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1856: Railroading in Upper Canada from 1856

Designer: Bill Dixon

Upper Canada and the risk of being nationalized by the government if loans aren't repaid in time.

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1856: Railroading in Upper Canada from 1856 Contents

How it works

Setup
  • Each player gets $1,500 divided by the number of players; $12,000 bank
  • Initial stock round: the 6 privates come up in order; buy the current one or bid on a later one
  • Bids win a private when its turn comes; if there's more than one, an auction
  • Once the privates are sold, shares become available
Stock round ×1
  • Turn: buy one certificate and sell as many as you like
  • President (20%): sets the par price between $65 and $100
  • Capital: the first 5 shares go to the treasury; the rest is escrowed until the destination
  • At the end, a company with all its shares in players' hands goes up
Operating round ×1-3
  • Private income
  • Each company, highest share price first:
  • 1. One tile: lay or upgrade
  • 2. One station
  • 3. Run trains
  • 4. Pay $10 interest per loan
  • 5. Pay out (right) or withhold (left)
  • 6. Buy trains
  • 7. Repay loans
  • At any time: a $100 loan
↻ Repeats until the end
End
  • The bank runs out: the set of operating rounds finishes
  • A player goes bankrupt: the game ends immediately
  • Score: cash + shares at share price + privates at printed price
  • With no [CGR], each outstanding loan takes $10 off the share price

Components

Players
  • Cash
  • Shares (max. 60%) and privates
  • The president pays out of pocket if a mandatory train is short
Companies
  • 11 companies, each with a destination city
  • Treasury, trains, stations
  • Loans: as many as shares held by players
Government
  • Lends $100 per loan, at $10 interest per round
  • With the first 6-train, all loans must be repaid
  • Any company that can't is folded into the [CGR]
Bank
  • $12,000 bank
  • Initial offering shares and open market
  • Money held in escrow until the destination
  • New trains

Where the money goes

  • Players Companies Buying new shares (the first 5, or all of them once it has reached its destination)
  • Players Bank Buying privates, open market shares and escrowed shares
  • Bank Companies On reaching the destination, the escrowed money; withheld revenue
  • Bank Players Dividends, private income, share sales
  • Companies Bank Trains, stations and terrain
  • Government Companies $100 loans
  • Companies Government $10 interest and loan repayment

Phases

2
Start
2 · $100
Yellow; 1 operating round; 20% sold to start operating
3
1st 3-train
3 · $225
Green; 2 operating rounds; companies buy privates
4
1st 4-train
4 · $350
2-trains rust; limit of 3. Once the last 4 is sold, new companies collect all their shares
5
1st 5-train
5 · $550
Brown; 3 operating rounds; privates close; limit of 2
6
1st 6-train
6 · $700
Grey; loans are repaid and the [CGR] may form; 3s rust; no more loans
D
1st D train
D · $1,100 ($750 trading in a 4, 5 or 6)
4-trains rust
  • To operate for the first time, a company needs as many shares sold as the number of the train currently for sale.
  • Loans are easy to take, but with the first 6 they must be repaid or the company vanishes into the [CGR].

A round, step by step

Starts with the rulebook's private sale example (5 players with $300) and carries on with an illustrative example using the real rules. We follow [P1] and the [GW], based in London, through the first stock round and the first two operating rounds.

  1. Initial stock round The [FT] Phase 2

    Privates come up in order, cheapest to most expensive. [P1] opens the round by buying the [FT], first in line, for $20. It pays $5 per operating round.

    While a player owns the [FT], nobody can lay track on its hex.

    [P1] cash
    $280
    [GW] treasury
    —
    [GW] share price
    —
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    —
  2. Initial stock round Bids Phase 2

    The others don't buy: they bid on later privates ([P2] $105 on the Niagara bridge, [P3] $55 on The Canada Company, [P4] and [P5] on Great Lakes Shipping). When their turn comes back, [P1] buys the [WSRC] for $40.

    Once the [WSRC] sells, the next privates with a single bid are sold straight away; those with more than one go to auction.

    [P1] cash
    $240
    [GW] treasury
    —
    [GW] share price
    —
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    —
  3. Stock round 1 [GW] president Phase 2

    With all the privates sold, [P1] buys the [GW] president's certificate (20%) and sets the par price at $70. They pay $140, which goes to the treasury.

    [P1] cash
    $100
    [GW] treasury
    $140
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    —
  4. Stock round 1 More shares Phase 2

    On another turn they buy another 10% ($70) and [P3] takes one too. The [GW] now has 4 shares sold and has collected for all four.

    The first 5 shares pay the company. From the sixth on, the bank holds the money until the [GW] reaches Detroit, its destination.

    [P1] cash
    $30
    [GW] treasury
    $280
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    —
  5. Operating round 1 Income and station Phase 2

    [P1] collects $5 from the [FT] and $10 from the [WSRC]. The [GW] can operate: there are 2-trains for sale and more than 20% is sold. It places its free station in London.

    [P1] cash
    $45
    [GW] treasury
    $280
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    —
  6. Operating round 1 A loan Phase 2

    The [GW] takes a government loan: it receives $100. It can have as many as players hold its shares, and only one per round.

    If it takes one after the interest step, it only gets $90.

    [P1] cash
    $45
    [GW] treasury
    $380
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    1
  7. Operating round 1 St. Thomas Phase 2

    It lays a yellow city in St. Thomas, south of London. No trains, so no revenue, and the share price moves left: from $70 to $65.

    [P1] cash
    $45
    [GW] treasury
    $380
    [GW] share price
    $65
    [GW] trains
    —
    [GW] loans
    1
  8. Operating round 1 Two 2-trains Phase 2

    It buys two 2-trains for $100 each.

    Trains must be bought one at a time: each purchase can change the phase.

    [P1] cash
    $45
    [GW] treasury
    $180
    [GW] share price
    $65
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1
  9. Stock round 2 The fifth share Phase 2

    [P1] can't afford $70 and passes. [P4] buys 10% of the [GW]: it's the fifth share sold and the $70 still goes to the treasury. Any sold from now on will be escrowed.

    [P1] cash
    $45
    [GW] treasury
    $250
    [GW] share price
    $65
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1
  10. Operating round 2 Income and a run Phase 2

    [P1] collects another $15 from the privates. One 2-train runs London (30) – St. Thomas (20): $50. The other has no free route.

    [P1] cash
    $60
    [GW] treasury
    $250
    [GW] share price
    $65
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1
  11. Operating round 2 Interest Phase 2

    Before paying out, the [GW] pays $10 interest on the loan.

    If it didn't have enough money, it would come out of revenue and, if needed, the president would pay.

    [P1] cash
    $60
    [GW] treasury
    $240
    [GW] share price
    $65
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1
  12. Operating round 2 Paying out Phase 2

    The [GW] pays $5 per share. [P1] holds 3 (the president's counts as two) and collects $15. Initial offering shares pay to the bank. The share price moves right: back to $70.

    [P1] cash
    $75
    [GW] treasury
    $240
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1
  13. Operating round 2 Keeping the loan Phase 2

    It buys nothing and doesn't repay the loan either: $100 doesn't weigh much now, but it'll have to be repaid when the first 6-train comes out.

    [P1] cash
    $75
    [GW] treasury
    $240
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1
  14. Towards stock round 3 What now? Phase 2

    To collect the escrowed shares, the [GW] has to reach Detroit, to the west. When the 3-train comes out, a new company will need 30% sold to start, and with the first 4 the [GW]'s 2-trains will rust.

    [P1] cash
    $75
    [GW] treasury
    $240
    [GW] share price
    $70
    [GW] trains
    2 + 2
    [GW] loans
    1

1856 Railroading in Upper Canada — Summary

Capitalization type

  • Evolving capitalization, not fixed: companies founded early use "escrow" capitalization (they receive the money from the first 5 shares sold right away, but the money from the last 5 stays held back until the company connects to its assigned destination city). Once the first 4-train is bought, newly founded companies switch to incremental capitalization; once the first 5-train is bought, newly founded companies switch to full capitalization.
  • The percentage of shares that must be sold to start operating also rises over time: it begins at 20% and increases by 10 points with each new phase, up to a maximum of 60%.

Floating percentage and per-player share limits

  • The floating threshold isn't fixed: it starts at 20% and rises 10 points with every new phase up to a 60% cap (see "Capitalization type" above); no corporation has its own value different from this general threshold
  • No player may hold more than 60% (6 of 10 certificates) of a single corporation
  • Certificate limit per player: 3 players — 20; 4 players — 16; 5 players — 13; 6 players — 11

Starting cash by player count

  • 3 players: $500 starting cash
  • 4 players: $375 starting cash
  • 5 players: $300 starting cash
  • 6 players: $250 starting cash
  • The bank always starts with $12,000, regardless of player count

End game triggers

  • The bank runs out of money: immediate end
  • A company goes bankrupt and cannot complete payment for a mandatory train: immediate end

Number of phases

  • 6 phases (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, D), triggered by the purchase of the first train of each type (the optional 8-train variant replaces phase D with a phase 8)

Train list and prices

  • 2 train — $100 (6 units; rusts once the first 4-train is bought)
  • 3 train — $225 (5 units; rusts once the first 6-train is bought)
  • 4 train — $350 (4 units; rusts once the first Diesel is bought; buying it switches newly founded companies to incremental capitalization)
  • 5 train — $550 (3 units; never rusts; buying it closes the privates and switches newly founded companies to full capitalization)
  • 6 train — $700 (2 units; never rusts; buying it triggers nationalization: companies with outstanding loans must merge into the Canadian Government Railway (CGR), or their president pays off the debt out of pocket)
  • Diesel (D) train — $1,100 (unlimited, available from phase 6; allows trading in old trains for a $350 discount each)

List of private companies

  • FT - Flos Tramway — $20, revenue 5, no special ability (blocks L3 while owned by a player)
  • WSRC - Waterloo & Saugeen Railway Co. — $40, revenue 10, the owning corporation may place a free station and green tile at Kitchener (I12); closes once used
  • TCC - The Canada Company — $50, revenue 10, the owning corporation gets an extra free tile lay at hex H11; doesn't close when used
  • GLSC - Great Lakes Shipping Company — $70, revenue 15, the owning corporation may place the port marker on a port hex (+$20 revenue there); closes on placement; the marker is removed once the first 6-train is bought
  • NFSBC - Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company — $100, revenue 20, the owning corporation gets +$10 when reaching Buffalo; other corporations may buy this right for $50
  • SCFTC - St. Clair Frontier Tunnel Company — $100, revenue 20, the owning corporation gets +$10 when reaching Sarnia; other corporations may buy this right for $50

List of corporations

  • BBG - Buffalo, Brantford & Goderich Railway — home at J15
  • CA - Canada Air Line Railway — home at D17
  • CPR - Canadian Pacific Railroad — home at M4
  • CV - Credit Valley Railway — home at N11
  • GT - Grand Trunk Railway — home at P9
  • GW - Great Western Railway — home at F15
  • LPS - London & Port Sarnia Railway — home at C14
  • TGB - Toronto, Grey & Bruce Railway — home at K8
  • THB - Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway — home at L15
  • WR - Welland Railway — home at O16
  • WGB - Wellington, Grey & Bruce Railway — home at J11
  • CGR - Canadian Government Railway — no fixed home; forms through nationalization once the first 6-train is bought, absorbing companies with outstanding loans

Game-specific mechanics

  • Government loans of up to $100 per operating round, within each company's capitalization limit
  • Nationalization once the first 6-train is bought: indebted companies merge into the CGR (shares exchanged at a rate of 2 for 1) or their president pays off the debt personally
  • The president's certificate is worth double a normal share, but only counts as 1 certificate against the hand limit
  • Every company is assigned a specific destination city at setup
  • Bridge and tunnel rights can be bought between corporations for $50 once the original privates have closed

Emergency sell

Matches the 1830 baseline for an actual forced train purchase: treasury cash, then the president's personal cash, then a forced sale of the president's shares in any corporation. Separately, corporations also have access to a voluntary interest-bearing Loan they can take as ordinary financing — but that option only opens up after the Buy Trains step has already passed for the turn, so it can't replace the emergency sequence in the moment a train purchase is actually forced.

Comparison with 1830

1. Setting and map
1830 covers the northeastern United States. 1856 takes place in southern Ontario (formerly "Upper Canada"), a smaller map centered on the corridor between the Great Lakes, with a game designed to last about 4 hours among experienced players.

2. Government loans available to all companies
A mechanic absent from 1830: any company can take out a government loan of up to $100 per operating round (always within its capitalization limit). This debt is tempting for speeding up construction, but it must be repaid later.

3. Nationalization: the Canadian Government Railway (CGR)
This is 1856's central, defining mechanic. Once the first 6-train is bought, any company that still has outstanding government loans must merge into the Canadian Government Railway (or its president pays off the debt personally to save it). The absorbed company's shares are exchanged for CGR shares at a rate of 2 absorbed shares per 1 CGR share. In 1830 there is no concept of nationalization or of an absorbing state-owned company.

4. The president's certificate is worth two shares but counts as a single certificate
In 1830 the president's certificate represents 20% of the company and counts as 2 certificates against the certificate limit a player can hold. In 1856, the president's certificate also represents double the value of a normal share, but for purposes of a player's certificate limit it counts as only 1, not 2. This makes presidential control relatively "cheaper" in terms of hand limit.

5. Themed privates with active powers and staggered closure
In 1830 there are 6 privates with fixed revenue and, in some cases, small bonuses. In 1856 there are also six themed privates, but with much more varied effects: for example, one private allows placing a free station in a specific city, and another (the Niagara Falls Bridge) grants a fixed cash bonus when a route runs through it.

6. A specific historical theme: Canadian railway consolidation
1856 directly simulates how many Canadian railway companies of the era became over-indebted to the government and ended up absorbed to form what would later become the Canadian National Railway. 1830 has no equivalent narrative of state consolidation.

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