
- BGG rank
- BGG #374
- BGG rating
- 7.6
The King Is Dead: Second Edition
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2020

2016
Rules assistance for North American Railways
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
North American Railways is a board game released in 2016 for 3–5 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Peer Sylvester and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Stock Holding.
In the card game North American Railways, 3-5 players build railroads in the United States. They become directors of up to five different companies and try to acquire a majority of shares. In the end, the player with the most cash wins. North American Railways is mechanically simple but very tough to play well. Content 30 shares (six cards each in the five colors of the railway companies), 5 starting cities, 36 cities, 10 marker tokens (two each in the five colors of the railway companies), Play money: 60x $100 20x $200 10x $500 10x $1000 10x $10000 1 start player token, 2 rules booklets (English and German)
North American Railways supports 3–5 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 North American Railways is 45–90 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 North American Railways for ages 12 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.
North American Railways has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light 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.
North American Railways belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Trains. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Stock Holding. 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 North American Railways are: Peer Sylvester. 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 North American Railways as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.