Research

Research is an essential component of the game, allowing you to unlock more modern locomotives, upgrade your existing stock and obtain other benefits. Research is very expensive and you only have a limited amount of researchers at any given time.

Research requires the office to have a Research Department.

Strategy

 * As with other games, research is a strategic consideration, with research times counted in the tens of days. As such, it's important to decide whether you want to focus on vertical development - rapidly unlocking new designs and pushing the envelope - or horizontal, where you refine your existing stock, upgrading their capabilities and making them last longer.