A single hex of rail costing 4680 metal???

[GeeBee2]

I’ve just started playing, and I am well into my first real game. Lot’s to learn! I have conquered or made peace with all the minor powers near my starting city, and I am now at war with a major power that is separated from my empire by a large band of non-affiliated land. I have successfully pushed dirt roads across this stretch of wilderness. I would now like to push a railroad across this same wilderness. I was able to build approximately 10 hexes of railroad out into the wilderness, but can’t go any further and can’t figure out why or what to do next. The problem is that the cost per hex of new rail suddenly jumps astronomically. A rail line that was costing 80 industry and 80 metal per hex suddenly costs 4680 metal and industry per hex!!!

I’ve tried building a level two rail station in my home city (where my SHQ is located). I’ve tried building a level two rail station in my city that is closest to my attempt at a rail line across the wilderness. I built a rail station in the hex that has the last line of rail I was able to build in the wilderness. I have built supply depots further out in the wilderness. Nothing has allowed me to extend my rail line at a non-insane price. What am I missing here? Any advice would be welcome.

[Jdane]

It must be a mountain hex of some sort, the cost of infrastructure goes up significantly the more difficult the terrain.

Which game version are you playing on? I'm not 100 % certain, but I believe that cost might have been nerfed at some point.

[jimwinsor]

If it's a mountain hex, sounds about right. The game assumes a lot of expensive tunneling and trellising is involved, I guess.

[zgrssd]

In a 1.04beta3 savegame, it costs >1300 Metal and IP for a low mountain Hex.
High Mountains are impassable by rail (but that might be lifted if there already is a road going through the hex, I have no way to try).

The ability of trains to deal with even small inclines or declines is basically non-existant. It is a thing we had to sacrifice for the fuel efficiency.
So you have to go the hard way - involving bridges or even tunnels - to get through even low mountains.

[GeeBee2]

Thanks for the fast replies! You were correct, I was not paying attention to the underlying terrain. It turns out I was trying to build my rail line right down the length of a mountain range. You can push a dirt road through mountains okay, but the cost for sealed roads or rails is huge. I will plan my roads with this in mind going forward.

[mek42]

You should get the benefits of a viewpoint if you have rail that covers 5 continuous mountain hexes for having a scenic route.

[Malevolence]

ORIGINAL: mek42

You should get the benefits of a viewpoint if you have rail that covers 5 continuous mountain hexes for having a scenic route.

[zgrssd]

FYI, the underlying problem for this post has been fixed in a Beta:
"-Sealed Road construction over existing Dirt Road now only 60% of the cost.
-Rail next to existing Road or Road next to existing Rail only 50% of the cost."
- v1.04-beta6

[Malevolence]

Let's not forget each hex is 200km distant from end to end, and 26,000 km2 in a perfectly flat surface area. High mountains adds to that scale.

It should probably cost more steel.