Welcome to the Rail Enthusiast merit badge guide for Fallout 76! As with all the Possum merit badges, we want to remind you to make sure you’ve earned your Possum rank before beginning, otherwise you won’t unlock requirements as you go. This is one of the easier Possum merit badges, despite being time-consuming, so it should be a good one to get you going towards your next backpack mod unlock. Before we get started, here’s the requirements.

Pass “Rail Enthusiast” knowledge exam at an exam terminal
Blow the whistle on the locomotive in Harpers Ferry
Craft Railway Spikes (x/50)
Kill enemies with a Railway Rifle (x/50)
Kill enemies at the Charleston Trainyard (x/15)
Kill enemies at the Flooded Trainyard (x/15)
Kill enemies at the Morgantown Trainyard (x/15)
Kill enemies at the Mount Blair Trainyard (x/15)
Kill enemies at the New Appalachian Central Trainyard (x/15)
Visit Berkeley Springs Station
Visit Charleston Station
Visit Grafton Station
Visit Lewisburg Station
Visit Morgantown Station
Visit Pleasant Valley Station
Visit R&G Station
Visit Sunnytop Station
Visit Sutton Station
Visit Watoga Station
Visit Welch Station
Visit The Whitespring Station

If you’re looking for the answers to the Rail Enthusiast knowledge exam, you’ll find those at the end of the article, in an expandable tab. We’ll lump requirement #2 in with the rest of the travelling ones, but if you jump on the engine of the parked train at Harpers Ferry, you can blow the whistle there.

The only ingredient for railway spikes is steel, so that’s easy enough, but you’ll get more out of your crafting if you use Ammosmith (agility) and Super Duper (luck). Once you’ve done that, use the railway rifle of your choice to eliminate 50 enemies, use the weapon of your choice to clear out several trainyards of enemies (which may take more than one trip), and visit the train stations around the map. Easy peasy!

Rail Enthusiast Knowledge Exam Questions and Answers

A “derailer” is a device attached to train tracks with a very specific purpose. What does a derailer do that’s useful for railway workers?: Derails trains when they enter unauthorized areas
Amazingly, we in America aren’t the only ones that have a transcontinental railroad! Which famous railway connects the Russian capital to the Far East?: The Trans-Siberian Railway
America has a lot of track and trains, but our railway system isn’t the oldest in the world. Which country was the first to build a major railway system?: The United Kingdom
As America’s transcontinental railroad grew westward across the American landscape, lawless towns full of grit and debauchery sprung up in its wake. What did people call these towns?: Hell on Wheels
Early locomotives often carried their fuel in special cars, pulled behind the engine for easy access. What was the name for these cars?: Tenders
Hannah is driving a train from Whitespring to Sunnytop at 50 mph, and Samuel from Sutton to Morgantown at 60 mph. If they both leave at noon, when will they collide in a fiery crash?: Never
In 1934, a steam locomotive called the “Flying Scotsman” set a world speed record for steam trains. How fast did it go when setting its record?: 100 mph
Locomotives travel on a set of two rails called “track”. It’s easy to forget, but the spacing of this track is very important! What’s the name for the spacing of a track’s rails?: Track gauge
Managing a train is a difficult operation. Keeping everything on schedule, taking tickets, even paperwork! What do you call the person on the train who has to handle all these things?: The conductor
Nowadays, most of our vehicles are powered by nuclear reactors. But when locomotives were invented, they used a different kind of fuel entirely! What fuel source powered early trains?: Coal
Roberto needs a little extra power to get his train up the steep mountains in Appalachia, so he “double heads” his train. What is “double heading”?: Using two locomotives for extra power
Sally is conducting a train on its way through Appalachia. She needs to stop and pick up a cargo load of coal. Where’s the best place to do this?: The Mount Blair Trainyard
Some train engines are equipped with a pointed metal device on the front. What’s this thing called?: A cow catcher
Susie’s favorite holotape stories are always about mysterious strangers in the shadows, and great detectives solving impossible cases. What famous railroad became synonymous with mystery and luxury in the late 19th century?: The Orient Express
The first working railway locomotive was unveiled in Europe in the 19th century. What revolutionary new engine powered this locomotive?: A steam engine
What was the most track laid in one day during the construction of America’s transcontinental railroad?: 10 miles
When Hao visits San Francisco, she loves to ride the trolley cars up and down the hills to see the sights. Trolleys are a kind of rail vehicle once common in cities, and are usually powered by what source?: Electricity
When Samuel grows up, he wants nothing more than to be a Ferroequinologist. What on Earth is a Ferroequinologist?: Someone who studies trains
When no-good outlaws robbed trains in the Old West, a common target was the money held in express car safes. Whose job was it to make sure the cargo in the express cars got delivered?: An expressman’s
When rail travel first took off, the United States made building a transcontinental railroad a priority. What was a major reason that such a railroad became important?: Gold was discovered in California