An update recalculates experience and unlocks Milestone 9 (high-density business). Fair Banks redoes its rail line, finally places the cargo harbour on the land prepared earlier, builds a rural-feeling low-density neighbourhood beside a new highway, adds bus lines, upgraded internet towers and a big station parking lot, and reaches Small City with high-density offices — while old wastewater still lingers on the shore.
What happens in this episode
A game update had just recalculated experience points, and Fair Banks County jumped straight to Milestone 9, unlocking EU and North American high-density business buildings. Graphics also looked noticeably better. After the frustration of the first 25–40 hours, I was really starting to love the game.
A recap of episode 6: the new industrial main area has fields, cotton, chicken farms, grain and oil derricks, a cargo train hub, the rail yard and a hydroelectric plant, and the first residential high-rises.
How it was built
Rail line and cargo harbour
The new rail line across the bridge bothered me, so it was redone first. A train was hidden from view and only showed up later. The old rail yard site will become industry. The city was making +48,000 a month, too much unspent money, so the cargo harbour goes on the land prepared back in episode 4.
It kept saying “road required” even when roads touched it. The official truck entrance needed a proper connection, and it took some puzzling to find. Then the first ship unloaded 100 tonnes of steel.
A new highway and a rural neighbourhood
The workplace view showed the industry needed far more workers. The pollution map makes the forest edge bad for low density, so a road becomes a highway through the city, with a bigger roundabout. Next to it, after levelling a gentle slope, a low-rise neighbourhood with a more rural feel fills the low-density demand, and any oversized lots are rebuilt to the right size.
Buses and internet
Traffic got worse, so more bus routes go in, and the traffic rating stopped being negative sooner than expected. Communication towers go in the centre, by the train station and in the industrial and commercial areas, all with both upgrades.
An overwhelmed station
At 3 p.m. one passenger station was completely overwhelmed. A building opposite is demolished for a large parking lot, and a new signature building goes nearby. A road under an off-ramp gives cars another way out.
Production and Small City
The city produces lots of steel and concrete but imports many goods. Some old wastewater still lingered on the shoreline, which reminded me uncomfortably of the water bug that ended my previous city. It seemed to retreat this time. Small City brings high-density offices, high-speed highways, the combustion engine ban and city promotion, probably the last really interesting milestone. A traffic accident, a 50 m rail bridge I don’t love, and more mailboxes across town round off the episode.
Video chapters
- 00:00Milestone 9 after an update
- 04:23Redoing the rail line
- 08:29Placing the cargo harbour
- 12:42A new highway and a rural neighbourhood
- 21:16Bus lines and internet coverage
- 27:13An overwhelmed station, a big parking lot
- 32:14Why does the harbour need a road?
- 37:59Production, wastewater and Small City
- 47:10Recap
Clicking a chapter starts the video above at that point.
FAQ
Why did I suddenly reach a new milestone after an update?
The update recalculated how experience points are distributed, so Fair Banks County jumped to Milestone 9 straight away, unlocking EU and North American high-density business buildings.
Why does my cargo harbour say 'road required'?
It needs a proper road connection to its official truck entrance. I struggled with this too — once the entrance was connected correctly, ships started unloading (the first brought 100 tonnes of steel).
How do you improve internet coverage?
Place communication towers centrally, including near stations and industrial and commercial areas, and add both upgrades — the upgrades extend coverage noticeably.