Just for the helluvit, I reloaded my saved game (just before it kept crashing), STOPPED the last 5 trains and let it run. It made it into September 1890 without crashing, so I started the trains -- one at a time. Found that the train that caused the CTD was the one Shay that I had just started running around the mountenous region. I trashed the train & bought a new Shay with the same route. Worked OK for a month or so & then the game crashed again. So this time I replaced the Shay with a Consolidation -- not very good in the mountains, but at least it didn't crash the game!I supose I could make a really difficult version of the map. Industrious-Ballbusterious. :D
Bottom line: Even though the economy went down a notch in September, I was still going gang-busters. Passed 22 points sometime in early 1892; was awarded the gold win in May 1892 -- 25 points, $70M total lifetime industry profits, $25M PNW.
So, anyway, this was done in 17 years. I think you should make the game a little harder to challenge us so-called experts.
-- Cliff in Virginia