Train game
Encyclopedia
A train game or railway game is a board game
that represents the construction and operation of railways. Train games tend to be highly involved hobby
games that take several hours to play. Like wargames
, train games represent a relatively small niche in the games market.
Not every game with a train in it is a "train game." For example, the domino game, Mexican Train
and Alan Moon's Ticket to Ride
are not usually considered train games because they do not represent railway operations. Martin Wallace's Age of Steam is a train game, though it also includes Euro design elements. Train games always focus on railway operations, and they invariably include money as a central feature of the game.
and crayon rail
games:
18XX
games originated in 1974 with the publication of Francis Tresham's 1829 and continued with such titles as 1830, 1856, and 1870. These games involve buying and selling stock in railway companies, laying track, and running locomotives to generate a profit. Most are hex map
games in which cardboard tiles are laid to build sequences of railway track. Many 18XX games can be further divided into "1829 style games," which emphasize company development, and "1830 style games," which emphasize robber baron
stock market manipulation.
Crayon rail games are more streamlined and do not contain a stock market component. They focus on laying track, delivering goods, and making profits. Instead of the hex map system found in 18XX games, railway tracks are drawn with crayons or dry erase markers. The first mass market crayon style game was Darwin Bromley and Bill Fawcett's Empire Builder
which was released in 1980 by Mayfair Games
, however Railway Rivals
by David Watts had been popular - especially amongst postal gamers - for nearly 10 years before that. Other games in the Empire Builder series include British Rails, Eurorails, India Rails, and North American Rails, to name a few. Some of these are even set in a fantasy or science fiction world, such as Iron Dragon
and Lunar Rails. Another variant is Silverton, a Mayfair game that uses wooden blocks instead of crayons to represent increasing completion of rail networks (the pieces also block competitors in a mechanic similar to the station-tokens in 18xx games).
The mechanics in Friedemann Friese's
Power Grid
were taken from crayon rail games. Its predecessor Funkenschlag even used crayons to denote power lines. In this sense, Power Grid is more of a "train game" than such train themed games as Ticket to Ride
, Union Pacific, and TransAmerica
.
, which was built in 1814.
Another important event for train gamers is the Chattanooga Rail Gaming Challenge, which has been held in Chattanooga, Tennessee
since 1997. In 2007, the competition grew to over 60 participants.
Train games are also popular at the annual World Boardgaming Championships
which routinely attracts over 1000 participants, over 100 of whom play titles such as Rail Baron, Empire Builder and 18XX.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
that represents the construction and operation of railways. Train games tend to be highly involved hobby
Hobby
A hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.- Etymology :A hobby horse is a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like a real horse...
games that take several hours to play. Like wargames
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
, train games represent a relatively small niche in the games market.
Not every game with a train in it is a "train game." For example, the domino game, Mexican Train
Mexican Train
Mexican Train, also known as simply Trains, is a game played with dominoes. The object of the game is for a player to play all the dominoes from his or her hand onto one or more chains, or "trains", emanating from a central hub or "station". The game's most popular name comes from a special...
and Alan Moon's Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride (board game)
Ticket to Ride is a railway-themed German-style board game designed by Alan R. Moon and published in 2004 by Days of Wonder. The game is also known as Zug um Zug , Les Aventuriers du Rail , Aventureros al Tren , Wsiąść do pociągu , and Menolippu .The game won the 2004 Spiel des Jahres, the Origins...
are not usually considered train games because they do not represent railway operations. Martin Wallace's Age of Steam is a train game, though it also includes Euro design elements. Train games always focus on railway operations, and they invariably include money as a central feature of the game.
Varieties
Classic train games generally fall into two broad categories: 18XX games18XX games
18XX games are a group of train games which recreate the building of railroad corporations during the 19th century. Other games which use similar mechanics are also included in this category...
and crayon rail
Crayon rails
Crayon rails is the generic term for a board game which recreates the building of railroads via the use of crayons on a reusable wipe clean board...
games:
18XX
18XX
18XX is the generic term for a series of board games that, with a few exceptions, recreate the building of railroad corporations during the 19th century; individual games within the series use particular years in the 19th century as their title , or "18" plus a two-letter geographical designator...
games originated in 1974 with the publication of Francis Tresham's 1829 and continued with such titles as 1830, 1856, and 1870. These games involve buying and selling stock in railway companies, laying track, and running locomotives to generate a profit. Most are hex map
Hex map
A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a gameboard design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into small regular hexagons of identical size.-Advantages and disadvantages:...
games in which cardboard tiles are laid to build sequences of railway track. Many 18XX games can be further divided into "1829 style games," which emphasize company development, and "1830 style games," which emphasize robber baron
Robber baron (industrialist)
Robber baron is a pejorative term used for a powerful 19th century American businessman. By the 1890s the term was used to attack any businessman who used questionable practices to become wealthy...
stock market manipulation.
Crayon rail games are more streamlined and do not contain a stock market component. They focus on laying track, delivering goods, and making profits. Instead of the hex map system found in 18XX games, railway tracks are drawn with crayons or dry erase markers. The first mass market crayon style game was Darwin Bromley and Bill Fawcett's Empire Builder
Empire Builder (board game)
Empire Builder is a railroad board game centered on the construction of railroad track, and then the delivery of goods along those railroad tracks. The original Empire Builder game is set in North America, but the line has expanded to include games set across the world, on the moon and even in a...
which was released in 1980 by Mayfair Games
Mayfair Games
Mayfair Games is a publisher of board, card, and roleplaying games. They also license German-style board games and publish them in English throughout the world...
, however Railway Rivals
Railway Rivals
Railway Rivals is a railroad-themed board game designed by Glynn and David Watts and popularised by Games Workshop in 1985. Players build railways and then run trains along them.- Gameplay :...
by David Watts had been popular - especially amongst postal gamers - for nearly 10 years before that. Other games in the Empire Builder series include British Rails, Eurorails, India Rails, and North American Rails, to name a few. Some of these are even set in a fantasy or science fiction world, such as Iron Dragon
Iron Dragon (board game)
Iron Dragon is a crayon rails board game by Mayfair Games. Unlike the other Empire Builder games, it is set in a fantasy world with the unusual feature of dragon-based locomotives...
and Lunar Rails. Another variant is Silverton, a Mayfair game that uses wooden blocks instead of crayons to represent increasing completion of rail networks (the pieces also block competitors in a mechanic similar to the station-tokens in 18xx games).
The mechanics in Friedemann Friese's
Friedemann Friese
Friedemann Friese is a German board game designer, currently residing and working in Bremen. His trademarks are his green-colored hair and games whose titles begin with the letter "F". The majority of his games, self-published by his company 2F-Spiele, also sport a green color scheme...
Power Grid
Power Grid (board game)
Power Grid is the English-language edition of the multiplayer German-style board game Funkenschlag designed by Friedemann Friese. Power Grid is published by Rio Grande Games....
were taken from crayon rail games. Its predecessor Funkenschlag even used crayons to denote power lines. In this sense, Power Grid is more of a "train game" than such train themed games as Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride (board game)
Ticket to Ride is a railway-themed German-style board game designed by Alan R. Moon and published in 2004 by Days of Wonder. The game is also known as Zug um Zug , Les Aventuriers du Rail , Aventureros al Tren , Wsiąść do pociągu , and Menolippu .The game won the 2004 Spiel des Jahres, the Origins...
, Union Pacific, and TransAmerica
TransAmerica (board game)
TransAmerica is a railroad board game centered on the construction of railroad track in the United States. The game was created by Franz-Benno Delonge and developed by Team Annaberg. It is published in the United States by Rio Grande Games. In 2003 it was a Mensa Select recipient.- Setup :The...
.
Tournaments
Several competitions for train gamers are held at major game conventions by the Train Gamers Association. Their largest event is the Puffing Billy Tournament, but other competitions include Iron Man, the 18XX Championship, and the Empire Builder International. The Puffing Billy Tournament was named in honor of the world's oldest surviving steam locomotive, Puffing BillyPuffing Billy (locomotive)
Puffing Billy is an early railway steam locomotive, constructed in 1813-1814 by engineer William Hedley, enginewright Jonathan Forster and blacksmith Timothy Hackworth for Christopher Blackett, the owner of Wylam Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne, in the United Kingdom. It is the world's oldest...
, which was built in 1814.
Another important event for train gamers is the Chattanooga Rail Gaming Challenge, which has been held in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
since 1997. In 2007, the competition grew to over 60 participants.
Train games are also popular at the annual World Boardgaming Championships
World Boardgaming Championships
The World Boardgaming Championships is a convention held yearly since 1999 by the Boardgame Players Association. It is typically held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was last held August 2 to August 8, 2010. It is next scheduled for August 1 to August 7, 2011...
which routinely attracts over 1000 participants, over 100 of whom play titles such as Rail Baron, Empire Builder and 18XX.
See also
- 18XX games18XX games18XX games are a group of train games which recreate the building of railroad corporations during the 19th century. Other games which use similar mechanics are also included in this category...
- Board gameBoard gameA board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
- Origins Game Fair
- Simulation game
- Tabletop gameTabletop gameTabletop game is a general term used to refer to board games, card games, dice games, miniatures wargames, tile-based games and other games that are normally played on a table or other flat surface...
- WargamingWargamingA wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...