Advice for the beginning | Fast start Mashinky Guide

It is recommended to play Mashinky for the first time with default settings. Small size of the map will make it easier to manage and connect points on the map. Many missions in the game are based on random points, and smaller size of the map makes it easier to complete them. Don't increase the amount of water, density of forests or height of hills. Shaping the terrain costs green tokens that can be spent on more useful things.

• Learn the currency!
• Make sure you have tokens for the upkeep!
• You get green tokens for transporting passengers
• Build station upgrades!
• Distance doesn't impact earnings!
• Early in the game construct simple connections!
• Length of the station is important!
• A crossroad is cheaper than a tunnel
• All tokens are VERY important
• Loans are OK

Learn the currency!

In Mashinky you don't earn money like in other games. You earn tokens for transporting some goods. The most important tokens are the green ones - they represent money. They will be needed for creating infrastructure (tracks, roads, and stations), buying vehicles and maintaining them. Frequently you will have to transport many resources and goods in order to get them. For buying better vehicles, constructing more effective station or factory upgrades or for reaching a new age you will need yellow and black tokens (at least in case of first ages). The various types of currencies will be present during the whole game and gaining tokens will be one of your main objectives.

Make sure you have tokens for the upkeep!

New tokens/currencies, vehicles (usually faster, better and more expensive ones), resources, goods and cities appear in new era. You should first make sure that you have a good chain of production of all available tokens, so that you can fluently enter a new age and immediately take advantage of what it provides. Remember that some tokens (green and black early in the game) are needed for the upkeep (fuel) of your vehicles.

You get green tokens for transporting passengers

The easiest way to earn green tokens (money) is by transporting passengers. Find two large cities located near each other and create a connection. If you lack two large cities, one large and one smaller one will be enough. In such case one city will be generating passengers and the other will only receive them. If after a while you notice that there are many passengers at one station (more than 100-200), then think about adding another carriage or train.

Waiting room is an upgrade that improves the range of the station and the number of passengers.

Build station upgrades!

Some station upgrades, like waiting room, can greatly impact the number of new passengers. These aren't cheap structures, but in long term they can greatly increase profits. If you decide that a plant generates not enough resources or a factory isn't processing your deliveries fast enough, consider placing additional upgrades. Remember that you must upgrade the depot in order to gain access to better trains in a new era. Each depot must be upgraded separately, so it is a good idea to select one that maintains many trains. The depot is needed only for buying new trains or upgrading the already bought ones.

Distance doesn't impact earnings!

Distances between cities or factories don't impact how much you earn. You will always receive the same amount for transporting passengers between cities and the factories will generate a specific number of products. The same goes for time needed for transport. Because of that, early in the game you should focus on connecting points (cities, mines, woods, factories) that are close to each other.

Early in the game construct simple connections!

At the beginning you should follow the principle "one connection - one train". Construct separate rails and stations for new trains. This will enable you to avoid trouble, jams and collisions. Constructing connections for a few trains isn't hard, but first you should learn the basics and gather large number of tokens.

Length of the station is important!

Don't build trains that are longer than the station! The loading/unloading time will be twice longer in that case. Additionally the early trains will have trouble with pulling more than 4-6 carriages (depending on the wage). Notice that some locomotives/carriages differ in length. Early in the game most short connections should have trains with 3-4 carriages. It is an optimal number for the early locomotives.

A crossroad is cheaper than a tunnel

When building tracks, it is cheaper and easier to create a crossroad than a bridge or a tunnel. Early in the game you can't allow yourself to create such constructions, but later they will prove to be very useful. It is especially important in case of overcrowded tracks, where fluency is very important. On such crossroads simply place some double semaphores on each branch. This solution only works with the principle "one connection - one train".

All tokens are VERY important

Tokens other that green are required for upgrading factories, plants and stations and when buying new locomotives and carriages. Yellow tokens (wood) are needed in large quantities, especially if you place new structures. Black tokens (coal) are a currency for buying and maintaining (fuel) better locomotives.

Loans are OK

If you lack money, you should take a loan. Press the current token supply in the left bottom corner of the interface. A menu with two buttons at the bottom will appear. The buttons enable you to pay the loan or take a loan. The interest is very small, so you should take as much money as possible and invest it in new connections.