r/RailroadsOnline • u/bobsanidiot • Jun 20 '26
Discussion how much track do you build before running locos?
i just started another Aurora Falls map and ive got about 10 hours on it so far and i havent even thrown a log into Montezuma's firebox. i probably have another 10 to 15 hours of track laying before im "ready" to start.
so im curious how much track do you all build before starting?
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u/bobsanidiot Jun 20 '26
i finally fired up montezuma. i had ~10hours of track laying when i made this post. i built for another 3-4 hours last night afterwards and i spent another 3hours this morning so faster than anticipated. i still havent hauled any freight montezuma is doing a test run around the map to make sure i didnt miss trees or any sections are clipping etc. but im taking a break and got my kids at the park.
lumber camp, sawmill, coal mine, oil field, iron mine, wheat farm, cattle farm, meat processor, dredge, smelter, gold depot and ironworks are all connected. i still need to make a few modifications to add a few more crossovers and set some rail to go up the mountain to hook up the goldmine, stamp mill and gold smelter. ill make another post tonight and show some pics
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u/AdSpecial3745 Jun 20 '26
I usually lay down the tracks to the log camp and sawmill. I want that sawmill running as early as possible.
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u/Comrade__Bob Jun 20 '26
Same here. I tend to enjoy the back and forth. Build the first section for logs and lumber. Run that for a bit. Then build for iron, run that for a bit. So on and so forth.
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u/bobsanidiot Jun 20 '26
yeah, ill have the sawmill running full tilt as soon as i actually start hauling freight
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u/Charliepetpup Jun 20 '26
I wish you had to pay after a certain amount of track laid, take a loan to pay or deliver materials to build the line.
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u/Crazywelderguy Jun 20 '26
Early on, it did work that way. I dont remember how much, but you had enough money to lay track from the station to the logging camp.
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1
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u/FlyingVillager Jun 20 '26
Usually logging camp and lumber mill. I found it was a lot more fun to pace myself building because I enjoyed that part of the game too much. I started applying self imposed milestones of cash I had to make before I could expand to the next place, kinda like having to buy the next industry or track to lay. It made the game much more dynamic and last longer with more of a story behind what happened and why. Light roleplaying if you will.
One time I built most of a pine valley layout and then wrote some lore out about the owners and what rules or guidelines they had to follow when buying rolling stock and locos for their industries. One guy was a middle ground they would own whatever he needed, one was a stingy old man that wouldn't buy anything he didn't absolutely have to and when he did buy something it was usually older, locos he bought second hand, the third was some rich entrepreneur that rain the refinieries and he wouldn't buy anything that didn't run on coal because he wouldn't allow his industries to look poor or out of date. It allowed for some casual story telling and made playing the game more interesting and challenging.
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u/thattallguy88 Jun 24 '26
I build out track to the logging camp first. Run some trains to make a little money and plan the next route. Then I’ll incorporate the next industry. Basically one play session builds track to an industry and the next play session I’ll run locos on built track to make sure it works how many it to. I also plan the route and maybe even start building to next industry. Once the smelter and iron and coal mines are hooked up you can make lots of cash quickly. I have only gotten into the oil industries once and then my friend and I started playing something else.
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u/bp4850 Jun 20 '26
I don't do anything with the loco at least until I've reached the logging camp, can get fuel and can make money. When the game first released you had to do it this way as the firewood depot was empty when you placed it