The Railroad is one of the three main factions available for membership in Fallout 4. Shrouded in mystery and highly secretive, the Railroad operates underground in order to ensure it remains hidden from its sworn enemies, the Brotherhood of Steel and the Institute.
While not much information is available, the faction has a long history of helping synthetics find their way out of the Commonwealth once they’ve been released from the grasps of the Institute. If you do find your way to join Desdemona and her gang of vigilante operators with a mission to save synths, you might be surprised by what you find out. Here are 10 facts about the Railroad you may have not heard of, even during your playthrough.
10 Born From A Massacre
The Railroad represents a sentiment of sympathy towards synths in a world where others are highly suspicious of them. This feeling was first born when a man known simply as Mr. Carter walked into Diamond City. Seemingly normal, he opened fire at the local bar and started a massacre. Once the guards finally stopped him, it was discovered, much to the surprise of everyone, that he was a synthetic.
It was evident, then, that synthetics had developed so far they could be almost perfectly human, which inspired some, like the supporters of the Railroad, to help them break free from the Institute’s influence and give them a life of freedom and independence.
9 Most Active In Commonwealth
The Railroad has a very long history, but it’s estimated it began its first activities around the time the Institute was able to create its first batch of Generation-3 synths. These robots were so sophisticated that they could easily pass off as human beings.
While the Institute is present in the Capital Wasteland in Fallout 3, it’s evident that it’s most active within the Commonwealth. It isn’t until Fallout 4 that players can actually join the organization’s ranks and fight for their cause, helping the Railroad transport synthetics out and away from the Commonwealth.
8 19th Century Underground Railroad
The Railroad believes that synths deserve freedom and independence from the Institute, as well as any human masters. Just as humans don’t deserve to be treated as slaves, synths, too, are deserving of the same, just treatment.
This idea and the way the Railroad operates, as well as its name, is actually a reference to the 19th century Underground Railroad, an elaborate system and network of paths and safe houses that enslaved people took in order to flee oppression. The very same idea and mode of operation persist within the Railroad, which has multiple safe houses and various tunnels it uses for its extraction processes.
7 Frequent Raids
Compared to the other factions like the Minute Men and the Brotherhood of Steel, the Railroad might appear weak, since it constantly lives in hiding, in underground locations. However, it could be argued that the Railroad is actually the most persistent of all factions due to how much it has endured.
The faction has had to reorganize itself and relocate countless times in the face of Institute organized raids that have left it devastated. Considering this, it’s a miracle there even is a Railroad to this day. However, generation after generation a different leader has taken control of the faction and led it towards progress. Desdemona is no different in that regard.
6 Ties To Abolitionists
Not only is the Railroad inspired by the Underground Railroad of the 19th century, it actually also has ties to the Abolitionists that were introduced in Fallout 3. These freedom fighters opposing slavery operate very closely with the Railroad since they both share the same ideal of freedom for every man and synth, from the slavery and oppression of those who consider themselves superior.
It’s unclear how much the two factions actually cooperate on a day to day basis, but it’s possible they help each other out by using common safe houses and escape routes when needed, and even cover for each other.
5 P.A.M.’s Story
There’s a very interesting character that lives among the Railroad in Fallout 4, dubbed as P.A.M. Although they’re within an assaultron’s body, what remains within them is actually much more elaborate than what you would imagine. P.A.M. is, in fact, a highly intelligent computer with the capacity to predict the future, and was designed a long time ago before the Great War.
It was able to foretell the attack by the Chinese but was soon left abandoned as the war broke out. The Railroad came across it and rescued P.A.M. from inactivity. Now, P.A.M. helps the faction in staying one step ahead of its enemies, to ensure operations run smoothly.
4 Railsigns And The Thieves Guild
The Railroad has many similarities in the manner of operation with Skyrim’s Thieves Guild. This isn’t a big surprise since both games come from Bethesda. For instance, the Rail signs that the Railroad uses to mark various locations are similar to the signs that thieves in the Thieves Guild use to mark houses in Skyrim.
Knowing these signs can be tremendously useful for a member of either faction, but in particular for the Railroad which seeks to stay hidden while performing its operations. From marking safe houses to pinpointing deadrops and danger, it’s a vital part of the organization’s mode of operation.
3 Friends In The Institute
You wouldn’t immediately think that the Railroad would have any allies within the Institute. However, there is actually a man known as the Patriot, who acts as the Railroad’s inside ally. Although Liam, the Patriot, has no idea he’s being used by the Railroad to help smuggle out synths, Liam has been releasing synths into the wild for some time now in hopes that someone will provide them a life outside of the Institute.
Tinker Tom is the one in charge of staying in touch with Liam as they utilize his contact to continuously help synths find their way out. Liam plays an essential role in the faction, and can even be spoken to once inside the Institute.
2 Aliens Movie Reference
Glory is one of the many members of the Railroad, a synth who believes deeply that even less advanced synthetics deserve freedom from their oppressors. Glory is an interesting character, to say the least, but perhaps the funniest thing about her is when she compliments the Sole Survivor for finding the Railroad by saying “Not bad, for a human”.
This is actually a reference to something Bishop in Aliens says to Ripley, which is a nice parallel between the game and the sci-fi movie, which also explores the morality of artificial intelligence and where it stands among human beings.
1 Earliest Records
The Railroad has always had a leader, but not much is known about those in the past. The first recorded leader is someone known as Agamemnon, but he didn’t leave many records behind. It wasn’t until a man known as Wyatt came to power that detailed recording of the factions inner work began.
After his death in a raid, Pinky Thompson took power but left office when he lost credibility as a leader at the loss of a safe house. Desdemona was then voted into leadership, and she’s the most recent known leader of the faction, at least within the Commonwealth.
