About The Railroad

The Railroad is a joinable faction situated in the Commonwealth who assist runaway synths. Their main command center is located in the Old North Church in Boston, after their previous base was compromised following a raid by the Institute. They maintain a network of safehouses and clandestine contacts reminiscent of their namesake, the 19th century Underground Railroad, which helped slaves escape and reach free areas. To remain covert, members use a special marking system called "Railsigns" to mark cache, safehouse, and dead drop locations, as well as the presence of allies and/or danger.

The Sole Survivor can learn about the Railroad through a few media. You can investigate the area around Park Street Station, speak with Doctor Amari at the beginning of The Molecular Level who indicates that the Railroad would be helpful to your cause, or overhear people in the Diamond City market, the Dugout Inn, or guards in Goodneighbor discussing the elusive Railroad. All of these will result in the Sole Survivor getting the quest Road to Freedom. Piper also makes comments about them after the The Glowing Sea quest starts.

The Railroad is joinable through the Fallout 4 quest, Road to Freedom.

Membership in the Railroad may negatively affect relations with other main factions. The more quests the Sole Survivor does for the Railroad, the more the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel will disapprove of their actions. If the Sole Survivor sides with the Brotherhood of Steel or the Institute, they are sent to exterminate the Railroad, believing that they will try to stop them.

Relations with the Minutemen are not affected by joining the Railroad. However, when completing the Minutemen version of The Nuclear Option the optional mission must be completed or the Railroad (including Deacon if he is your companion) will become hostile when the player next speaks to Desdemona. You will still be able to accept A Clean Equation missions from P.A.M., Lost Soul mission from Doctor Carrington, and even the To the Mattresses missions from Desdemona when Drummer Boy notifies you. Any extra attempt to speak with her outside accepting and completing quests will cause the Railroad to become hostile. This appears to be a bug as the Lost Soul missions should not be available if you left no survivors at the Institute.