The BoardGameGeek entry for this map is located here.

Age of Steam Expansion: Bay Area by Ted Alspach
Each map includes a full color setup and rules sheet, making it easy to get started and to understand the rules specific to the Bay Area map.

1) The map is designed for 3-5 players, with 4 being optimal.

2) The L.A. Port space initially has 12 goods cubes on it, with two on the city itself, and the remaining 10 spread out on waiting "ships" outside the port. After the first two goods on the city are shipped, the remaining goods are available to be shipped *in order*. The player(s) with connections to this city can, with careful planning, have a very lucrative route in their hands...as long as they're connected the right colored city as the next good in line.

3) The Bay Bridge (between San Francisco and Oakland) is available at the beginning of the game, but costs *10* to build. The southern bridge, between Hayward and Foster City, can only be built between the cities if they're urbanized (ala Scandanavia) and costs 6.

4) San Jose starts with no cubes, but because all the white numbers are clustered there, it quickly fills up with cubes. Goods can be moved between San Jose, East San Jose, and South San Jose for a cost of zero (so it doesn't require a locomotive "point" for inner-city moves), Though red goods will be delivered if they're moved in this way (which isn't recommended). However, each tile of the city works like its own city when shipping goods over track between the cities (it's possible to deliver over two segments before leaving the greater San Jose area).

5) A very small number of copies are gameboard mounted, with the rest being full-sized paper (at about 20" x 20", or about 50cm x 50cm). Both sets contain full color, illustrated setup instructions (cube placements, etc.) and rules (for bridges, special tiles, etc.).

This map will be available exclusively at Essen 2005, in the Winsome booth (in Hall 5) on Thursday, October 13th, from 12:30 - 2:00pm.

Maps are currently NOT available, and no reprint is expected. The Northern California map effectively serves as a reprint for this map.