Railroad Tycoon II - I suck

[tromik]

I've had RT2 for quite some time now, and I'm trying to play it now that RT3 is out. Chances are, if I like RT2, I should like RT3, right? Problem is, I suck at RT2! I can't make money! I'm always in the red, I keep getting pay cuts and I think I'm about to get fired. I don't get it!

I'm play the first "level," The Iron Seed. I've got three cities connected, and one train. I make sure I'm hauling what's in supply. Where am I going wrong?

Any tips?

Oh, and I know an RT3 demo is out, but I pretty much suck at that too.

[MikeJ]

Well, three cities and one train seems a bit lean. I would think two or even three trains, if the demand is there. Remember that you can get more revenue from passengers by skipping the middle station occasionally. Also, you might not want to put six cars on every train. IIRC, those early trains are kind of pathetic.

[Shawn Metcalf]

The RRT2 recipe for success went something like this:

1) Run passengers/mail between cities.
2) Run freight between cities.
3) Look for profitable industries and buy them.

RRT3 inverts this. Industries can be and often are profitable even if there's no rail line going to them. Freight price disparities between cities are often enough to make good money from right away. And passenger/mail doesn't start getting valuable until you connect many cities.

For the scenario you're trying, try looking at industries along rivers that require goods which haven't reached them yet, but which are on the way. That way you can buy the industry cheaply.

Then try hooking up three cities in a row: A-B-C. Try to make sure at least one of the cities is separated from the other by hills/mountains or a river. That will cut down on the non-rail flow of goods between those cities. You want to be the only game in town.

Put one train between each pair of cities. Depending on the year and how good the trains are, let them pick up 4, 6, or 8 cars. Even if the trains aren't very good, if the route is fairly flat and straight, you should be able to get away with six cars.

Let that run for a year and make some money. The next year your credit rating will have improved. Float a bond or two and connect another city in the line, looking first for good industries to buy (they'll keep popping up over time). Keep connecting a city each year if possible. Once your debt gets too high, by then your company should be profitable enough on its own.

[XPav]

Also, build your own industries. Its rarely worth it to buy any existing ones. Look on the flow map for each type of resource and see if you can intercept the flow of goods with your own industry.

[MikeJ]

Ah, I thought he wanted advice for RT2...

[Shawn Metcalf]

Ah, I thought he wanted advice for RT2...

Crap. You're right. My advice at this point is to give up on RRT2 and get RRT3. There you go.

[tromik]

Ah, I thought he wanted advice for RT2...

Crap. You're right. My advice at this point is to give up on RRT2 and get RRT3. There you go.

Um. I don't have the $70, I blew it on school, smokes and insurance.