RAIL BARON Board Game- Frequently Asked Questions

This is the official Rail Baron® FAQ. The rule interpretations found below are those used during the annual World Boardgaming Championships, which is host to the largest Rail Baron tournament anywhere. Note: some of these issues are rather picky and/or esoteric. For RBP computer game questions, see the software FAQ.


GENERAL RAIL BARON INFO

What was Rail Baron?

What is Rail Baron® now?

CURRENT STATUS

Is the old Rail Baron board game currently being published?

Where can I get a copy of the discontinued board game?

What other options are there?

I need only the rules.

I have a rules question.

FUTURE STATUS

Will Hasbro reprint Rail Baron?

Will Hasbro publish a computer version?

AREA RATINGS

How do I get added to the list of top Rail Baron players?

BEST RRs IN GAME

What are the best railroads to own in the game?

FEES FOR OWN RRs

Do I pay the $1000 fee if I ride only my own RRs?

ORDER OF ACTIONS DURING TURN

Upon arrival at a destination, can a purchase be made before rail use fees are paid?

ROLLING THE BONUS DIE

Exactly when is the bonus die rolled?

BONUS ROLL FEES

I don't have to pay any fees for rail use during the bonus roll, right?

TWIN CITIES

I rolled St. Paul as my home city, but someone else already has Minneapolis as a home city. Is that a problem?

MAP DIFFERENCES

2nd printing 1st printing There are small map differences in AH's printings of Rail Baron. What should we do about them? boxcars

BANKRUPTCY

When a player cannot fully afford rail use fees, what happens to his remaining cash?

AUCTION BIDDING

During an auction, if the seller owes me track use fees, can I use that amount as part of my bid?

AUCTION OF RAILROAD BEING USED

My train was on a railroad that was auctioned. Who receives the use fee my next turn, and how much is it? My train ran on my railroad, but I could not afford the use fee so auctioned that railroad. Who receives the use fee, and how much is it?

ALTERNATE DESTINATION IS CURRENT CITY

I just declared, and as my alternate destination, I rolled my current city. Do I lose my turn?

ALTERNATE DESTINATION IS HOME CITY

My alternate destination turned out to be the same as my home city. Do I collect a payoff upon arriving?

MOVING THROUGH OPPONENTS WHEN DECLARED

It's my turn, I'm declared and heading for home, but my opponents are in the way. If I pass through a dot in which they sit, do I get rovered?

SHARING A DOT WHEN DECLARING

When I declared an opponent was sitting on the same dot as me. Does he rover me automatically?

SHARING A DOT WHILE DECLARED

What about if, while I'm declared, I end my turn at a dot occupied by an opponent?

CAN'T BE ROVERED

I'm declared and ended my turn 3 dots away from my home city of Miami. Can I be rovered?

ROVERED IN ALTERNATE DESTINATION

I declared but an opponent caught me via a rover play. I happened to be in my alternate destination at the time. How is this handled?

SELF-UNDECLARE IN ALTERNATE DESTINATION

I was declared but dropped below $200,000 after paying use fees. My pawn ended the turn sitting at my alternate destination. When do I arrive?

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF RRs PURCHASED PER TURN

What is the maximum number of railroads I could possibly purchase in a single turn?

INCREASE IN RAIL USE FEE

When does the rail use fee increase?

MULTIPLE RR ESTABLISHMENT / GRANDFATHERING

I was in Chicago when the use fee jumped from $5,000 to $10,000. Am I established on the unfriendly RR I rode on my way into the city?

ANNOUNCING

When do I need to announce that I'm close to winning?

IMMEDIATE MOVEMENT

After I roll the dice, can I think about how I want to move my train?

WINNING WHEN BONUS ROLL IS PENDING

Can I win when my bonus roll is still pending?

WINNING BY ELIMINATING ALL OPPONENTS

What happens if I bankrupt all my opponents?

PAYOFF CHART ERRORS

What should be done about the errors in the Payoff Chart?
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Rail Baron is a registered trademark of Intersystem Concepts, Inc.