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
CHAPTER 1: GETTING STARTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
.8. . . . . . . |
.4 |
|
ABOUT RAILROAD TYCOON 3 |
4 |
||
. . . . . . . |
|||
NEW FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
.5 |
|
ABOUT THIS MANUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
.7 |
|
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
.8 |
|
INSTALLING RAILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
.9 |
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UNINSTALLING RAILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
.9 |
|
STARTING RAILROAD TYCOON 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
10 |
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CHAPTER 2: QUICK START . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
10 |
|
CHAPTER 3: THE MAIN MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
15 |
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SINGLE PLAYER OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
16 |
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NEW CAMPAIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
16 |
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LOAD CAMPAIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
17 |
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NEW SCENARIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
18 |
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LOAD SCENARIO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
19 |
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NEW SANDBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
19 |
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LOAD SANDBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
21 |
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CHAPTER 4: INTERFACE AND CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
21 |
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THE MAIN INTERFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
21 |
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NAVIGATING THE MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
22 |
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ADDITIONAL ACTION BUTTONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
28 |
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CHAPTER 5: TRACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
30 |
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LAYING TRACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
30 |
|
OBSTACLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
31 |
|
CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
32 |
|
BRIDGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
32 |
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TUNNELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
33 |
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GRADE VERSUS COST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
33 |
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TRACK LAYING OPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
34 |
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CHAPTER 6: STATIONS AND BUILDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
37 |
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BUILDING STATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
37 |
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STATION RADIUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
37 |
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UPGRADING STATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
39 |
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SUPPORT BUILDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
39 |
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OTHER BUILDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . |
41 |
CHAPTER 7: TRAINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
SELECTING YOUR LOCOMOTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
LOCOMOTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
MANAGING AN EXISTING TRAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Chapter 8: Companies and Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
COMPANY DETAILS PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
THE LEDGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
COMPANY OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
COMPANY LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
PLAYER LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
GAME STATUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
CHAPTER 9: THE STOCK MARKET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
STOCK BASICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
BUYING ON MARGIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
SHORT SELLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
STOCK MARKET PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
CHAPTER 10: CARGO ECONOMY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
EXPRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
FREIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
FACTORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
CARGO CHART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
CHAPTER 11: MULTIPLAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
BEGINNING A MULTIPLAYER GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
PLAYING THE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
CHAPTER 12: MAP EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
CREATING A NEW MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
EDITOR BASICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
CONTROL PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
TECHNICAL SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
CREDITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
LIMITED SOFTWARE WARRANTY AND LICENSE AGREEMENT . . . . .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 QUOTE:
”
“If we stay at home and mind our business, who will want railroads?"
- Henry David Thoreau
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
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.
4 |
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.
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.
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:
Established by an Act of Parliament in 1758, the Middleton Railroad in Leeds has
the distinction of being the oldest railway in the world. |
? |
|
6 |
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.
We recommend that you begin by playing the Tutorial scenario.
This will take you through some of the basics of playing the game
3 CD into"Install"your CD-ROM drive. and help prepare you for the exciting challenges ahead.
Additional information on the Tutorial can be found in CHAPTER
2: THE TUTORIAL.
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.
PROCESSOR: |
400 MHZ |
OPERATING SYS.: |
Windows 98/Me/2000/XP |
RAM: |
128 MB |
HARD DRIVE:B G2. 1 |
|
GRAPHICS: |
16 MB 3D video card |
MODEM: |
56K (optional, for Internet play) |
OTHER: |
4X CD-ROM, Mouse and Keyboard, DirectX |
|
compatible sound card with speakers/head |
|
phones recommended |
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.
INSTALLING RAILROAD TYCOON 3
Place the Railroad Tycoon
menuA screen should appear in a few seconds. Simply click on "Install"he button to begin the installation process and follow on-scrtheen 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.
UNINSTALLING RAILROAD 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 SUPERSTITION:
Your wish will come true if you can walk a rail for the length of sixteen railroad ties without falling off.
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 nualentiree.That's fine. We suggest you start by reading
chapterthisto 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,
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.
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 CHAPTER 3: THE MAIN
MENU.
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
clickon mostcanobjectsalso leftinthe game world (buildings,
stations, and trains). For details on the interface, see CHAPTER 4:
INTERFACE AND CONTROLS
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 SUPERSTITION:
A locomotive leaving the roundhouse and entering the turntable should never be turned to the left.
10 |
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 CHAPTER 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 CHAPTER 10 :
CARGO ECONOMY.
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
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."
- Oliver Evens
early on - they're too expensive for a newly started company. For track building details, see CHAPTER 5: TRACK.
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 CHAPTER 6: STATIONS 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 CHAPTER 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 FACT:
1833, Andrew Jackson became the first President to ride on a railroad.
?
12 |
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.
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.
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: THE 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.
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 CHAPTER: Multiplayer11 .
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 rabbit's foot or a four leaf clover.
14 |
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 CEditor),HAPTERMap: 21
its, weblinkscred 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:
RAILROAD QUOTE:
”
"I dislike the sleeping car sections more than I have ever disliked, ever shall dislike, or ever can dislike, anything in the world."
- Helen Hunt Jackson
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 CONTROLS,HAPTER 4: INTERFACE AND
to get a better understanding of how to play Tycoon 3. Once you have completed all five of
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.
LOAD CAMPAIGN
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.
RAILROAD FACT:
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 disadvan- ? tage, 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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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.
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. |
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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 PLAYERS
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.
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.
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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.
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 passen-
gers and freight between Charleston and Hamburg, the locomotive exploded in 1831, when the fireman closed the boiler's safety valve because of the noise.
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
THE MAIN INTERFACE
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
Radar Area
Dynamic
Panel
Button Panel |
Hover Help |
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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
RAILROAD SUPERSTITION:
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.
ALTERNATE MOVEMENT, ZOOM AND ROTATE CONTROLS
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:
The Orient Express was nicknamed the "Spies Express" due to the number of
spies that used the train. One famous spy to have traveled on the Orient Express was ? Mata Hari.
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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 CHAPTER 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
AndCHAPTERBuildings6: Stations.
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.
RAILROAD QUOTE:
“
"If railroads are not built, how shall we get to heaven in season?"
- Henry David Thoreau
For complete train buying and operating information, see
CHAPTER 7: TRAINS.
VIEW COMPANIES
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.
VIEW TRAINS
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 CHAPTER 7: TRAINS. Your camera will also shift instantly to that train's location on the map.
RAILROAD JARGON: |
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RAILROAD WORKER TERMS |
|
Bull - Railroad Policeman |
Bake Head - Fireman |
Rag-Waver - Flagman |
Skipper - Conductor |
Groundhog - Brakeman |
Hogmaster - Engineer |
Paperweight - Railroad Clerk |
Bug Slinger - Switchman |
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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 CHAPTER 8:
COMPANIES AND PLAYERS.
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 CHAPTER 9: THE STOCK MARKET.
OVERVIEW MODE
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:
RAILROAD FACTS:
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 |
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through the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania. |
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 CHAPTER 10 :
CARGO ECONOMY.
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.
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-
RAILROAD QUOTE:
“
"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.
Traffic Density - With this overlay enabled, track will be highlighted based on how much train traffic 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.
Load - This option allows you to load a previously saved game.
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 ofs Gameplay, Sound,optionsGraphics,in theHotareaKeys,
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.
VIEW LEDGER
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 CHAPTER 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.
RAILROAD SUPERSTITION: |
RAILROAD FACTS: |
Stepping onto the cab of an engine with your left foot first is bad luck.
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.
LAYING TRACK
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
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.
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 shortest length of railroad track in the world can be found in Vatican City
(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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