Rail Baron Strategies Rebuttal

[Bill Dippert]

Of course I am serious! In <79...@ucla-cs.ARPA> Scott Turner questions my
seriousness when I had posted my top ten railroads.
1) PA:
He agrees with me! I used to prefer the NYC but it just does not
reach all of the cities that the PA does and that often come up.
2) Milw:
In the Seattle rules, the two most common regions rolled are NW (odd 7)
and NC (even 7). The only railroad that reaches both areas and goes
to Chicago is the MILW! Note that both the GN and NP are worthless in
that they do not go to Chicago, requiring two railroads to reach it.
(What I call a railroad pair.) Thus it is number two on my priority list.
3) RF&P:
Of course, Scott is correct that it would be preferable to get the SAL
before the RF&P, however, after you have purchased 1) & 2), you usually
do not have the $ for the SAL. If you do, fine, purchase the RF&P later.
4) SAL:
See above. Of course, if the SAL has been purchased by someone else then
buy the ACL, or the L&N, etc. I was merely giving my first choices.
5) ATSF:
Again Scott agrees with me. If the ATSF is bought then I would prefer
the MP/WP/D&RGW (the Gould route) to either the SP or the UP. The only
problem is that a railroad trio is even harder to obtain then a railroad
pair.
6) SLSF:
Assuming that you have purchased the SAL, the RF&P, and the ATSF then
the SLSF is a very meaningful addition. Note the critical connection
points!
7) WP:
Yes, the WP without the D&RGW is not worthless. It gets you into Reno
without having to buy the SP and in the Seattle Rules Reno is an odd 7
or an even 10. Thus Reno comes up quite often in the West. Again in
the bay area, the ATSF/WP combo gives you some access/entry points also.
If I buy past the first 10, then D&RGW is number 11.
8) NYNHH:
Purely for sentimental reasons, until the B&M is purchased. Note that
both of these railroads might be purchased by me quite early depending
upon cash flow! And Scott is right that whomever owns the NYC often
will buy the B&M out from under you! But so what, how often do you get
everyone of your favorite railroads? You do have to be somewhat flexible
-- go with the flow of the game. Be aware of what your opponents are
buying and counter-buy.
9) B&M:
See 8)
10) N&W:
Debatable, Scott is right as Norfolk being odd 10 or even 9 or even 4
does not allow it to be rolled very often. (Sarcasm off.) Under the
Seattle Rules, it is the most frequently rolled city in the SE (granted
that you have to be going to the SE first).

--Bill Dippert--