Getting started with a new mod isn't always easy. The video below will help you with the bare basics, ensuring you have the skills you need, to progress further into this amazing-ness that is this mod :D

Firstly, as you might know, a Coke Oven takes quite a long time to make the Creosote Oil you need to start your adventure in this amazing mod. Therefore, what you want to do is to get a Coke Oven as early as possible. You will need to look for sand and clay to make Coke Oven Bricks. These materials can usually be found in River Biomes. Afterwards, go mining for Coal which is needed for your Coke Ovens. These are relatively easy to find so you do not need not to dig too deep. Once you have your Coke Oven set up, put your coal in the left box of its GUI. As it works, you are free to move on to the second step! (Also, if you can, collect a few roses for later.)

As your Coke Oven does its thing, you will need to go mining as you are probably going to need lots of iron(not to mention gold) for your various rails and items in this mod. Of course, you can never go wrong with diamonds as well! Therefore, by pressing F3, get to level 12 ( the y coordinate) and start branch mining.

Now it's time for you to actually try out the stuff in this awesome mod! First things first: you cannot call yourself a Railcraft engineer without a Crowbar! This will require 4 rose dyes and 3 iron ingots. Then, I suggest you start making a Rolling Machine so as to be able to craft Standard Tracks. They are better than wooden ones, and, what's more, wooden tracks cost ties which costs Creosote Oil which you are currently low on. Once you have crafted your standard tracks, make Locking Tracks before anything else if automation is at the top of your “to-do list”. Afterwards, craft Loaders and Unloaders. If automation is not what you want, you might want to use NEI( Not Enough Items mod) or the Railcraft wiki to search up what other rails you might want to make. (Hot tip! Loaders and Unloaders only work vertically, and they will send a redstone signal upon completion of loading/unloading* *can be configured via its GUI)

~Getting Started guide to be continued~

• The block you place a minecart on is called a track,
• Rails are the parts of the track that the carts wheels ride on.
• Start with a Coke Oven
• Combine Creosote Oil with wooden slabs
• Combine four of the resulting item together in order to create rail bed.
• Combine wooden rails with rail bed to get wooden track. Voila, the simplest track to make.