1988: The Swedish Rail Deregulation

A 19XX game starts where an 18XX game ends: a completed rail network dominated by one company. However, this monopoly market is being deregulated and new companies entering. Some things are similar to 18XX while others are different.

Similar to 18XX, the player with the most money when the game ends wins. The game alternates between stock rounds and operating rounds. In stock rounds, the players invest in railroad companies. In operating rounds, the players run the companies they control.

Unlike 18XX, the players may invest in both private companies and state companies. One of the state companies is the old national monopolist (”SJ”), which competes with new private companies. The other owns and develops the tracks (”Banverket”).

The private companies bid for the rights to operate the lines and lobby to influence the development. They may also use mergers and acquisitions to connect their operations and use their trains more efficiently.

The different companies have different interests that may or may not synergize. The private companies want to connect lines while SJ wants to disconnect them to refrain competitors. Banverket wants to close unprofitable tracks and develop profitable ones to gain from lobbying and contract fees. Things may change rapidly as lucrative contracts once won may be lost and weak companies may merge and get revitalized. Only the players who can adapt to change will prosper in the new rail market.