RRT2 running again

[Gwizz]

When my ME machine started dumping RRT2 back to desktop, I put it on the shelf for a later fix. My Win 7 -64 machine wouldn't run RRT2.

The XP machine has long been on the repair shelf. Finally found some time to work on the XP and ME machines. Put a new hard drive in both machines.

That didn't help either one, The ME just took longer to crash to desk top. The ME machine has run hot for a long time. I normal run it with the cover off.

I had bought a larger fan for it some months ago. So I installed it. A bit noisy; but, the ME hasn't crashed to desktop since doing that.

I believe the XP has a registry problem. So I put it back on the shelf.

I modified the Heartland map (Ver. 6) and have been playing it. I think I'll make a new read me file of the new map goals and post it.

It could be I enjoy playing it because I was so long away from playing RRT2.

[Gwizz]

Well I guess I need to zip the map before I can attach it.

[Gwizz]

I'm still trying to learn Win 7.64. I think I'll install XP on this machine.

Heartland, USA - ver.6.MP2.zip

[jeffryfisher]

I'm still trying to learn Win 7.64. I think I'll install XP on this machine.

Win7 should have a compatibility mode to run old games like RRT2 (and older). Create a shortcut and then look at its properties.

[Gwizz]

Thanks. I get a message telling me to download a file from Microsoft.

Something to do with the 64 bit program being not compatible.

I just haven't taken the time to look for the update at Microsoft.

[Gwizz]

The compatibility download ( 7 to XP) from MS, is only free if i owned the profession version of XP.

Finished the 4th play through of the Heartland version 6. Won Gold in 4 years.

Started another play through. This time i will only run unit freight trains.

The AIs will supply cargo to industry on my rail line. I will haul the more valuable production cargos.

I will ignore low cost hauls. I Plan to make the AIs more profitable so l can spent more of their money.

Hopefully I can win Gold in 3 years. To start, I routed all 8 of the blue pacifics. (A-4s) Most are hauling 3 passenger or mail cars.

4 months and not much freight yet. Routed my first AI and own 10 million in bonds. The whole world is in deep debt. My Railroad might as well be also.

Question: I bought 2 extra black pacifics for the AI that I didn't route.

Got to wondering; Is there any difference with a loco. sitting without a routed station, from one that is set to be stopped without a station?

[Gwizz]

Started the third year on this map and I don't think I will earn gold within 3 years.

It was harder than I expected to program the AIs to haul low value cargo to my high value production industries.

It might have worked better if My RR was not pre-built. The AIs started up too far from where I needed them.

[Gwizz]

Year 3 came and went. I only made it to about 40% of what was needed for gold.

For excuses:

1. I should have re started the map until I got one that was more playable.

2. I did set a goal of using no more than 30 locos.

3. I waited too long to change to the GG1 locos.

4. Earning enough money was a problem with this map.

The AIs were easy to control; I just couldn't haul away all of the cargo they shipped to me.

I used drop stations, planning to make the AIs long distance hauls myself.

This overloaded my locos since I stuck to the 30 loco limit. :( :( :( :( :( :(

[Gwizz]

Another try for an $80 million goal in 3 years and I only made $60 million on the heartland 7 map.

I will try another strategy and tweak the map a bit. example: too many lumber mills in Canada and add a few more cities in Canada.

[Gwizz]

Heartland, USA - ver.8.MP2.zip

I made some major changes to the Heartland map. It is now Heartland USA Version 8.

I like building railroads so I add some AI railroads. (20)

Not all AI chairmen will start a railroad.

I turned the map into an $80 million in 5 years map.

I normally earn only one million in the first year, because of the time I spend controlling the AI companies.

Earnings pick up quickly the second year and so on. credit is still very lucrative.

The banks welcome you to borrow at a high interest rates. One AI was paying 18 percent.

Changed some cargo values. Milk is twice as valuable as it was, passengers less valuable, etc.

Balanced some industries. Electric rail is cheaper, etc.

[Gwizz]

I'm having a difficult time achieving a Gold win with this Heartland Ver. 8 map. Silver seems to be the best I can do.

Using some of your comments on laying track, I'm trying a new strategy that I seldom use. Circling the rail lines.

In the present game, St. Louis is entered and left by crossing over two rivers on double track.

It is the city that seems to gather a lot of congestion.

I had three AI RRs South of St. Louis that were very close together. two were very poor and one very wealthy. Around these three AI RRs was a lot of potential cargo.

I merged the three AI RRs trogether naming the new larger system the Southern RR.

I connected the 3 AI with 3 circles of single track using one of the 40% discount managers.

The inter circle had 3 stations. The middle circle had 5 stations and the outer circle 9 stations.

The rings also received drop cargo from stations on spur tracks.

Altogether there are 23 stations sending cargo to and within the system. All AI trains travel the same single track going into and connecting St. Louis track and again coming out of St Louis.

I balance the loading to keep all AI trains close to the same speed.

To relieve congestion all of the AI trains enter St. Louis onto the double or right hand track. They travel 13 cells only on my RRs track. St. Louis is in the middle of this track. The AI trains continue on the right hand track and leave that track never crossing or running on the other left hand track. No turn a rounds in St. Louis.

Very little of the AI cargo is production cargo for St. Louis.

Most of it is hauled off by my trains running on the left hand track.

I seem to have maximized my profit at the St. Louis Station. There is almost no congestion on the AIs about 95% single track and none on my St.Louis double track. The AI seems to still be profitable even while paying to run on my track.

I didn't expect that to happen; proving how much train stoppage can cut into profit.

Now if I do this with a few other AI Railroads, maybe I can reach the 80 million net worth win in 5 years. I have two years to go.

[Gwizz]

Missed Gold again; but only by 7.4 million. Out of the 80 million goal in five years.

If I had build the 3 circles of track sooner, I could have won gold.

Did have some congestion; but I had 90 locos running as a last resort to haul more cargo.

[CrownVic95]

Missed Gold again; but only by 7.4 million. Out of the 80 million goal in five years.

If I had build the 3 circles of track sooner, I could have won gold.

Did have some congestion; but I had 90 locos running as a last resort to haul more cargo.

What kind of modifications did you make that would make 80 million possible in 5 years?

Of course, the difficulty rating you play at has a huge impact. Heartland is my favorite map and I usually play it at 120% or higher....and I find it quite a challenge to make gold in the default 25 years.

This thread brings to mind an aspect of the game that has left me scratching my head from the first time I played it. Much as I love the game, I've never understood where Phil got the idea for the game ending in medals - or not. I would have much preferred RRT I's ongoing climb up the ladder of success.

Anyway, I'll have to check out your Heartland version. I've tried countless maps, but Heartland and Free Four All to me stand far above the rest and are the only ones I play anymore.

[jeffryfisher]

I've tried countless maps, but Heartland and Free Four All to me stand far above the rest and are the only ones I play anymore.

Once you try my US History map, you'll never be able to go back to those others. I've practically built an entire game on top of the game (over 400 events) to keep things happening and motivate you (the player) to do more than just move passengers while ignoring the nation's industrial needs (e.g. rails and fuel become more expensive when industry starves).

I am still working on it, so please post feedback over there in its thread.

[Gwizz]

The concept for this Heartland map version 8 is Speculating with debt.

In a world fascinated with huge debt, the game doesn't even come close to duplicating the consequences.

How to make your railroad earn $80 million in net worth in five years?

The net worth at the start for the RR is a little over $20 million. It is Possible to take out a total debt of 10 million dollars on the first day of the game.

In the early 1900s may tycoons were already well off. The depression of 1929 hurt a lot of these wealthy tycoons. But a few survived the melt down of the depression. The failure of 4000 US banks in 1933 leveled off the investing; So the chairman of this map will find the interest on the debt costly.

The starting date for the Heartland version #8 is 1934.

There are 20 chairmen to contend with. So the talents of a real tycoon may be necessary to win gold.

The control of AI RRs are a good direction to explore.

[Gwizz]

This is as close as I have gotten to a Gold win.

2.5 years to go ( half way) with a net worth of 39.5 million. $80 million looks possible.

Possible problem is a margin call. But the goal for a gold win is for company net worth.

The company has 4.5 million in cash. owes 2 million in bonds.

There is a total stock value of 97 million including the stock in the 12 AI RRs.

The chairman has 7 million in purchasing power.

and a minus 41 million in margin. Normally not good.

value of a share = $72 with a share worth of $28 for my RR.

When that happened, all of the other owners sold their shares and I bought all of the company stock.

That is why the company chairman is so deep in debt.

Good thing being debt free was not part of the gold requirement.

I may just loose all of my stock but should still win gold.

I can't control my 12 AI companies if I loose control of my own company.

So, tomorrow I will fine tune all of my AI RRs on pause before I go into the second half of the game.

I hope the AIs don't mess up their routes when I become an absentee owner.

I'm running a few AI trains on my track where there are no congestion problems.

Probably why the company income has been so strong.

Maybe Obama will give me some stimulus money before I abandon the ship, so I can leave my company being very wealthy. The tax payers won't mind. It seems many believe in socialism. I'm Social. :D

[Gwizz]

Well I made Gold on the heartland #8 Map with a little over 2 months to go.

while I was deep in debt for over a year, I never got a margin call. I did come very close.

If the economy had dumped, I'm sure the Margin Call would have come my way.

Six of my AI railroads went bankrupt in the 4th year and I didn't fix the stock quick enough to keep control of those RRs.

I merged 2 of the AIs that were still solvent and also had more valuable cargoes then the others.

I'll add a cargo value chart for Heartland #8 Map. It is important for your RR to haul only the highest value cargo.

I also drew a rough area map of the heartland #8 map of cities and lakes to help my memory find where the industries are located. But, my scanner is out of ink and I believe the members on this site have a better memory then I have. So I didn't include it. It was helpful for quickly finding production industries.

Cargo value Cargo Hauled

$

$122 Milk

$97 Mail

$63 Fertilizer

$62 Chemicals

$60 Alcohol

$58 Food

$58 Autos

$55 Paper

$52 Steel

$50 Rubber

$50 Produce

$50 Goods

$50 Passengers

$46 Diesel

$44 Oil

$44 Cattle

$44 Sugar

$43 Wool

$43 Cotton

$42 Aluminum

$42 Bauxite

$42 Lumber

$42 Logs

$42 Tires

$33 Coal

$33 Iron

$33 Grain

$33 Pulp

[Gwizz]

Well Heck. 3 years gone and two to go while I have only earned about 35 million for the company. I need 80 million.

I spent a lot of time working with the AI companies. Two AIs again started up, So I was back to nine AIs.

Only 3 were running in the black. I merged two of these. I have 7 AIs again.

It is not easy to help the AIs be profitable while I'm having them, at the same time, deliver some of their high value cargo to my railroad. As an example: One AI company handled almost all of the milk runs, the highest value cargo on the map.

It delivered about 50% of the milk to my railroad and the rest it used to make its' own profit.

Then its profits started dropping and it wanted my half.

Talk about a liberal manager. I thought I was the liberal by spending all their taxes for my best interest. Got tired of their complaining and merged them. What a mess that company was in. 2.5 million in debt. I'm 8 million in debt, but, it was for the AIs benefit more then mine. Anyway I will increase

their taxes by running their trains on my rails. I will be wealthy and they will all soon be broke. Not even a stimulus handout will help them. I'll make sure of that.

It is against the tycoon constitution. But then who follows the Constitution any more. Its' just a piece of paper.

>:( Your surrounded. No take overs for you.

[Gwizz]

Two months into the 4th year and five AI just declared bankruptcy all at the same time. I think bankruptcy is a random event and Five AIs didn't cut muster. I ran the map for one more month and forgot that I no longer had full control of the 5 bankrupt AIs. Bankrupcy changes the stock count and value.

Sure enough someone had bought the new stock which changed my chance to recover. I bought back into the other 4 AIs to regain control of them. When I was ready to restart the map, I tried to take control of the last AI. But I was short one share of stock, needed to gain control. Surprise, One of the other stock owners voted with me and I got control back. Well almost, I had the AI issue one share of stock which I bought and I now own 50% of all the stock. With the chance of not being able to gain control again, I re-routed the AIs trains giving the AI no paying customers and routing all cargo to my stations and routed the 3 GG1s to do all their running on my rails. Then I resigned, locked all the doors and went home.

[Gwizz]

Strange, after running normally for a year my trains are now stopping for each other at crossings across the corners of a cell.

[jeffryfisher]

Watch closely... Are they really crossing at a corner (Ctrl-G)? Are they stopping for something else, perhaps a train ahead or behind (congestion)?

Did you accidentally build a little transition-ramp between main-lines? This can happen when dragging out a long line, such as when electrifying existing track.

[Gwizz]

They were crossing normally through each other during the first year. I normally take a break at the end of each year and I moved the computer tower over on its' side and back up.

Shortly after the move. I had the fan, over the CPU, come loose and swing to one side. The CPU then heated up and crashed a game.

I secured the fan to replace the cool air flow, got the game up and running again; But, I didn't notice if the trains were stopping after the fan problem or not.

More than likely the trains were stopping for each other during those next two months of running. It is still happening. Everything else seems OK.

[jeffryfisher]

I don't think the train s were stopping for each other. It sounds more like they were stopping to pay their last respects to your computer hardware ;)

[Gwizz]

My fan is still hanging on until I can find one that is more quiet to fully install . I haven't been able to get out much except to find fuel for the generator.

Today seems to be the ending of our 9 days of storms. First a mild snow storm that melted a bit during the day and froze into solid ice a night causing over 150 accidents. It then snowed some more and turned into an Ice storm the next day coating my jeep with about a 3/4 inch thickness of ice. Then the wind storm came and blew down trees and dropped ice and brances off of many other trees, closing the big bridge and many roads . Then it rained again and froze at night followed by another wind storm. Then it did the same thing two more times. At one point my power company had 270,000 homes without power including mine. Other power coumpanies altogether had loss power to about half as many. As fast as power was reconnected, others would lose power. Today they said only a few outages are left to fix. The sun is now shining again.

I'm still testing my map when I have power. On this hopefully the last test, I limited the game to 6 AI companies. This put my company about 30 million dollars into debt. including my bond debt. I had just under 2 million in purchasting power and quickly received a Dec. margin call. I merged one AI and purchasing power barely went positive. I have been gaining ever since I started running a few of the AI locos on my track.

I haven't noticed if trains are still crossing each other. When I look, I see train making right turns at the big crossing as programed. I am running fewer trains with the AI using my track and routing is still nearly perfect. I bought locos in lots of 10 or more. The first 10 locos only serve the ports and need no micro-management. I have 40 electrics runnimng on routes and the last 30 are 1020s that mostly, only supply cargo from spurs to industries on my main line. They need very little management. The 25 or so AI train are seldom managed.

If I do another play through, I think I will use about 10 AIs. It is easier to steal their profits when there are more AIs to choose from.

I still haven't figured out an easier method for hiring the managers I want.

[jeffryfisher]

How do you manage to control so many other companies? In my games, I have a devil of a time just buying all of the stock in my own. Even if I were allowed to hop between companies, I usually wouldn't be able to.

Do you play scenarios where you can't run other companies, or is it so much of your play style that you avoid them?