Best way to create railroad?

[norfolksouthern16]

What is the best way to create a successful railroad (aka rail network)? Without using Locomotion Trainer.

[Walter1940]

You mean a railway network?
I take the full credit at the beginning and then build as long as possible to a coal mine or a forest. Then I still hope that this one route makes a profit before I go bankrupt. Usually this works because time doesn't matter with coal and wood.

Another approach is to connect two cities with two commuter trains and also have a few buses or trams run in the cities.