Railway rifle (Fallout 4)

The railway rifle is a weapon in Fallout 4.

Characteristics
Returning from Fallout 3, the railway rifle fires railway spikes as projectiles in the same manner as a crossbow or a flechette gun. These are rarely found as ammunition, however, but are cheap to buy and may be recovered from enemies slain using the weapon. In exchange, the railway rifle has become enormously more powerful from its last iteration while retaining its ability to do extreme damage to limbs--sometimes even pinning detached ones to walls.

The railway rifle is most effective in VATS at close to mid ranges, although its range is somewhat increased from its last incarnation and can be greatly increased with modification. One thing to know is that after killing an enemy with the railway rifle, there is a chance to loot-back the railway spikes that were shot into the corpse. This makes the weapon more ammo efficient than it seems. Legendary versions of the railway rifle can be found all throughout the Commonwealth.

In addition, a train whistle can be heard when reloading the weapon.

Weapon modifications
Receiver


 * Standard receiver
 * Automatic piston receiver

Barrel


 * Short barrel
 * Long barrel

Stock


 * Short stock
 * Recoiled Compensated Stock
 * Marksman Stock

Variants
Prototype(?) Does 1 Damage, possible bug, found on either an unnamed railroad member at Railroad HQ or Desdemona. Acquired during Institute quest to kill railroad leaders on Xbox One. Pip-boy shows 1 damage, and in VATS it does show health chunks would be lost upon firing. Regardless all forms of damage, besides gun bashing, do nothing. Non-hostile NPC's make no note of it and do not turn hostile, but the railway spikes and blood appear.

Locations

 * Big John's salvage - inside Big John's fallout shelter, which is in a blue overturned railway car just behind his house. In order to enter the shelter's trapdoor, the power must be switched on. The power switch is near the automobile-powered main gate to the salvage yard, attached to a power cable that runs to the blue railway car.  After hitting the switch, access the trapdoor by jumping on top of the car.
 * Potential reward for completing the quest Underground Undercover.
 * Bedford Station - Inside a blue railway car attached to Locomotive. Appears at Level 20.
 * Carried by Desdemona during the quest Tactical Thinking.