>>814883

You walk with optimism, passing trader caravan's and random travelers on your way, as well as passing the random farm once in a while as well as the random tiny village and such.

You had been glancing at your papers as you had been walking, thinking about the engine to use.

The route as far as you've walked, is rather gentle incline wise, but you're only now 33 kilometers out and this isn't the full 150 or so kilometers of rail you'll be building.

You stop to think and get some rest. The first 20 kilometers may have been hitchhiked with a friendly farmer but you walked the rest so far. To take your mind off the sore feet you now have, you glance at your papers in earnest, scanning every detail of each engine with scrutiny. You have 4 designs to choose from, it'll be a hard choice.

File: Engines1.png (501 KB, 750x1050)

501 KB PNG

>>814900

The first two on the list are the Leitner Model 4, a 2-2-0 locomotive and the Hemest, 2-2-2 engine.

A quick glance is all you need. The Leitner is outclassed by the Hemest but... the Hemest is double the price.

You hold those thoughts- you have two more engines to look over.

File: Engines2.png (836 KB, 750x1050)

836 KB PNG

>>814941
The next two are bit more expensive but are more proven and better than the first two, but it didn't hurt to give two weak engines a chance.

The next two engines are the L Model No.3, otherwise known as the Weasel and the DKD Beringer Tank. The difference between the last two and these two is massive- the last two are tenders but these two are tanks, a better steam locomotive engine design. And the stats of both these locomotives show it.

If one had no money issues, the Weasel would be choice, despite the lack of a cab but the DKD Beringer Tank is a good choice as well.

Which should you choose?

>Leitner Model 4 - 450k K
>Hemest - 760k K
>DKD Beringer Tank - 950k K
>L Model No.3 - 1.3 Million K

>>814983
So how much money do we have?

Also since our Train has to go up and downs we have to take the
>DKD Beringer Tank - 950k K
Since it got the power to go up mountian and will be useful to show this rail thing works. and it cost less than the Weasel

>>815136
You got financed 5 million K. You have yet to estimate the cost of labor and materials but a good margin of 1.5 million for the locomotive is best.

>>814983
>DKD Beringer Tank - 950k K

>>815253
Well let's get the >Leitner Model 4 - 450k K as well to just have a backup if the Tank for some reason get stuck with a landslide from the mountians

>>815263
That's not the way you want to think of it.
The Leitner Model 4 would make a good work engine, carrying supplies and crews for maintainance, repairs, and expansion, but would never be able to move a DKD Beringer and its load if it got stuck.
Depending on if we manage to keep any of the clearing equipment (leased vs buy is a whole different discussion*), especially a steam shovel and/or other earthmovers, it would be best to have some sections of double or triple track (depending on how much the line will cost) to use as switches to keep the Leitner off the line when in use.

*Leased vs Buy:
If we lease steam equipment to help construct the line we may save some money and won't be responsible for maintainance costs, but it would also restrict when and/or where we could use it. Buying the equipment is more costly, but would allow us to take it into the pass without having to guarantee its return...of course we would be out of luck if it got damaged or stolen in any case.
And we need to incorporate soonest and have all material owned by the corporation.

>>823272

If you want to know, you actually may lease equipment but as you said, the usage is limited to a certain time-frame.

>>823987
What is the standard daily/weekly wage? Also we should contact the current collier caravan and offer to buy them out and retrain them to operate the rail line. Last thing we need is sabotage from the people we're going to put out of business.

Also, who do we need to talk to about land use rights and right of way?

>>823272
>people stealing a train

>>814983
Let's go with the DKD Beringer Tank.

Looks to have good all round stuff. Has space too.

>>823987
I think there are enough votes.

my DKD is buying.

>>824226
>>815136
>>815260

You mark down to acquire a DKD Beringer in the future. A jack-of-all trades and it has a cab at least.

You also mark down to see what kind of leasing one could get for equipment to help build the railway and to think about using a Leitner Model 4 as a work train of sorts.

>>824190

For land rights, as long as going through farmland and through small towns and villages is avoided, there is no need so sticking close as possible to the current road would be smartest.

For wages, it's whatever you wish to pay- after all, there is no minimum wage nor is there many, if at all, workers' rights.

---
You continue to walk down the road and around the 45 km mark, you happen across the caravan that brings the coal to Wurzhof.

On the lead horse, a man of Gainic descent was holding the reins, a 1015 BA rifle on his back. He seemed to be a bit tired but was still quite alert. He seems to have noticed you and is paying close attention- you know well that this is just a precaution, no one likes getting robbed.

>Hail them down
>Let them pass
>Write In

>>824501
>Hail them down.
Need to find out everything we can. What they're paid, how much coal they haul, how often and dangerous the trip is, how long it takes in summer and winter.

RE: Wages, we want something that we can afford, but also something that attracts skilled workers. What can we use for rock clearing? Hand spikes, powder, or do we have ANFO and steam drills? We might need to contract or setup a subsidiary for crushed rock and gravel if we can't get it cheap.

>>824698
I support this

>>824501
>>824698
Works just fine for me

>>824698

TNT exists but is quite expensive at 450 K for every 5 kg.

Since there will be little need for tunneling, there will be limited need for explosives so most equipment is the typical: spike mauls, axes and picks, rudimentary drills and of course, magic.

Magic, however, is quite expensive to use but can be used to flatten land pretty well.

>>824883
>>824931
>>824698

You hail down the man and pulls at the reins, stopping his horse and in turn, halting the caravan.

The man raises his rifle at you but doesn't shoot just yet. He asks what you want and you explain you want to know about the trip between Wurzhof and Glockner Mine.

He notes that this is highly suspicious and asks what reason you would want to know details of the trip.

You tell him about your project and his look sours further at the prospect at being replaced but you assure him that hiring his caravan to run the rails is something you wish to do, to insure no one loses in this arrangement.

The man, Stephan as he tells you, explains that the most dangerous part of the route is Keemar Pass and the areas just outside the mine, where one can lay in ambush quite easily.

For pay, every 5 tons of coal is worth 4,000 K so most caravans haul at least 25 tons so that the company can make a profit and pay it's workers.

And at most, there is 3 trips per day- you happened to catch the last one.

You thank him and let him and his caravan continue on its way.

What will you do now?

>Head back to the city
>Continue scouting the route (if so, roll 1d100, you're starting to head into lawless areas)
>Write In

>>825059
Head back to the city.

Let's start our railroad construction by hiring workers and some guards.

>>825059
>>825074
>Head back to the city.
We've seen the first third of the route, that's enough to get a full crew out and a survey crew to check the pass and mark the route for the rail bed.

If we can keep the total cost of labor and materials to 20 000 K/km we'll have enough to actually keep from indenture and bankruptcy.

>>825059
Oh boy, a railway company quest

>Head back
Don't we have a spyglass of sorts that could help with scouting?
How are we doing for guns? Can we spare a pair for some trusted workers in case the scouting mission sour?

Once we are able to defend ourselves, have a working engine, and have covered enough distance (especially if said places used to be very dangerous), we should ferry prospectors along with the supplies. For a price.
The extra money wouldn't hurt and if, by chance, they were to discover profitable deposits ore, relatively near our route, that might encourage people, willing to exploit them, to give us more dosh. Well, so be it.

>>834473
We don't have any workers yet and we're going to be laying the track along an existing caravan route, so I doubt there will be any sudden new discoveries of resources.

We should purchase the Leitner Model 4 first if we do buy 2 engines, if only to use it to haul men and materials to the work areas once we start getting track laid. Keeps from incurring wear on the DKD before the line starts hauling coal.

>>834741
>I doubt there will be any sudden new discoveries of resources.
Before the future train, any prospectors would have as much equipment as they can carry on the caravans.
Having a train means they can take more people and resources to possible ore deposits and venture farther from the established route, and make bandits less of a problem. Nevermind the shortening of travelling time. Maybe we can find someone interested, i suppose.

Say, if bandits are that much of a problem in the area. Maybe we can get a people who have a grudge on them to work for us if we supply them with equipment for the task, and at a fraction of the prize since they have a motivation to do it.

Also, has a logo been decided for the company?

File: Iron Riders.png (99 KB, 500x1005)

99 KB PNG

>>834801
How about this?

>>835771
If the mayority agrees with that, i could draw it on a sign, and the rest of the machines we buy.
Something you guys want me to draw meanwhile?

>>835791
Dude, that's literally the icon for the Iron Riders/Glass Walkers from Werewolf the Apocolypse

>>835994
I know, but it looks cool anyway.
I could obfuscate it a little so it isn't as blatant if you prefer.