Chicago Express: Nickel Plate Road Expansion

Nickel Plate Road is the expansion that brings the legendary New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroad to the base game Wabash Cannonball, now known as Chicago Express. With 12 purple locomotives, a share counter and a single action token, the expansion adds strategic depth without overcomplicating the flow. To play, you need the original game; the expansion won’t work on its own.

During setup, the Nickel Plate share, locomotives and counter are placed next to the board. At the start of each round, once the Wabash line is already running, it’s time to auction the lone Nickel Plate share. The current player makes the first bid; the highest bidder purchases the share and pays the amount into the bank. The owner then places the first locomotive in Chicago, the home of the line, and positions the remaining locomotives one by one, ensuring each is adjacent to an existing one while avoiding mountain, forest, Detroit or Pittsburgh hexes.

After laying the locomotives, the owner calculates the line’s income and records it on the income track. Nickel Plate pays no dividends to Chicago, and its shares do not count toward end‑game conditions. All other rules remain unchanged, preserving the balance between route building, stock investment and dynamic bidding.

The expansion is perfect for players who enjoy blending route‑building strategy with auction and stock‑market mechanics. It adds roughly 15 minutes to playtime and keeps complexity at a medium level, allowing 2‑to‑6‑player groups to explore new investment tactics and route competition. If you’ve already experienced the thrill of Wabash Cannonball and want extra depth without overloading the game, Nickel Plate Road is a brilliant choice.