Games PC RAILROAD TYCOON 3 User Manual
When I hear the iron horse make the hills echo with his snort
like thunder, shaking the earth with his feet, and breathing fire
and smoke from his nostrils … it seems as if the earth had got a
race now worthy to inhabit it."
- Henry David Thoreau
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HAPTER 1: G
C
A
BOUT R
N
EW
A
BOUT
S
YSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
I
NSTALLING RAILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
NINSTALLING RAILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
U
TARTING RAILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
S
C
HAPTER 2: QUICK START . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
HAPTER 3: THE MAIN MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
C
INGLE P
S
N
EW CAMPAIGN
L
OAD CAMPAIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
EW SCENARIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
N
OAD SCENARIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
L
N
EW SANDBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
OAD SANDBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
L
C
HAPTER 4: INTERFACE AND CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
T
HE MAIN INTERFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
AVIGATING THE MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
N
DDITIONAL ACTION BUTTONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
A
C
HAPTER 5: TRACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
AYING TRACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
L
BSTACLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
O
CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
RIDGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
B
T
UNNELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
RADE VERSUS COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
G
T
RACK LAYING OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
C
HAPTER 6: STATIONS AND BUILDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
BUILDING STATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
TATION RADIUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
S
PGRADING STATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
U
SUPPORT BUILDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
O
THER BUILDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
ETTING STARTED
AILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
THIS MANUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
LAYER OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
CHAPTER 7: TRAINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
ELECTING YOUR LOCOMOTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
S
OCOMOTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
L
ANAGING AN EXISTING TRAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
M
Chapter 8: Companies and Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
OMPANY
C
T
HE L
C
OMPANY OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
OMPANY
C
P
LAYER
G
AME STATUS
C
HAPTER
TOCK BASICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
S
B
UYING
HORT SELLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
S
TOCK MARKET
S
C
HAPTER 10: CARGO ECONOMY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
XPRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
E
REIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
F
F
ACTORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
ARGO CHART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
C
HAPTER 11: MULTIPLAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
C
EGINNING A MULTIPLAYER GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
B
P
LAYING THE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
HAPTER 12: MAP E
C
REATING A NEW MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
C
DITOR BASICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
E
C
ONTROL PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
DETAILS PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
EDGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
9: THE STOCK MARKET
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
ON MARGIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
DITOR
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
TECHNICAL SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
REDITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
C
IBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
B
IMITED SOFTWARE WARRANTY AND LICENSE AGREEMENT
L
. . . . .96
2
3
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED
ABOUT RAILROAD TYCOON 3
Railroad Tycoon 3 transports you back to the Golden Age of railroading. As the chairman of a fledgling railroad company, you
must expand your tracks into new territories, seek out new and
more lucrative opportunities, and most importantly, keep your
stockholders happy. All the while, the competition will be working feverishly to steal away your customers, racing to beat you to
new cities, and plotting to use you as a stepping-stone on their
climb to the top.
A true entrepreneur knows how to seek out new opportunities
where others fail to see them. In addition to transporting passengers and freight, and expanding your railway into new cities, keep
your eyes open for new means of increasing your revenue.
Industries will spring up to make use of the abundant resources
in an area. Acquiring select industries allows you to expand your
empire and not only make money from transporting goods, but
also from producing them. Those with a keen eye for opportunities may wish to build new industries to tap unused resources, or
even put your opponents' shipments to work for you. Cities in
need of a rail service may be willing to offer incentives to the first
company that is able to connect them to the ever-expanding web
of rails. Whether this is a golden opportunity or a money pit is for
you to decide. And don't forget the stock market. Many a fortune
has been made and lost on the battlefield that is the stock market, with short-selling and hostile takeovers being the weapons of
choice.
Railroad Tycoon 3 offers budding tycoons a chance to stretch
their wings and prove their mettle. Finish playing the scenarios?
Well, load them up again and you will find they don't play the
same way twice. A new economy makes it a new gameplay experience. Need a new challenge? Challenge your friends to a multiplayer competition or use the matchmaking service to find other
would-be tycoons to pit your business savvy against. Have an
idea for a new scenario to share with your friends? The extensive editor can make that idea a reality. Railroad Tycoon 3 has it
all.
Do you have what it takes to be a Railroad Tycoon?
NEW FEATURES
Fans of the award-winning Railroad Tycoon series will notice
many of the same features that made the series a success. Below
is a partial list of the numerous new features included in
Railroad Tycoon 3.
Powerful New 3D Engine - Immerse yourself in the expansive and detailed 3D environments, complete with highly
detailed trains, wide stretching forests and even day/night
cycles and weather effects.
Tunnels and Bridges - Carve tunnels through mountains or
span bridges across waterways, deep valleys, and even other
track. Nothing has to stand in your way.
Automatic Consist Manager - Let the computer handle the
small details of what cargo gets shipped where, so you can
focus on the big picture. At each station stop it will look
ahead to see what cargo is most profitable and select
AILROAD QUOTE:
R
“If we stay at home and mind our business, who will want railroads?"
- Henry David Thoreau
”
4
RAILROAD JARGON:
Dead-man's Handle - This is a safety device designed to cut-off the power and
apply the brakes if the driver becomes unconscious. Usually a handle or pedal, the driver must maintain a level of pressure on this device to keep the train operating.
5
accordingly. Those wishing to take a more hands on
approach can still use the manual cargo consist option to
select their own cargo. Have as much or as little control as
you want.
Streamlined Interface - You don't need to leave the action
and go to another screen to check on your stock or to manage your trains. The new streamlined interface puts all the
information you need right at your fingertips in the game
world. More action takes place in the main game world, and
everything else takes place in panels that don't obscure or
take you away from the world.
Building Placement - Station upgrades, such as maintenance facilities, restaurants, and taverns are now placed in
the main game world rather than on a separate screen.
These and other buildings can now be placed just about anywhere. If you need a water tower in the middle of a long
route or think you could weaken your opponents lumber
supply by putting a lumber mill closer to the source, all you
need to do is come up with the money and select the location where you want to build.
More Stuff - Railroad Tycoon 3 is packed to the gills, with
over 60 industries, over 180 buildings and over 40 cargo
types. In general, there is two to three times more content
in almost every category than in Railroad Tycoon 2. The
new game even has three times as much music as its predecessor. Overall, the sights and sounds of Railroad Tycoon 3
should keep you entertained for quite a while.
Longer Trains - Trains can now haul up to 8 cars along
their routes, allowing more profitable trips.
Industries You Can Buy, Build and Upgrade - Not only can
you buy any industry on the map, you can also build your
own. Over time, you can reinvest in the most profitable factories by upgrading them. With the simple click of a button,
and enough cash of course, your facility will increase in size
and production output.
More Realistic Cargo Movement - Just like the real world,
resources and goods can move on their own, without the
railroad (though not as fast as riding aboard your trains of
course!). Passengers will no longer simply allow you to haul
them anywhere - they have desired destinations and will not
get on board a train that can't help them get to where they
want to go.
Better Multiplayer - In-Game matchmaking makes it easy
to find opponents. Once you find your opponents, the
streamlined interface and other subtle improvements make
the game better suited for multiplayer.
Better Editor - Railroad Tycoon 2's powerful editor helped
spawn over 1500 user made maps available on various websites. We've made improving the editor a key design goal for
Railroad Tycoon 3, and expect it to be even easier to make a
great map for Railroad Tycoon 3. Even if you don't want to
make maps yourself, you might enjoy sampling a few that
others will inevitably make shortly after the game's release.
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
Most gamers like to jump into a game with both feet. After all,
you bought this game to live the life of a railroad tycoon, not
read about it. You certainly don't need to read through this man-
RAILROAD FACT:
Mail could be picked up and delivered without the train ever having to stop. Mail
to be picked up by the train was hung in a leather bag from a hook along the track. A
net would be extended from the side of the train to pick up the mailbag as it passed.
The mail being dropped off by the train would be hung in a leather mailbag from an arm
extended from the side of the train as it approached nets built alongside the track.
6
RAILROAD FACT:
Established by an Act of Parliament in 1758, the Middleton Railroad in Leeds has
?
the distinction of being the oldest railway in the world.
?
7
ual cover to cover before beginning your game. The game manual
should instead be used as a reference to answer questions you
might have while playing the game. For your convenience, the
manual has been laid out to cover the various gameplay topics in
the order you are likely to need them.
If you have problems running the game, please look at the
“Readme” file. A shortcut to the Readme file appears in the
“Autoplay” menu that appears when you insert the Railroad
Tycoon 3 CD, as well as in the game under the main menu
“Extras” option.
We recommend that you begin by playing the Tutorial scenario.
This will take you through some of the basics of playing the game
and help prepare you for the exciting challenges ahead.
Additional information on the Tutorial can be found in C
2: THE TUTORIAL
.
HAPTER
You will also find a Readme file on the CD. This file may contain
additional information that became available after the printing of
this manual.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Please be sure your system meets the minimum system requirements listed below, before installing or playing Railroad Tycoon
3. Additional information regarding compatibility and technical
issues may be found in the Readme file on the CD.
P
ROCESSOR: 400 MHZ
OPERATING SYS.: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP
RAM: 128 MB
H
ARD DRIVE: 1.2 GB
G
RAPHICS: 16 MB 3D video card
M
ODEM: 56K (optional, for Internet play)
O
THER: 4X CD-ROM, Mouse and Keyboard, DirectX
compatible sound card with speakers/head
phones recommended
RAILROAD SUPERSTITION:
Your wish will come true if you can walk a rail for the length of sixteen railroad
ties without falling off.
NSTALLING RAILROAD TYCOON 3
I
Place the Railroad Tycoon "Install" 3 CD into your CD-ROM drive.
A menu screen should appear in a few seconds. Simply click on
the "Install" button to begin the installation process and follow
the on-screen prompts.
If your system's Autoplay is disabled, you will need to begin the
installation process manually. Simply double-click on the "My
Computer" icon on your desktop, then double-click on the icon
for your computer's CD-ROM drive, and then double-click the
"Menu.exe" file. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the
installation process.
NINSTALLING R
U
AILROAD TYCOON 3
To uninstall Railroad Tycoon 3 from your computer, click on the
"Start" button on the Windows taskbar, then click on the
"Programs" button and highlight the "Railroad Tycoon 3" listing
and finally click on the "Uninstall Railroad Tycoon 3" option.
Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the uninstall process.
Files created after the game was installed, such as save games
and new maps, will remain on the system after the game has
been uninstalled and will need to be deleted manually.
RAILROAD QUOTE:
The railroad is in all its relations a matter of earnest business, to be got through
as soon as possible. It transmits a man from a traveler into a living parcel."
- John Ruskin
”
8
9
STARTING RAILROAD TYCOON 3
Once you have installed the game, you are ready to begin your
adventure as an up and coming tycoon. In order to play the
game, you will need to have the Railroad Tycoon 3 “Play” CD in
the CD-ROM drive. You will then be able to launch the game
using one of the following two methods.
When you insert the CD, the menu screen will again appear.
Simply select the "Play" button located on this screen to launch
the game.
If the Autoplay is disabled, or you already have the CD in the
CD-ROM drive, you can also launch the game from the link created in the program list. Simply click on the "Start" button on
the Windows taskbar, then click on the "Programs" button and
highlight the "Railroad Tycoon 3" listing and finally click on the
"Railroad Tycoon 3" option.
Enjoy the game!!!
CHAPTER 2: QUICK START
Most gamers want to dive straight into the game without reading
the entire manual. That's fine. We suggest you start by reading
this chapter to get familiar with the basic concepts of Railroad
Tycoon 3 play, then play the “Tutorial”, then use the rest of the
manual as a reference guide as you continue to play. The tutorial roughly follows the same sequence shown here.
Your goal in most Railroad Tycoon scenarios is to build a large,
profitable railroad empire, without going bankrupt personally or
losing control of your company. While strategies may vary based
on individual tastes and the mandates of the specific scenario
you're playing, the general approach is:
Start the tutorial, or the campaign or a stand-alone scenario.
We recommend playing the tutorial first, then starting the campaign. For details on the Main Menu, see C
.
MENU
HAPTER 3: THE MAIN
Get familiar with the interface.
To navigate around the world, move your mouse to the screen
edges, or click on the radar box at the bottom left. To zoom
in/out, roll the wheel on your mouse. Holding down the mouse
wheel or the right mouse button and moving the mouse both
provide additional navigational controls.
Move your mouse cursor over any button on the interface to
find out what it does (Hover help for every button displays at
the bottom of the screen.). Left-click on a button to use it. You
can also left-click on most objects in the game world (buildings,
stations, and trains). For details on the interface, see C
NTERFACE AND CONTROLS
I
HAPTER 4:
Start a company (if you don't already control one at the scenario's start).
Most actions in the game (laying track, building stations, buying
trains) are taken by the company you control. You can't do
much unless you control a company. To start a company, click
on the “Company detail” button in the Button Panel. If the sce-
RAILROAD FACT:
In 1829, the directors of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway held the historic
Rainhill trials to find the most suitable locomotive for their railway. Robert Stephenson's
famous locomotive Rocket won the competition and the 500 pounds prize.
10
RAILROAD SUPERSTITION:
A locomotive leaving the roundhouse and entering the turntable should never be
?
turned to the left.
11
nario gives you a company to start with, you'll see its details otherwise you'll get the opportunity to start a new company.
For details on companies, see C
HAPTER 8: COMPANIES AND PLAYERS.
Choose a suitable starting city for your railroad.
Zoom all the way out (roll the mouse wheel back), and look for
the best starting location. Usually, you want to find two cities or
towns, each with relatively high “star values” (the more stars,
the bigger the city), that are close to each other with no major
barriers (Mountains and oceans are hard to get around. Rivers,
on the other hand, are not too difficult to cross.) Ideally, those
two cities should not both be located on the same river or ocean
(or else prices and profits will be held back, as your railroad will
have to compete with relatively easy ship/barge traffic between
the cities). For details on how the cargo economy works and
strategies on the best cities to connect by rail, see C
C
ARGO ECONOMY.
HAPTER 10 :
Lay track between your starting city and a nearby city or
town.
Zoom in fairly close on your primary city. Choose the “Lay
track” button in the Button Panel. To lay track in track mode,
click on the map and drag your mouse. Be careful of obstacles
(not only can you not lay track into buildings and bodies of
water, but also you're restricted from laying track too close to
them.) Start in the center of the city and lay out to the edge of
the city. Then lay track towards the other city in relatively
short intervals, into the other city center. If you reach a river,
to create a bridge you'll have to use a relatively long click and
drag, or else the bridge won't be placeable. Avoid using tunnels
early on - they're too expensive for a newly started company.
For track building details, see C
HAPTER 5: T
RACK.
Place stations at each end of your track, and probably a
service tower in the middle.
Click on the “Build station” button (top row of the Button Panel,
middle button). Place a medium station near each end of your
track, and a service tower roughly in the middle. (After about a
year or so in operation, you'll want to add a maintenance facility,
also somewhere in the middle of your track. For station building
and management details, see C
HAPTER 6: S
TATIONS AND BUILDINGS.
Buy 2 or 3 trains and route them between your stations.
Click on the “Add train” button in the Button Panel. Buy two
trains, using the most modern locomotive available. Set up a
simple route by clicking in the routing map on the circle for your
first station, then clicking again on the circle for your second station. Leave the defaults in place for what cargo gets hauled. For
train buying and operating details, see C
HAPTER 7: TRAINS.
Start the Clock.
The game usually starts “Paused” to allow you to best plan your
initial moves. Once you've laid out your track, stations, and
trains, un-pause the game by clicking on one of the speed buttons (colored buttons just below the Button Panel).
Gradually expand over time, building a bigger, more profitable railroad.
Leave your initial setup alone for 2 to 3 years. That gives you
time to generate some revenues and get a feel for the rail opera-
RAILROAD QUOTE:
"I do verily believe that carriages propelled by steam will come into general use,
and travel at the rate of 300 miles a day."
12
- Oliver Evens
”
RAILROAD FACT:
1833, Andrew Jackson became the first President to ride on a railroad.
?
13
tions. At that point, consider buying more trains if you've got
excess cargo that isn't being hauled (especially if your initial
cities are far apart, or if the scenario is pre-1860 and you're
using relatively slow early steam locomotives). After you've
built up some profits, issue a bond from the Company Detail
panel, and use the proceeds to expand your railroad. Keep growing. If there are any computer controlled railroads, link up to
them at some point - the inter-network traffic can be quite profitable.
Re-invest those company profits in buying up profitable
industries or buying back stock so the stock price goes up.
If your railroad is really profitable and you've already expanded
to most of the best cities, start re-investing your profits elsewhere. First, consider buying up existing industries that are
profitable (you can make even more money by buying up an
industry BEFORE your railroad reaches the town it's in and
increases its profits). Second, refinance and/or repay any outstanding bonds your company has. Third, consider trying to
drive up your company's stock price by raising the dividend and
using extra cash to repurchase outstanding shares.
the lowest tab to see the scenario status - how you're doing in
achieving the scenario's goals. Click on the “Briefing” link on
this page to see the initial briefing dialog if you've forgotten the
original goals.
CHAPTER 3: T
HE MAIN
MENU
Each time you start Railroad
Tycoon 3, you will be greeted by
the Main Menu screen, which contains the seven options listed
below.
Tutorial - Clicking here will take you directly to the
Tutorial scenario. This option is strongly recommended for
first-time players.
Single Player - Selecting this option will allow you to begin
a new campaign or scenario, as well as resume a campaign
or scenario you have previously saved.
Over time, work towards whatever the specific goals are for
the scenario you're playing.
Different scenario have different goals. There are always 3 levels
of victory that you're competing for - a bronze medal is the easiest to achieve, then silver, and if you're really good (or lucky),
you might occasionally score a gold medal. Monitor your
progress in the company ledger. Press the “View Ledger” button, just below and to the right of the Button Panel. Click on
RAILROAD FACT:
The world's shortest underground railway system is the Carmelit in Israel. The
Carmelit, which opened in 1959, is only 1.12 miles long, has only six stations, and is
the only subway in Israel.
14
Multiplayer - This allows you to take on up to 7 other
human opponents via a LAN or over the Internet. More
detailed information on multiplayer games can be found in
C
HAPTER 11: Multiplayer.
High Scores - Check here to see the records for the high
scores in the game.
RAILROAD SUPERSTITION:
It was not uncommon for railroad workers to carry lucky charms, such as a rab-
?
bit's foot or a four leaf clover.
15
Settings - Use this to change your graphics, sound and
gameplay options.
Extras - Everything else that didn't fit! Use this to access
the game's editor (for details see C
HAPTER
12: Map Editor),
credits, weblinks to Railroad Tycoon 3 related sites, and the
Readme file with technical/troubleshooting help and other
last-minute information.
Exit - Select this option when you are ready to leave the
game and return to Windows.
SINGLE PLAYER OPTIONS
Click on the "Single Player" button to
begin a single player game. You'll have
a choice of six gameplay options: New
Campaign, Load Campaign, New
Scenario, Load Scenario, New
Sandbox, Load Sandbox.
NEW CAMPAIGN
Railroad Tycoon 3 includes a 16 scenario campaign, taking you to locations around the world. It is recommended that you play through these
scenarios consecutively, as they have
been designed to increase in difficulty as you move through the campaign. However, if you'd like, you
can skip any scenario or even play them out of order. To begin a
new campaign:
1. Click on the "New Campaign" button.
2. You must now select a difficulty level for the campaign
from the screen that appears. When choosing a difficulty
level, choose wisely, because the difficulty level can't be
adjusted once the campaign has begun. For those unfamiliar with strategy games, the "Easy" difficulty setting
should be selected to give you a chance to get your feet
wet. Those with some experience in strategy games
should select the "Normal" difficulty level. We recommend
playing through a complete campaign at least once before
selecting the "Hard" difficulty level.
3. Each scenario in the campaign is represented by a display
case in the railroad museum. Click on the first display
case on the left, which is displaying a model of a horse
and stagecoach, to begin the campaign's first scenario,
"West to Buffalo". Before beginning the first scenario, you
may wish to review C
HAPTER 4: INTERFACE AND CONTROLS,
to get a better understanding of how to play Railroad
Tycoon 3. Once you have completed all five of the
scenarios displayed on the first campaign screen, you
will see another room with additional scenarios. You can
also navigate between rooms by clicking on the arrow
signs on the sides of the screen, or leave the campaign
screen by clicking on an “Exit” sign.
CAMPAIGN
LOAD
This will bring up a window listing all of the current saved campaign games (it does NOT show saved stand-alone scenarios and
sandbox games.) Choose a game and you're on your way.
AILROAD QUOTE:
R
"I dislike the sleeping car sections more than I have ever disliked, ever shall dis-
like, or ever can dislike, anything in the world."
16
- Helen Hunt Jackson
AILROAD FACT:
”
R
Railroads played an important part in the Civil war, allowing the military to more
quickly move their artillery, supplies and troops. The South was at a distinct disadvantage, controlling only about 9,000 miles of track, while the North was in control of
about 20,000 miles of track.
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17
NEW SCENARIO
If you would like to play a single
stand-alone scenario, instead of the
campaign, click on the "New
Scenario" button. This will bring up
a window allowing you to set up a
new scenario by selecting the map,
skill level, options, and number of
computer players. Once you have
made these selections, just click on the "Start" button to begin.
and financial bonuses at "Hard" and "Expert" settings. At the
"Medium" setting, there are no bonuses and penalties for either
you or your computer opponents. We recommend playing at
"Easy" or "Medium" until you become familiar with the game.
COMPUTER P
LAYERS
Use the arrow keys to increase/decrease the number of computer
controlled players participating in the game. The maximum
number of computer players permitted varies according to the
map you have selected.
MAP
This button will bring up a list of the available maps for you to
choose from for this scenario. Once selected, the map will
appear in the Dialog box next to the "Map" button.
Date - For some maps, you're allowed to change the starting date. The date of the game will determine, among other
things, what locomotives will be available to you and what
types of buildings appear (i.e. Nuclear Plants will not appear
in 1845).
SKILL LEVEL
Next, you will need to select the difficulty level for the scenario.
The basic game rules are the same at each level, but at the easier levels, you are given a significant financial edge (you get higher revenues from your trains, and lower expenses for things like
maintenance, fuel and track building). Conversely, any computer opponents you face get financial penalties at the "Easy" setting
RAILROAD FACTS:
In 1883, the famed Orient Express opens, traveling between Paris, France and
Istanbul, Ottoman Empire.
LOAD SCENARIO
This will bring up a window listing all of the current saved
stand-alone scenario games (it does NOT show saved campaigns
and sandbox games.) Choose a game and you're on your way.
NEW SANDBOX
Sometimes you may just feel like laying track and playing with
the trains, without having to worry about the running a business
or making money. In Sandbox mode, all of the financial aspects
of the game have been turned off, allowing you to enjoy the fun
of building and feel like a kid with a new model train set. Also,
in sandbox mode, you're able to modify the map in many ways
you can't do in a normal game, including raising and lowering
ground (i.e. you can create your own mountains), adding trees,
and painting the map any colors you choose.
Clicking on the "New Sandbox" button will bring up a window
displaying all of your options for setting up a new sandbox game.
RAILROAD SUPERSTITION:
You can tell how long you will live by counting the cars in a long freight train.
?
The number of cars is the number of years you will live.
18
19
Once you have made all of your
selections, click on the "Start" button to begin the game.
Map Name - Select the map
you wish to use from the available list. Note that in Sandbox
mode you have a wider selection of maps than in Scenario
mode, as the maps used in the Campaign are available.
Date - The date of the game will determine what locomotives and buildings will be available to you.
Special Options: Please note that all of the following options can
also be changed once you've started a sandbox game, by choosing
"File Options", then "Settings", then "Sandbox Options".
Time of Day - You can select the time of day when your
game will take place. With the default option, the game will
cycle through normal day and night cycles (although nights
are somewhat abbreviated).
Weather Conditions - Choose the weather conditions for
the game. With the default "Normal weather cycling" option,
the weather will mostly be clear, with occasional storms.
Allow locomotives from any time period - Selecting this
option will give you access to all of the locomotives in the
game, regardless of the date and location the scenario takes
place.
Allow breakdown/crash for locomotives - Selecting this
option will allow your locomotives to breakdown and crash
normally. By default, in Sandbox mode, locomotives will not
break down or crash, even if they receive no maintenance.
Disable building/city generation - Selecting this option will
prevent cities and buildings from springing up on their own
over time. The only buildings on the map will be those you
place.
LOAD SANDBOX
This will bring up a window listing all of the current saved sandbox games (it does NOT show saved campaigns and scenarios.)
Choose a game and you're on your way.
CHAPTER 4: INTERFACE AND CONTROLS
HE MAIN INTERFACE
T
Once you have selected the type of game you wish to play and
begun the scenario, you will be greeted by the main interface.
This is your window on the world. From here you can observe
the game world, review the available information, and issue
commands for building your empire. The main interface is composed of five parts:
Main
Window
RAILROAD FACTS:
The first American-made steam locomotive to enter into regularly scheduled passenger service was The Best Friend of Charleston. Constructed by the West Point
Foundry in New York, this train began service for the South Carolina Canal & Railway
Company on December 25, 1830. After six months of successfully transporting passengers and freight between Charleston and Hamburg, the locomotive exploded in 1831,
when the fireman closed the boiler's safety valve because of the noise.
20
Radar Area
Dynamic
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Panel
Button Panel Hover Help
21
Main Window - This is your view on the world of Railroad
Tycoon 3. Here is where all the action happens. This is
where you will lay track, watch trains run their routes and
keep an eye on your empire. The interface has been
designed to allow you to keep a constant eye on the world.
Radar Area - Here you will find an overview of the current
map. Clicking on a location on the map in this area will
instantly transport you to that location, allowing you to
quickly navigate the map without having to scroll around.
Button Panel - This area gives you access to all the functions and information you will need in building your empire.
Simply clicking on a button will allow you to seamlessly
move between the activity boxes, information and changes
in game speed.
Dynamic Panel - As you select the different options in the
Button Panel, this area will change to display the available
information and/or controls for that option.
Hover Help - This area will provide you with information
about the buttons/options as you move your mouse cursor
over them. It will also provide you with important information about actions you are taking, including the cost of
building or buying various items.
NAVIGATING THE
MAP
You can move around the map using a number of different
methods.
MOUSE CONTROLS
Exploring the vast and detailed maps in Railroad Tycoon 3 is
AILROAD SUPERSTITION:
R
Sweeping out a caboose after dark will bring bad luck.
only a mouse-click away. To move around the map, move the
mouse cursor to the edge of the screen in the direction you wish
to go. To rotate the map, hold down the right mouse-button and
drag the mouse in the direction you wish to rotate the map. The
mouse-wheel allows you to zoom-in and zoom-out of the map.
Rolling the mouse-wheel back toward you will zoom you out,
giving you more of a birds eye view. Rolling the mouse-wheel
forward zooms you in for a closer look. Finally, if you press and
hold down the mouse-wheel and move the mouse, you can slide
the map around.
USING YOUR RADAR
In addition to using the mouse controls, you can navigate the
map using the radar area. You can instantly move to any location on the map by simply left clicking on a location on the
radar map. The cities are marked by white dots on the map. You
can also zoom quickly over the map by clicking and holding
down the left mouse-button on the radar map and dragging your
cursor over the map.
LTERNATE
A
In addition to controls provided by the mouse and the radar
area. you can use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the
map around. If you hold down <SHIFT> while using the arrow
keys, you'll control zoom and rotation rather than just moving
the map around. Finally, if you don't like the default controls
for these items, you can change them in the Settings window.
Press <F6> to see the settings window, and choose the “Camera
Controls” option. You can enable on-screen buttons for zoom
and rotate (like Railroad Tycoon 2), or you can switch into dif-
RAILROAD FACTS:
spies that used the train. One famous spy to have traveled on the Orient Express was
Mata Hari.
MOVEMENT, ZOOM AND ROTATE CONTROLS
The Orient Express was nicknamed the "Spies Express" due to the number of
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22
23
ferent camera modes, including the mode “Free - Any Angle”,
which allows you to use the mouse to look up at the sky or
straight down at the ground.
PRIMARY
ACTION BUTTONS
In the Button Panel there are nine square buttons, which represent the primary actions you will need to focus on in Railroad
Tycoon 3. Clicking on any of these buttons will bring up a display in the Dynamic Panel, which provides you with information
and options for that particular area of the game.
LAY TRACK
Clicking on the "Lay track" button will allow you to lay
track - the first step in building a railroad. For complete track building information, see C
HAPTER 5: TRACK.
BUILD STATION
After you've built some track, you'll need to build some
stations (trains must travel between stations.) For complete station building and operating information, see
HAPTER
C
6: Stations And Buildings.
ADD TRAIN
Finally, after you've built track and stations, it's time to
buy some trains! Click on this button to add a new
train. We recommend using at least 2 trains on your
early routes, and, depending on the amount of cargo
available, you may need many more.
For complete train buying and operating information, see
HAPTER 7: TRAINS
C
COMPANIES
VIEW
.
Click on the "View companies" button to view a list of
the companies currently operating in the game. If you
don't yet have a company, you may start one here.
Double-click on any company listed in the Dynamic
Panel to view the Company Details.
VIEW STATIONS
You can instantly view a list of all of the stations in
your railway by clicking on the "View stations" button.
Double-click on any of the stations listed to view details
of the station. Your camera will also shift instantly to
that station's location on the map.
IEW TRAINS
V
Clicking on the "View trains" button will instantly display a list of all of your trains. Click on any of the
trains listed in the Dynamic Panel to view the Train
Detail screen for that train. For information on the
Train Detail Screen refer to C
HAPTER 7: T
camera will also shift instantly to that train's location
on the map.
RAINS. Your
24
AILROAD QUOTE:
R
"If railroads are not built, how shall we get to heaven in season?"
- Henry David Thoreau
“
RAILROAD JARGON:
RAILROAD WORKER TERMS
Bull - Railroad Policeman Bake Head - Fireman
Rag-Waver - Flagman Skipper - Conductor
Groundhog - Brakeman Hogmaster - Engineer
Paperweight - Railroad Clerk Bug Slinger - Switchman
25
COMPANY DETAIL
To view information on your company, click on the
"Company detail" button. This option will bring up vital
financial data on your company in the Dynamic Panel.
For more information on companies, see C
OMPANIES AND
C
PLAYERS.
HAPTER 8:
STOCK MARKET
For a quick view of the stock market, click on the
"Stock market" button. The Dynamic Panel will display
information on your personal Cash, Stock and
Purchasing Power. You can also use the "Buy" and "Sell"
listing to quickly trade stocks.
Selecting the "View" option will bring
up a window with additional information on the performance of the
stock. All of the "Per Share Data"
may be displayed on the chart, by
simply clicking the small box following the listing. Once clicked, the performance of that information will be
added to the chart in a unique color. For additional information
on stocks refer to C
HAPTER 9: THE STOCK MARKET.
Cargo Supply - This overlay allows you to see the
prices and availability of all cargos on the map.
Click on a given cargo. For most cargos, the map
turns shades of red, yellow and green - green areas will pay the
highest prices for that cargo and red the lowest. The black rectangular boxcars indicate the number of carloads available to be
hauled. The most profitable routes are ones that haul from red
areas to green areas, with many carloads (i.e. black boxes) available to be hauled. Note: The cargos passengers, mail, and troops
work somewhat differently. For full details, see C
C
ARGO ECONOMY
.
HAPTER 10 :
Holdings by Company - This is especially useful
when you're playing a crowded scenario against
multiple opponents (human opponents or A.I.
controlled opponents). Click on a company and the track,
trains, stations and other buildings it owns will be highlighted.
Profitability - All profit-making buildings and
trains are highlighted. Those in green are the
most profitable. The ones in yellow are roughly
breaking-even, and the ones in red are losing money. Note that
not all buildings operate for profit. Late in the game, when
you've got excess cash, you can use this overlay to help spot
profitable industries worth purchasing.
VERVIEW MODE
O
Clicking on the "Overview mode" button allows you
apply various overlays to the map, so you can check on
vital information as you play. There are five overlays
available:
AILROAD FACTS:
R
The first railroad tunnel in the Western Hemisphere was the Staple Bend Tunnel
on the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Built in 1833, this tunnel allowed trains to travel
through the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania.
26
Track Grade - Tracks with steep grades can slow
trains down. With this overlay enabled, the steepest track is shown in red - the flattest is green. If
you zoom close to the track, you can see the actual grade per-
AILROAD QUOTE:
R
"A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a
?
university education, he may steal the whole railroad."
- Theodore Roosevelt
“
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centage, which corresponds to the speed performance on grades
that can be seen in the “Add Train” window.
Load - This option allows you to load a previously saved
game.
Traffic Density - With this overlay enabled, track
will be highlighted based on how much train traf-
fic is passing over it, on average. Red track has
the most traffic, green track has the least. If you have track that
is dark red, you might want to consider upgrading it from single
track to double track.
ADDITIONAL ACTION BUTTONS
At the bottom of the Button Panel,
there is a strip of eight buttons.
These control the speed of the game
and access the View Ledger and File Options windows.
GAME SPEED
You can run Railroad Tycoon 3 at one of six
speed settings: Paused, Very Slow, Slow,
Normal, Fast, and Very Fast. You change
the game speed by selecting the appropriate button or by using
the "+", "-", and "Pause" keys on your keyboard.
FILE OPTIONS
The "File Options" button displays a window containing
seven options: Load, Save, Briefing, Settings, Main Menu,
Quit, and Cancel.
Save - Select this option to save your current progress. You
will be able to reload the game again from this point.
Briefing - This will display the same briefing that you
received at the beginning of the scenario. Check here if you
forget what you are supposed to be doing.
Settings - Here you will be able to change the existing
options in the areas of Gameplay, Sound, Graphics, Hot Keys,
Scrolling, Camera Controls and Dialogs.
Resign - Clicking here will end your current game and
return you to the Main Menu.
Quit - This will end your current gameplay session and
return you to the Windows desktop.
Cancel - Click here to return to the game.
IEW LEDGER
V
The Company Ledger contains detailed information on the
company, including in-depth information on its operation
and financial status. For additional information on the
Company Ledger, refer to C
HAPTER 8: COMPANIES AND PLAYERS.
DATE
Below the Radar Map, you will see a box containing the date.
You will want to keep an eye on the date for many reasons.
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AILROAD SUPERSTITION:
R
Stepping onto the cab of an engine with your left foot first is bad luck.
AILROAD FACTS:
R
During the Civil War, General Sherman instructed his men to tear up the enemy
railroads. They would then use the wood to make large bonfires, heat the metal rails
and twist them around trees to make them unusable. These twisted rails were known as
"Sherman's neckties".
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First, certain scenarios require you to complete objectives before
a specific date. Don't let time get away from you…or you might
just run out of it. Second, many locomotives and industries don't
become available until a particular date. If you are interested in
purchasing one of these new fangled locomotives, you will want
to watch the date to make sure you have enough money stocked
away. Lastly, you may have certain expenses due on specific
dates. For example, interest payments on bonds will be paid at
the end of every quarter, so you can expect your coffers to be a
little emptier when that time comes.
CASH DISPLAY
Next to the Date, there is a box listing your company's currently
available cash. Now get out there and see if you can't make this
number go up!
CHAPTER 5: TRACK
The heart of every railroad is, of course, the rails themselves the track upon which everything else is built. After starting a
new railroad, the first thing you'll want to do is lay down some
track.
AYING T
L
To lay track, select the “Lay track” button in the Button Panel.
The Activity Panel will display various options for laying track
and your mouse cursor will appear as a segment of track. To lay
a section of track, move the mouse cursor over an open area in
the world, hold the left mouse-button down and then drag the
RACK
track out to the location where you wish it to end. Release the
mouse button to lay the track, or press the <ESC> key to cancel.
You can also press the “Undo” button if you're unsatisfied with
the result.
OBSTACLES
If there are obstacles in the way, you may not be able to lay the
track as you desire. Under normal circumstances, buildings,
rivers, lakes/oceans, mountains, and even other track can all be
potential obstacles. They can even project a small “blocking”
radius around them - not only are you limited from laying track
directly through them, but they may prevent track laying out to
a distance of one to three track lengths on either side. In particular, laying track through dense cities and towns may take some
trial and error.
Fortunately, there are methods of getting around virtually all of
these obstacles. You can lay track around a building, or, in the
worst case, bulldoze the building. You can build bridges across
rivers right from the start of the game, and, from 1895 on, you
can even build suspension bridges over lakes and oceans (though
that's quite expensive). You can find a pass through a mountain,
working your way up the slope, albeit with a steep grade. Or,
you can shell out serious cash and lay a tunnel through a mountain. Finally, you can join up to existing track, cross over it at
grade, or build overpasses so that trains on one track won't stop
trains on the other.
RAILROAD FACTS:
The Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1869, when the eastern
bound tracks of the Central Pacific Railroad met the westward bound tracks of the
Union Pacific Railroad for the driving of the "Golden Spike" in Promontory, Utah.
30
RAILROAD FACTS:
The shortest length of railroad track in the world can be found in Vatican City
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(Holy See). The track, running between the Holy See and Italy, is only 2,828 ft long and
is used to transport goods.
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