Following on from my original post (
found here) about trains appearing in the
Final Fantasy series (because it seems I've hit the character limit in that post) - the latest FF games also feature trains:
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII: The second sequel to FFXIII features a suspended monorail network (that closely resembles the real-world
Wuppertal suspended monorail) running between the four main areas of the game. The trains that run on this network run to strict timetables and thus the timetable boards and destination displays in the stations are fully functional. By the time of the game's setting the network is somewhat in decline, with the stations run down and shabby, and even the trains look old and banged up - not surprising given it's set 500 years after the end of FFXIII-2.
Final Fantasy XIV: Online ~ A Realm Reborn: the reboot to FFXIV and many of it's expansion packs features numerous separate rail networks in the world of Hydaelyn:
The first is found in the Central Thanalan region being used by the city of Ul'dah to transport ore from it's mines, that runs from a (blocked off) tunnel under Ul'dah (via the 'Ul'dah Dispatch Yard') to a station at Black Brush, and then branching into two spur lines that run into separate tunnels that are also blocked off. A non-player character standing at Black Brush Station mentions that if the player waits long enough, the train will arrive, but sadly no actual train appears (although what appear to be derelict hopper wagons lay wrecked underneath one of the bridges, where the rat-like qi'qirn tribe have turned into an encampment). The Copperbell Mines dungeon also features derelict mine cart tracks (two minions the player can gain are mine carts too).
The second line is much larger and runs between the 'Cereleum Processing Plant' in Northern Thanalan and the Imperial base of Castrum Centri in Mor Dhona - this later line was built and is run by the belligerent Garlean Empire, and has the dubious moniker of the 'Phantom Train', a reference to FFVI's train of the same name (while also probably referring to it's secretive, military nature). This line is also mentioned in the story as being blockaded during the Operation Archon military campaign to prevent Garlean reinforcements arriving. The Castrum Meridanium dungeon at the end of the game also includes the Phantom Train's Depot as a stage, but again, it is not shown (although judging by the gauge of the track, it's huge - several characters during the game in fact remark how cavernous the train apparently is - it's also apparently very uncomfortable to ride in. judging by one character's comments
).
In the
Stormblood expansion, the Omega raids feature a reenactment of the Phantom Train from FFVI, complete with fighting it on a flatbed wagon in front.
The
Shadowbringers expansion also showed the parallel worlds to Hydaelyn also have their own trains - specifically the world of the First Shard has
handcart lines in the Ahm Araeng region with trolleys propelled by giant magical rock robots called Talos (a long questline involves getting the trolley line up and running again) - which is soon derailed by a villian
punching the trolley cart off the rails with his fists!
And the most recent
Endwalker expansion examines the previously mentioned Garlean trains in their home nation - with Garlemald's capital city shown to have both above ground and underground rail networks. One such train is shown derailed and wrecked, and is even noted on the map as 'The Runaway Train'. The locomotives are... odd, appearing at first glance to be streamlined 4-6-4 steam tank locomotives (with incomplete motion - they lack the connecting rod from the piston with only the return rod from the valve gear connected to the wheels, and the front bogie also appears to have some kind of booster engine on it).
However one of the inactive locomotives at Tertium station that the 1st Garlean Legion has made their base, which is being used as a stationary generator to power their lights, show it to be some kind of
diesel electric (or rather, cereleum electric - cereleum being a propane-like gas Garlean technology runs on) with an obvious V-8 engine complete with cylinder heads and electrical generator, thus making the use of steam locomotive cylinders and valve gear puzzling. The carriages at the station naturally being used for accomodation, as an infirmary and storage by the soldiers and refugees.
Later it's shown one underground rail line in Garlemald is still in operation for freight and munitions haulage under the control of the zealot Telephori - during the Tower of Babil dungeon, the dungeon begins by the party jumping on a train and fighting enemies on it until it reaches the station under the Garlean palace.
And with the 6.3 patch, a player minion version of the Phantom Train (or rather it's locomotive only) was added (like a toy that follows the player), called the 'Bantam Train'.
Final Fantasy XV - towards the end of the game the party rides a train to the Nifleheim Empire's capital, which appears to be hauled by a steam locomotive resembling the infamous C&O
M-1 class steam-turbine electric locomotives of all things.
