Why Are Trains So Fascinating?

Question

i just was wondering

Answer 1

haha, good question, not an easy answer though.

I have been railroading since long before you were born and even though I am around them every day, I still find the whole thing quite interesting.

I can't take a drive without looking at railroad tracks or trains and noticing things about them.

Thjey say it "gets in your blood" and I guess to a certain extent I would have to say this is true.

Answer 2

They were even more fascinating when they still had cabooses.  There is just something about them, isn't there?  Trains have played such a fascinating role in our history, too.  My grandfather used to engineer the largest steam locomotive ever built, taking it over the continental divide in the Rocky Mountains.  Amazing stuff.

Answer 3

they're not!

Answer 4

It's just the way it moves, and its on a track, and the sound, and idk. i'm 13 and love them and don't know why.  its one of those things that are hard  to explain why they are liked.  i like steam any day over diesel though.

Answer 5

It's mainly about the history of railways and the many different kinds of locomotives, rolling stock, etc., that worked on them.

Edit:

In the UK and elsewhere much of the surging interest in trains has been due to the marketing of Thomas the Tank Engine through the Heritage Railway movement.

Very young children are attracted to Thomas because he is such an appealing character. He is actually based on a real engine, as are all the 'Thomas' characters. Some Thomas fans get 'bitten by the bug' and go on to be enthusiasts in adult life.

Looking back I remember being fascinated by trains all my life, long before I knew anthing about their history or how they worked I enjoyed watching them, playing with toy trains, etc.

Answer 6

I think it's baecause they represent so much to so many. When I was a kid growing up I would wait for hours by the tracks hoping for a train to come by...

First the block signals would change, then I would see a distant headlight and the horn blowing a long ways off. The anticipation would build as I would wonder if it was a freight or passenger train, how many and waht type of locomotives it had and how many cars and what types.

As it got closer, I would snap a few pics with a cheap Kodak camara and then wave to the engineer (It always made my day when he waved back, as he usually did!) and then the thrill of seeing and hearing a steel monster growl and roll by on its way to points unkown. I would watch and count, first the locomotives and then the cars and I would wait for the caboose... the train would continue to roll down the tracks, the sound getting dimmer, the blowing of the horn fading out, finally the caboose would disapeer in the distance as the block signals changed a few minutes later to yellow and then to green.

All would be quiet and still untill the next glimmer of hope and expectation would appear over the horizon for a kid that longed to travel and see the world...

I enjoyed watching planes take off and land at the airport, seeing ships at the dock, and taking trips by car. But nothing could compare to a train. Nowadays, I consider myself a part-time railfan. I will always hold a special place for trains and railroading.

Model railroading and toy trains are also a special hobby that is closely related to being a railfan as many railfans also want to recreate what they see and love in real life.

Answer 7

Elwood's answer makes sense, but it's wrong.  Here's why - 2 and 3 year old kids are train crazy, even if they're never actually seen a train. They certainly don't care about history.  They will go nuts over toy trains, and become devoted fans for a long long time, even if they never see a real train up close, ever.  I've seen 'em do it.  They may stay primarily interested in trains as a hobby for 7, 8, 9 years.  Then there are just a few of us who never get over it.

Part of it, I believe, is the way trains move.  It has to be something simple, or else 2 year olds wouldn't get it.