Galaxie 5000

The GALAXIE-5000 was a mixed-use cargo train owned by Umbrella that appears in Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil Outbreak, Darkside Chronicles (where it is referred to simply as "1307") and Resident Evil 2.

On the morning of September 30th, 1998, it was used by Claire Redfield, Leon S. Kennedy and Sherry Birkin to escape both the NEST facility and Raccoon City.^[1]^[2]^[3]

History[]

Classic[]

In Resident Evil 2, the train is first seen on the platform following the triggering of the laboratory's self-destruct system, shortly after the player's encounter with either G-4 Birkin in the cargo room or before the Super Tyrant in the station.

After the battle,^[4]^[5]^[6] the Galaxie-5000 is next seen already in motion as Leon and Claire reunite, with the player's character barely making it on the train as the facility begins collapsing around them.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] Depending on the scenario, Sherry may fall unconscious, leading Claire to give her the DEVIL vaccine which causes her to resume consciousness.^[7]^[8] Leon comments that it's finally over before Claire redeclares that she still needs to find her brother^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] and Leon acknowledges that this "is just the beginning" as he enters a separate carriage where he says a quiet goodbye to Ada Wong.^[8]^[9]

After which, the train shakes violently^[11] and a biohazard detection alert sounds on the train, locking the doors between the carriages separating the two protagonists and triggering a self-destruct timer alerting that each train compartment will detonate sequentially.^[12]^[13] The player character is then faced with holding off the blob-esque G-5 which is consuming the train.^[14] Sherry manages to climb through a floor vent into the front cabin to activate emergency stop on the train and the trio escape and run toward the exit of the tunnel before the caboose explodes, destroying the train and killing G-Birkin for good.^[15]

Remakes[]

In the 2019 reimagining, the train is first encountered in either the final cutscene of Leon's scenario or as the final boss arena of Claire's.

Claire first locates the front cabin of the train on an elevating turntable that leads down to the main platform. After Claire begins lowering the platform, she fights off G4 while Sherry remains inside the cabin.^[16] After the battle, the front cabin connects with the rest of the train. Claire accelerates the train and sighs with relief as the locomotive begins moving, Leon encounters the train in-motion immediately after his final fight with the T-103^[17] and manages to jump onto one of the carriages as the NEST facility begins violently exploding. Resting himself against the railing, Leon says goodbye to Ada before throwing away his NEST wristband.^[18] Claire asks Sherry the first thing she wants to do after escaping, Sherry answers that she wishes to see where Claire lives to which Claire exclaims that she needs a shower.^[19] Leon then joins the others inside the train and the two remark upon making it out alive ^[18]^[19] just as the train shakes.^[20]^[21]

In both The Darkside Chronicles and the 2019 reimagining, G is killed when Leon and Claire work together to dissect the car from the running train, causing it to be caught in the lab's self-destruction.^[2] The main train car remains intact and leads the trio out of the tunnel safely outside city limits.^[22]^[23]^[24]

Gameplay[]

Resident Evil 2 (2019)[]

This area is only accessible during the 2nd scenario, following a cutscene. During gameplay, the player can enter the cargo that contains a Typewriter and Item Box, along with several items nearby: two Gunpowder (Large) and Combat Knife. Entering the next cargo will spawn G that has mutated into its final form, forcing the player to fight it by using any available weapons. Once G approach closely, it will reveal its weak spot (eyeball), applying enough damage will defeat it. Failure to do so will cause instant death.

Further notes[]

According to the film's commentary track, the "Alexi 5000" cargo train featured in Resident Evil is a nod to this train and the character of Alexia Ashford from Resident Evil CODE:Veronica. The train is used to traverse between the Looking Glass House in the remote Arklay Mountains and The Hive located underneath Raccoon City. The Sanitation crew first encounter Spence here and the vehicle features prominently in the film's climax as Alice fights the evolved Licker.^[25]
The "ALC-5000" in Welcome to Raccoon City plays a similar role to the Galaxie's Darkside and 2019 appearances, leading the survivors from Birkin's NEST lab under the Spencer Mansion to the other side of the Arklay Mountains, presumably near Gatlin. However, unlike the aforementioned appearances, G-Birkin is dispatched instead with a rocket launcher fired by Leon S. Kennedy. The train is caught in the sterilization of Raccoon City, leading the tunnels around the train to cave in, but the survivors are seen emerging from the smoking tunnel on foot.^[26]