Railway Empire 2: Choosing Freight and Setting Minimum Loads

by Fernando Diaz / Game Guides, Railway Empire 2 / 01 Feb 2021

Managing freight in Railway Empire 2 requires skill. Knowing what to load and when, plus deciding on a minimum load amount, are critical for building a profitable railroad. Here’s a breakdown of these concepts.

Understanding Demand

First things first: it’s crucial to understand that the AI is highly capable and efficient in most situations, as it automatically determines what a train should carry. This is determined by the demand in the city or town your train is servicing. For instance, if Boston has a high demand for livestock and there’s plenty available at the departure station, the train will load up on livestock. It’s all about supply & demand, which can shift based on each city’s needs and the available supplies.

To check a city’s demand, select the city and view its demand tab. It shows you what the city needs, which helps plan your routes and cargo.

Deciding on Freight

Since the game optimizes loading according to demand, your primary task involves strategically mapping out your routes. Let’s say your train can haul both livestock and wood. You’re charting a route from City A (which produces livestock) to City B (which needs livestock and wood). The train, by default, will load up on livestock.

However, consider another scenario: City B also needs wood, with City C as its current supplier. In this case, you might want to plan a detour from City A to City C, pick up the wood, and then proceed to City B. That way, City B’s needs for both livestock and wood are met.

Setting a Minimum Freight Load

Setting a minimum freight load is all about efficiency. It ensures that your train doesn’t leave the station until it’s loaded with a minimum amount of a particular good.

To do this, follow these steps:

Click on the ‘Rail Line’ tab at the bottom of the screen.

Pick the rail line you want to tweak.

Look for the ‘minimum load’ option in the rail line settings.

Set the minimum load by adjusting the slider or inputting a number.

For example, if you’re transporting sugar, you might set a minimum freight load of 8 units. This ensures that the train doesn’t embark on a long journey with an inadequately filled cargo hold.

Note: Be careful when setting a high minimum load for goods that aren’t readily available. It can lead to delays in your transportation network.

Mastering these concepts will help you build an efficient, profitable railroad system in Railway Empire 2. You must regularly review and adjust your routes and cargo settings as city demands change over time.

Fernando Diaz

Fernando is doing what he always did, sharing his honest opinions about games whenever he can. The difference is now he is writing and not talking about it.
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