20th Century Limited

About this board game

20th Century Limited is a railway strategy game for 2–5 players that condenses the history of American railroads into about 60 minutes. Players become early-20th-century railroad luminaries, building routes and reputations as they develop the network behind the world’s most famous train.

Each player begins by creating small, independent rail lines that serve local cities. Through careful planning and business acumen, these lines can grow into larger railways before being sold off, allowing players to begin the process again. The spread of the North American rail system unfolds on the table in a way that reflects its historical development.

The game uses simple route-building mechanisms inspired by TransAmerica. Placing rail segments is easy to understand, while Rail Line cards add direction by guiding the placement of pieces and recreating the development of historic American railways.

Demand cards provide a pseudo pick-up-and-deliver system and give players meaningful strategic choices. You can focus on fulfilling demands, pursue the construction of major rail lines, or combine both approaches as the network expands.

• Build routes connecting local cities.
• Develop small railroads into larger rail lines.
• Sell lines and start new ventures.
• Use Rail Line cards to shape historical routes.
• Respond to Demand cards through a pseudo pick-up-and-deliver system.

Notable American railways represented in 20th Century Limited include the Santa Fe, Boston & Maine, and the New York Central Railroad, the game’s namesake connection. With its accessible placement rules and competing paths to success, the game offers a compact portrayal of railroad expansion and the ambitions of the great railway robber barons.