Trans-Island Railway Line

The Trans-Island Railway Line, known officially as the Far Range Branch Line (not to be confused with the region of the same name), is a major landmark located in multiple regions across Great Bear Island.

Overview[]

The Trans-Island Railway Line can be found in 6 regions and 2 Transition Zones. They are (in order from one end of the line to the other):

History[]

The Trans-Island Railway Line is a logging and light freight railway line which runs across the majority of Great Bear Island. It was likely built during the early 20th century, but fell into disrepair and was abandoned following the seismic activity which occurred before The Collapse.

It was constructed to provide a quick and efficient way to transport both supplies from deep within the Far Territory to the coast, as well as to provide a land route to ferry passengers via Train Shuttles. Though not mentioned anywhere specifically in-game, abandoned rail cars suggest the line was used to transport resources such as timber, coal, ore, and the occasional workforce passengers.

Most of the railway line lies in ruins and is entirely unfit for even a basic push railcar, as can be seen first hand if the player walks the line from region to region in Survival Mode. The railroad is plagued with an incredible amount of disrepair, including but not limited to:

Large landslides burying the rails in rock.
Cliffside rail lines having collapsed into a ravine.
Partially or even fully collapsed train tunnels.
Sinkholes having swallowed the line (One section in Forlorn Muskeg)
Partially or severely damaged bridge trestles.
Various abandoned boxcars/logging cars/flatbed cars/passenger rail cars/rail mounted trucks already present on or derailed near the line.
Various sections of rail buried in heavy snow.
Bent or broken train track.
Toxic Chemical Spills (in the Zone of Contamination only)

Features[]

Trans-Island Line Engine — A train engine bearing the Trans-Island Line logo.

Zone of Contamination[]

The rail line begins in the local Langston Mine complex, starting at a train station near Indolent Hoppers and heading towards Lower Great Bear. Several spilled chemicals and landslides make navigating the tracks hazardous in this region.

Transfer Pass[]

Extending deep into the inner territory of Great Bear, the explorable portion of the Trans-Island Railway begins at massive landslide. Following from here, the railroad passes through a passenger train station and loading depot, before heading into a large derailment of timber rail cars and eventually passing through another rockslide. A nearby cave must be explored to reach the next region.

Far Range Branch Line[]

Continuing passed the landslide, the line passes over an intact trestle and through a pitch dark train tunnel filled with collapsed tunnels and derelict boxcars. The tunnel transitions to the Broken Railroad Region. This region contains the most undamaged section of railroad of any region.

Broken Railroad[]

The railway line is seen prominently in Broken Railroad, beginning at the previous train tunnel and passing over a Destroyed Bridge, and stretching across the region. The line here is interrupted at multiple points by Landslides, a passenger rail car, and a truck that has been deployed onto the line. A Locomotive Engine is also found here, being the only one currently in the game. The railroad terminates at a tunnel which transitions to Forlorn Muskeg.

Forlorn Muskeg[]

In Forlorn Muskeg the railway line can be seen bisecting the region, running between two tunnels leading to Broken Railroad and Mystery Lake. The line is damaged in multiple places, having collapsed into the marsh in one section. Two major derailments can be found, the first of which is primarily logging cars which can be found near the transition to Broken Railroad. The second is a mostly freight derailment found near the center of the region. This derailment includes the Poacher's Camp. The line in this region terminates in at another region transition train tunnel leading to Mystery Lake.

Mystery Lake[]

The Mystery Lake railway runs from Forlorn Muskeg to The Ravine and is in remarkable shape than that of most regions. The line features a boxcar blocking the beginning region transition train tunnel. There is one Derailment near the center of the region, consisting of a few cargo boxcars (one of which is accessible.) Further along a small passenger transportation rail vehicle can be found, near the Train Loading Area. The railway also crosses a Bridge near the Carter Hydro Dam (with another rail deployed truck close to the gate) before transitioning to The Ravine via a canyon.

The Ravine[]

One of the grandest displays of the railway, The Ravine is home to the Raven Falls Trestle and the Raven Falls Railway Line. The Ravine is notable for featuring a large cliffside derailment, with multiple cars and a small passenger vehicle having fallen into the Ravine Basin. The Raven Falls Trestle can be found towards the end of the line and is in a slight state of disrepair, having a partially collapsed line in the middle. The line terminates with a tunnel to Coastal Highway, which suffers from a partial ceiling collapse halfway through.

Coastal Highway[]

Coastal highway features the terminus of the railway line and is the smallest portion of any region. The line exists only as a small trestle that leads to an Unloading Area in the northwest of the region. The line ends with a few timber railcars on the rails and a collapsed tunnel which is completely impassable, and presumably leads to other portions of the island.