See all:Boston After DarkUnderground UndercoverWeathervaneJackpotRandolph SafehouseThe Molecular Level (optional)Tactical ThinkingEnd of the LineButcher's Bill
The Railroad HQ is a location within the North End district of Boston in the Commonwealth in Fallout 4. After a devastating offensive by the Institute resulting in multiple safehouses as well as their previous HQ falling to the enemy in 2287, the secretive organization known as the Railroad was forced to go into hiding. Under their leader Desdemona, they regrouped at this new base in the catacombs below the Old North Church, working to regain a footing in the struggle for the liberation of synthkind.[Non-game 1]
Contents
1Background
1.1Fall of the Switchboard
1.2A new HQ
2Layout
3Inhabitants
4Notable loot
5Related quests
6Notes
6.1Morse code messages
7Appearances
8Bugs
9Gallery
10References
Background[]
Fall of the Switchboard[]
Main article: Railroad Safehouse Raids
Since 2281, the Railroad under Desdemona had been operating out of an old DIA facility hidden underneath a Slocum's Joe location in Lexington known as the Switchboard, where they acquired the Predictive Analytic Machine as a vital asset in their shadow war to liberate the synths from their subservience under the Institute.[1] For five years, the Railroad was able to avoid Institute detection and continue rescuing synths, especially after the "recruitment" of the Institute insider codenamed "Patriot" in 2283.[2]
In 2286,[3] however, after a period of little to no surface activity from their enemy, the Railroad was caught off-guard as the Institute initiated multiple simultaneous strikes on most of their remaining safehouses. The worst was their attack on the Switchboard itself in an attempt to purge the Railroad's leadership. While Desdemona and most of the critical members were able to make it out safe along with P.A.M., many others including one of their "heavy" enforcers, Tommy Whispers perished. The survivors were forced to go deep into hiding afterward to throw off the Institute's continued pursuit.
A new HQ[]
Sometime prior to October 2287, the Railroad was able to pull itself back together after discovering the catacombs located beneath the Old North Church. Occupying it as their new base, Desdemona instituted a strict policy of seclusion; if a field operative even suspected that they were being followed by a courser or any agent of the Institute, they were to stay far away from the HQ until the threat was over.[4] The Railroad also developed a security measure doubling as a test of character by augmenting the Freedom Trail landmarks leading to the church to act as a large-scale decoder for the password that opens the entrance to the HQ; this was designed to rely on the general illiteracy and lack of formal education among wastelanders and ensure that only the most capable will find their way to the Railroad and thus serve as ample material for recruitment.[5]
Layout[]
Access to the Railroad HQ is only granted upon either joining the faction itself by completing Tradecraft or advancing Road to Freedom only after completing the main quest Hunter/Hunted and obtaining the courser chip, then following Amari's advice to "follow the Freedom Trail" to find the Railroad who can decrypt it.
Within the catacombs, the main fixture is a large circular table in the middle of the chamber where Desdemona usually lingers. To the left of the entrance is Doctor Carrington's area, with medical supplies and a treatment bed. To the right is Tinker Tom's corner, containing research equipment, a terminal, and a firing range.
On the other side of the circular table is a rest area where Drummer Boy and Glory can be found (Deacon will also be here if he is not recruited as an active companion). To the left is P.A.M.'s chamber, with several large computers and her terminal on the table in the lower section. There is a few chalkboards on the wall that lists the types of railsigns as well as listing active operatives' codenames and safehouses.
There is another exit from the HQ to the left of the rest area. This exit connects to an escape tunnel, which leads directly to a ruined building with a chained door on the surface north of the church next to the Pickman Gallery.
Inhabitants[]
Desdemona
Doctor Carrington
Drummer Boy
Glory
Mister Tims
P.A.M.
Tinker Tom
Notable loot[]
Astoundingly Awesome Tales - On the desk west of the central circular stone table.
Lab scale - On a metal shelf near Tinker Tom. This is the only location where this item can be found.
Mole rat teeth - On the table in P.A.M.'s chamber. This is the only location where this item can be found on its own.
Blackbird report holotape - Held by Doctor Carrington.
Fatigues - Worn by Desdemona.
Tinker headgear - Worn by Tinker Tom.
Tinker Tom Special - Sold by Tinker Tom.
Prototype railway rifle - Used by a Railroad agent who is helping Tinker Tom test it.
Fusion core - In the escape tunnel, inside a generator behind a security door operated by an Expert-locked terminal.
Nuka-Cherry - One on a shelf near Tinker Tom's position. Another in the escape tunnel, halfway through, on a boat.
Related quests[]
Boston After Dark
Butcher's Bill
End of the Line
Jackpot
Randolph Safehouse
Tactical Thinking
Underground Undercover
Weathervane
Notes[]
Upon being marked on the map, the Railroad HQ is one of the few interior locations the Sole Survivor can fast travel to and from.
Unlike with X6-88 where bringing him will cause the Railroad to automatically turn hostile, entering the HQ with Paladin Danse will not turn them hostile.
It is not required to visit every spot on the Freedom Trail during Road to Freedom in order to input the HQ access code within the Old North Church.
Morse code messages[]
Inside the HQ, one can find a Railroad agent decoding Morse code signals being sent over a ham radio. The sound files for the decoded messages and their translations are as follows:
DEAD DROP D I S CO N E EDS AP I C K U P U R G E N T
Appearances[]
The Railroad HQ only appears only in Fallout 4.
Bugs[]
PCPlaystation 4 It is possible to become stuck when standing on the central circular stone table. To fix this issue, crouch and walk away, reload a previous save, or fast travel to a different location.[verified]
PC In the later quests, it's possible for the main entrance door to close without being able to be opened again.[verified]
PC If power armor is docked in the power armor station, it might become corrupted, causing pieces of the power armor to go missing and rendering it impossible to exit the power armor while in the HQ.[verified]
Xbox One There is a bug whereby Railroad quests will suddenly fail, and upon returning to the HQ, all occupants will turn hostile. However, this is not a state of formal hostility unless or until the Sole Survivor returns fire.[verified]
Gallery[]
OverviewTableTableBulletin boardFiring rangeFiring rangeP.A.M.'s chamberP.A.M.'s chamberChalkboardChalkboard showing the railsignsAstoundingly Awesome TalesNuka-CherryFusion core in the escape tunnelAnother Nuka-Cherry in the tunnelArmor workbench, Cooking station and weapons workbenchChemistry stationPower armor stationWeapons workbench (tunnel)Texture fileConcept artConcept artMagic: The Gathering cardCard artBehind the scenes
↑Bringing X6-88 to the Old North Church will immediately turn the Railroad hostile in Fallout 4.
↑The Sole Survivor: "What, normal people can't figure out your decoder ring out front?"Deacon: "These days being able to even spell "Railroad" is cause for celebration."(Deacon's quest dialogue)
Non-game
↑Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Collector's Edition p. 466-467: "[13.02] OLD NORTH CHURCHBuilt in 1723, the Old North Church is the oldest standing church in Boston. Its 191-foot-tall steeple also makes it the tallest church in Boston. On the night of April 18, 1775, Lieutenant Colonel Smith marched with 700 British soldiers to Concord on a mission to disarm the rebels. Using a plan devised by Paul Revere, Robert Newman climbed to the top of this church and lit two lanterns to alert patriots that the Redcoats were coming up the Charles River. This inspired Longfellow’s famous verse “One if by land, two if by sea.” The battles of Lexington and Concord that followed would start the American Revolution.This is part of the Freedom Trail. The number “1” is daubed on the circular ground plaque pointing at the letter “R.” The insignia of the Railroad can be seen above the information plaque at the entrance.The Railroad Headquarters is the base of operations for this faction. It contains their senior members (two of whom offer excellent trading opportunities). There’s a wall showing the “code” the Railroad uses for marking stashes and areas they’ve investigated. Be sure to utilize the escape tunnel, which allows quicker access to and from this location in the future. It brings you out by the river, northwest of the Old North Church."(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Map)
v · d · eThe Railroad
Locations
Railroad HQ · Old North Church · The Switchboard · Mercer Safehouse · Rivet City
Characters
Caretaker (Concierge) · Caretaker (Emergent Behavior) · Deacon · Desdemona · Doctor Carrington · Drummer Boy · Father Clifford · Glory · Herbert Dashwood · High Rise · Manya Vargas · Mister Tims · P.A.M. · Pilot · Railroad agents · Ricky Dalton · Terry · Tinker Tom · Tulip · Victoria Watts · Boxer
Quests
Main
Road to Freedom · Tradecraft · Underground Undercover · Precipice of War · Rockets' Red Glare · The Nuclear Option · End of the Line · Tactical Thinking
Side
Operation Ticonderoga · Burning Cover · Boston After Dark · Memory Interrupted · Butcher's Bill · Butcher's Bill 2 · Mercer Safehouse
Radiant
Jackpot · Concierge · Weathervane · Randolph Safehouse · Variable Removal · To the Mattresses · Lost Soul · The Replicated Man · A Clean Equation · High Ground
v · d · eFallout 4 locations
Major faction locations
Brotherhood of Steel
The Prydwen · Boston Airport · Cambridge Police Station
Beantown Brewery · Combat Zone · Corvega assembly plant · Dunwich Borers · East Boston Preparatory School · Federal ration stockpile · Libertalia · Quincy Quarries · Thicket Excavations · USAF Satellite Station Olivia · Walden Pond
Greater Boston Neighborhoods - West
Cambridge
Cambridge Police Station · Cambridge Polymer Labs · Cambridge campus diner · Cambridge crater · Campus law offices · C.I.T. ruins · College Square · College Square station · Collegiate administration building · Fraternal Post 115 · Greenetech Genetics · Kendall Hospital · Monsignor Plaza · The Institute
Charlestown
BADTFL regional office · Bunker Hill · USS Constitution · Weatherby Savings & Loan
The Fens
Back Street Apparel · Fens Street sewer · Hangman's Alley · Hardware Town · Parkview Apartments · Police Precinct 8 · Wreck of the USS Riptide
Diamond City
Abbot's house · All Faiths Chapel · Chem-I-Care · Choice Chops · Colonial Taphouse · Commonwealth Weaponry · Diamond City Market · Diamond City Radio · Diamond City Surplus · Dugout Inn · Home Plate · Mega Surgery Center · Power Noodles · Publick Occurrences · Schoolhouse · Science! Center · Sheng Kawolski's house · Swatters · Valentine Detective Agency
Esplanade
Charles View Amphitheater · HalluciGen, Inc.
Back Bay
Boston Public Library · Dartmouth Professional Building · Hubris Comics · Layton Towers · Trinity Plaza · Trinity Tower · Vault 114 · Wilson Atomatoys corporate HQ
Beacon Hill
Boston Bugle building · Cabot House · Vault-Tec Regional HQ
Greater Boston Neighborhoods - East
North End
Pickman Gallery · Old North Church
Boston Common
Boylston Club · Massachusetts State House · Old Granary Burying Ground · Park Street station · Swan's Pond
Financial District
Fallen skybridge · Faneuil Hall · Garden terrace · Haymarket Mall · Mass Fusion building · Old Corner Bookstore · Postal Square
Goodneighbor
Daisy's Discounts · Hotel Rexford · Kill or Be Killed · Memory Den · Old State House · The Third Rail · Warehouses
Theater District
Combat Zone · D.B. Technical High School · Hester's Consumer Robotics · Mass Bay Medical Center · Medical Center metro
Boston Harbor
Custom House Tower · Harbormaster Hotel · The Shamrock Taphouse · Yangtze
East Boston
Boston Airport · East Boston Preparatory School · East Boston police station · Easy City Downs · Fort Strong · The Prydwen
South Boston
Andrew station · Big John's Salvage · Four Leaf Fishpacking plant · General Atomics factory · Gwinnett Brewery · The Gwinnett Restaurant · South Boston High School · South Boston military checkpoint · South Boston police department · The Castle · University Point
Breakheart Banks · County Crossing · Covenant · Dark Hollow Pond · Finch farm · General Atomics Galleria · Greentop Nursery · Irish Pride Industries shipyard · Lake Quannapowitt · Listening Post Bravo · Lynn Woods · Malden Center · Malden Middle School/Vault 75 · Mass Fusion containment shed · Med-Tek Research · Medford Memorial Hospital · National Guard training yard · Old Gullet sinkhole · Outpost Zimonja · Parsons Creamery · Parsons State Insane Asylum · Poseiden Energy Turbine #18-F · Radio tower 3SM-U81 · Relay tower 0MC-810 · Recon bunker Theta · Revere satellite array · Rotten landfill · Saugus Ironworks · Skylanes Flight 1981 · Slocum's Joe Corporate HQ · The Slog · Taffington boathouse · Tucker Memorial Bridge · West Everett Estates · Wildwood Cemetery
Western Commonwealth
ArcJet Systems · Beantown Brewery · Boston mayoral shelter · Chestnut Hillock Reservoir · Federal ration stockpile · Fiddler's Green Trailer Estates · Forest Grove marsh · Fort Hagen · Fort Hagen filling station · Fort Hagen satellite array · Graygarden · Greater Mass Blood Clinic · Jalbert Brothers Disposal · Mass Gravel & Sand · Mass Pike Interchange · Oberland station · Relay tower 0BB-915 · Relay tower 1DL-109 · Rocky Narrows Park · Vault 81 · Wattz Consumer Electronics · Weston water treatment plant
Coastal Commonwealth
Coastal cottage · Crater house · Dunwich Borers · Gibson Point Pier · Hub City Auto Wreckers · Hugo's Hole · Kingsport Lighthouse · Longneck Lukowski's Cannery · Lynn Pier parking · Mahkra Fishpacking · Nahant (Croup Manor · Libertalia · Nahant Chapel · Nahant Oceanological Society · Nahant Sherrif's Department · Nahant Wharf) · Nordhagen beach · Reeb Marina · Revere Beach station · Salem (Museum of Witchcraft · Rook family house · Sandy Coves Convalescent Home)
Natick and the Glowing Sea
Atlantic Offices · Capsized factory · Cave · Crater of Atom · Cutler Bend · Decayed reactor site · Decrepit factory · Edge of the Glowing Sea · Electrical Hobbyist's Club · Federal supply cache 84NE · Federal Surveillance Center K-21B · Forgotten church · Hopesmarch Pentecostal Church · Lake Cochituate · Mass Fusion disposal site · Natick (Natick Banks · Natick Police Department · Poseidon reservoir · Roadside Pines Motel) · O'Neill Family Manufacturing · Relay tower 0DB-521 · Robotics Pioneer Park · Rocky cave · Scrap palace · Sentinel site · Skylanes Flight 1665 · Somerville Place · Vault 95 · Vertibird wreckage · Waypoint Echo · WRVR broadcast station
Quincy and Southern Commonwealth
Atom Cats garage · Boston Police rationing site · Coast Guard pier · Egret Tours Marina · Fairline Hill Estates · Fallon's department store · Gunners plaza · Hyde Park · Jamaica Plain · Mass Pike Tunnel east · Mass Pike Tunnel west · Milton General Hospital · Murkwater construction site · Neponset Park · NH&M Freight Depot · Poseidon Energy · Quincy Quarries · Quincy ruins (Quincy police station · Peabody house) · Relay tower 0SC-527 · Shaw High School · Spectacle Island · Suffolk County Charter School · Warwick homestead · West Roxbury station · Westing Estate · Wilson Atomatoys factory · Wreck of the FMS Northern Star
The Commonwealth unmarked locations
35 Court · Abandoned house (Charlestown) · Anna's Cafe · Back Alley Bowling · Back alley camp · Backyard bunker · Barricade and rooftops · Beacon Hill apartments · Billy's fridge · Boxing gym · Bridgeway Trust · Broken monorail · Brookline building · Bus and apartment wreckage · Cambridge Academic Center · Cambridge church · Cambridge construction site · Cambridge hardware store · Cambridge raider base · Camp Kendall · Car tree camp · Charles River · Charlestown Laundry · Columbus Park · Coastal hideout ·Commonwealth Avenue · Commonwealth Bank · Commonwealth Weaponry · Compound · Concord Church · Concord Civic Access · Concord Speakeasy · Congress Street garage · Copley station · Cottage · Daisy's Discounts · Dorchester Heights Monument · Drug den · East C.I.T. raider camp · Evans Way Cul-de-Sac · Factory · Faded Glory laundromat · Fallout 4 military checkpoints · Fens Cafe · Fens Way station · Fentons Food Stuffs · Flagon Tunnel · Footbridge (Esplanade) · Founder's Triangle · Freedom Trail · Freeway pileup · Garage alcove · General Atomics outlet · Graygarden homestead · Guns Guns Guns · Handy Eats · Hardware store · Hawthorne Estate · Hoarder's apartment · Hollowed-out rock · Holy Mission Congregation · Hub 360 · Jamaica Plain Town Hall basement · Jimbo's Tower · Joe's Spuckies · Joe's Spuckies sandwich shop · Kellogg's house · Kendall Parking · L Street bathhouse · Lexington Bank · Lexington Pharmacy · Lil' Gentry playground · Long Wharf · Madden's Gym · Raider platforms (Cambridge) · Malden drainage · Malden police station · Marlborough house · Marowski's chem lab · Mass Chemical · Mass Pike Tunnel · Mean Pastries · Milton parking garage · Mole rat den · Nahant Bar and Restaurant · Natick power station · North End graveyard · Northwest house · Atlantic · Parking garage · Paul Revere House · Paul Revere Monument · Pearwood Residences · Pinelli's Bakery · Pinnacle Highrise · Pizza parlor · Plumber's Secret · Prospect Hill · Prost Bar · Quincy apartments · Quincy church · Quincy diner · Quincy pharmacy · Raider back-alley camp · Raider shack · Red Rocket (Glowing Sea) · Root cellar · Rusting ship and stilt cabin · Rusty tractor · Science Center gift shop · Shanty store · Shenley's Oyster Bar · Sleepwalker's place · Slocum's Joe · Sniper's hideout · Sole Survivor's house · South Boston Church · South Fens Tower · Sullivan's · The Dig · The Hole in the Wall · The Switchboard · Ticker Tape Lounge · Train car · Trinity Church · UFO crash site · Union Man's Circle · Union's Hope Cathedral · University Credit Union · Valenti station · Vitale pumphouse · Walden Drugs (Cambridge) · Walden Drugs (Concord) · Warren Theater · Water filtration caps stash · Water Street apartments · Baxter building ·Western Bell vessel · Workhouse · Wright's Inn
Far Harbor unmarked locations
Acadia National Park · Basement armory · Emmet's Causeway · Kawaketak Station · Pump control · Red Death Island
Fort Hagen hangar · RobCo Sales & Service Center (The Mechanist's lair)
Far Harbor
The Island · Acadia · Aldersea Day Spa · Atom's Spring · Beaver Creek Lanes · Briney's Bait and Tackle · Brooke's Head Lighthouse · Children of Atom shrine · Cliff's Edge Hotel · Cranberry Island Bog · Cranberry Island Docks · Cranberry Island supply shed · Dalton farm · DiMA's cache · Eagle's Cove Tannery · Eden Meadows Cinemas · Echo Lake Lumber · Far Harbor · Fringe Cove docks · Glowing Grove · Haddock Cove · Harbor Grand Hotel · Horizon Flight 1207 · Huntress Island · Kitteredge Pass · Longfellow's cabin · MS Azalea · Nakano residence · National Park campground · National Park visitor's center · National Park HQ · Northwood Ridge Quarry · Oceanarium · Old pond house · Pine Crest Cavern · Radiant crest shrine · Rayburn Point · Red Death Island · Rock Point camp · Ruined church · Ruined radio tower · Southwest Harbor · The Nucleus · The Vessel · Vault 118 · Vim! Pop factory · Waves Crest Orphanage · Wind farm maintenance · Zephyr Ridge camp
Vault-Tec Workshop
Vault 88 · University Point Pharmacy
Nuka-World
Nuka-World · Galactic Zone · (Nuka-Galaxy · Vault-Tec: Among the Stars · RobCo Battlezone · Starlight Interstellar Theater · Starport Nuka) · Dry Rock Gulch · (Dry Rock Gulch employee area · Dry Rock Gulch Theater · Doc Phosphate's Saloon · Mad Mulligan's Minecart Coaster · Main Street · Ol' Sugartop) · Safari Adventure · (Angry Anaconda · Cappy's treehouse · Jungle Journey Theater · Safari Adventure primate house · Safari Adventure reptile house · Welcome Center) · Kiddie Kingdom · (Carousel · Blast Off! · Candy Town Playground · Employee tunnels · Ferris Wheel · Fun House · King Cola's Castle · King Cola's Court · Nuka-Racers · Teacups) · Nuka-Town USA · (Bradberton Amphitheater · Cola-cars arena · Cappy's Cafe · Fizztop Grille · Fizztop Mountain · Nuka-Cade · Nuka-Town backstage · Nuka-Town market · Nuka-World access tunnels · The Parlor) · Nuka-Cola bottling plant · (Secure beverageer lab · World of Refreshment) · Bradberton · Bradberton overpass · Dunmore homestead · Evan's home · Grandchester Mystery Mansion · Hubologist's camp · Morton residence · Northpoint reservoir · Nuka-World junkyard · Nuka-World power plant · Wixon's Shovel Museum
Railroad HQ 
Overview
Table
Table
Bulletin board
Firing range
Firing range
P.A.M.'s chamber
P.A.M.'s chamber
Chalkboard
Chalkboard showing the railsigns
Astoundingly Awesome Tales
Fusion core in the escape tunnel
Another Nuka-Cherry in the tunnel
Armor workbench, Cooking station and weapons workbench
Chemistry station
Power armor station
Weapons workbench (tunnel)
Texture file
Concept art
Concept art
Magic: The Gathering card
Behind the scenes 
