Phantom Trains

Phantom Trains, also known as Ghost Trains, are a recurring feature in the Final Fantasy series. The Phantom Train first appeared in Final Fantasy VI as a location and as a boss, which has returned in the remake of the original Final Fantasy and in the sequel to Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. Other phantom trains have also appeared in the series.

Final Fantasy
The Phantom Train appears as a boss in the Whisperwind Cove dungeon, which is exclusive to the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary remakes. It is a direct reference to the Phantom Train of Final Fantasy VI.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
The Phantom Train reappears as a boss in Final Fantasy IV: The After Years as the Ghost Train, again as a reference to the Final Fantasy VI Phantom Train.

Final Fantasy VI
This is the very first appearance of a Phantom Train (originally translated as Ghost Train on the US SNES release), one which would inspire references in later games and remakes. It appears as a location which serves as the carrier of dead souls over to the afterlife.

Despite being a train, it is very much alive and actually talks during the game. The playable characters get stuck there and have to fight their way out. Once they have escaped, the Phantom Train itself attacks them in a boss battle.

Final Fantasy VIII
Doomtrain is a GF which inflicts negative statuses when summoned.

Final Fantasy XIV
During the main story quest "Escape from Castrum Centri", Yda and Y'shtola snuck into the Imperial stronghold on a Phantom Train.

Final Fantasy Tactics
The Phantom Train is mentioned as one of the wonders in Final Fantasy Tactics. It bears the following description:
 * The Phantom Train became so known for its primary purpose during an ancient war—the transport of battalions of the ghastly Enthralled. It is also called the Chariot of the Damned.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
The Phantom Train from Final Fantasy VI appears as a location in Dissidia 012. It is a very small and closed-in arena, with a low ceiling and narrow walls. The seats can be stood on or destroyed, and the camera swings through the walls and ceilings, turning them transparent to allow the player to view the fight from all angles.

In a scene in the Reports, the Onion Knight and Vaan rest here. The Onion Knight, having had Vaan appoint himself his "brother" to watch out for him, tries to tell Vaan his protectiveness isn't needed, but Vaan doesn't listen.

In another scene, Firion tries to ask Lightning about his Wild Rose that she found, but is too embarrassed to continue once Kain arrives.

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
The Phantom Train appears in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade as an enemy during an event called "Showdown". In battle, Phantom Train uses Acid Rain.

Final Fantasy Unlimited
The Interdimensional Train, also called the Ghost Train, is the transportation used by the main characters during the first half of the series to go to different locations in Wonderland. Unlike other Phantom Trains in the series, this is not a living entity, but rather a mechanical creation of Cid.

Itadaki Street Portable
Phantom Train appears in Itadaki Street Portable both as an area and as a card, with its original Final Fantasy VI appearance.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
The Final Fantasy VI Phantom Train appears in the background of the Field Music Sequence for Terra's Theme. The Phantom Train is a dungeon in Final Fantasy VI. It is a train that carries the dead to the "other side" where they can live their deaths peacefully and away from human interference. The train departs from the Phantom Forest and is full of ghosts who can be spoken to - some attack the party, some sell them items, and some are friendly and volunteer to join the party, at least until they make it to the engine.

Story
Sabin, Cyan and Shadow accidentally board the train and work their way to the front to stop it so they can get off. After battling through the train cars, they attempt to stop the engine, only to discover it is sentient. The engine attacks them, but is defeated and so allows them to get off at the next stop. When they disembark, Cyan is anguished as he witnesses his deceased wife and son board the train along with the other victims of the destruction of Doma Castle.

The Phantom Train, along with the Phantom Forest, does not appear in the World of Ruin, but part of Cyan's Dreamscape is based on the Phantom Train.

Treasure
A Tent can be found by examining an inconspicuous spot on the floor in one of the small rooms containing a table. A Fairy Ring is right next to the Tent in the same room, but it's inaccessible and therefore unobtainable.
 * Phoenix Down x2
 * Earrings
 * Sniper Eye
 * Monster-in-a-box: Fight Apparition for a Hyper Wrist
 * Tent x2
 * Fairy Ring (Unobtainable)

Enemy formations
Outside the train
 * Bomb
 * Bomb x3
 * Bomb x2, Cloud x2
 * Angel Whisper x2, Cloud
 * Angel Whisper x4
 * Phantom Train (Boss)

Inside the train
 * Ghost
 * Angel Whisper
 * Angel Whisper, Cloud x3
 * Angel Whisper, Living Dead, Cloud x2
 * Living Dead x3
 * Living Dead x2, Oversoul
 * Oversoul x2
 * Apparition (Monster-in-a-box)
 * Siegfried (Boss)

Music
"Phantom Train" is the theme that plays during Sabin, Cyan and Shadow's travels on board the train.

"Phantom Train" was included in the compilation albums Final Fantasy VI: Grand Finale, as an orchestrated version (where it was titled "Mystery Train") and the Piano Collections.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
The Phantom Train is a stage in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. Vaan and Onion Knight also have a conversation on the train. It is a small and narrow map, but the camera can swing through the walls and ceiling, turning them transparent. The seats are destructible and the Phantom Forest whizzes past the windows. The camera shakes while fighting here as though actually on a moving train.

During the twelfth cycle of war, Vaan tries to cheer the Onion Knight up from his recent loss in a practice match against the Warrior of Light, oblivious to himself being is the cause of Onion Knight's distress by the way he treats him. When Vaan walks away to speak with Laguna, the Onion Knight tells Squall he is growing used to Vaan's role as his older brother.

The Phantom Train has no Omega version.

The battlegen item obtained through stage destruction in this area is the Ghost.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
The Phantom Train makes a cameo appearance as part of the background in Final Fantasy VIs Field Music Sequence events, visible inside the Phantom Forest.

Phantom Train, or GhostTrain, is a boss in Final Fantasy VI. It is battled at the front of the Phantom Train, and is the main engine of the train, an undead and sentient entity rather than just a machine.

Battle
Phantom Train's attacks include the dangerous Diabolic Whistle, which inflicts a random status ailment on each party member; Acid Rain; and Saintly Beam, both of which do mediocre magic damage to the entire party. It will only use Diabolic Whistle regularly if only two party members are alive, so if the player boarded the train with Shadow and keeps all party members healthy, they can avoid the risk.

The Phantom Train is vulnerable to Sabin's Meteor Strike, which is an oddity, as most large enemies and bosses are immune to the attack.

Strategy
As an undead enemy, the Phantom Train can be easily killed by using nothing more than a Phoenix Down on it. It is the only undead boss in the game.

AI Script
One time per battle: Attack (33%) or Wheel (33%) or Diabolic Whistle (33%)

Attack Turns:

1st Turn: Attack (66%) or Wheel (33%)
 * Attack (66%) or Wheel (33%)
 * Increase Var3 by 1

If Var3 >= 2:
 * If 2 Characters are alive:
 * Set Var3 = 0
 * Diabolic Whistle (100%)

If Timer >= 15:
 * Reset Timer to 0
 * Acid Rain (66%) or Saintly Beam (33%)

If attacked by anything: Wheel (33%)

Trivia

 * The Phantom train is possibly inspired by the song "Spanish Train". Both trains are a gateway to the afterlife.
 * The Phantom Train is vulnerable to Sabin's Meteor Strike, called in the Super Nintendo localization. A suplex is a throw used in wrestling, which usually involves arching/bridging either overhead or twisting to the side, so the opponent is slammed to the mat back-first. The idea that Sabin could grapple and throw such an enormous machine has become an inside joke among fans.