Locomotion Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Object of the Game
• Preliminary Remark
• Preparation
• The Basic Game
• First Variant
• Second Variant
• Other Variants

Components

• 45 rails
• 4 locomotives
• 16 wagons
• 4 locomotive cards
• 4 wagon cards
• 28 speed cards
• 1 die
• Rules

Object of the Game

The winner is the first player to couple 4 wagons behind their locomotive, in a colour sequence determined in advance.

Preliminary Remark

Wagons must touch each other, and touch the locomotive, along at least one side.

• Correct: wagons placed end to end, sides touching.
• Incorrect: wagons placed with a gap between them.

Uncoupling a wagon creates an empty space:

• Before: three wagons in a row.
• After: the wagon is uncoupled, leaving a gap between the wagons.

Preparation

1. The players build a railway network together using all 45 rails or part of them. The difficulty increases with fewer rails used (especially in a two-player game). Example of a network made of only 13 rails. A possible route is drawn in red.

2. When building, rails must touch at least one neighbouring track. A parallel connection between these tracks is forbidden.

   Forbidden (illustration): rails forming a parallel connection between neighbouring tracks.

3. All the points of the rails must be reachable with the locomotives or the wagons.

4. Each player places one locomotive and 4 wagons of different colours on the network (centred on a point). It is advised to spread them over the whole network. Wagons and locomotives must be placed so that they can be coupled at the front or at the back at any time.

5. The locomotive cards are shuffled, placed face down on the table, and each player draws one and places it, face up, in front of them. The colour of the card designates their locomotive.

6. Finally, the wagon cards are shuffled and turned over one at a time, face up, on the table. It is in the colour sequence that is turned over that the wagons must be coupled to the players' locomotives. This colour sequence is valid for everyone.

The Basic Game

1. Speed cards are not used in the basic game. The player who scores the highest on the die roll is the first player. The other players follow in turn.

2. On their turn, the player rolls the die. The result tells them the maximum number of points they can move their locomotive. It can be moved forward or backward. Changes of direction are allowed. Unused points cannot be kept for the next turn.

3. When one or more wagons are coupled, the player first moves their locomotive and the wagons follow. When reversing, the player first moves the last wagon, and the other wagons and the locomotive follow.

4. Movement on the track is made either in a straight line, or by turning by +60° or -60°.

   Allowed (illustration): a turn of 60° at a junction. Forbidden (illustration): a turn of 90° at a junction.

5. At all times, the position of the wagons and locomotives must be identifiable on the points of the rails.

6. It is forbidden to pass over other wagons and locomotives, and to turn them on the spot.

7. Each coupling and uncoupling of one or more wagons costs one point of the die.

8. Uncoupled wagons cannot move.

9. Uncoupling one or more wagons may be necessary to modify the position of the wagons that the locomotive is pulling, or simply to get out of a dead end.

10. Wagons cannot be coupled at the front and at the back of a locomotive at the same time.

11. It is forbidden to couple two wagons of the same colour.

12. During the game, players must keep the movement of their locomotive free. A locomotive that is "trapped" by wagons that have been uncoupled by another player at that spot remains immobile (the player passes their turn) until those wagons are removed.

First Variant

This variant is played without the die and emphasises the tactical element of the game.

1. Each player receives 7 speed cards, numbered from 0 to 6.
2. The speed chosen to start the game is free.
3. The player places the chosen card, face up, in front of them. The range of speeds goes from 0 (= stop) to 6.
4. The chosen speed can be changed by 1 up or down. Example: The speed card "4" allows the player to move the locomotive 3, 4 or 5 points. To change speed, the player places a new card in front of them.
5. If the indicated speed cannot be used entirely (because wagons or locomotives have blocked a passage), the locomotive must travel the path that is offered to it to the maximum. When it reaches the obstacle, it stops dead and can only set off again with the speed card "0" (movement stops by one square).
6. Coupling and uncoupling one or more wagons costs (as in the basic game) 1 point of movement.
7. The other rules are identical to those of the basic game.

Second Variant

This game lends itself perfectly to being played solitaire. After building the railway network, the player places their locomotive and 4 wagons of different colours on the points of their choice. Then they shuffle the 4 wagon cards to determine the colour sequence in which the wagons must be coupled to the locomotive. The player will try to reach the goal (i.e. couple the wagons in the desired order) by covering the shortest route. If the player has noted the positions of the locomotive and the wagons, they can try to achieve a shorter route in the next game. A competition with several players can be organised, and the one who has covered the shortest distance wins.

Other Variants

a. A "Locomotion" tournament can be organised. The number of games to be played is determined in advance. The winner receives 5 points. The other players receive 1 point per well-placed wagon.

b. To speed up the course of the game, the number of wagons to couple can be limited to two or three. The number of rails to place can also be reduced.