North American

Railways
A game for 3-5 players
by Peer Sylvester

Rules

3–5 12+ 45min

1
 The Cities
North American North American Railways has 36 cities which
connect the rail networks of the companies. L o s An gele s
Name

Railways
Each city has values for costs and income. From Coast to
Moreover, a city may show up to three From Coast-Symbol
Coast to Coast symbols that determine the
share value of the company at the end of the
game.
$500 $200 Income

Costs
A game for 3-5 players
by Peer Sylvester

The Start Cities

1. INTRODUCTION R e d wo o d
North American Railways contains 5 start
North America in the 19th century: The cities. They are the base of each company’s
$100 Income

Contents
players are wealthy entrepreneurs investing rail network. Each start city only has an
in the early railway companies whose income number.
uction expanding rail networks gradually connect
1. Introd ents even remote cities of the North American
on
2. Comp he Game continent.
o ft
3. Aim tions
e Prepara The players purchase shares of railway
4 . G a m
u ence of P
lay companies and hope to make enormous The Marker Tokens
5 . S e q
End profits doing so. North American Railways comes with 10
6. Game marker tokens; 2 each in the colors of the five
North American Railways is a mechanically
simple yet complex economic strategy game. companies. One marker token is used to mark
the capital of a company, the other is given to
the director (the player holding the majority of
shares of the company).

2. COMPONENTS The Shares

Each North American Railways copy North American Railways contains 30 shares; $500
contains: 6 each in the colors of the five companies. 0
$ 200 $ 100
0 The Play Money
$ 10
• 30 shares (six cards each in the five colors The players purchase these shares to gain an

N o rt h A m eyrsic a n
North American Railways has play money in

n
an

ic a
R ail wmaeyrs
R a il w a
h A m e raiycs
of the railway companies) interest in these companies. By increasing the the following denominations: $100, $200,

N o rt h A
R a il
an

w ay s
• 5 starting cities (tan colored background). rail networks, the companies raise their profits
e ric
$500 and $1000. They are used to trade

N o rt

R a il
Am
• 36 cities (white colored background) and the players increase their wealth.
rt h
shares and to allow the players to connect
No
0 $500 $ 200 $ 10
$ 100
• 10 marker tokens (two each in the five 0
cities from the treasuries of the railway
colors of the railway companies) companies.
• Play money (in the denominations of $100, AKTIE AKTIE AKTIE

$200, $500 and $1000) AKTIE AKTIE

• 1 starting player token

The Starting Player Token
SHARE SHARE SHARE
North American Railways’ starting player for
SHARE SHARE
each turn receives the starting player token.
2 3
 One player places the ten marker tokens, Example: Marion
E 5. SEQUENCE OF PLAY
3. AIM OF THE GAM
R e d wo o d
sorted by color of the railway companies, purchases the first share Start city
$100
above the share cards. Next to those a player North American Railways is played in game of the blue company.
ofit
earn the most pr
The players try to g th e rail
puts the stack of the five starting cities. turns. Each turn consists of three phases in this She decides to pay $600 Company capital
and expandin
$100$1 00
$100

by trading shares
$100

co m pa nies. The Next, the 36 cities are shuffled. Afterwards order: for the share. To found $100

s
five railway

ic a n

ic a n

R a il w ay

R a il w ay
s
ic a n

R a il w ay
networks of the

h Amer

h Amer

R a il w ay y s
N o rt t h A m e ric a n

R a il w a
h Amer
the company she puts

s
e end of

ic a n

N o rt

N o rt
ost money at th they are placed in four columns of nine cities

h Amer

N o rt
Phase I: Trade Shares: The players purchase

Nor
player with the m
$100$100

that money next to the

$100

es the
$100

m each. The cities should be placed in the same

winner and beco
$100

shares of the five companies.

the game is the
Marker token
orientation as the shares. blue marker token (the
of the company
next “Rail Baron.” Phase II: Buy Cities: The players expand the rail company treasury).
The play money is divided into networks of the five companies. Above the money she
denominations and forms the bank. puts a start city – this
According to the number of players, each Phase III: Receive Income: The players receive is the start city of the
player receives this starting amount of money according to the value of the five company's rail network. Because she has the
money: companies. majority of shares of the blue company she
• 3 Player: $2000 PHASE I: TRADE SHARES is its director and takes the second blue
4. GAME PREPARATIONS • 4 Player: $1700 In this phase the players purchase shares of
marker token.
• 5 Player: $1400 the five companies. Beginning with the starting
The 30 share cards are shuffled. Afterwards, 2. The player selects a share of the company
one player takes the topmost two cards and Note: The players may (and should) keep player and then continuing in clockwise order
he is already director of: The player takes the
puts them back into the game box – they are their own money hidden during the game. each player may act once.
share and pays a fixed price of $1000. Half of it
not used in this game. All shares, the treasury of the companies and When it is a player’s turn, he has to select one ($500) is paid into the capital of the company,
the cities are always "open". of the shares, which are at the bottom of one the other half into the bank.
The remaining shares are placed in four
columns of seven cards each. The cards The starting player is determined randomly. of the share columns
3. The player selects a share of a company
should all be placed in the same orientation. He receives the starting player token. Now he has three options: whose director is a different player: In this
case, the player suggests any purchase price to
1. The player selects one of the shares of a the director (again, at least $100 and a sum that
Tokens company that has no director: The player takes is divisible by $100). The player may not suggest
R a il w ay s
the share and pays an amount of money to a price that he cannot pay. However, he may
found the company. However, the amount paid
$1000
Start city
R a il w ay s

$1000
$200

$200
suggest a price that the director cannot pay.
N o rt h A m e ric a n
R a il w ay s
N o rt h A m e ric a n
$500

must be at least $100 and also must be divisible

$500
SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

R a il w ay s
$100

$100
N o rt h A m e ric a n

The director now has the choice to let the

N o rt h A m e ric a n

by 100 ($200, $300, etc.).

2nd player player go ahead with that purchase or to
SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

The player pays the money into the treasury purchase the share himself for the suggested
of the company, i.e., he places it next to the
SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

N o rt h A m e ric a n

price.
$100

$100

marker token of the company. Afterwards, he

N o rt h A m e ric a n
$500

$500

R a il w ay s

N o rt h A m e ric a n

a) If the director allows the player to make

R a il w ay s

takes the second marker token of the company.

N o rt h A m e ric a n
$200

$200
$1000

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
$1000

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

R a il w ay s

R a il w ay s

This tells all players that he is the current the purchase, that player takes the share
R a il w ay s
$1000

R a il w ay s
$1000

Starting
$200

$200

and pays half of the purchase price into the

N o rt h A m e ric a n
R a il w ay s

director of the company.

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

N o rt h A m e ric a n
$500

$500

R a il w ay s
$100

player
$100

N o rt h A m e ric a n

treasury of the company (rounded up, if

N o rt h A m e ric a n

3rd player Finally, he puts one of the start cities above needed) and the other half to the bank. If
SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

the treasury of the company to found its rail the player now has at least as many shares
network.
SHARE

SHARE

SHARE

SHARE
AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

AKTIE

of the company as the director, he takes the

marker token and becomes the new director
Shares of the company.
rt h A meerriiccaann
NNoort h Am m eerriiccaan
N o rt h Am mee ric a n NNoorrtthh AAm n
NNoorrtthh AAm ric a n
meeerriiccaann
rt h A meerriiccaann
NNoort h Am NNoorrtthh AAmmeerriiccaann
$500

N o rt h Am m e ric a n

Cities
NNoorrrttthhh AAm
$500

Bank
$500

A meeerrriiicccaaann
$500

NNoorrtthh AAAm ric a n

meeerriiccaann N o rt h A meerriiccaann N o rt hAAmmeerricicaann
NNoort h Am
$500

$500
$100

$1000
$100

N o rt h m m eerriiccaann NN oo rrtt hh Am
$100

NNoorrtthh AAm
$500

Am ee rriicc a n N oorrtthh A m e ric a n

$100

0$1000
$500

NNoorrtthh AAm ric a n

$100

$100

$500

n
$500

N oo rrtt hh Am
$1000

meeerriiccaann a
m eeerrriiccaannn
Am
$100

$1000

rt h A meerriiccaann
$100
$100

NNNoorrtthh AAm NN o rt h A m e ric a n

N o rt h Am NNoort h Am
$500

$500
$100

$200

$1000
$100

$500

NNoorrtthh AAm erriiccaann NNoorrtthh AAm m eerriiccaan ic a

$500
$100

$100

N o rt h Am e ric a nn
$200

N o rt hAAmmeerricicaann
$500

$500

$200

n
$100

$100

$1000
$200

$200

0
$100

$500

$500

N o rt h
$100

$200

$200

$1000
$100

$100

$200

$200
$500

$1000
$500

$200
$100

$1000
$500

$500

$200

$100
$100

$100

RRaaiillw waayyss
$100

$200

$200

$1000
$100

$500

$500

$200

$200
$100

$100

R a il w ay s RRaaiillwwaayyss
0 0

R a il w ay s RRaaiillw
RRaaiillwwaayyss R ailw wwaaayyysss l w ay s
RRaailiw ay s
$100

R a il w ay s RRRaaaiiilllw ay s
waayyss RRail way ss R ail wayys s
RRaaiillwwaayyss RRaaiillwwaayyss R aaiill w ay R a il w a
R a il w ay s waaayyy sss
w
RRRaaaiiilllw l w ay s
RRaaiillwwaayyss RRaaiillw waayyss waayyss RRaailiw ay s
waayyss
RRaaiillw RRaaiillwwaayyss RR aaiill ww ay s R ail wayys s
R a il w a

4 5
 b) If the director purchases the share
himself at the suggested price of the
player, he takes the share. He pays half
of the purchase price into the treasury
of the company (rounded up, if needed).
However, the other half is not transferred
to the bank but to the other player.
Because the player did not purchase a share
a share, he has chosen all shares of all PHASE II: BUY CITIES
possible companies (and the directors have
L o s An gele s
Name
In this phase, the players may expand the rail
purchased all of them,) or if he finishes his
networks of the companies by “buying” new
turn voluntarily. From Coast to
cities. Beginning with the starting player, and
Coast-Symbol
Example: Marion selects a share of the red continuing in clockwise order, the players
company whose director is Angelika. Marion continue to take turns until they pass and
fixes the price at $800. Angelika decides to leave this phase. This phase ends only after $500 $200 Income

in the latter case, he may select another
share from the available ones or simply end
his player turn.
If he selects a new share, he has to choose
a different company. If this share again
is bought by the director, he may select
another share of another company, etc.
This continues until the player purchases
purchase the share herself and pays half of
the sum, $400, into the company treasury
and the other half to Marion. Next, Marion
selects a share of the green company and
determines a price of $900. Daniela is
director of the green company and lets
Marion buy the share at that price. Marion
takes the green share; $500 are paid into the
company's treasury and $400 to the bank.
all players have passed.
When it is a player's turn, he chooses a
company for which he has at least one share
and selects one of the cities in the bottom
column (just like with shares.)
The costs printed in red have to be paid by
the player out of the treasury of the selected
company. The player puts the purchased city
openly above the treasury and marker token
of the company (next to the start city).
Costs
PHASE III: RECEIVE INCOME
In this phase, the players receive income
from the companies. To make this as easy as
possible, the companies should be “resolved”
one after the other; the money is then
paid to the players who have shares of the
company in question.

Quick Reference for all Share Trading options
1. The player buys the first share
of a company and founds it
2. The player buys a share of
a company he is already director
of
3a. The player chooses a share of
a company of another director
and the director says “ok”
3b. The player chooses a share
of a company of another director
and the director buys the share
himself
Exceptions:
The player determines the All the money goes to the
price (multiple of $100) company treasury
The player pays the fixed $500 goes to the company
price of $1000 treasury; $500 goes to the bank
The player determines the Half of the money (rounded up)
price (multiple of $100) goes to the company treasury,
the other half to the bank
The director pays the Half of the money (rounded up)
determined price (multiple go to the company treasury, the
of $100). rest to the other player.
The player may only select a city which he
can afford with the company's treasury; he
may not add his own money. If all companies
of which the player has shares of do not have
enough money to buy any of the cities at
the bottom of the columns, the player has to
pass and leave the phase.
A player may only buy one city for the same
company in this phase. As a reminder, he
turns one of his shares of the company by 90°
after he has acted for a company.
Now it is the next player´s turn. If different
players own the corresponding shares, they
may all buy one city for the company. In
other words: If the company has enough
capital, each shareholder may buy one city
for the company. Companies with several
shareholders thus have an advantage.
The income of the companies is determined
by the number of cities (the length of the rail
network). Each city brings in as much money
as the green number states. The sum of the
green numbers of all cities is evenly divided
between owned shares.
Note: It is handy to count the number
of purchased shares and then place the
money accordingly onto the various
shares. Each player then gets the money
according to his shares. Often the money
cannot be divided completely. In this
case, the director of a company receives
an extra $100. If afterwards, there is
still some money that cannot be divided,
the non-divisible amount goes into the
company's treasury.

• When a player has no money at all, he takes
$200 from the bank and does not select
a share on his player turn.
• In rare cases where one player is director
of all companies whose shares are at the
bottom of the share columns and he has
less than $1000, he chooses a share and
pays all his money. Half of it, rounded up if This phase ends when no player can or wants
necessary, goes into the company treasury, to acquire a city for a company (all players
the other half to the bank. have passed). All players now turn their
• If there are no shares remaining, the Trade shares back to the standard position.
Shares phase ends immediately.
This phase end when all players have had
a turn.

6 7
 Connected Cities Examples: The red
$200 company has an income
Final Payment
$100

of $400. Marion is the At the end of the game the companies pay
$100
L o s An gele s

R e d wo o d
B uffalo

only one owning red the following additional money:

$400

$500

shares and therefore

receives the full $400. • Each company pays $100 for each "Coast to
Company’s Capital Coast-symbol" on cities of its rail network
The blue company has per share. The sum of the Coast to Coast-
$ 10
0
an income of $800.
$200
symbols is the value of the shares at the
Angelika is director and
h A m e r i c ay s

end of the game.

R a il w ay s
an
w
R a il
an
e ric
Am

N o rt
rt h

has two blue shares

No

$
$200 100

while Daniela has one. Example: The cities in the rail network of the
Marker Token Therefore Angelika green company have a total of 9 Coast to
of the Company receives $500 (2x Coast-symbols. Angelika owns three green
$200 for her shares shares, therefore she receives an additional
plus $100 for being $2700 (3x $900).
director). Daniela gets Now the wealthiest player is the winner. If
$200 for her share; the remaining $100 go the there is a tie, then the player among the tied
company's treasury. ones that had his player turn first in the last
When all income has been determined and game turn is the winner.
money paid, the current starting player hands
the starting player token to the next player
in clockwise order. The new starting player
starts a new game turn with phase I.

6. GAME END
A game of North American Railways ends when
one or more of the following cases occur:
1. At the end of phase I (Trade Shares) there
are less shares remaining to be traded than
players participating in the game.
2. At the start of phase II (Buy Cities) there are Author: Peer Sylvester
five or less cities available to be purchased. Development: Henning Kröpke,
Uli Blennemann
3. In phase II (Buy Cities) no city is purchased. Graphics: Harald Lieske
Layout: Vladimir Krist, Filip Stránský
In all three cases the current game turn is
English Proofreading: Jeff DeBoer, Alex Williams
completed – with one change in phase III
(Receive Income):
• If the income of a company cannot be divided
evenly, the director does not get an extra
$100 and instead receives half of the Copyright 2016 Spielworxx
non-divisible remainder. www.spielworxx.de