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Train Building
June 13, 2026 at 06:17 AM
Cross-referenced the cowcatcher attachment for clearing track blockers
Train building is the core progression system in Railborn. Players begin with a small handcar and expand it into a fully featured mobile base over the course of the game. The train serves as shelter, a workshop, a farm, and the primary means of travel across the planet's track network.
At the start of the game, players have only a minimal handcar assembled from a few squares of wood. It provides almost no amenities and is barely large enough to stand on. The first tasks involve scavenging nearby tracks for basic materials, crafting a working engine, and adding enough space to store gathered resources.
The train is expanded piece by piece, floor by floor, and railcar by railcar. Players add individual components rather than placing entire pre-built sections, allowing for a high degree of customization. New railcars extend the length of the train; additional floors add vertical space to existing cars.
As the train grows, players must install and manage interconnected systems to keep it functional:
System | Function |
|---|---|
Engine | Powers the train and enables movement along the tracks. Must be crafted and fueled. |
Power Distribution | Manages the flow of electrical power to all installed components and railcars. |
Water Systems | Captures water from the environment and distributes it throughout the train. |
Control Panel | The driving interface, configurable to the player's preferred layout. |
Farming Cars | Dedicated railcars containing growing plots for vegetables and other food crops. |
Greenhouse Cars | Specialized cars for cultivating rare biome plants rescued from the planet. |
A technology upgrade tree governs the progression of train systems and components. Unlocking new upgrades requires both materials and reaching certain development milestones. The full extent of the tech tree is still being finalized during Early Access development.
In co-op play with up to four players, all players share the same train and can contribute to its construction simultaneously. The March 2026 alpha test specifically tested construction consistency across multiple clients to ensure all players see the same train state.
The alpha test confirmed that support structures on the train can be destroyed. Players must account for structural stability when designing and expanding their train.
Early in the game players are expected to build a Nexus, described by the developers as the brain of the train. The Nexus is one of the main ways to improve overall survival capacity. Building it up expands incline ability for climbing, engines for speed and base size, platforms for production and biome space, and bonus oxygen for longer time off the train. Expanding the Nexus requires collecting Nexus Cores.
Where the train can go depends on the rail network. The game uses a well-maintained mainline track and a slower off-road track, plus weather-affected routes, so a train's engines and incline ability (expanded through the Nexus) determine how it handles different track types. The train has no fixed front: players decide which end leads.
Some routes are blocked by obstacles on the rails. Researching and building a cowcatcher, a front attachment that clears the track ahead, lets a train push through these track blockers rather than stop.
