Railways of Australia Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup Changes
• Income Track / Score Track
• Railroad Operations Cards Display
• Region Borders
• Towns
• Major Lines
• Ferry Lines
• Rebound Operations Cards
• Switch Tracks
• Ending the Game
• New Railroad Operations Card Appendix
  • Black Stars
  • Company Merger
  • Federation of Australia
  • Mechanical Stoker
  • Navvy Camp
  • Newspaper Fame
  • Spirit of Tasmania
  • Switchback
  • Tenders
  • Triple Gauge
  • Zig Zag
• Optional Railroad Barons
  • Matthew Mayes
  • Ralph H. Anderson
  • Randal Lloyd

Components

• Game Board (with score track)
• Junction tiles (66)
• Switch Track tokens (20)
• Gray New City tiles (10)
• Commonwealth of Australia Tile (1)
• Railroad Operations Cards (63)
• Rail Baron Cards (15)
• Player Reference Sheets (6)
• +50/100 Victory Point tokens (6)

Setup Changes

To accommodate the regions of the board in which you are using, remove any Railroad Operations cards designated for regions not in play:

• Central Region: Alice Springs Hotel, Port Augusta Hotel, Wyndham Town, Tennant Creek Town
• Western Region: Mount Newman Town, Esperance Town, Halls Creek Town, Foreign Trade Ports featuring Perth.

Remove any 'Triple Gauge' Railroad Operations cards that are labeled for more than the number of players. (i.e. You use zero Triple Gauge cards in a 2-player game, only one Triple Gauge card in a 3 to 4-player game, and both Triple Gauge cards in a 5 or 6-player game.)

When setting up the Railroad Operations card display, remove any town cards that appear and draw new cards to replace them, then shuffle the town cards back into the Railroad Operations deck. There should not be any town cards in the opening display.

Income Track / Score Track

Use the Score Track printed on the game board. If a player scores more than 50 points on the Score Track, give that player a +50 Victory Point token as a reminder that their score includes an additional 50 points.

Note: All income above 49 points on the Score Track is $10. This Income Track has a steeper rise and decline than the Income Track of the Railways of the World base game. For a more relaxed game, use the Score Track from Railways of the World or Railways of Nippon.

Railroad Operations Cards Display

Railways of Australia is divided into 5 regions by the white region borders (3 regions on the East coast, 1 region in central Australia, and 1 region in Western Australia). The map is intended to scale with the number of players. We recommend playing with only the 3 eastern regions for a 2-player game, adding the central region for a 3 or 4-player game, and playing the entire map for a 5 or 6-player game.

Region Borders

Regions are a new feature in Railways of Australia. A region border either divides a map hex into two halves (A) or runs between two map hexes (B). Players are not allowed to build track across a region border (which represents the break of gauge between Australian colonies) except by connecting through a City on a region border or by use of a 'Triple Gauge' Railroad Operations card.

Building track on a map hex that is split into two halves by a region border (C) is not necessarily crossing the border. The side of the region border where the track exits the hex determines if the border has been crossed. A track tile that enters from one region, but exits into the same region via a curved track (or Switch track) is allowed (D). A track tile that enters from one region, but exits into a different region (E) is not allowed without use of a 'Triple Gauge' Railroad Operations card.

A Link connecting to a City in more than one region and a second Link connecting to the same City in a different region is not considered a region border crossing and is allowed (F).

Towns

Towns are a new feature in Railways of Australia. Towns are Cities that have not yet been built (G). A player may build a town as part of a Build Track action for the cost of $5,000. If built as part of a Build Track action, place a Gray New City tile over the town hex (H). A town may be built as 1 of the 4 track builds for a Build Track action and may only be built connected to a Link leading into that town. Once built, add 2 random Goods Cubes to the Gray New City tile. This City now functions just as any other Gray City on the map.

A town may also be built by its corresponding Railroad Operations card (I). If a town card is revealed from the Railroad Operations deck, immediately place a Gray New City tile on that town, add 2 random Goods Cubes, discard the town card and draw a replacement. If the town has already been built into a City when the town card is revealed, add 2 random Goods Cubes to the City, discard the town card and draw a replacement Railroad Operations card for the face up display. There are 10 towns on the Railways of Australia map – 2 in the Western region, 1 in both the Western region and the Central region, 1 in the Central region, 3 in both the Central region and the Eastern region, and 2 in the Eastern region.

Major Lines

There are a total of 8 Major Lines in Railways of Australia – 4 in the Eastern region, 2 in the Central region (which require connecting all 3 Cities) and 2 in the Western region. You will only be able to complete Major Lines in the regions in which you are playing. (i.e. If you are not using the Western region, you will not be able to complete the 2 Major Lines in this region, but the other 6 Major Lines will be available.)

Ferry Lines

A Ferry Line hex may only be built through use of a Spirit of Tasmania card.

Rebound Operations Cards

Rebound Operations cards are a new Railroad Operations card type in Railways of Australia. Like Railroad Operations cards, these cards are taken into your hand and kept until used. Unlike Railroad Operations cards, once used, these cards are returned to the face up display and may be selected again as an available Railroad Operations card in a future action. Rebound cards will always remain in play, either in the face up display or in a player's hand.

Switch Tracks

Switch Tracks are available to each player twice in the game during the Build Track action. The active player may pay $5,000 to replace any piece of their existing track with a new Switch Track tile showing a 3-way connection (J, K). Then, they place one of their two Switch Track markers (or Switch Track mini if using the mini expansion) of their player color on the new Switch Track tile (L). (This counts as 1 of the 4 track builds.)

This player may now build another track segment off of this connection following all normal track-building rules. This means any track built onto the new Switch Link must be connected to another City before the Income Phase or it is removed, including the Switch Track marker.

Note: A player may only build 1 Link during a Build Track action.

Ending the Game

The number of Empty City Markers that trigger the end of the game depends on the number of players:

• 2 Players: 9 Empty City Markers
• 3 Players: 11 Empty City Markers
• 4 Players: 13 Empty City Markers
• 5 Players: 15 Empty City Markers
• 6 Players: 16 Empty City Markers

Remember to reduce your score by 1 victory point for every Bond Certificate issued. The high score, as indicated on the score track, is the winner.

New Railroad Operations Card Appendix

The new Railroad Operations cards are listed below by card name, followed by their printed rules text. Each card's icons (star, infinity, card-back, X, diamond and "S" symbols) are printed on the card and are not reproduced in this text.

Black Stars

These cards are optional and may be used or substituted as desired in a 2-6 player game.

Company Merger

Pay the building costs of one of an opponent's Links to that opponent. Place a Control Locomotive of your player color on that Link. You now both own and earn points from the use of this Link.

Federation of Australia

When this card is revealed, place the Commonwealth of Australia tile on Canberra. This City is now considered all colors and accepts Goods Cubes of all colors for the remainder of the game.

Mechanical Stoker

On a Deliver Goods Cube action, you may deliver 1 link farther than your Engine Level for a cost of $2,000. (May be used during only 1 of your 3 actions per turn.)

Navvy Camp

Select a Gray City and place a Control Locomotive of your player color on that City. Gain 1 point when any player builds a Link connecting to this City. (Max 6 points)

Newspaper Fame

Gain 1 additional point for each Major Line that you complete.

Spirit of Tasmania

During a Build Track action, you may build a Ferry Hex for free. Once played, return this card to the display.

Switchback

On a future Build Track action, place one of your Switch Track markers for free one of your existing Links any time during that Build Track action. (This counts as 1 of your 4 track builds.)

Tenders

On a single future Deliver Goods Cube action, you may deliver 1 link farther than your Engine Level.

Triple Gauge

During a Build Track action, you may build track across a region border. Once played, return this card to the display.

Zig Zag

On a single future Build Track action, all mountains are half price and Ridge crossings are free for that build.

Optional Railroad Barons

Matthew Mayes

Gain 8 points if you have the most money and issued the fewest Bond Certificates at the end of the game. Ties are allowed.

Ralph H. Anderson

Gain 2 points for each Major Line that you complete. (Max 8 points)

Randal Lloyd

Gain 2/5/8 points if you are connected to 3/4/5+ towns by your own Links.