The North-East Corridor

Goal: To win, gain control of an existing company. Expand by either building new track, or buying other companies (mergers will get you access to all territories to which the company with which you merged had access).

To gain points, provide better passenger service to the main cities than your competitors.

Points will be awarded at the end of every year, based on the record of the company you own at that time. When you switch companies, you will keep the points you earned.

Points are awarded yearly ...

... to the company that has hauled the most passengers TO a city in the current year (2 for New York Metro, and 1 each for Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington).

... to the company that has hauled the most passengers FROM a city in the current year (2 for New York Metro, and 1 each for Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington).

... to the company with the highest average express speed in the current year (2 points).

multi-player only:

... to the company that has hauled the most passengers overall (2 points).

In single player, up to 12 points will be awarded per year; in multi-player, up to 14 points per year.

Author's Comments: This map recreates the fierce competition between U.S. railroads for a share of the passenger market in the densely settled North-East. It is mostly designed for multi-player matches, but can also be played in single-player mode.

The scenario has two components: a stock-market game, and a railroad-operating game. First, take over an existing company; then, capture the greatest share of the passenger market in the major urban centers along the North-East Corridor (New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC). To do so, expand your network to all these cities, either by buying access to more states and extending your own routes, or by taking over companies that already have access and track in these areas.

You can choose one of three fast engines with high passenger appeal: the GG1, the Mallard, or the Zephyr to win a competition for the fastest passenger service. You can also implement a number of new technologies and service improvements, like air-conditioning, Pullman service, and track water-pans that allow moving steam trains to take on water.

Your performance is measured in a point system: You will get points if your company has carried the most passengers into and out of any of the major urban centers in any given year. The railroad that offered the fastest express trains in a given year will receive additional points.

You will need the expansion pack and patch 1.04 to play this map in single player; and patch 1.05 (forthcoming) to play in multi-player.