The Pacific Coast 1870

[Orange46]

This is another fine map and scenario by AROP, with very buildable mountainous terrain. I enjoyed being able to build along the relatively level Pacific Coast all the way from San Diego to a bit beyond Seattle. It was also nice to see profitable furnaces. I have had problems with them in the past, but not in this scenario. But, I was a failure with machines and later in the game, when I didn't need the profits so much, I watched some of my furnaces fail.

The goals of the scenario are to create a lot of CBV, LIP and PNW and you have up to 80 years to do it. You should be able to connect everywhere in the first 40 years or less (and get some bonuses for the track you have laid and cargoes delivered), and then you can probably turn the speed up, just being careful to locate profitable new industries to build and keep them supplied. I did say build, as you will not get that LIP from buying industries - it ain't allowed. My only problem was getting the requisite PNW. In 1930, at the start of the depression, I finally reached the CBV goal, but my net worth was less than 60% of what was needed. Even though I had been making $15 million or so every year, the stock market wasn't happy, and my stock price kept falling. So, even though we were in a depression, interest rates were only 5% and the scenario thought the economy was booming - what this meant was that my stock price had nowhere to go but down - and my P/E ratio was approaching 20-1, another bad sign. Fortunately, I had stopped investing in my company's stock, and had earned some large personal bonuses for having shipped cargo, so with my large cash hoard I waited until December and pumped up my stock. Gold followed, and the SEC shortly thereafter. My trial is in 6 months.

for another great map.

[RayofSunshine]

Okay, I am glad to see that a newer version has been completed. Scenarios with too sheer mountains basically require tunnels, which are great, but make playing more difficult. More expensive as well. Being that Arop is this version creator, I am sure that players will find it enjoyable.

I tried playing the other version, and in the last attempt, I cheated, as laying track "down" to the coast was just as expensive as building tunnels. They were some what lengthy, and thereby expensive to maintain. Although there were a few negative comments, I found that the concept was of interest, but was a very difficult scenario to get a medal. Just to play was fun, but to get the medals?? Difficult.

So with that said, I have cataloged it with the others in inventory entitled, "mountains". I don't mind scenarios with 'manageable' mountains, but some get more difficult. I know that it takes time, talent, and imagination for any creation, so I never just "toss" those which I find difficult. They require our respect for the attempt, and after all is said, I am not the best "Tycoon for the job". I just like to play.

Hence a and and , for all our user creators. Without their attempts, it could be a boring life.

[arop]

I saw a chance to implant some of the new cargos and industries following with version 1.06 and to lower the terrain somewhat, making it possible to build with decent grades. Personnally I find many RRT3 maps unplayable, because of exagerated mountanious terrain demanding grades of more than 4. I do not know what "4" means, but I presume that it is 4%. Lines with grades more than 5% are often built as rack railways. Adhesion railways with grades above 7% are impossible to run, trunk lines are often built with grades below 2%.

[RayofSunshine]

I enjoy playing practically any scenario, but prefer lessor mountainous terrain.

Managed to get to 1920 with most of the bonuses, but a problem with keeping the "furnaces" profitable. And they don't seem to follow the indicators of production. Lots of supply, but not reasonable output.

I had 1 furnace, and lots of supply of ore. Fairly good profits. So with a considerable amount of supply, I built another, which also gave a fairly good profit. But it was not satisfying me with a good output, considering the supply that was setting available. Now I may have made a mistake with "over industry" as I built the 3rd, both for a better output, as well as to increase my LIP. Must have been an "overkill" as they all crashed into debt. I finally had to save my revenue, and sold them.

Don't recall doing this in any other scenario. Trying to "repurchase" 1 to see if profits could be restored. Seeing that none of the pre-built or computer created industries could be purchased, it was not possible. SO, as an experiment, I was able to "bulldoze" them, and the purchased a new one.

Now I have purchased a goodly number of industries, but the amount of the total profits for the LIP don't seem to move up the ladder very fast. Actually very slow. I can manipulate the dividend to help the PNW, which then decreases the CBV. Catch 22.

I still have 45 years to 1950, so will just have to see the remainder results.