Dead Rails just received one of its most creative updates so far, and honestly, it changes much more than just adding another train skin. The new Old Faithful train introduces an entirely different fuel system, while the brand-new Dust Storm weather event forces players to actively maintain their train during a run.
If you’re jumping into the update for the first time, some of these mechanics can be confusing because they work very differently from the regular train. After spending some time looking through everything, here’s what you actually need to know before your next trip.
Dead Rails Summer Heatwave Update Guide – Old Faithful Train
The biggest addition in this update is the Old Faithful train.
Unlike the standard train that simply burns coal, this one runs entirely on liquids. Every liquid you pour into the engine doesn’t just power the train—it also gives your train a unique ability or special effect.
That means your choice of fuel is now just as important as your weapons or supplies. Depending on what you’re carrying, your train can freeze enemies, call down lightning, leave acid behind, or simply travel much faster.
When you purchase or spawn the Old Faithful train, you’ll notice a brand-new liquid container built into the middle of the locomotive. This is where every liquid fuel is poured.
One thing worth remembering:
Coal does not work with this train.
If you try to use coal like the normal train, nothing happens.
Every Fuel You Can Use
The Old Faithful accepts several different liquids instead of traditional fuel.
Some confirmed examples include:
- Water
- Holy Water
- Frost Liquid
- Acid
- Kerosene Oil
- Unicorn Blood
- Cerberus Blood
- Other collectible liquids found during your journey
Each liquid changes how the train behaves while it’s moving.
Water Is Your Starting Fuel
Every time you begin with the Old Faithful train, you receive a bottle of water.
Water is the most basic fuel available.
It powers the train without adding any special abilities, making it useful when you’re simply trying to keep moving until you discover stronger liquids.
Think of it as the default option rather than something you’ll want to rely on all game.
Holy Water Creates Lightning Around Your Train
One of the coolest effects in the update comes from Holy Water.
As soon as you pour it into the engine, lightning begins striking around the train while you’re traveling.
The effect continues as long as Holy Water is the active fuel inside the engine.
Besides looking incredibly impressive, it’s also useful because enemies approaching your train can be hit by the lightning strikes.
If you’re surrounded by monsters, this is one of the most entertaining fuels to use.
Frost Liquid Freezes Nearby Enemies
Frost Liquid gives the train a completely different defensive ability.
Instead of attacking with lightning, the train emits freezing effects around itself.
Nearby enemies gradually freeze and eventually die if they remain close long enough.
This makes Frost Liquid especially useful whenever you’re constantly getting swarmed while traveling between towns.
Acid Leaves Dangerous Trails Behind
Using Acid changes your train into something much more aggressive.
Rather than affecting enemies around the locomotive itself, Acid sprays behind the moving train.
Any enemies chasing from behind can run directly into the acid trail, making it a useful option if you’re constantly being followed by large groups.
Kerosene Oil Still Works
Kerosene Oil can also be used as fuel for Old Faithful.
While the update mainly focuses on the more exciting magical liquids, kerosene remains another available fuel source whenever you don’t have access to the rarer materials.
Mixing Liquids Creates New Results
One mechanic that many players might overlook is that liquids can be mixed together.
Instead of replacing the previous fuel, the engine stores multiple liquids and consumes them one after another.
You can actually see which liquid is currently active by looking at the color inside the engine.
This gives you plenty of room to experiment during long runs without constantly stopping to refill the train.
Unicorn Blood + Cerberus Blood Gives a Speed Boost
Perhaps the strongest combination shown in the update is mixing:
- Unicorn Blood
- Cerberus Blood
Combining these creates a special mixture that dramatically increases the train’s speed.
Normally, the Old Faithful travels at around 75 speed.
After using this mixture, the train reaches approximately 100 speed, allowing you to cover large distances much faster.
If you’re trying to finish runs quickly or escape dangerous situations, this may become one of the best fuel combinations available.
New Dust Storm Weather Event Explained
Alongside the train, Dead Rails also introduces a completely new weather event called the Dust Storm.
This isn’t just a visual effect.
It directly affects your train.
When the event begins, you’ll receive a warning that dust is starting to pile onto your train.
You’ll also notice a progress bar appearing near the top of your screen.
If you completely ignore it, the dust keeps building until the bar fills up.
Once it reaches the maximum, your train eventually comes to a stop.
So unlike previous weather conditions, this one requires constant attention.
How to Remove Dust During a Storm
Thankfully, clearing the dust is very simple.
Use your Shovel to hit the piles of sand that appear on top of your train.
Every time you remove some of the sand:
- The dust buildup decreases.
- The progress bar drops.
- Your train keeps moving normally.
If you’re playing with friends, one player can continue driving while another focuses entirely on clearing the dust.
Solo players will have to briefly stop managing the engine to clean the train themselves, making Dust Storms a little more challenging when playing alone.
Dust Automatically Disappears After the Storm
The good news is that you don’t need to clean every last bit manually forever.
Once the Dust Storm event ends, the remaining buildup disappears automatically.
So your only goal is preventing the progress bar from filling during the event itself.
New Liquid Containers
The update also introduces two brand-new storage items for transporting liquids.
Canteen
The Canteen holds more liquid than the standard glass bottle.
It’s a nice early upgrade since you’ll spend less time refilling your fuel.
Bucket
The Bucket offers even more storage capacity.
If you’re collecting rare liquids like Holy Water or Frost Liquid, carrying a Bucket means fewer trips back and forth and much longer driving sessions before needing another refill.
For players who plan on using the Old Faithful regularly, both of these items are worth picking up whenever possible.
The Old Faithful is much more than a cosmetic train—it completely changes how you think about resources in Dead Rails. Instead of simply collecting coal, you’re now deciding which liquid abilities fit your current situation, whether that’s freezing enemies, striking them with lightning, leaving acid behind, or boosting your speed with special mixtures.
The Dust Storm event also adds a welcome bit of teamwork, especially in multiplayer runs where everyone has a job to do. Even if you usually play solo, it keeps you engaged instead of just sitting on the train while it moves.
Overall, this update adds a lot more strategy than I expected. If future updates continue expanding the liquid system with even more fuel types and combinations, Old Faithful could easily become one of the most interesting ways to play Dead Rails.