Train (Van Buren)

A train was a drivable vehicle available in the American southwest.

Background
The locomotive system in the southwest played just as an important part in the transport of people and goods as it did before the Great War, albeit on a smaller scale. Some tribal denizens have little to no knowledge or experience of trains, the Jackals in Boulder for example will gather at the station and investigate the trains trying to figure out what they are and what they mean.

Recent endeavors to create new railway links have been pioneered by the New California Republic to transport resources, citizens, and prisoners.

Notable trains

 * Prisoner's train - the Prisoner can acquire his own train by repairing the one at Denver.
 * John Henry - one of the trains stationed at Tibbets
 * The General - Victor Presper's personal train, rigged to explode when tampered with, the Prisoner can acquire it, when find it abandoned on the south
 * El Loco - one of the trains stationed at Tibbets, used by ARGOS to chase Presper's party, derailed in Circle Junction

Train stations
Some pre-War train stations have survived and some are in a usable state, or require relatively minor work to become operational. These stations are also where the Prisoner will arrive if he has used a train to travel to the respective location.

Boulder Train Station
A wrecked train station with an intact line of tracks leading to the south. During the Prisoner's first visit to Boulder an NCR train will be here dropping off people as close to Bloomfield as they dare go. The train can be found on an unused spur on the track on a second visit, but only with a high Luck, otherwise it has moved on. Presper's train, "the General," can also be found here on the Prisoner's first visit. It has a radio detonator rigged up to explosives on the train, it is difficult to diffuse and an unsuccessful attempt results in the train exploding, causing damage to nearby creatures and people (the trains world object would become a wreck and pieces scattered across the station).

Denver Union station
It needs some repairs but there is nothing too serious stopping it becoming operational. The Prionser can Prepare/Fix Union Station for civilian use, and may even be able to salvage enough parts to restore a train to working condition, if unable to do that a hand car can be made instead. Once open to civilian use, there will need to be security here to protect them from nearby dogs and raiders.

Jericho Union station
A large, decaying multi-room train station which has fallen into disrepair. It has a large dry fountain and a parking lot. The tracks are stable enough to support a train and if the Prisoner has managed to get his own train it will be found here upon using it to travel to Jericho.

New Canaan Union station
This station is unused, but in a usable state, so the Prisoner can use it to travel to New Canaan quite rapidly. The tracks skirt the edge of New Canaan and it is the main visual feature of the local map, the station entrance is also where the Prisoner's car will be parked if they used it to travel to New Canaan.

Nursery Factory automated trains
Central to the distribution center is a small train station with a side rail. Currently the side rail holds a flatbed car with a semi-truck upon it. The main rail holds a locomotive with a boxcar attached. The distribution center also acts as a warehouse for finished products and the parts required for their manufacture. From the lower level the Prisoner can get the train system functional. Once power is restored to the factory the trains will start to recharge their power sources. However, the sealed doors will not open due to damage. The Prisoner will need to patch power to the door locks to get them to open. This station also has a functioning rotating train platform.

When the train is fixed there would have been a short movie showing the train powering up, the secure door to the tunnel opening, and the train pulling out of the station through it.

Related quests

 * Prepare/Fix Union Station, Start Trade With NCR or New Canaan: If the rail connection is fixed all the way to NCR and trade is established with them, they'll actually post a small military squad at the station.
 * Restore the functionality of the distribution system: To get production up to maximum efficiency, the rail system needs to be up and running.

Appearances
Trains were going to appear in Van Buren, the canceled Fallout 3 by Black Isle Studios.

Behind the scenes

 * The cut location "Circle Junction" was a large railway station and home to wasteland "rail nomads" who used the ruins of old stations and broken boxcars as shelter. El Loco originally derailed when it came plowing through Central Junction. In this version of events many members of Caesar's Legion had little to no experience with trains, some even feared them. For more information see the Circle Junction design document.
 * "The General" shares its name with "The General," the real-life locomotive of the same name.
 * "John Henry" refers to an American folk hero and tall tale.