The Train is the main vehicle and a major location for the survivors in "Long Road Ahead" in Telltale Games' The Walking Dead. The survivors spend the last half of the episode on the train recovering and bonding after the many deaths of the original group of survivors.
Pre-Apocalypse
Rural Georgia
The train was owned by a unknown freight train company and was operated by a unknown train engineer. This train was mainly used to haul large freight across the State of Georgia and possibly neighboring states as well. The registered identification number for the train was 4070 and the train was powered by a diesel-electric motor. The train was also the home of Chuck who was a homeless man traveling through the cities in one of the train's boxcars. It is unknown when he became homeless and used the train as his new home.
Post-Apocalypse
Season 1
After a unknown period of time, the train engineer was forced to stop at a highway railroad crossing possibly due to loosing part of his freight in the chaos of the outbreak or under the orders of the Federal Rescue Services or the supervisor/company. When stopped, it is quite likely that he was attacked in the locomotive and killed when his head smashed through the cab window. Since then, the train did not move until Kenny and the RV arrived at the blocked road.
"Long Road Ahead"
When the group of survivors arrive, they are forced to abandon the RV and try to look after Duck who is slowly turning into a walker. Lee searches the boxcar for any supplies for him finding Charles' water in the boxcar. Thinking that the train is abandoned, he takes it and gives it to Duck. Realizing that the train could be operational and therefore able to get them to Savannah faster, Kenny wanted to try and get the train working again. Once Lee decouples the remaining freight cars using tools from the train's locomotive, he is introduced to Charles who decides to join the group for the time being since they are taking "his home" (being the boxcar). Lee then eventually figures out how to start the train and brings the locomotive to life. When ready, the group boards the train and begin to make their way to Savannah.
While on the move, Duck's condition gets worse and he begins coughing blood. Katjaa tells Lee to tell Kenny to stop the train and to help deal with their dying son. Lee then proceeds to the locomotive cab to try and convince Kenny that he needs to stop the train and deal with his son. Kenny will stop the train and Katjaa, Kenny, Lee, and Duck get off. Once Duck has been dealt with, a sobbing Kenny and Lee return back to the train.
The survivors continue on down the track heading to Savannah, Chuck tells Clementine that she will die just like Duck and Lee then confronts Chuck about what he said to her. Charles says that Lee needs to take better care of Clementine by cutting her hair so that walkers can't grab her easily as well as begin training her on using a gun to which Lee then agrees. After training Clementine with a pistol and cutting her hair with Chuck's scissors and bonding with her, Lee heads back up to the cab when Ben Paul confesses to him about the incident back at the Travelier Motel. Lee gives Chuck his bottle of Whiskey and says anyone is welcome to have a drink with him to which Lee offers Kenny Chuck's offer. While gone, Lee grabs a map of Savannah from the engineer's seat and shows the map to Clementine asking her where she would like to go when they reach the city.
Kenny then shouts from up front and the train comes to a grinding halt at a blocked highway overpass. The group gets out and meets new survivors, Omid and Christa, while trying to figure out how to move the blocked debris to allow the train to continue on. After Lee gets the necessary tools from a nearby train warehouse, he begins cutting away at the metal tanker blocking the tracks when a herd of walkers begin to approach them. Once the blocked tanker falls and clears the tracks, everyone piles back into the train and continue onward to the city.
The episode ends with the train slowly approaching Savannah, the city skyline being seen in the background.
"Around Every Corner"
The train is seen abandoned outside of Savannah during the episode's opening. It is also mentioned by Vernon when he asks Lee if he came into Savannah from the railroad.
"No Time Left"
The same shot from "Around Every Corner" is again shown at the beginning of the episode, but this time with a herd of walkers slowly walking past the train. Later, it is possible for Lee to tell Omid and Christa to meet him at the train after he finds Clementine. If Lee chooses this option, he can also tell Clementine to meet the two of them there before he dies.
Inhabitants
- Train Engineer - The train engineer spent a great deal of time on the train travelling from cities to deliver freight on time. (Formerly)
- Charles - A homeless man who lives in a boxcar and travels the state of Georgia by rail. (Formerly)
Deaths
- Unnamed Train Engineer
Gallery
Trivia
- The train has three usable weapons in the locomotive engine compartment: a spike remover, a spanner, and a monkey wrench. (The chosen weapon will be carried into the next episode).
- The engine compartment displays a possible freight company called PV & R.
- This is meant to stand for Harrison Pink, Sean Vanaman, & Jake Rodkin, three developers at Telltale who worked on the episode.
- When Ben disengages the train's brakes, Lee refers to him as "Mister Amtrak." This is either a reference to the Amtrak corporation or the 1999 Bourbonnais, Illinois train accident, which was an incident involving an Armtrak train that killed 11 people and injured 122 others.
- Given Ben's notorious incompetence, it may have been the latter.