- BGG rank
- BGG #1,431
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Maglev Metro
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2021
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Rules assistance for Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 120 min
- 10+
- Complexity 4.0/5
Rules assistant for Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad is an expansion for Age of Steam released in 2010 for 3–6 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ted Alspach and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Network and Route Building.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #352
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Steam
- 3–6 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,026
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Tramways
- 1–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,045
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,277
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Silverton
- 1–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,513
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Martian Rails
- 2–6 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,290
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Cleopatra's Caboose
- 3–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,908
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Namibia
- 3–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #138
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Keyflower
- 2–6 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #296
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Indonesia
- 2–5 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,212
- BGG rating
- 7.0
First Train to Nuremberg
- 2–4 players
- 45–120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,337
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Last Train to Wensleydale
- 3–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2009
About the game
This are two full size, full color mounted maps that fold to a size that fits in both the Steam and Age of Steam boxes. At first glance, both have similar rules changes: an option to forsake delivery of goods cubes or an increase of locomotive and replace it with a special function that will be key to winning the game. But the differences between the maps and how they are played are substantial. California Gold Rush takes place in the mid 1800’s in Central California. Pockets of gold have been found, and you need to lay claim to the mines before your opponents. To do so you need to build railroads out to the gold mines and pick up the gold. The mechanics are modified slightly during the delivery phase: you always have the option of picking up any available gold cube wherever your track has been laid instead of delivering a regular good cube or increasing your locomotive. At the end of the game, each of the gold cubes increases your income (VPs in Steam) by 5. California Gold Rush is for 3-6 players. Underground Railroad takes place in the years leading up to the civil war all across the Eastern United States. During the goods delivery phase, players may opt to move slaves north to a free city instead of delivering a goods cube or increasing their locomotive. They don’t receive any income for doing so. The winner is determined by who frees the most slaves...as long as they don’t go bankrupt before the end of the game. Underground Railroad is for 3-5 players. The 2010 Essen Aos/Steam map pack from Bezier Games features 7 new maps, including 6 mounted ones on 3 double-sided expansions. These maps can be preordered from Bezier Games and will ship in October 2010. The “bonus” 7th map is only available through preorders.
Editions
- Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground RailroadenBézier Games2010
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Bézier Games
Questions and answers
Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad has a complexity rating of 4.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad belongs to these categories: Trains, Transportation, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Tile Placement, and Network and Route Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad are: Ted Alspach. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Age of Steam Expansion: California Gold Rush & Underground Railroad as an expansion for Age of Steam. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Age of Steam to use it. Check that your edition of Age of Steam is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.