benefit of 1 of those tokens, then return both to the box. If you have only 1 idea token left, you cannot use this factory. If you added a boilerman to this factory, you can resolve the action twice.
Because this project's development was extremely complex, and was made even more so by the COVID-19 pandemic, the designers and publisher have agreed to the following: Hans im Glück Verlag has purchased the rights to Russian Railroads and its associated expansions from designer Leonhard Orgler. The HiG editors and Helmut Ohley are thus responsible for Ultimate Railroads. Of course, a huge thank you to Gregor Abraham, all the playtesters and constructive critics, and Leonhard Orgler for the smooth development, and to Catan GmbH for the wooden engines from "Settlers of America"!
Published by: Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH, Birnauer Str. 15, 80809 Munich, Germany / Z-Man Games, 1995 County Road B2 West, Roseville, MN 55113 USA.
Designer: Helmut Ohley & the Hans im Glück Team. Illustration & Graphics: Martin Hoffmann, Claus Stephan. Layout: Alena Rolinski. Editing: Gregor Abraham & das Hans im Glück Team. English Translation: Patrick Korner. Producer: Michael Sanfilippo. Head of Studio: Sophie Gravel.