The Train

The train is a central element in Zompiercer's gameplay. Apart from providing the player a reliable means of transportation from one place to another, it also serves as a mobile base where the player can find safe refuge from the zombie apocalypse. With the proper resources, it can be upgraded to become more efficient and self-sustaining, more defensible, and more comfortable.

## Layout

The train in its most basic configuration consists of a diesel locomotive and two carriages, the latter of which can be built on. At the beginning of the game, the locomotive provides the basic facilities needed to start building up the player's base.

### Locomotive

The locomotive is the heart of the train, allowing it to move under its own power. Visually, it resembles a TEM2 road switcher, a Soviet redesign of the American ALCO RSD-1, though with four-wheeled bogies instead of six-wheeled. It is equipped with its own exterior and interior lights, a small cabinet for storage (Capacity 20 kg), the Compact Train Workbench for crafting basic tools and workbenches, and the Zombestiary book for learning about the different types of zombies.

As of the 13.1 update, the locomotive has eight different controls that can be interacted with:

1. The ignition, for turning the engine on and off

2. The reverser, for changing between forward and backward movement

3. The throttle, for adjusting speed

4. The horn

5. The front headlight switch, for illuminating the track ahead of the train at night or in dark areas

6. The brake, for slowing down and stopping

7. The cabin light switch, for illuminating the interior of the cabin

8. The rear headlight switch, for illuminating the track behind the locomotive, or as temporary lighting of the carriages before they've had their own lights built.

#### Driving The Train

Compared to the more complex driving controls of locomotives in real life, the in-game controls are simplified to the bare basics to allow for quick learning. When boarding the train for the first time, the procedure for getting it moving is as follows:

1. Turn the engine on with the ignition.

2. Set the reverser to forward or backward. For most of the time, the player will be driving the train forward, though there are a few cases where driving in reverse will be necessary.

3. Make sure the brake is disengaged.

4. Open the throttle. By default, the "Q" key will increase speed and "Z" will decrease it.

Because of the great distances between major destinations, and the lack of any significant cause for emergency stops, it is not necessary for the player to be at the controls all the time while the train is moving, allowing them to perform other tasks such as upgrading the carriages, crafting items, or just resting. However, the player cannot go to bed while the train is moving; it must be brought to a full stop and its engine switched off before doing so.

#### Stopping The Train

There are certain times when the train must be stopped to avoid disaster, such as a dead end or a blockage on the track. If the train runs into these too fast, it will crash and the player will die. Bringing down the throttle and applying the brake at the right time will avert such a fate. However, an experienced driver can safely bring the train right up to these obstacles without crashing; the throttle must be set at less than 25% and the train must have sufficient distance to slow down if traveling at high speed.

#### Fuel

Keeping the locomotive fueled is an extremely vital factor in surviving the zombie apocalypse aboard a train. If the player allows the fuel to run out while they are traveling, they will be stranded unless they can find more fuel, which is extremely scarce in the post-apocalyptic world. And prior to the 4.0 update, running out of fuel meant certain death.

As long as the locomotive's engine is running, it will consume fuel at a constant rate, even when idling. It is recommended to make sure the engine is switched off to save fuel when the player is going to be away from the train for a long time. When the train is moving, the fuel consumption rate corresponds with the throttle's setting; the higher the throttle is set, the faster fuel is consumed.

Fuel can be found in one of two forms, one of which is far rarer than the other:

1. Jerrycans. Red jerrycans can be found in wrecked cars. However, they are extremely heavy when filled, preventing the player from carrying a lot. Investing perk points in leveling up the player's strength will help mitigate this issue. Also, each jerrycan only holds five liters (1.3 US gallons) of fuel, which is literally a drop in the bucket when filling up the locomotive's huge fuel tank (Capacity 3,200 liters/845.3 US gallons). There are some places that will allow the player to refill a limited number of empty jerrycans with fresh fuel, such as the Gasoline.

2. In very rare cases, there are places that will allow the player to refuel the locomotive to almost its maximum capacity, such as the Abandoned Railway Station. However, access to such a plentiful abundance of fuel comes at a steep price, so the player should expect a challenge or puzzle that needs to be solved in order to successfully refuel the train.

### Carriages

The two empty flatbed carriages pulled behind the locomotive serve as the foundation for the player's mobile base. As the player gathers resources throughout their journey, they can upgrade the carriages with a wide variety of walls, floors, roofs, fixtures, and furniture to accomodate their needs and desires. However, space is limited aboard these short and narrow carriages, so it is crucial to design one's base to fit as many facilities and functions as possible while using as little space as possible.

By building stairs and ladders, the carriages can be built up into double-deckers with a second floor, creating more building space. The outer walls can be upgraded with metal armor, window bars, and spikes to improve its defensive capabilities against the zombies, as well as storage racks for carrying extra fuel cans and barrels, and exterior spotlights to light up the surroundings at night or in dark places.

The interior of the carriages is open to even more customization. Apart from the essential bed, workbenches, and storage cabinets, the player can divide the interior into separate compartments, paint the walls with different colors and textures, and install decorative furniture and fixtures to suit their tastes.

#### Old Carriages (Pre-8.0)

Prior to the 8.0 update, the carriages were fully enclosed, all-metal passenger coaches, painted the same shade of green as the locomotive, with the roofs painted black. The interiors had carpeted floors and walls with decorative wood paneling, and the ceilings had built-in light fixtures. The old carriages were much shorter than the current ones, so space for building and customization was even more limited.

## Gallery

Promotional image for the 8.0 update, showing the train with fully built modular carriages.Promotional image for the 12.0 update, showing fully upgraded carriages with full armor.Screenshot from before the 8.0 update, showing the train with old carriages.Screenshot showing the pre-8.0 carriage interior.The locomotive's main control console with labels.The death screen when the train crashes into an obstacle.The old death screen when the train ran out of fuel before the 4.0 update.