Rail Baron

Rail Baron is one of the earlier train games - boardgames with a railroad theme.

Players move trains along historical USA railroad lines and collect delivery payoffs. They compete to purchase the railroads in order to assemble a network that gives access to important map destinations while simultaneously trying to prevent their opponents from doing so.

The GENERAL Index Article List:

• The GENERAL Vol.15,No.2
  • Rail Baron – “Strategy for the Fourth Man - A Rail Baron Clinic” (Strategy) Michael Gray
• The GENERAL Vol.16,No.5
  • Rail Baron – “The Short Game and the Two-Man Game” (Variant Discussion) Gary Charbonneau

Rail Baron (1977) Revised 1980
Avalon Hill revised existing published design
Designed by R.J. Erickson
Development by Richard Hamblen

The most successful non-wargame AH has ever produced in terms of its appeal to wargamers and non-wargamers alike. The revision consisted of a simple correction to the payoff tables. The game did change packaging shortly after its introduction. Originally called BOXCARS, Hamblen’s addition of the Superchief and new artwork vastly improved the game.