In Take the Train, players take turns playing cards in numerical order on one of four "stations" until one player runs out of cards and ends the game.

Components:
The game consists only of a deck of 58 cards and a tray of 100 small blue tokens called "train fares". The deck of cards is compiled of 4 sets of colored "track" cards numbered 1-12, 4 "station" cards of corresponding colors, 2 "free ride" cards, 2 "end of line" cards, and 2 "transfer" cards.

Gameplay:
The entire deck is shuffled and players are dealt a starting hand based on the number of players. Next, the Train Fare tokens are divided evenly among the players and play begins with the first person to the left of the dealer who can play a station card.
Once a colored Station card is played, players may place correspondingly colored Track (numbered) cards starting at the Station and counting down from 6 on one side and up to 12 on the other. Players are allowed to lay down multiple Track cards at a time, given that the cards are in sequential order (i.e. 5,4,3 layed on top of a 6).
If a player cannot or wishes not to play one or more Track cards, they may play a specialty card (Free Ride, End of Line, or Transfer) or "pay the conductor" to pass and draw a card from the draw pile (appropriately named the "conductor's hand").

Free Ride cards can be used as wild cards to play on any Track card (except 1 or 12, with an exception)of any color.

End of Line cards are played on any Track card to prevent the addition of further Track cards down that line. Players must now "wrap around" from the other side of the station, beyond the normal limit of 1 or 12 cards and continue playing Track cards from the 1 or 12. For example, if a End of Line card is played on the blue 3 Track card, players must build up the 7-12 side of the blue Station and then "wrap around" or continue counting. That is, play blue Track cards 7,8,9,10,11,12 as normal, but then continue the Track with 1,2 to complete the set.

Transfer cards are used in the advanced gameplay rules and allow you to play Track cards without the need for a Station. To use a Transfer card, a player simply attaches his/her Tranfer card AND a Track card to a matching numbered Track card already in play, and now players can continue placing on this new Track card. Essentially the player who played the Transfer and Track card just "spawned" a Station and now players may continue playing cards on the newly placed Track card as if it were attached to an actual Station, except that now, the appropriate colored Station card cannot be played and Track cards must progress from the card just played and may "wrap around" just as when End of Line cards are played.
Lastly, if a player cannot or wishes not to play one or more cards, they must draw a card from the "Conductor's Hand" (draw pile) and pay 1 Train Fare Token to the "Conductor's Pot" (basically, this is the Token discard pile).

The game ends when one player plays the last card from their hand, or one player runs out of Train Fare tokens. Then players deduct one Train Fare token for each Track card and/or deduct two tokens for specialty cards still left in their hand. The player with the most Train Fare tokens left wins the game!

Analysis:
The components of Take the Train are decent.The tokens are of good quality and are imprinted with the words "1 fare" on them, and the cards seem sturdy and are brightly colored and attractive. Gameplay and strategy are along the lines of UNO without the interaction and opportunity to influence the game. Basically, you play what you draw and hope your draw is better than your opponent's. This game pretty much plays itself