The key to the archive in Voidtrain is located on one of the deceased crew members scattered in and around the derailed train during Chapter 2. You do not need to crack the train safe, as the safe is found already breached. Once you search the corpses and loot the authorized person's key, your character calls upon the path generator to open the route to the main archive depot.
How to Find the Key on the Derailed Train
During Chapter 2, your train is halted by a quest boundary when encountering a derailed mobile library train. Entering the wreckage reveals that the internal safe has already been opened. Inspecting the documents reveals an order stating the train was heading to the main archive, and an archive key was issued to an authorized individual aboard.
To find the key, search the bodies located around the wreckage:
- Check all corpses thoroughly: The key is not stored in containers, desks, or the safe. It is an inventory drop from an authorized crew member's corpse.
- Watch for the blinking visual cue: Developer responses on the official Steam bug forums note that the quest corpses are coded to blink or emit a subtle visual pulse to help players distinguish them from background wreckage.
- Inspect exterior tendrils: Player reports and walkthrough footage confirm that the target corpse does not always spawn in the central corridor. One frequent spawn location is on the exterior wall of the train car away from your trolley, held against the metal by organic tendrils.
- Look up at the ceiling: If your winch cannot reach standard points or you cannot spot the body at floor level, developer guidance advises checking the upper car frame and ceiling areas for snagged remains.
Summoning the Path to the Main Archive Depot
After picking up the key from the authorized body, interact with the quest prompt. The character recites a prayer invoking the "god of the path generator" to grant access to the depot housing the main archive.
Return to your engine, engage the controls, and follow the newly routed void rails. Along this stretch, players encounter defensive enemy blockades and flying fauna before docking at the dedicated archive depot.
Solving the Tablet Puzzle Inside the Main Archive
The archive depot contains a large library structure and an interactive lore puzzle required to advance the story:
- Locate the voice recorder and scroll: In the central library room, a voice recorder details corporate logs from the New Light Corporation concerning spatial displacement tests and void energy. Nearby on the floor lies an ancient scroll segment indicating that a nearby stone tablet requires a gemstone to activate.
- Direct the ghost companion: Approach the large stone tablet. Because the gemstone is out of normal reach, send your ghost companion into the depths to retrieve it.
- Wait through the retrieval attempts: The ghost returns with joke items first—such as a coffee cup or an ordinary rock—before finally bringing back a round gemstone tied to a string.
- Activate the tablet: Insert the gemstone into the archive tablet. This unlocks narrative lore explaining how an amulet protecting the witch islands was stolen long ago, prompting the Volvas to abandon their islands and setting up your journey to track down the Volva tower.
Troubleshooting Incident Quest Issues
| Issue Encountered | Confirmed Cause | Verified Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Train cannot move | Quest lock | The train is intentionally parked by the game until the derailed train objective is cleared. |
| Safe is unpickable / already open | Scripted scene event | Do not look for tools to open the safe; the key is strictly on the bodies. |
| Corpse not visible inside car | Exterior or high spawn | Inspect the outer side of the carriage facing away from your track, or look toward the ceiling beams. |
| Bodies blend into dark areas | Lighting conditions | Pause and watch the area in low light; valid quest bodies pulse with an intermittent blinking effect. |
