German Railways is the first of the Iron Horse Collection and lets you recreate how eight of the major railroad companies of that time helped to forge Germany from the numerous individual German states. Mid-19th century Germany: The popularity of locomotives, commonly called âiron horsesâ, led to a veritable traffic boom: More than 200 railroad companies were founded between 1832 and 1872, creating a rapidly growing railroad network. German Railways is the first game in the Iron Horse Collection and lets the players recreate how eight of the major railroad companies of that time helped to forge Germany from the numerous individual German states.