No, I think Keeper and Tevish are on to something here. I didn't think about bringing dice into it.

I think, however, that we are going to have to work on a nice balance for the Railroad effects. Maybe static effects? Something like "If you have a train on ~, X effect."

So...

Gold Rush Express
Railroad
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, if there are no trains on this railroad, put a Gold counter on it.

Junction - When your train enters Gold Rush Express or if your train is here at the beginning of your upkeep, remove all Gold counters and add X mana in any combination of colors to your mana pool, where X is the number of Gold counters removed this way. If no Gold counters were removed, sacrifice a permanent.

Granted, a lot of static abilities would make for a lot to keep track of. This seems like a fun mini-game to manage, though - especially if we shake up the draft format a little. Railroad packs, perhaps? Or just make the railroads draftable in the land slot? Hmm...

@Impossible to move off of: That's probably a good idea. Once you set your train in motion, you can only move forward or hold still. There's no going back (barring shenanigans.)

Would Proliferate be able to add counters (like the gold counters above) onto cards in the command zone (i.e. the railroads)?

Well.

Proliferate reads "permanents and/or players".

So I'm inclined to say "No.", since cards lose their status as a permanent once they are no longer on the battlefield.

Aaaaaaand proliferate would get crazy if we used "train counters" as the method of keeping track. O_O So better if we can't target the command zone methinks.

Yeah, I'll agree with Ruwin's assessment of the situation. For the record, I still think it should be an "Every turn, move it" thing, but hey-will of the council.
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I'm so sorry. That's not even a funny.

Also, card, as I try to post one for every post I make(for the most part):

Blue Locomotive
Artifact
Whenever you move your train counter, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.

Now see, I still like the idea that trains should be artifact creatures because of their exposure to the leylines.
Plus, as suggested way earlier "Artifact Creature - Juggernaut" for trains.

Also
The Duchess
[0]: Gain control of all railroads.

...goddamn it, you had to go there, didn't you? Duchess is way too creepy and all-powerful to put on a card.

And okay, trains can be critters. Like so:

Oceanside Train
Artifact Creature-Locomotive
, : The next time your train counter moves, you may draw two cards. If you do, discard a card.
Whenever this creature attacks, you may pay . If you do, you may move your train counter.
3/3

yes. yes she is.
Which is exactly why I had to go there.


Oh come on! The reason I even wanted them to be creatures is to use the Juggernaut creature type.
I mean it fits, doesn't it!
Cater to my love of obscure and ill fitting tribes damnation!

Well, not for all of them. My grandpa's a train fanatic, I should know. But for the red one? Maybe. How about 15 trains-5 mono-color and 10 dual.

nnnnnah. I don't think so.
For one, we really don't want to mess with dual color things when it comes to leylines. That gets so complicated...
These sorts of things run on a specific kind of line, so they're designed to run on a certain color. They aren't modal and never were meant to be.

Anyways, I'm pretty firmly set on this too. I want Juggernaut as the train's creature type.

I'd go just for a monocolor cycle of trains (Uncommons?) that care about the Rail Line/Rail Die

Whiteline Express

Artifact Creature - Juggernaut
Vigilance
Whenever Whiteline Express attacks, if you haven't rolled the rail die this turn, move your train counter one railroad to the right (Junction abilities trigger as normal)
2/6

Thought Freighter

Artifact Creature - Juggernaut
Hexproof
Whenever your train counter is removed from the rail line, draw two cards, then discard two cards from your hand unless you discard a land card.
4/4

Possessed Locomotive

Artifact Creature - Juggernaut
Pay 1 life: add to your mana pool. This mana may only be spent to roll the rail die
Whenever a creature dies, add to your mana pool at the beginning of your next main phase. This mana may only be spent to roll the rail die
4/4

Lightning-Rail Engine

Artifact Creature - Juggernaut
Haste
Whenever Lightning-Rail Engine attacks, roll the rail die. For that die roll, results of a blank face count as (Rolling the rail die this way costs no mana)
5/3

Wildliner

Artifact Creature - Juggernaut
Trample
Whenever your train counter would be removed from the rail line, you may instead move it to any railroad in the rail line.
5/5

Allow me to say that this is BROKEN AS HELL, especially for an uncommon. You have a 1/2 chance of being able to move your or your opponent's counter to wherever you want. It might be more balanced with "does combat damage," perhaps?

But I still think building the initial railroad line should be a communal affair. Also, when you take it off the end immediately put it on the front, because it's way too hard to make a circle out of Magic cards.

According to my draft, it is.

Oh. Hm.

*adjusts tie*

Very good. Carry on.