I start Ash Fork on RB with a siding to allow two Moguls running mixed to deliver food out through Flagstaff to the ranch. To make it to Needles I have used the cheap track patent. Most of the patents help some and an early lubricator may be winnable without it. Flagstaff is easier and doesn’t require the cheap track because a terminal there is more valuable as AF grows sooner and requires less track as you can also “cheat” by not going right down the hill. This makes it possible to start off owning the AF Stockyard. Been using sidings, but no extra hotels. Second era, first up I double-tracked my initial line to separate express traffic. Save to connect and setup two trains for hauling wood and passengers. Works reliably with one siding in the middle. Continued saving to punch a cheap track to Phoenix money machine. Improved the line with sidings to handle six trains. A little help from partial loads will get it. When there are 3 in the station, I set 4.

Without any patents ever I have completed Flagstaff on RB except for the net worth at 25M. Phoneix on RB is easy. Without any patents or caterpillar track I have done it Jan. 1954, and I could improve this if I wanted. I both love and hate the caterpillar track. Can be tedious, though, have learnt better techniques also.

i) it IS possible to meet the first set of objectives on Robber Baron (hard routing/no AIs) starting at Ash Fork or Flagstaff. By doing everything exactly right, you can raise just enough cash to caterpillar-track your way across the west to Needles, leaving depots in your wake, by late 1894. However,

ii) it is not possible to meet the second set of objectives after meeting the first. You have to wait too long to raise the cash to caterpillar-track to Phoenix to get to the money machine required to establish the vast network of track required. That being said, I am willing to stand corrected if someone can prove that they’ve done it!