The success of the original game spawned several sequels and inspired modern "tycoon" titles:
: At the time, the full game (approx. 15MB) was provided for free on the official 2K website, including the manual and reference cards. Railroad Tycoon Free Download
The original (1990) and its enhanced version, Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (1993), are often sought as "free downloads" because they were officially released as freeware by 2K Games in 2006 to promote the launch of Sid Meier's Railroads! . The success of the original game spawned several
: Co-designer Bruce Shelley introduced high-level economic strategy, including stock market manipulation and "rate wars" inspired by the board game 1830: The Game of Railroads and Robber Barons . much like a digital model railroad.
: Meier’s original goal was a "software toy" where players could lay tracks and watch trains run, much like a digital model railroad.