what is it with trains anyway?

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

Did you ever wonder why we become fascinated with trains?  I have always been interested, and I thought it was due to my grandparents and growing up in lawrenceburg, but really , what is it? They have made there way into countless country songs, a few hymns, I just downloaded some relaxing sounds on my fancy schmancy cell phone and train sounds were on there.  And who could forget that trains are second only to mamma in David Allen Coes' list of necessary mentions to create the perfect country and western song.  Is it the size, the sounds, the smells, or all the above?  Boxcar Willie made a living singing about trains and brave men found in the wreck with their hand on the throttle.  thanks to some unknown factor this was my goal as a child to be an engineer, and now that I am I wouldnt want to do anything else.  what do you think.  

[Backyard]

  I think the biggest draw of admiration has always been the Locomotive.

My core interest is the Diesel engine, therefore the Diesel-electric locomotive...so much that I find I have become intimidated by the November 2009 edition of Trains Magazine, that features a futuristic Union Pacific coal train pulled by an electric locomotive on the front & articles about the possibility of conversion to electric locomotive power.

I compare my interest to that of NASCAR fans, a power thing, over a 1000hp V-8 that can never see the highway because it's purpose-built for what it does.

Ultimately I have arrive at my "game" using Auran Trainz Railroad Simulator.

[steveiez]

       

         I heard once that trains are the second most photographed subject other than women. I think that is probably true.

[blacksheep]

what a question. years ago when the railroad came to the mountains of east tenn. they brought jobs to people who never had a job. this gave the folks money to spend on things they never had befor so trins brought in new things to these poor folks. also, the passenger trains gave them a chance to go places without having to look at a horses butt. going down to watch a train come in was something to do, got to see who's commin' and goin'.

lot's of people like the power side of them. steam, diesel, and even those electric things can make you feel like something is goin' on when they come by.

thoughts of far away places can make you stop and think too. seeing  SANTA FA ALL THE WAY or SOUTHERN GIVES A GRREN LIGHT TO INOVATIONS  kinda makes you feel like your seeing stuff from around the world (or something from the past).

i don't know what it is but i still go down to the C.P. down the road and watch them go by. when amtrak 19 is a little late they meet the 20 there. think of all those folks and where they're goin. locos and freight cars from far away places helps you relate to those places. when someone asks if  i've been to washington state i will say no but i've seen a B.N. loco.