Half-Life 2: Episode 1 Walkthrough - Chapter 5: Exit 17 - The Train Yard

Half-Life 2: Episode 1 Walkthrough - Chapter 5: Exit 17 - The Train Yard
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The Train Yard

Pull the boards off of the door and then go outside. Barney’s back and he’s got some refugees who are ready to run. Follow him into the building and keep your eyes peeled. We’ll go through this same area 4 times, so you’ll need to remember where stuff is. This area is the train yard.

Train yard

There’s one truck load of supply boxes. There’s also health dispenser near the refugee entry point. There’s a box of rockets across the train yard near the truck.

Train Station

You need to go down the ramps and around the trains. There’s another dispenser here and a machine gun position by the exit. There’s another dispenser past it. Once we get through this office area, the refugees will take cover by the trains.

First and Second Run

The first run is a practice run. Go slowly and take note of all the locations. We need to be able to get new supplies quickly and heal on the go. Once you get the first group over, the attack will begin and they’ll make the genius observation that they should have had them all go at once. You do get a revolver and a fair bit of ammo though, so we can’t complain too much.

Head back to Barney. When you walk out, Alyx should take up a position by the machine gun. She’ll cover this side of the train station. Move forward a bit until 2 manhacks swing into the room. Take them out. Go across the floor and kill the next 2 manhacks waiting for you. Then cross the train yard. There are 2 more manhacks here. Kill them and then watch the skies. 3 scanners should drop hoppers in the yard. Try to catch them to switch the alignment. Search for them to make sure that the path is clear. Go over to Barney to pick up 2 rebels for the next run.

Take cover and kill the 4 Combine that are rappelling down the wall. Try to take them out with the pulse rifle or the revolver at a distance. Watch for 2 more soldiers moving in from the far right. Take them out and move into the station. The windows above the station blow out. Gun down the 4 soldiers while they try to take a position on the catwalk. Move under the trains and get to Alyx. Once the rebels get past her, they’re home free.

2 more guards spawn in the window in Alyx’s sight. Help her gun them down. Move forward through the station. Get out into the yard and rush forward to the rocket box. Take cover and look for the sniper. You need to guide a rocket right into that window. Once he’s gone, look for the hoppers. 2 more should have deployed by the box. Grab them and realign them and then go over to Barney for a new group.

Third and Fourth Run

Go back out and take cover again. There should just be 2 soldiers rappelling down the buildings. Pick them off and get into the station. Things are going to get a bit more complicated though. There’s an elite coming through the double windows above. He’ll also take out the crane supporting the train car. This blocks off the low road. You’ll need to take out this elite and the next 2 soldiers that come in the window. Go up the ramp and run along this walkway. You should be able to just drop off the catwalk to the floor. Your rebels and civilians will do the same. Stand by Alyx and cover them while they get to the train.

Another 2 Combine come in the window facing Alyx. Help her kill them and start moving back out. Go up the stairs with your shotgun out. Look to the window and blow away the 2 Combine that come to the window. Then drop down and go back out.

It looks like the yard is about to fall. If you’ve been realigning the hoppers, then they should already have cleared out the 4 Combine moving in on the dumpster. Quickly run out and take cover right by the rocket box. There’s an APC covering the whole yard. If you get too close to the back wall, then it will still probably hit you with the area effect. Stick close to the box and fire back with your own rockets. Also go ahead and use them to clear out the Combine gathering around it. Peek out and fire. You should be able to blow it up after about 6 hits. Grab more rockets and cross the yard to pick up another 2 rebels.

Cross again and kill a few more Combine and go into the station and look at the blinking double doors. There’s a door breach coming. Go up and take a position by the stairs next to the stone blocks. Ambush the 4 Combine with your shotgun before they can move around and flank you. Then go up the ramp. 2 more Combine should be coming through the window. Ambush them. Go down the catwalk and quickly drop down. There are more soldiers coming and we could use Alyx’s help. Turn around and take out the 2 Combine coming through the window facing the door. Then watch for another 2 who might be moving toward you.

The Last Run

Half-Life 2: Episode 1 - The APC Is A Tough Nut To Crack

The walk out isn’t too hard actually. Go out and move into the yard. There should be 4 metro cops and 3 manhacks waiting for you. Feel free to use the rockets to kill them. Barney will send the last 2 rebels and join you himself. Push forward and use all the long range ammo you’ve got to keep the Combine pinned. Push forward to the station and turn to the left. There are 2 soldiers on the train. Help Barney take them out. Move along the walkway and drop down. 2 more soldiers should come out. Help Alyx kill them and then wait for the last of the rebels to go through the door. Kill the last few Combine coming along the floor, then follow Alyx and Barney inside. Use the health dispenser here and then fall back to the trains. Alyx will seal the door behind you.

The Strider

Go forward down the next set of tracks and say goodbye to Barney. Then move down to the gate. Use the wheel to raise the gate enough for Alyx to slip under. A strider will interrupt the party before you can finish though. Run forward to the sheet metal and wait. The second heavy cannon charge should knock off the door on the shipping container to the right. Go through it and turn to the left. Take out the 2 soldiers who rappel in. Move forward but watch out. The second heavy shot knocks 2 flaming barrels out. Avoid them and then rush forward to the open shipping container.

The health charger is a trap. The strider has a perfect shot on it. Just break open the crates inside the container for more health. Move forward and up the makeshift ramp. Quickly duck inside the next container and hold on. The container will take a direct hit that will bust the doors open. Kill the poison headcrabs and grab some supplies. Go out again and move along the crates. Round the corner quickly to avoid the strider fire and jump across the gap behind the red container. Then jump onto the top of the ramp that we just used.

Go along the crates. The second one is straight in the killzone so sprint straight across it and jump up to the little catwalk. Get behind the sheet metal and just wait a second. Get more supplies from the crates and then use the health dispenser to heal up. Advance forward and crouch behind the first knee high wall. Then advance and crouch behind the edge of the second knee high wall. Shoot the Combine on the roof shooting down at you, then pull up the hopper. Round the corner to the sheet metal. Pull up the hopper and advance to the next set. Pull up the next hopper at the second set. Then just sprint straight off the edge of the catwalk to the top of the station house. Grab some supplies quickly. The strider will use the heavy shot to pin you with the container, so it has to be really quick. Round the corner and drop down into the chained area below.

Kill the Strider

Half-Life 2: Episode 1 - The Perfect Spot for Kill the Strider

Pull out your shotgun and nail the 2 Combine that rappel down in front of you. Push forward, but be careful. The crate above will probably dump out supplies, a hopper mine, and 2 flaming barrels. Be ready to backtrack. Push forward but stay close to the wood. Run across the back of the train car and then take cover behind it. Use your gravity gun to break the crates and pull the supplies to your safe spot. Then dash up the ladder and get behind the sheet metal.

This is the spot for your last stand. Pull out the rocket launcher and fire one into the strider. Be very careful though. This strider is very good at tracking you and will drill you with gunfire if you keep popping out of the same spot. Keep it guessing by switching spaces. This first spot should have 3 extra rockets on the ground. Keep firing and try to score solid shots. Move on to the next safe spot and grab a few more rockets. You need 8 solid hits to bring it down. You should be able to do this without even opening the rocket box.

Once it goes down, just head to the end and climb down the ladder. Meet back up with Alyx and then jump onto the tail of the train. Then just ride it out of City 17 and watch the fireworks.

Congratulations. You just finished Half-Life 2: Episode 1. It’s time to get started on Half-Life 2: Episode 2.

This post is part of the series: Half-Life 2: Episode 1 Walkthrough - Part 2

Your new mission is pretty simple. You have to meet up with the resistance and get out of City 17 as soon as possible. This means fighting all of the zombies, antlions, and Combine remnant that now control large portions of the town. If you need any help beating these enemies, then look here.

  1. Half-Life 2: Episode 1 - Chapter 4: Urban Flight - A Trip to the Hospital
  2. Half-Life 2: Episode 1 Walkthrough - Chapter 5: Exit 17