What happens if I side with railroad?

▶

If you side with the Railroad in Fallout 4, you will no longer be able to complete quests or contact allies of other factions, and both the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel will become permanent enemies, but you will gain access to the best armor upgrades and be able to maintain good relations with the Minutemen. By joining the Railroad, you will also be able to cater more towards stealth, with access to better Stealth Boys, and work towards liberating Synth life from oppression.

FAQs about Siding with the Railroad

General Information

1. Can you join both Minutemen and Railroad Fallout 4?: Yes, there’s no reason you can’t join every main faction in one playthrough of Fallout 4.
2. What happens if you refuse to join the railroad Fallout 4?: You can avoid joining the railroad after decoding their password, but there is no way of completing the main story without joining a faction.

Factions and Relationships

3. Will the Minutemen hate me if I join the Brotherhood of Steel?: No, joining the Brotherhood of Steel doesn’t affect how the Minutemen will treat you.
4. Does the Brotherhood like the Minutemen?: Yes, the Brotherhood of Steel is allied with the Minutemen, and you can safely join the Brotherhood without affecting your relationship with the Minutemen.
5. Can you side with the railroad and not destroy the brotherhood?: You can side with all the factions, but at some point in the storyline, the Brotherhood, the Railroad, and the Institute will want you to destroy the other two.

Consequences and Outcomes

6. What happens if you side with the railroad instead of the Minutemen?: If you pledge your final loyalty to the Railroad Faction, you will no longer be able to complete quests or contact allies of other factions, and both the Institute and the Brotherhood of Steel will become permanent enemies.
7. What happens if you tell Desdemona I’ll side with the railroad?: There is no reward for this outcome, but the player character gets to remain a member of the Railroad.
8. Can you betray all factions in Fallout 4?: Yes, you can take down all 3 factions if you are part of the Institute, and you can take down 2 of the 3 if you are not part of the Institute.

Gameplay and Mechanics

9. What is the most peaceful ending in Fallout 4?: Joining the Minutemen and not doing anything with the BOS or RR until after you finish the main quest is the closest you can get to a peaceful ending.
10. How do you get the peaceful Minutemen ending?: Just side with the Minutemen without destroying the RR or BOS, and you have to destroy at least the Institute.
11. Does synth retention make railroad hostile?: No, so long as you don’t side with the Institute during Bunker Hill, you should be alright, and completing Synth Retention won’t make you an enemy of the Railroad.

Faction Goals and Values

12. Is the Railroad a good faction?: The Railroad faction possesses an extremely noble goal, which is to liberate all Synth life from oppression, and they provide access to the best armor upgrades.
13. Are the Institute bad guys?: The Institute infiltrates society by murdering people, and they can be considered one of the bad factions in Fallout 4.
14. Is the Brotherhood of Steel good or bad?: The Brotherhood of Steel cannot be classified completely as good or bad, as they lie somewhere in between, protecting citizens but also seeking technology and power.

Choosing the Right Faction

15. What faction should I join in Fallout 4?: The Minutemen are the default option for many players who want to experience as many other faction quests as possible, and they are a good choice if you want to maintain good relations with other factions.