The core idea of Mashinky is to build an ever growing rail network connecting multiple towns and industrial chains as you progress through multiple eras of time. As you progress towns will slowly grow and and more production chains will become available.

Currently the game only has 2 era’s to play through.

To progress through the game you start with a loan and must use this to produce different tokens that are created by different production chains and used to buy more advanced trains, wagons and extensions.

Tokens are the currency used within Mashinky to purchase everything. To earn these tokens you must create production chains that convert different materials and complete quests.

To start the only token available is the
Money token. This is the most commonly used token and can be earned by simply connecting different towns together. The more passengers you transport from town to town the more money tokens you will create.
In the 2nd era you will also be able to create money tokens by transporting mail between towns that have post offices.

Lumber token.
Earned by connecting forests with sawmills and then onto toolworks.

Coal token.
Earned by connecting a coal mine with a toolworks.

Iron token.
Earned by connecting a toolworks with a foundry fueled by iron and coal mines.

Train stations are the core to Mashinky providing a place for trains to load/unload passengers and cargo. Any building with a tile within the station's catchment radius will provide the station with passengers or cargo depending on its type.

Initially a station without any extensions has a catchment radius of 2 tiles and at the beginning may be a total length of 6 tiles. The total width of a station may be built out to 6 tiles total, This includes additional tracks and extensions , leading to a total area of 6 by 6 tiles.

To increase a station's size you must always build out from a existing tile, meaning that any extension or rail platforms must connect to the initial station.
You may not join 2 separate stations together by filling in the space between and you may not separate a station into 2 parts.

Each station has 6 extensions available.
The listed extensions all have a catchment radius of 2 from themselves allowing you to capture more of a town's population if placed in a good position. One exception to this rule is the waiting room.

Waiting room:
Increases the capture radius of a station and extensions by 2 tiles.
Increase passenger loading speed and capacity.

Freight station:
Increase cargo loading speed and capacity.

Restaurant:
Increase passenger capacity and income.

Storage building:
Increases cargo capacity.

Platform:
Used for aesthetics and to keep a station connected.
Can also have extensions built on them.

Signal Box:
Increases the available station size to a total of 8 by 8 tiles.

Trains combined with wagons are how you transport cargo from one station to another. As you advance through the game you will gain access to better trains that can travel faster.
You will also gain access to more wagons that are more efficient at carrying their cargo type.

Currently the cargo types available are:
Passengers, Mail.
Wood, Lumber, Coal.
Iron Ore, Iron Bars.

Trains will currently travel from station to station loading and unloading what cargo they can based on the wagons they are pulling. Without orders a train will remain in at a station for a fixed time before leaving full or not.
Currently the ai will only stop at stations that need or provide the cargo types the train can carry.
However by giving a train orders you can make you network much more efficient.

Also wagons will only be loaded or unloaded if they are within the length of a train station. It is best to keep trains with a number of wagons that ends with a total length less than the size of the stations it connects to.

These buildings are those which you must transport the correct cargo types to and from and make up your production chains for tokens. They function the same way as towns producing a number of resources over time as long as they have the required materials to do so.

Production buildings may also have extensions built on them like stations, the difference being that the extensions for production buildings only apply to that specific building and increase its production rate.
These extensions have different token costs and either simply increase the production rate or convert 1 cargo type into another allowing for more complex networks to be set up.

The amount of a cargo type produced is displayed in the buildings caption. However this is only based on the number of extensions attached and not the actual rate.

The actual rate can be calculated when looking at the buildings info.
In this you will see an arrow slowly filling with green each in game tick.
Some of the production chains have dashes before the arrow with each dash equal to 1 in game tick so for example.
A Forest with all extensions will display producing 5l ogs and 1 coal in its panel. However at a closer look you will see this.

> L
- - > L
- > L
> L
> C

From this you can see that the forest actually produces 2.533333 klogs and 1 coal per in game tick or 8.5 logs and 3 coal every 3 ticks. (17 logs and 6 coal every 6 ticks)

To make a efficient network you will want to give trains some orders to follow set routes.
Each train has some basic orders you can always use.

Start.
When the flag on this button is green your train will proceed to travel either by ai or through your order list starting with the current selected order.
When the flag is red you train will come to a stop where ever it is on your network.

Return to depot.
This button is toggle able. Clicking it will command the train to return to which ever depot is nearest and accessible ignoring all other orders. Trains do not have specified depots.
If you change your mind before the train enters the depot simply uncheck this order.
Once at a depot a train will automatically stop. To return it on its way simply start it again.

Ignore next signal.
Commands the train to ignore the next placed signal. Warning ignoring signals could lead to crashing trains.

Reverse.
Use this to turn a train around.
If the game is set to not allow this the train will instead start to reverse at half speed.


Additionally you can give trains more specific orders.
To do this you can click on the train you wish to give orders to and click the orders tab.
In this tab you will be able to set routes specifically.

You may add waypoints by clicking the + icon so it lights up then clicking a station or peace of track you want the train to travel to. If you click another train with this tool then you will copy all of the other trains orders to the selected train over riding any order in place.

There is also a - icon that can be used to remove orders already listed.

In addition there is a full load order and a unload order.
These are used after setting a station as a waypoint.
If you do not add these the train will stay for a set time in the station before moving on with whatever is left in the wagons at this time.
The unload order will empty the trains wagons completely before moving on.
The Full Load will cause the train to wait at a station indefinitely until all wagons are filled completely.

Warning - if a station cannot provide a enough to fill all wagons the train will remain stationary until either filled or told to move on manually. This can lead to other trains being forced to wait.

There is also a reverse order this allows you to command a train to turn around automatically rather than manually at a set point.

When a train gets to the last order it will then start from the first again in a continuous loop.
If you wish to add more orders or waypoints to set position you can drag the orders in the list until they are correctly laid out rather than deleting them all 1 at a time and starting again.

Signals are used to split your tracks into sections allowing you to run more trains on a single line. Each section separated by a signal can have a single train occupying it.
They are also used to set travel direction so trains don't go the wrong way down a track. By default a signal is placed allowing both directions of travel.
You can change this to a single direction by using the signal tool on the signal again clicking to the right of travel direction.
Changing signal direction doesn’t cost any tokens, only the initial purchase of the signal does.

It is always a good idea to put a signal at each end of a train station as any incoming trains will wait until the station has space for it. You will also want to place signals periodically along large lengths of track.

Bridges and tunnels may be used to make crossovers removing junction traffic and allowing you to traverse terrain more efficiently.
Currently they can only be placed on north-south, east-west orientation and must be straight.

Both tunnels and bridges require a height difference of 3 levels to pass under or over other rails.
A bridge can cross another bridge or tunnel.

You cannot have a tunnel above another tunnel traveling the same direction regardless of height difference. However you can have normal track running on top of a tunnel.

When creating a tunnel or bridge make sure that both start and end location are at the correct height you wish for with the terrain tool. You will also be presented with a confirmation box displaying the cost and arrows to lower or heighten the tunnel or bridge before confirming purchase.

Deleting a tunnel or bridge will delete the entire length as a single object.

Keep signals placed once every 9 spaces if possible.
This breaks the rail line into train lengths matching maximum station size allowing more trains to travel smoothly down a single line.

Place signals at all entrances and exits of junctions as close as possible.
This reduces wait times at junctions

Set waypoints after each junction to make sure trains head the correct way on the line you want.

Zoom is your friend. If you zoom in when placing signals it becomes much easier to set them in the correct direction and on junctions.
It also allows you to set waypoints to junction exits rather than just a single space.