Rails Across America
Cheat Codes:
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Press [CTRL]+[SHIFT]+C and activate cheats. Now, press [CTRL]+C to open the
console and enter these cheats (Note: Do NOT pause before this):
Code Effect
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ADDVENTURE - Gives $10 million in cash to the player.
BOOMBOOM X - Adds sabotage to the currently selected track for X weeks.
(default is four).
CHATTERBOX - AI's chat every time they have the option.
(instead of one-tenth of the time).
DEECEE X - Add X government cards to your hand.
(default is maximum number of cards).
GREEN$PAN - Economy moves to reasonable growth with low interest rates.
HAMPTONS X - Add X money cards (default is maximum number of cards).
HOOVER - Economy instantly drops into depression.
IACOCCA - Immediate exit from bankruptcy.
JOHNHENRY - Removes all Safety inspections and Sabotages from currently
selected track.
OSHA X - Adds a safety inspection to the currently selected track for
X weeks (default is 4).
SKUNKFARM X - Add X dirty trick cards (default is maximum number of cards).
SOTHEBY - Forces the next failed shortline acquisition effort to go to auction.
STEAMED X - Adds X scandal-risk points to target player (default is 20).
Managing Your Tracks:
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* The best way to manage your tracks is to check your Track List screen every
once in a while. Track List shows you all the different tracks that you own,
both finished and under construction. Open up the screen and click on the
Utilization header at the top. This will sort the tracks by how bad their
traffic problems are. Open the Track Details screen for the first track by
clicking on the arrow to the right of it. Fix this track by adding/removing/
upgrading the engines assigned to it, then move to the next track either by
clicking on the right arrow next to the track name, or moving the mouse wheel
while the pointer is over the name. One easy shortcut: Wherever you see the
Utilization lights (the zigzag lights), you can add or remove engines just
by clicking on the specific light that you want your Utilization to be.
* You can upgrade an engine by clicking the large arrow on its card. This will
open the upgrade box. If you want to upgrade all your engines of that class,
click on the upgrade button on the engine card in the train pool (the area
on the right that shows all the cards). If you only want to upgrade the
engines on a single track, click on the upgrade button on the engine card
in the Track Slot area.
* Many tracks will not have any passenger traffic. If you have a single engine
assigned to carrying passengers, and the light is red on the right, then
there may not be enough traffic to justify the engine. By not running an
engine, you may save money in maintenance costs.
* If you're running out of money, you may want to focus on just a few tracks.
It's much better to have some high volume tracks running efficiently, and
only paying maintenance for those tracks, than to run everything badly. If
you take all the trains off of a track, you pay much less maintenance on
that track.
Financial:
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* Loans are key to the game in the early phase, because you'll want to expand
quickly. Loans have two elements to them: the interest rate, and how long
they go. Every year, you'll pay some interest on the loan, and at the end
of their duration, you pay back the principal.Make sure you have enough
money to pay back the loan when it comes due! If you have to take out another
loan to pay it off, it's usually better to do so than to go into bankruptcy.
If a loan comes due, your finance department will try to take out an emergency
loan to cover the amount, although it won't be at a good interest rate.
* If you do go into bankruptcy, don't be so quick to come out of it. After
all, you've already taken the prestige hit, so why not take advantage of
it? Bankruptcy reduces all your maintenance costs, and removes all of the
debts. You can stay in bankruptcy until you either leave it voluntarily
by hitting the button, or you've had twelve straight profitable months,
or you've gone three years. You can't lay track or buy shortlines until
you leave bankruptcy, so there are reasons why you may want to get out of it.
* You don't win the game by having the most cash, but by having the most
prestige, so don't focus just on building up your worth. Use that cash to
build more aggressively, and smarter, than your opponents! You may have to
flirt with bankruptcy, but that's what it takes to win!
