American Rails
2009
BGG Geek Rating
6.1
based on 1,093 ratings
BGG Average Rating
7.4
community average
BGG Ranking
#2519
all board games
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Players
3-5
Weight
2.85/5.00
Playtime
90 min
Age
14+
⚙️ Game Mechanics
How this game works - core systems and player actions
🎨 Artists
🏢 Publishers
📖 About This Game
In American Rails, each player assumes the role of a wealthy capitalist managing a portfolio of stocks and bonds in six fictional railroad companies. Through ruthless negotiation and rigorous planning, players struggle to increase the value of their holdings and reap the profits. The player with the most money at the end of the game will become the nation's first railroad baron and win the game.
This luckless game was inspired by John Bohrer's development of Chicago Express and the Historic Railroads System from Winsome Games. Set in the United States east of the Mississippi, American Rails features player-controlled variable turn order, "city dilution", and variable set-ups, giving this cutthroat train game an unprecedented level of replayability.