PopTop Software and Gathering of Developers are still predicting an early November release for the strategy game Railroad Tycoon II.

　　Hoping to whet the appetites of gamers for the sequel to Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon, however, GOD and PopTop are releasing some of the game specifics: Railroad Tycoon will feature 34 types of cargo and 59 train engines from around the world and let players work in up to 30 industries, ranging from coal to steel to textiles.

　　Jesse James will be conducting train robberies in the game; other locomotive mishaps range from traffic jams to blowups. The game also features a simulated stock market, which will affect conditions during the game. Railroad Tycoon II players will be able to compete against historical tycoons such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and German leader Otto Von Bismark, chosen from the game's character library of more than 35 historical figures.

　　The action of Railroad Tycoon II begins in 1829. Historical events such as the Franco-Prussian War, the eruption of Mt. Krakatoa, and the American Civil War will find their way into the game, which features an 18-scenario campaign - Whistle Stops and Promises (Northwest US circa1902), When the Walls Come Down (Eastern Europe and Russia circa 1990), and Excess on the Orient Express (Paris to Istanbul circa 1850) are among those campaigns. Twelve stand-alone adventures will be solo or multi-playable, and the game will feature a scenario editor, whichgamers can use to import maps from satellite photos or create their own.

　　The game's single-player demo was released in September; it boasts two fully playable scenarios, The Golden Age (Northeastern US circa 1870) and Cape to Cairo (Africa circa 1895).