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13[[quoteright:350:[[Film/SpiderMan2 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/traintop_battle_2711.jpg]]]]
14[[caption-width-right:350:[[WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb "You knew we’d end up here eventually, right?"]]]]
15->'''M:''' What happened?\
16'''Eve:''' They're on the train, ma'am.\
17'''M:''' What do you mean, on the train?\
18'''Eve:''' I mean they're on top of a train!\
19'''M:''' Well, get after them, for God's sake!
20-->-- ''Film/{{Skyfall}}''
21%%
22%% One quote is enough, put any new one in the quotes tab.
23
24A staple of Westerns, but still seen in plenty of action films and series, the Traintop Battle is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. Often the result of an aborted TrainEscape.
25
26A train has plenty of advantages for an action scene: it's fairly enclosed, without people able to go too far either way for fear of falling off, it has plenty of opportunity for [[LowClearance tunnels and overhead lines]] for your LookBehindYou moments, it doesn't need much explanation, the high speed acts as wind to let characters [[DramaticWind billow dramatically]]. In short, it turns an Action Movie into a FightingGame. There's really no other way to [[JustifiedTrope justify]] BossArenaIdiocy, and it's pretty much ensured that somebody's going to suffer that most dramatic of defeats; a short drop followed by a sudden stop.
27
28If hero and villain are trying to get to a location in time, it means the hero can be thrown off, and "lose" without dying. Or a villain may be forced out of the action, only to return later.
29
30It's also close enough to "[[{{Muggles}} normal]]" people to show the look on their faces as the ceiling collapses, or when someone [[SuperWindowJump breaks in through the windows]].
31
32A similar effect can be achieved by riding on a truck. Subway trains rarely have the room on top for a good battle, but are still seen occasionally.
33
34May feature the CoolTrain, but doesn't have to. May be the result of a TrainJob and could in theory be apt for a ThrillerOnTheExpress but in practise they prefer to keep to the tense atmosphere.
35
36A subtrope of InterestingSituationDuel. If the battle happens atop a moving gondola rather than a train, then it's a CableCarActionSequence. In videogames this often happens during a LocomotiveLevel.
37
38Note that if the track is electrified with overhead wires, climbing on the train roof usually results in immediate electrocution. So fights involving those trains tend to be fought inside the train cars. The voltage used on electrification systems is high enough to cause an electric arc from the wire to the hapless victim, and it ''does'' happen in RealLife.
39----
40!!Examples:
41
42[[foldercontrol]]
43
44[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
45* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' has a massive three-way one featuring [[DarkActionGirl Chane]], [[AxCrazy Ladd]], and [[OneManArmy Claire]], plus another featuring [[CowardlyLion Jacuzzi]] and the Lemures' leader Goose.
46* ''Manga/BoboboboBobobo'' has a fight against "the Number-One Train Fighter" that eventually jumped the tracks and smashed through an amusement park.
47* In ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'' New Testament Volume 8, Touma ends up fighting Freyja on a moving train. It leads to scenes like Freyja using her SummonMagic while the train is passing through a tunnel and [[WeHaveReserves not caring]] when Touma knocks her minions into the walls or ceiling. Eventually, Index and Mikoto jump on the train to help Touma out, and the three eventually convince her to surrender peacefully.
48* ''Manga/ChainsawMan'': Denji and Katana Man's second fight has them falling out a window straight onto the roof of a passing train before Katana Man smashes Denji through the ceiling.
49* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'':
50** "[[Recap/CowboyBebopSession17MushroomSamba Mushroom Samba]]" features a three-way battle on a train between Ed and Ein trying to apprehend Domino, Shaft trying to kill Domino, and Domino trying to escape both parties. The battle comes to a stop when the train does, thanks to a cow standing on the track.
51--->'''Ein:''' Thanks!\
52'''Cow:''' Oh, it's no problem!
53** Spike's first battle with Vincent in ''Anime/CowboyBebopKnockinOnHeavensDoor'' occurs in one.
54* The sixth episode of ''Manga/TheDaughterOfTwentyFaces'' features a train fight between Chiko and Angie during a snowstorm.
55* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': Tanjiro's battle against Enmu takes place on the top of the Mugen Train as the former pushes himself to cast off the LotusEaterMachine.
56* In a filler scene of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', Vegeta and #18 fly towards a highway where they land on top of several trucks and continue to brawl.
57* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. With the sheer amount of train-time in that thing, it had to happen some time. "Some time" was, in this case, pretty early in.
58** There's also Ed and Alphonse's fight with the terrorist Bald early on (though the chapter is cut from ''Brotherhood'').
59** Kimblee and Scar once fight on a train.
60** The first level of the [=PS2=] game is based on this part of the series with combat both inside and on top of the train.
61* The fight that eventually led to Pissard's death in ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'' moved to several locations, one of them being the roof of a train.
62* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
63** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Golden Wind]]'': The team's fight against Prosciutto and Pesci occur inside an express train that later moves onto the top of it.
64** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureSteelBallRun Steel Ball Run]]'': The final battle against Funny Valentine starts off on his personal train.
65* ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'': The first battle between Kenichi and Natsu Tanimoto (when the latter reveals himself as Hermit) leads them both to end up having to fight on top of a moving bus. Kenichi himself wonders how he ended up that way.
66* The first mission in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS'' involved a battle that started inside a train and ended on top of it.
67* In ''Manga/MaidenRose'', after Klaus and Azusa jump on top of a train Azusa asks why they will be going in through the last car and fighting their way to the engine room rather then running across the top straight there. Klaus {{lampshades}} the impracticality of this trope, mentioning their footsteps would give away their location and they'd just be target practice.
68* The first episode of ''Anime/MyOtome0Sifr'' has this as part of the main action.
69* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
70** Franky and Nero fight on top of a train in one episode.
71** The later fight between Zoro and T-Bone deserves honorable mention for taking place directly ''in front'' of the moving train.
72* Panty of ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'' battled the speed demon in the episode "Death Race 2010." For a time, the speed demon merged with a tractor-trailer, which compelled Panty to stand on the trailer's roof and shoot the cab with assorted mortal firearms, which had minimal effect. Stocking, standing atop the hood of her vehicle See-Through, used her AbsurdlySharpBlade to slice through the entire demonic tractor-trailer.
73* An episode of the ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesBlackAndWhite'' anime had Meowth pretend to reform and join the main characters, saying that Team Rocket fired him for messing up one of their evil plans, but it is then revealed that he joined them as part of a trap set up inside one of Team Rocket's trains, and that Meowth was never fired at all. A battle between Ash, Pikachu, and Co. and the Subway bosses Emmet and Ingo and Meowth, [[TookALevelInBadass Jessie, James]], and an elite Team Rocket member follows shortly afterward, and ends with the elite Team Rocket member carrying off the Team Rocket trio with his helicopter.
74* Episode 5 of ''Anime/PrincessPrincipal'' has an extended one between the team and Assassins.
75* A {{Filler}} episode of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' has the [[TrueCompanions Kenshin-gumi]] ride a train to go sightseeing to Yokohama, but bandits take it over. Kenshin gets knocked overboard, then finds himself a horse.
76* In ''Anime/SakuraWarsTheAnimation'', Seijuro Kamiyama, Lancelot and Elise thwart the the white-haired demon's attempt to kidnap Klara M. Ruzhkova and White Cape on the top of a train car in Europe.
77* This happened a few times on ''[[{{Literature/Anpanman}} Sorieke! Anpanman]]''. Whenever SL Man is paired up with Naganegiman, Hamburger Kid, or Yakisobapanman, they'll fight against Baikinman on top of the train cars. This also happened in a few of the film shorts.
78* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Death the Kid gets into a three way battle with one of the various Mizune rat witches and a fat fisherman assassin while on a train that's zooming through the desert.
79* ''Manga/{{Tekkonkinkreet}}'' Features a fight with Black and White against the Aliens move to the top of an elevated train.
80* In a [[AdaptedOut manga-only arc]] of ''Manga/UshioAndTora'', the titular heroes are riding a train in the underground tunnel connecting Hokkaido to Honshu and have to fight back [[BloodKnight Kyoura the evil monk]] and the monstrous {{Youkai}} Mountain Fish, who attaches himself to the train to snack on the humans inside. To cap it all, not only the monster is super persistent and NighInvulnerable, but they have to kill it before they leave the tunnel, because exposing the Mountain Fish to sunlight will result in a [[StuffBlowingUp 200-meters wide explosion]] tha would kill everyone and cause the tunnel to collapse.
81* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': The "Waking the Dragons" filler arc has two such examples.
82** "Yami" / the Pharoah. Weevil Underwood. Traintop card dueling. [[MundaneMadeAwesome Seriousness.]] This is the one that ends with Weevil pissing Yami off so much that he keeps attacking even ''after'' Weevil's life points hit zero. It just wasn't his day.
83** And then topped by Kaiba (oddly enough) when he and Alister battle ''on top of a private jet''. Even [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] for its ridiculousness.
84--->'''Joey:''' So you dueled this guy on top of a moving plane?\
85'''Kaiba:''' Maybe I did. [[{{Jerkass}} Don't you geeks have someone else to annoy?]]
86[[/folder]]
87
88[[folder:Comic Books]]
89* ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender - The Lost Adventures'' has "Combustion Man on a Train", in which Aang fights "scary big explosion guy" while a little girl and all the other passengers learn to meditate as the train gets destroyed around them.
90* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
91** One [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] story climaxes in a battle between Batman and the Joker atop a moving train. A punch from Batman sends the Joker off the edge of the train and over a cliff in a NoOneCouldSurviveThat moment.
92** A similar occurrence is seen at the climax of the story "MadLove" from ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'', ending with the Joker [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jokerfall_001_2536.jpg punched into a smokestack.]] [[JokerImmunity He survives, to the surprise of no one, least of all Joker]].
93--->'''Joker:''' ''[[OhNoNotAgain NOTT AGAINN]]''
94* In ''ComicBook/TheFurtherAdventuresOfIndianaJones'' #5, Indy has a battle with Arnold Smith, an American Nazi, atop a train bound for Salisbury after Smith has stolen the AncientArtifact that is the MacGuffin of the story.
95* In ''ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}'', Dick Grayson takes Tim Drake to train his balance by practicing standing on one leg blindfolded on a train while they chat. They're ambushed by gangsters and fight them off while still atop the train. Dick only removes his blindfold when Tim's slow to answer a question to find his "brother" glaring at him as he works his way back to the front of the car.
96* ''ComicBook/RobynHood: I Love NY'': Robyn's final showdown with Alina Rose takes place atop a subway train.
97* ''ComicBook/TheTwilightAvenger'': In #3, the protagonist gets involved in a traintop battle with a gang of hypnotised hobos. ItMakesSenseInContext.
98* ''ComicBook/{{The Ultimates|2002}}'': Captain America and Herr Kleiser had one back in WWII, in a train that transported parts for the superweapon that the Chitauri were building for the Nazis. Captain America [[CombatPragmatist blew the train up]].
99* A significant chunk of ''Vendetta in Gotham'' is taken up by Comicbook/JudgeDredd fighting Comicbook/{{Batman}} on top of a train to prevent him from being killed by the Ventriloquist's bomb plot.
100* ''ComicBook/RegularShow'': The climax of "Noir Means Noir, Buddy" takes place on two moving trains filled with the lollipops Van Jance stole from Pops' vault.
101* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'':
102** The cover of one [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] story depicts ComicBook/WonderWoman fighting Nazis on the exterior of a train passenger car. In the comic itself, the confrontation with the Nazi spy takes place inside the train.
103** Diana fights a bulletproof alien disguised as Billy the Kid atop a high speed train he's trying to rob. The disguise, and target of his attack, are essentially due to him finding it hilarious.
104[[/folder]]
105
106[[folder:Fan Works]]
107%%* [[http://wraith11.deviantart.com/art/Cairo-Express-387806488 This fan art]].
108* ''Fanfic/EmbersVathara'' contains a Traintop Battle in Ba Sing Se between [[spoiler:Zuko and Shirong vs Azula and Ty Lee]].
109* ''Fanfic/FriendshipIsMagicalGirls'' has Pinkie's fight with [[MadeOfIron Bellosto]] in Loyalty 6. It starts inside the train car, but quickly gets taken up top once both take on their battle modes.
110* The majority of the second chapter of ''Fanfic/{{Marionettes}}'' takes place on a train, so naturally one of these results. They mention the combatants being buffeted by the wind and doing their best to hold on. [[spoiler:Ironically, it's not between Trixie and the [[TheMenInBlack two Stallions in Black]] chasing her, but with what seems to be Lightning Dust, with [[BigDamnHeroes Rainbow Dash showing up midway]] through to help Trixie.]]
111* In ''Fanfic/TurningRedSecretsOfThePanda'', a fight between [[WesternAnimation/TurningRed Mei]] and [[spoiler:Howard]], as well as between [[spoiler:Xia]] and Jason, takes place on top of a freight train which is [[spoiler:taking members of the Lee family whom Jason had abducted to a container yard. Howard loses his life during this fight]].
112[[/folder]]
113
114[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
115* There is a Traintop Battle in ''[[Film/ArthurAndTheInvisibles Arthur and the War of the Two Worlds]]''... atop a toy train. But since the belligerents, Arthur and Darkos, are 3 mm high, it works just the same.
116* ''WesternAnimation/BigTopScoobyDoo'' climaxes in a fight between Scooby and Shaggy and the villain atop the circus train.
117* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'' parodies this in a scene where [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick get attacked by Dennis, the PsychoForHire who has been sent after them, while riding Creator/DavidHasselhoff through the waves. The ensuing fight scene takes place on top of Hasselhoff's legs, and is complete with dramatic jumps from one leg to the other. Dennis is eventually defeated when he hits his head on an overhanging catamaran.
118* Happens in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', between Woody and Mr. and Ms. Potato Head in the FakeActionPrologue.
119* The second ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'' film, ''WesternAnimation/TheWrongTrousers'', in theme with its parodies and pastiches of various film tropes in a mundane setting, sees [[BigBad Feathers McGraw]] trying to get away in the locomotive while Wallace and Gromit are in hot pursuit... only it's a model train and the chase takes place entirely within their house. The size of their living room is exaggerated to a ridiculous degree to make the scene work, and at one point Gromit has to grab a box of spare track and lays it down in front of the moving train to avoid derailing it. Wallace is an ordinarily-sized human and can only fit on the train by balancing on one foot (the [[ItMakesSenseInContext Techno-Trousers]] helped a little there) while being a small penguin Feathers is able to fit rather comfortably in the locomotive's tender.
120[[/folder]]
121
122[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
123* In the film version of ''Film/AbrahamLincolnVampireHunter'', the FinalBattle between Lincoln and the movie's BigBad, [[VampireMonarch Adam]], occurs atop a train carrying silver ammunition to the soldiers at Gettysburg. [[spoiler:[[BatmanGambit At least, that's what Lincoln wants Adam to think...]]]]
124* A shootout in the middle of ''Film/TheAnonymousHeroes'' has both titular heroes atop a moving locomotive firing shots at pursuing enemy soldiers, and then fighting soldiers who managed to board the train from up close.
125* The Charles Bronson movie ''Film/BreakheartPass'' has a couple, set in an 1800's Wild West setting. Supposedly, he did his own stunts.
126%%* The climax of Creator/JohnWoo's ''Film/{{Broken Arrow|1996}}'' features a damn spectacular one at the end.
127* In ''Film/CasablancaExpress'', most of the violence occurs ''inside'' the train, but there is one train-top fistfight.
128* In ''Film/TheCassandraCrossing'', this has been expected and rendered impossible by placing guards with submachine guns on the car roofs, not far below a 15,000V overhead catenary.
129* ''Film/{{Derailed|2002}}'': Jacques fights several battles against the terrorists on top of the train over the course of the movie.
130* As the jetliner carrying despot Generalissimo Esperanza and his rogue CIA cronies builds up speed for take-off in ''Film/DieHard2'', the hero John [=McClane=] and the dragon Major Grant grapple atop the aircraft's left wing. [[spoiler:Grant gets toppled into one jet engine's intake, killing him. The fight also let [=McClane=] catch sight of the fuel dump valve on the wing's leading edge.]]
131* ''Film/EmperorOfTheNorth'' climaxes with one very brutal train-fight between a determined hobo and a sadistic conductor.
132%%* One of the earliest examples in Creator/BusterKeaton's ''Film/TheGeneral''.
133%%* In Creator/MarxBrothers film, ''Film/GoWest'' (of which Buster Keaton also made a version).
134%%* Happens in ''Film/TheGoodTheBadTheWeird'', as a result of two {{Train Job}}s happening simultaneously.
135* ''Franchise/IndianaJones'':
136** ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' has Indy getting chased along a line of circus train cars. One word: Rhinoceros.
137** ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheDialOfDestiny'': Indy and a somewhat reluctant Basil engage Colonel Weber on top of a train in the opening. This example is notable for the fact that a metal overhanging part of the tracks strikes the colonel ''in the head'' and yet [[spoiler:not only does he not die, ''he doesn't even have a scar'' when he resurfaces years later. Keep in mind, this was a speeding train and the velocity at which the metal object hits him in the head ''should have decapitated him'' and to make matters worse, it not only strikes him in the head at huge speeds, but it knocks him off the bridge and into the woods below. He ought to just apply to be Superman, because he is clearly 100% invincible.]]
138* Film/JamesBond gets to do this a fair bit:
139** ''Film/{{Octopussy}}'': Bond and Gobinda have a fight atop Octopussy's circus train.
140** ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'': A particularly elaborate one between Bond and Patrice that ends up trashing much of the train occurs during TheTeaser.
141* In ''Film/TheLegendOfTarzan'', Tarzan and the tribesmen make a VineSwing down on to the top of the moving slave train, where they dispose of the guards on top of the train.
142* ''Film/TheLegendOfZorro'' has one where even the damn horse ends up getting involved!
143* More than one in ''Film/TheLoneRanger''. [[spoiler:Notably, they all end in train ''wrecks''.]]
144* ''Film/MadMax'':
145** The climax of ''Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome'' involves Aunty and the inhabitants of Bartertown chasing down a train controlled by Pig Killer and with Max and the children aboard.
146** The FinalBattle in ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' involves Max and the Vuvalini fending off and fighting mooks aboard the War Rig, and eventually, fighting [[TheDragon Rictus]] near the end of the battle.
147* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
148** In ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', Captain America and Ultron battle on top of a moving semi.
149** In ''Film/AntMan1'', befitting with the size-changing gimmick, part of Ant-Man's battle against Yellowjacket is a ''toy'' traintop battle, atop a Bachmann model of ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'', no less.
150** The title character in ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}'' fights a Skrull on top of a moving [[UsefulNotes/LosAngelesMetroRail LA Metro Rail]] Blue line train.
151** In ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Strange ends up on a train top, where Strange pulls the fight into the Mirror Dimension where he can distort reality including duplicating the train and making it fly!
152%%* ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'' has a fight on top of a semi truck, with many similar stylings.
153* ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries'':
154** The finale of ''[[Film/MissionImpossible1996 Mission: Impossible]]'' is a fight atop a train. This is at least partially subverted: they do have a Traintop Battle, but it's on the high-speed TGV. They can barely move because of the enormous wind resistance.
155** The N64 game adaptation also has a traintop chase with TheMole.
156** ''Film/MissionImpossibleDeadReckoning'': The climax has Ethan grappling with Gabriel atop a train once more (a steam train this time around), each fighting over the same knife.
157* In the remake of ''Narrow Margin'', set mostly on a train, Creator/GeneHackman's character and the witness he's protecting are confronted on the roof by a woman he met earlier, who turns out to be a ProfessionalKiller.
158-->'''Gene:''' "You know what I like about you? [[LowClearance You're tall.]]" ''(train enters a tunnel)''
159* The film version of ''Film/{{Priest|2011}}'' has the FinalBattle between the Priest and [[TheDragon Black Hat]] take place on top of, and briefly inside, the train carrying the vampire invasion army to the human cities.
160* Creator/JackieChan did this in a number of movies, including ''Film/ShanghaiNoon'', which has a fight that goes through several different cars, including an open lumber car with tree trunks. Rollage Ensues.
161%%* The climax of the film version of ''Literature/TheSevenPercentSolution''.
162* George and Reace have a fight atop the train in ''Film/SilverStreak''. George wins and kills Reace but is then knocked off the train by an overhead signal.
163* The climax of ''Film/{{Speed}}'' features a fight on top of an out-of-control subway train that ends with [[BondOneLiner the immortal line]] "Yeah? Well I'm ''taller''."
164* ''Film/SpiderManTrilogy'':
165** ''Film/SpiderMan2'' sees Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus duke it out on a speeding UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} [[UsefulNotes/ChicagoL 'L']] train [[http://www.chicago-l.org/multimedia/Spiderman2/images/Spiderman2-2200s01.jpg attempting to pass for a]] UsefulNotes/NewYorkSubway train, with the fight primarily taking place on the roof, but also on the side of the train, trailing behind the train, and briefly ''inside'' the train.
166** ''Film/SpiderMan3'' takes it to another level with [[EvilFeelsGood Black Spidey]] and Sandman dishing it out in the subway, with each of them smashing each other into the trains, particularly Spidey sawing off half of Sandman's face by pressing it against a passing train.
167* The opening scene of ''Film/SullivansTravels'' is two men fighting on a train to their mutual death. This turns out to be a movie within a movie where the men symbolize ''Capital'' and ''Labor'' in a heavy handed allegory that no one wants to make. They really want to finance ''Ants in your pants of 1940''
168* The climax of the Creator/JackieChan / Creator/MichelleYeoh vehicle, ''Film/{{Supercop}}'' have the duo fighting the BigBad and a few EliteMooks on top of a moving train.
169* Parodied (with knobs on) in ''Film/TopSecret''. The bad guy fails to duck for a low bridge, ''and shatters it'' -- but he's unharmed!
170* ''Film/{{Torque}}'' features a motorcycle chase on top of a train. [[JustTrainWrong And then inside the train]].
171* ''Film/WildWildWest''. Jim West battles a Native American henchman of Dr. Loveless on top of a train.
172* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'':
173** A ''bullet'' train in ''Film/TheWolverine'', to make it that much crazier. Logan and the Yakuza have their work cut out just holding on and are almost flattened by the wind resistance, to say nothing of the low-hanging arches that fly by regularly.
174** The bulk of the FinalBattle in ''Film/DarkPhoenix'' happens both inside and outside a train, with the D'Bari attacking the armored train with the prisoner X-Men and Magneto inside.
175[[/folder]]
176
177[[folder:Literature]]
178* Fitting of its Western influence, ''Literature/TheAlloyOfLaw'' includes a gunfight atop a moving train, which continues despite the protagonist being thrown off the top (he uses magic to save himself).
179* In ''Literature/ArtemisFowl: The Arctic Incident'', the group is ambushed by goblins and later jump onto a passing train to take cover while fighting them.
180%% Needs context * Happens in Kenneth Oppel's novel ''The Boundless.''
181* Alistair [=MacLean's=] ''Film/BreakheartPass'' is set around an American train in InjunCountry in the late 1800s. It has a couple. For that matter, the same author has a [[CableCarActionSequence top-of-the-gondola fight]] in ''Film/WhereEaglesDare''.
182* The climax of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles: Literature/DeathMasks'' took place on top of a train, and the fights were pretty damn badass for a book. Dresden, a mob boss (equipped with commando gear and an assault rifle), and two Knights of the Cross (one of whom is carrying an AK in addition to his holy sword) chase and then land on the train in the mob boss's helicopter, which happens to be, on Dresden's request, playing "Ride of the Valkyries." All of that to stop a group of demons from unleashing an apocalyptic plague. Just as awesome as it sounds.
183* The bullet train version also occurs when Literature/TheExecutioner visits Japan in ''The Invisible Assassins''. It's no less dangerous for Mack Bolan in the 1980's than it is for Wolverine in the 2010's, even if the trains were slightly slower then.
184* In "Literature/TheManWhoGotOffTheGhostTrain", Richard has to battle the Gecko and its human revenants on the outside of the Scotch Streak to prevent from uncoupling the carriages and causing a wreck.
185* In ''[[Literature/TheTomorrowSeries The Other Side of Dawn]]'', Ellie jumps onto a goods train from a bridge and ends up fighting an enemy soldier atop the train and inside one of the carriages.
186* Parodied in Terry Pratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Literature/RaisingSteam''. A fantasy world where a bright inventor discovers what steampower can be harnessed to. Of course there has to be a traintop battle. The narrative dictates it.
187* The ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'' tribute novel ''The Seven-Percent Solution'' features a train-top SwordFight between Holmes and the villain.
188* The ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000: {{Literature/Eisenhorn}}'' trilogy features a traintop sword-fight between Eisenhorn and the mercenary captain Clansire Etrik. However, the train is not moving at the time, which is probably a good thing since it is noted as being able to make a trans-continental crossing in a day. It is, however, coated with ice and in the middle of a blizzard, so that may even things out.
189* ''The Wolf's Hour'' by Creator/RobertRMcCammon has the protagonist forced to fight his way from one end to the other of a train in Nazi Germany that has been rebuilt as a rolling death trap while the EgomaniacHunter stalks him from behind.
190* ''Literature/YoungSherlockHolmes'': In ''Red Leech'', Ives confronts Holmes on top of the train. Holmes manages to win the confrontation with the aid of a [[SufferTheSlings sling]], that sends Ives off the side as the train is going over a bridge.
191[[/folder]]
192
193[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
194* ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett''. Happens when the Tusken Raiders try to heist a speeder train, and made even more of an InterestingSituationDuel thanks to the [[WeaponizedExhaust large thruster mounted on the roof]]. The Tuskens only win because their best warrior goes ''inside'' the train and fights her way along the carriages until she gets to the Pyke soldiers who have their heads stuck out the roof hatches keeping Boba and the other Tuskens pinned down, and kills them from below.
195* The [[Recap/CommunityS2E11AbedsUncontrollableChristmas second]] ChristmasEpisode of ''Series/{{Community}}'' has one. Did we mention it was [[StopMotion stop-motion animated]]?
196* ''Series/DoctorWho''. InSpace in the ActionPrologue of [[Recap/DoctorWho2022CENThePowerOfTheDoctor "The Power of the Doctor"]], when the fam drop from the TARDIS onto the roof of a space train under attack by Cybermen.
197* Part of the fight against the trainjackers in ''Series/DueSouth'' "All The Queen's Horses" turns into this. It ends with a [[{{Fanservice}} traintop kiss between Fraser and Thatcher]].
198* One happens in the ''Series/HenryDanger'' {{crossover}} with ''Series/TheThundermans'', with a song dedicated to it in "Henry Danger: The Musical".
199* Partially invoked in the pilot of ''Series/HumanTarget'': there isn't a fight on the roof of the train, but there are several go-rounds in the cars, and one in the air ducts at the top of the cars.
200* ''Series/ResshaSentaiToQger'' has Toq #1 duke it out with the MonsterOfTheWeek while on top of his own train in episode 2.
201[[/folder]]
202
203[[folder:Pinballs]]
204* ''Pinball/{{Deadpool|2018}}'': Sauron Multiball depicts Deadpool facing off against Sauron on top of a train.
205* One of the missions in Creator/ZenStudios' ''Wild West Rampage'', a ''VideoGame/ZenPinball'' table, takes you to a multi-stage mini-playfield built inside a moving train, in which you help the bounty huntress Cindy get through all the train cars to thwart a big robbery aboard.
206[[/folder]]
207
208[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
209* The ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' setting ''TabletopGame/{{Eberron}}'' has a magic train for two purposes. To get the characters to places quickly, and [[RuleOfCool for them to have climactic fights on top of it]].
210[[/folder]]
211
212[[folder:Theatre]]
213* In ''Theatre/HarryPotterAndTheCursedChild'', Albus and Scorpius try to sneak out of the Hogwarts Express. On the train's roof, they have a surprise encounter with the [[spoiler:Trolley Witch]], who tries to stop them using [[spoiler:explosive pumpkin pies]].
214[[/folder]]
215
216[[folder:Video Games]]
217%% Needs context * The boss battle with Xi-Tiger in ''VideoGame/AlienSoldier''.
218* ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' for Answer features a fusion of this and the BattleshipRaid trope with the Arms Fort Great Wall, GA America's ultimate AF. Your objective is to get inside it and blow it sky-high. I don't think anyone's been dumb enough to attack it's outside other than to get into the damn thing.
219* Stage 2 and 5 of another Creator/DataEast game, ''VideoGame/BadDudes''. Respectively, on trucks and a train.
220* The second stage of ''VideoGame/BalaceraBrothers'' is a battle on a subway train where you (and a friend on two-player) fend off hordes and hordes of skeletons and monsters trying to get aboard. It culminates with you facing the stage boss (a [[BasiliskAndCockatrice green-skinned cockatrice]]) which repeatedly tries swatting you off the train to your death.
221* ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'' has a fight ''in the train's boiler.'' Old King Coal (a Grubby Boiler Monarch who's not the jolly old soul Kazooie thought he was) won't let you use his train until after you beat him into submission.
222* While drastically different games, both versions of ''[[VideoGame/BatmanSunsoft Batman: Return of the Joker]]'' for both the NES and Game Boy feature stages where Batman fights on top of a train.
223* The SNES adaptation of ''VideoGame/BatmanReturns'' has one courtesy of the Red Circus Triangle who make use of their circus train to spirit away Gotham's first-borns with Batman intercepting it and making them go on his ride.
224* In the prologue of ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'', the first half of the fight against Belief takes place on top of a speeding train.
225* ''VideoGame/BeyondTwoSouls'', Jodie when escaping the police because she's a wanted CIA. And you know, has [[GuardianEntity Aiden]].
226* One of the stages in ''VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift'' has the fighters standing atop a speeding monorail.
227* The third map of ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}'' took place on a Cabal-owned train, which ends up crashing into a carnival when Caleb blows up the engine.
228* In chapter 6 of ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'', the DuelBoss battle between Catie and Tyalie takes place at night atop a moving train.
229%%* Yet another game with a train-battle level: ''VideoGame/{{Bubsy}}''. Though that one's probably forgettable.
230* The Creator/{{Sega}} shooter ''VideoGame/ConfidentialMission'' 2nd stage is set on a train which not surprisingly forces the heroes on top of the train in few occasions
231* ''VideoGame/{{Contra}}'':
232** ''VideoGame/ContraShattered Soldier'' has a level that involves chasing a train down on motorcycles, attacking the weaponized caboose, and heading to the engine. At which point a mecha attacks the train, leaving the player to wonder why our OneHitPointWonder heroes had to bother.
233** Before that was ''VideoGame/ContraHardCorps''. The boss was a HumongousMecha that pushes the train to a halt and climbs onto it, which was the inspiration for the boss in ''Shattered Soldier''.
234** ''VideoGame/HardCorpsUprising'' likewise has one taking place on an underground railway, with another set of tracks running along the ceiling as well and cars being destroyed left and right either by having either track end prematurely, taking too much damage from enemy fire, or being used as projectiles by yet another HumongousMecha running along the tracks. And that's before you get to the actual boss, which takes place in a vertical tunnel with both trains now moving straight up and subject to be destroyed entirely by the boss's [[{{BFG}} huge laser]]. Thankfully there's a [[OffscreenVillainDarkMatter neverending supply of train cars]], which proceed to roll in from offscreen and attach themself to any of the remaining ones whenever one is destroyed.
235* An action-adventure game for the first Playstation, ''VideoGame/CovertOpsNuclearDawn'' (known also as ''VideoGame/ChaseTheExpress''), has a few of these due to taking place onboard a high-speed train-The Blue Harvest. Three boss battles included. The first boss fight has you shooting a bosses' Mooks and jumping over to his freight train to finish him off. After you jump to the other train, The Blue Harvest speeds ahead, leaving you behind. After you kill the boss, you have to line up the freight train with the Blue Harvest and jump back to it before the freight train hits a disused bridge.
236* Just after the first chapter in ''VideoGame/DarkCloud 2'', you have to throw bombs at a car with two mooks in it firing a machine gun at the train. Fail and the game ends from the train derailing.
237* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'': The Mole Train boss fight. Donkey and Diddy have to intercept the minecarts that are being used by the Mole Miners to transport the stolen bananas to the Tiki tribe. Once they defeat all Miners in one particular chain of wagons, they proceed to chase the next one and repeat the process until reaching the KingMook Mole Miner Max and defeat him to win the battle.
238* The fourth stage of ''Super VideoGame/DoubleDragon'' is a truck-top battle, which may be a ShoutOut to the second level of ''VideoGame/BadDudes''.
239* ''[[VideoGame/DragonBallZTheLegacyOfGoku Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury]]'' features one during a segment where Goten and Trunks are searching for the dragon balls. One of the passengers aboard said train has it, but the problem is it's also being held up by bandits, forcing the kids to fight them off.
240* ''VideoGame/DustyRevenge'' have the second half of "Mid-day Ride", where Dusty must fight off cats, weasels, and mongoose bandits on top of a speeding train.
241* Stage 2 of ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}'' involves a battle against a series of armored trains.
242* In ''VideoGame/ESPRaDe'', Stage 4 takes place in a subway tunnel where enemies will either attack on top of train cars or ''are'' trains.
243* Every other level of Creator/DataEast's ''VideoGame/ExpressRaider'' is a traintop BeatEmUp.
244* Terry Bogard's stage in ''[[VideoGame/FatalFury Fatal Fury 2, Special, Garou: Mark of the Wolves]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomMatchOfTheMillennium Capcom Vs SNK 1]]'' is on top of a train.
245* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
246** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''
247*** The original game had a series of battles on top of a train.
248*** ''VideoGame/CrisisCore'': The opening cutscene involves Zack jumping from a helicopter onto the roof of a speeding train and fighting off attackers.
249** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' doesn't have an actual battle, but it has a (kinda) traintop stealth mission.
250** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV'' In one trailer, it has Noctis and gang face off against several soldiers, and Noctis performs a Warp Strike to catch the helicoptor nearby.
251* ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'': During Week 4, you [[BattleRapping sing against]] Girlfriend's mother, [[FearlessFool Mommy Mearest]], atop a limo driven by one of her demon henchmen. Despite the battle taking place on a busy highway, there aren't any signs, tunnels or other hazards to dodge... though this ''was'' [[WhatCouldHaveBeen planned]] during development, as there are unused sprites of Mearest's backup dancers getting blown away.
252* The entire final act of ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'' takes place on a train, with the members of Delta Squad fighting their way to the front car to activate a superweapon.
253* Luis in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheBalladOfGayTony'' jumps aboard an El Train in order to steal one of the cars. He has to shoot his way past half of the [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops LCPD]] to reach the front.
254* The fourth stage of ''VideoGame/GunfighterTheLegendOfJesseJames'' have Jesse swapping lead with Carson's thugs on top of a speeding train.
255* Dynamix game ''VideoGame/HeartOfChina'' has a battle atop the Orient Express. He's armed with a sword. You're armed with a piece of metal you ripped off the train. Don't forget to duck when the tunnels show up (the only way you know to duck is that he ducks first; he's facing the direction the train is moving).
256* ''VideoGame/InFamous'' has a mission where Cole has to rescue a bunch of hostages on a train. Unusually, Cole himself provides the train's motion, powering it with his electrokinesis to move it somewhere safe while zapping enemies from the top.
257%%* The entire shtick of ''VideoGame/IronHorse''.
258* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'':
259** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'': The Solar Sailer battle in [[Film/{{Tron}} Space Paranoids]], though the sailer looks more like a flat boat than a train. And unlike the one in The Grid, it's an actual battle with a weight limit.
260** In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'', you can actually fight some Dream Eaters onboard a Solar Sailer in [[Film/TronLegacy The Grid]]. Like in the film, the sailer takes on the appearance of a freight train with the cargo, not present in the game fortunately, being [[spoiler:deactivated programs being shipped to be [[BrainwashedAndCrazy rectified]]]].
261* ''VideoGame/TheLastExpress'', which is set entirely on board a train, could hardly escape a scene like this.
262* ''[[VideoGame/TrailsSeries The Legend of Heroes - Trails]]'':
263** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure'': One side-mission involves the SSS looking for criminals hidden on a train and battling them.
264** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'': Shirley engages in one with Fie on top of the Derfflinger in ''Cold Steel III''.
265* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfTianding'' has the titular character fighting enemies atop a train heading towards Taipei. In a few areas he can actually use ''passing eagles'' to perform a SteppingStonesInTheSky.
266* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' features a train-top battle as part of the final boss fight.
267* ''VideoGame/LowGMan'' has this in the first hidden level, Cyber Express.
268* In ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'', Psylocke's stage is on top of a moving train through what looks like Hong Kong (or a Chinatown somewhere else, maybe even Madripoor, the game doesn't state where).
269* In ''VideoGame/McDonaldsTreasureLandAdventure'' for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, you fight the [[RepulsiveRingmaster Ringmaster Wolf]], who earlier captured your friend, Birdie the Early Bird, in the middle of the second world. [[spoiler:After the battle, the train crashes into a set of buffers and you and he both fall. Birdie catches you [[IOweYouMyLife to return the favor for saving her]], while the Ringmaster Wolf [[DisneyVillainDeath continues falling until he lands into a pile of boxes]].]]
270* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
271** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'':
272*** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero1'' had a stage where the second portion was on and in a train and the boss was inside the engine.
273*** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero2'' had an entire stage that was a train, with the boss pulling up on another train at the end and the battle involving both of you jumping between the trains.
274*** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero4'''s ''intro'' stage took place on fast-moving trucks.
275** ''VideoGame/MegaManX'':
276*** Slash Beast / Slash Beastleo in ''VideoGame/MegaManX4''. Most of the stage is set on moving railway cars, save for a small area over damaged track. The battle itself takes place in a large, low, flat moving railcar.
277*** Averted in ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'' with Crescent Grizzly. The first half of the stage is in a convoy of trucks, mimicking the [[LocomotiveLevel Military Train]] stage in X4. By the time you get to the battle, however, you're in a room similar to a rock quarry.
278*** ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' has a stage consisting of several small battles in sub-areas of sorts. The last of these is this, not counting the OptionalBoss before the actual stage boss battle.
279** Buckfire in ''VideoGame/MegaManZX Advent'' starts out as a fight on top of the train, but Buckfire likes to use his MeteorMove to destroy the footing, resulting in him and Grey/Ashe duking it out inside the train once the ceiling is wrecked beyond any hope of standing on it. Interestingly enough, the fight [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome causes so much damage the train is grounded]], which prompts a mission to repair the train.
280** Charge Man in ''VideoGame/MegaMan5'' beat them all to the punch, and even resembles a steam locomotive himself for added fun.
281** In ''VideoGame/MegaManLegends'', Mega has to fight two out of three of the {{Goldfish Poop Gang}}s on top of one train while shooting across at another train outfitted with bombs, turret guns, lasers, and missiles.
282* At least two of the ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' games have fights on moving trains, including trains as bosses or subbosses.
283* Happens during the mid-game climax of ''VideoGame/MetroLastLight'' where Artyom leaps aboard a moving train full of enemy soldiers and slaughters his way to the front to rescue [[spoiler: the baby Dark One.]] Downplayed with several other points in the game - since it's set in [[UsefulNotes/MoscowMetro the Moscow Metro system]], gunfights can take place in stationary subway cars that have been repurposed as living quarters.
284* In ''VideoGame/MusashiSamuraiLegend'', there's an entire part of a level in which you stand on a train and fend off robots, including some that are in another train behind you!
285* ''VideoGame/NinjaCombat'' has a stage atop a subway train going through a tunnel where you fight off enemy ninjas and mooks.
286* In ''VideoGame/NinjaGaidenIITheDarkSwordOfChaos'', Ryu is in a hurry to get to the Lahja mountains. His solution: climb onto the top of a train and fend off the enemies that attack him as he makes his way to the locomotive.
287* ''VideoGame/PAYDAY2'' has two train-related heists. The one from the Armored Transport DLC is more of a simple TrainJob, the train in question being robbed while stopped at a station, but the second version falls neatly within this trope. It's Day 2 of the Biker Heist, in which you fight on top of a moving train to get to the loot, which is located at the front of the train. Even the helicopter pilot, Bile, knows what they're doing is badass, and opts to play ''Music/RideOfTheValkyries'' on the helicopter radio in the intro of the heist. Bile even goes one step further and acts all cowboy in the intro too, and sometimes points out that what they're about to do looks like it's belongs in a western movie.
288-->'''Bile:''' Yeeehawww!\
289'''Bile:''' All right cowboys, I'm dropping you off here!\
290'''Bile:''' Wow, looks like something out of a western movie!
291* The third stage of the PSX and PC versions of ''VideoGame/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'' takes place on top of the Supertrain. This is actually rather convenient as it allows you to knock the (few) enemies off of it to win much faster.
292* The Megadrive version of ''VideoGame/PsychoPinball'''s Wild West table had this for its bonus game.
293* The videogame adaptation of ''VideoGame/QuantumOfSolace'' includes a flashback level set during the unremarkable train ride to the eponymous ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}''. It now includes a traintop gunfight.
294* In a similar example, in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf Hard Battle'' for the Super NES, Shampoo's stage is on top of a moving train.
295* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal'' had a fight atop a hover train with [[spoiler:Giant Klunk]]. [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 The first game]] featured a short train top battle, as well. [[NostalgiaLevel In the same city, in fact.]]
296* ''VideoGame/TheRevengeOfShinobi'': Level 6 takes place on top of a train. It's famous for being the level where Franchise/SpiderMan and Franchise/{{Batman}} were bosses in the original edition.
297* This happens in ''VideoGame/TheSaboteur'', in which Sean has to rescue a defecting scientist from a Nazi train before the train reaches the bridge that Sean has rigged to blow. There are also hijackable turrets every couple of cars that can be fired at any Nazi installations the train happens to pass.
298* ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'' has one of these in the mission "The Last Train To Cairo," in which the player has to stop an [[ReligionOfEvil Atenist]] freight train and retrieve the dirty bomb they're transporting. It features several fights on top of railcars, a number of segments that require the player to shimmy along the side of the train to bypass impassable obstacles, a tunnel section that involves dodging overhead lights and beams, and a final boss fight that concludes with the player kicking the ArcVillain off the train.
299%% Needs context * ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts1'' opens up with one of these.
300* One of the bosses in Stage 6 of ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishmentStarSuccessor'' takes place on top of a train. To damage the boss you have to knock the trains back and make sure they hit it. Also, try not to stay in the air for too long or you'll be blown off.
301* The end of the second chapter of ''VideoGame/ShiningForceIII'' ends with a large battle on top of a moving train that is heading towards a broken bridge. Oddly no matter how long you take, or even if you quit the battle and go do some shopping from one of the passengers underneath, the train won't reach [[TakeYourTime the bridge until you finish the fight]]; and then it's [[AlwaysClose just in time]].
302* ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'' has a train battle level, both inside and out. Eventually, Vyse and co. are tracked down by ImplacableMan Galcian, and have to head toward the front of the train while he chases after them...''very...slowly.''
303* The first stage of ''VideoGame/SlapsAndBeans'' ends with Terence and Bud fighting mooks on top of a moving train. However it's a FakeOutOpening - after defeating the boss, the director yells "CUT!" revealing the entire first stage to be a movie set, the train is actually stationary and the skies in the background are painted screens.
304* The second mission in ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune'', complete with BilingualBonus (the train is in Africa; the guards speak Swahili).
305* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
306** In ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' there is an entire act with a railway system. Mostly you just "grind" down the rails, but a tunnel area has you doing exactly this trope, fighting off minor enemies on the train that try to push you off.
307** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogTripleTrouble'''s Sunset Park Act 3 takes place on a train, with the boss apparently being the engine.
308%%** ''VideoGame/SonicShuffle'' has the Riot Train board.
309* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
310** The ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2000'' game features a level where Spidey has to hold off hordes of lizard men while atop a subway car.
311** The ''VideoGame/SpiderMan2'' video game tie in recreates the battle with Doc Ock on the train.
312** ''VideoGame/SpiderManVsTheKingpin'' has several levels where Spidey fights on top of a subway car. The boss fight with the Vulture occurs at the end of one.
313* In ''VideoGame/{{Spinmaster}}'', the second half of Stage 1 takes place atop a jet plane taking off.
314* The video game UrExample is probably the first stage of Creator/HudsonSoft's ''VideoGame/StopTheExpress''. The second stage goes inside the train.
315* The ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'' apparently has trainlike vehicles that allow for this, just going ''really fast''.
316** One mission of ''VideoGame/JediAcademy'' centers around this.
317** A sequence in the ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheEmpire'' game uses the trope.
318** ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' has a flashpoint that takes place partly in and atop a moving train. It's often considered ThatOneLevel.
319* Guile's stage in the console versions of ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Street Fighter Alpha 3]]'' is set on a military train - Which gets ''fired at'' at certain points.
320* ''VideoGame/SunsetRiders'', essentially a side-scrolling Wild West shoot-em-up, has the requisite moving train level. Depending on the version, it can either take place on top of the train where you shoot both at enemies coming in from the sides as well as the ones poking up from the windows below and where not jumping over the quickly-approaching girders in time means [[OneHitPointWonder instant smashy death]] or riding alongside of one, where you need to jump over logs dropped from a wagon so your horse doesn't trip over them and cause you to die in a similar way.
321* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
322** ''VideoGame/PaperMario'':
323*** In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', this happens against the [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere Smorgs]]. To simply ''reach'' the boss fight itself, you also have to hammer your way through a veritable horde of them on top of the Excess Express first.
324*** In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash'', Larry Koopa is fought on top of the Sunset Express after he hijacked it.
325** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'': The train levels sees Mario and the gang fighting enemies and dodging obstacles on top of the trains.
326** ''VideoGame/WarioLand'':
327*** In ''VideoGame/WarioLandSuperMarioLand3'', there are two levels in Parsley Woods taking place in/on a train. Falling onto the rails while the train is in motion is instant death.
328*** There are also levels like this in ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'', Wreck Train and Derailed Express. You've got both fighting across the top of the train and making your way through the carriages though.
329** In ''VideoGame/YoshisCraftedWorld'', "Gator Train Attacks!" features a battle against the titular Gator Train, which rides on rails parallel to Yoshi's.
330* Late in ''VideoGame/SuperPokemonEeveeEdition'', the game's eighth chapter ends with the player battling rival Silver atop a moving train
331* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'': In the 3DS version, the Spirit Tracks stage pits the Smash fights this way. While it is one of the constantly moving and changing stages featured in Smash Bros., the fighters do battle on the Spirit Train from [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks the game]] the stage is based on and it's constantly changing train cars that it pulls throughout the fight.
332* Two [[DirectContinuousLevels back-to-back levels]] of ''VideoGame/SyphonFilter 2'' have you racing to the front of a train to stop it before it reaches a blown-out bridge. You fail to stop it, but jump onto a chopper stolen by Lian just before it falls through.
333* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'':
334** The third level of the first ''[=TMNT=]'' game for the Game Boy takes place on top of a series of moving trucks.
335** The final battle against Karai in the SNES version of ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesTournamentFighters'' takes place on top of a commuter train.
336** The 1800s level of ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesTurtlesInTime'' was set on a moving train of flatbeds. Other than Foot Soldiers riding up on horses and boarding, it could have been a ground level and not changed the essence of the gameplay.
337* The second stage of ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis 2'' has this where you fight along not one but ''two'' speeding trains (the first the the passenger compartment and the second alongside an adjacent train). After fighting off the mooks you deal with the boss who takes you on with a gun turret, swings a missile around at you (no, really) and lastly tries to take you down with a gatling gun while holding onto a helicopter before you blow him up. Likewise in [=TC3=], the end of the second area has you fighting atop a speeding train. The difference here is at the end of the stage, the bridge is blow out from underneath, resulting in the heroes being forced to climb their way up from the still attached dangling compartments.
338* ''VideoGame/TimeSplitters: Future Perfect'': In the ''Bond'' parody level, the second part is on a train. After you apply the emergency brakes, the camera [=PoV=] cuts between the train and your partner's girlfriend, making it look like she's about to be run over. As the train grinds to a halt, the camera pans out... [[spoiler:showing several dozen feet of track between her and the train.]]
339* In an inversion of TheProblemWithLicensedGames, the ''VideoGame/TinyToonAdventures'' game for the NES (The one with the Amusement park setting) has Hampton Pig on top of a Train Ride, having to fight several enemies, avoid getting stranded on disengaged cars, and fight [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Arnold the Pit Bull]]. The SNES game also has a battle taking place on a train, except it's Buster Bunny doing the fighting in this case. It even uses the above-mentioned Standard Snippet as background music in one part.
340%%* ''VideoGame/TombRaiderTheLastRevelation'' has one of these. With {{ninja}}s.
341* The final mission of ''VideoGame/TotalOverdose'' is along the top of an old steam locomotive.
342* ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'':
343** ''VideoGame/Uncharted2AmongThieves'' has two entire chapters take place in a moving train. Nathan Drake works his way to the front one car at a time, alternating between gunfights and crawling along the sides of the cars while dodging passing signal lights -- and then a helicopter gunship shows up and starts ''blowing cars off the train'' behind him. Nathan lampshades and complains about how the mooks continue to attack him and don't seem to notice the helicopter about to kill them all.
344** Paying homage to the above, the final level of ''VideoGame/UnchartedTheLostLegacy'' also takes place on and around a moving train as Chloe and Nadine make their way to the front to disable the onboard bomb. In addition to climbing around, through, and over the train cars, Chloe can also jump onto and hijack enemy 4x4s in order to bypass impassable train cars before jumping back on the train further ahead.
345* Both ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'' have Assault maps with this sort of premise, though the ''2004'' map isn't so much "trains" as "gigantic trucks". Falling off is possible, and leads to instant death.
346* ''VideoGame/VandalHearts'' also has a train battle level. The villains start releasing the back cars (very slowly) after a while, so any of your characters that are lagging behind may find themselves ejected from the battle prematurely.
347%%* Stage 7-1 in ''VideoGame/ViceProjectDoom''.
348* The battle against Janus and crew in the Prologue of ''VideoGame/WildArms3''.
349%%* The Armored Train level in ''VideoGame/WildGuns''.
350* The Grimrail Depot in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft: Warlords of Draenor'' involves sneaking aboard the eponymous CoolTrain, defeating the crew, and rigging it to derail in a highly explosive manner. The first half of the train is enclosed, but starting with the second boss, it opens up into a series of flatbed artillery cars for the remainder of the instance.
351* ''VideoGame/YokaiHunterShintaro'' have a stage called Doomed Train that inevitably leads to the top of said train, with you fighting skeletons and flying {{yokai}} left and right. Leading to a fight with the stage's boss, a Sōgenbi who tries using fireballs to knock you off the train to your death.
352[[/folder]]
353
354[[folder:Web Animation]]
355* ''[[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/501313 The Ballad of Cripple Kane]]'' starts out with of course, a saloon brawl, a horse chase, but it ends up on a ''train''. Oh wait, you knew that, reading the trope and all. It's still '''''awesome!'''''
356* This happens in an episode of ''WebAnimation/DrHavocsDiary''. Of course, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome reality ensues]]:
357-->'''Dr. Havoc:''' ''[to Brock]'' Well, well, well, what do we have-- ''[the train bumps a bit]'' Woah! [[LampshadeHanging This is really fucking dangerous.]]
358* ''WebAnimation/DSBTInsaniT'': Happens with Bill and Kayla versus their Darkness counterparts in [='VRcade'=].
359* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
360** In "Black", Blake and Adam battle security robots both in and on a train.
361** In "No Brakes", the heroes battle White Fang mooks and mechas on a train inside a Grimm infested underground tunnel.
362** ''Argus Limited'' begins on one of these, as the team needs to fend off plenty of Grimm attracted to their [[MacGuffin Relic of Knowledge]].
363[[/folder]]
364
365[[folder:Web Original]]
366* ''Website/TheOnion'': [[http://www.theonion.com/audio/fight-on-top-of-moving-train-not-looking-good-for--13929 Fight on Top of Moving Train Not Looking Good for Area Villain]]
367* ''Literature/ReconstructionSeries'' has one between the hero, Isaac Benjamin, and Elijah Carpenter. Of course, Carpenter spends most of it waiting for Isaac to [[PinkertonDetective get the hint]].
368[[/folder]]
369
370[[folder:Western Animation]]
371* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Finn and the creepy conductor have one in "[[Recap/AdventureTimeS2E19MysteryTrain Mystery Train]]".
372* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': In "[[Recap/AmphibiaS1E36CombatCamp Combat Camp]]", one occurs between Anne and Tritonio at the episode's climax, as Anne tries to stop him from getting away in the train heist.
373* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'':
374** The episode "The Limited" has ISIS escorting a radical Nova Scotian separatist back across the Canadian border via train. Archer keeps talking about how it's been, like, his life-long dream to fight on top of a train. And in the show's [[DeconstructiveParody semi-deconstructive]] spirit, when the time comes, he finds it's not all it's cracked up to be. Not to mention the protracted discussion about how, unless you've coordinated rescue via a helicopter or something, you're ultimately still ''on the train'', therefore it's a kind of pointless endeavor.
375--->'''Archer:''' Oh my God. This is going to be aaAH SHIT! ''[gun gets ripped out of his hands by the wind]'' Aah! The dust! It's like being shot in the eyes by a... glitter gun!
376** Invoked in the episode "The Big Con", where the final event in the Agent Skills Competition is to take over a train -- simulated on stage.
377* ''WesternAnimation/BooBoomTheLongWayHome'': The series finale takes place on top of a moving train, with Jack, Aurelia and even [[LovableCoward Christopher]] attacking 4 German soldiers in order to give Boo-Boom and Viola more time to unhook the carriages.
378* ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'': The episode "The Chasing Paper Caper" climaxes with Carmen tracking down Paper Star onto a train. During the resulting fight, she leads Paper Star onto the roof of the train, where the high-speed winds blow away all her [[ImprobableWeaponUser paper weapons]].
379* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'': In "Planet of the Toilets", Danger Mouse battles Doctor Loo-cifer atop a bullet train in Japan.
380%%* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' had this happen during the season 1 finale.
381%%* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'': Happens in "Back to the Klondike".
382* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
383** In one fantasy sequence, Stewie has an ImagineSpot about a fist and knife fight with someone on top of a moving 19th century train over a MacGuffin.
384** Also happens quite regularly when Peter takes on Ernie the Chicken.
385* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'': In "Next Stop: Armageddon", Fillmore chases the perp of the week across the roof of a miniature train.
386* In the ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeRenegades'' episode "Homecoming, part 2", Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow fight on top of the train, while TheBaroness takes out soldiers within the train.
387%%* Done twice in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''.
388* In the final season of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the Krew has a battle on a moving train in order to rescue Prince Wu.
389* The end of the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Hare Trigger" has WesternAnimation/BugsBunny and WesternAnimation/YosemiteSam having a scuffle on top of a train.
390* ''WesternAnimation/{{Motorcity}}'': Mike Chilton and the Burners have one against "Red" in "Like Father, Like Daughter"
391* This is how Rainbow Dash of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' first meets Little Strongheart in the episode "Over a Barrel", during a chase on top of the train that the main characters were riding.
392* ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'': "[[Recap/ThePatrickStarShowS1E22DadsStacheStashARootGaloot Dad's Stache Stash]]" ends with Patrick and Cecil fighting each other on top of a runaway train, with Patrick (who has been turned evil by a DastardlyWhiplash mustache) wanting it to run over his family and audience, and Cecil trying to stop it.
393* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Lampshaded in the episode "Sidetracked". Dr. Doofenshmirtz is being chased on a train by Perry and a Canadian agent when he has the idea to go to the top of the train. At which point he [[AsideComment turns to the audience]] with a grin and says "You knew we were going to end up here eventually."
394* The ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' episode "High Code" features an epic train battle between Bob and the insectoid creature Lens the Reaper inside a Wild West computer game.
395* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'', Jack fights two bounty hunters (one a {{Cowboy}} and the other a saloon-girl FemmeFatale) on top of a train.
396* ''WesternAnimation/SonicPrime'': Sonic and Nine start out on the wrong foot, leading to Nine chasing the Blue Blur all over the New Yoke City subway. It ends when Nine slips and falls off a train into the path of an oncoming one, prompting Sonic to save him and prove he means no harm.
397* In the third episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan'', Spidey fights The Lizard on top of a moving subway.
398* ''WesternAnimation/StretchArmstrongAndTheFlexFighters'': In "Ninja and the Ghost", Stretch and Blindstrike engage in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK4MwPVQ5dI this]] after Blindstrike's commander, Dr. C, discovers Stretch stalking her onto a train.
399%%* ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'': Taz, Wendal and Thickley at the end of "To Catch a Taz".
400%%* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' loves this trope, with many fight scenes taking place on the tops of speeding trucks.
401* In ''[[WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Total Drama World Tour]]'', Alejandro and Heather have a literal train top battle, with the [[EvilVersusEvil two villains struggling to get ahead in the race, whilst attempting to sabotage one another]].
402* This was also done in ''[[WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015 Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]'' episode Railroad Rage. Here, the primary Autobots had to prevent the Stunticons from attempting to rob a train of its power core.
403* Done in ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' S4 episode 13, Aisha, Nabu and Sky fight Ogron, the leader of the Black Circle on top of a moving train. It quickly becomes just a fight between Ogron and Sky when Nabu is knocked off the train and Aisha had to catch him before he hit the ground.
404* ''WesternAnimation/{{Young Justice|2010}}'': In "Performance", the heroes first encounter the episode's villain while on a train. Naturally, they all end up on the roof of the carriages.
405[[/folder]]

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