What do you love most about railroads? Why?

[ValleyX]

Wail on that horn from one end of town to another to make people mad? Nah, it's for the people I don't want to run over.

Why like trains? Don't know exactly, been interested in them literally from the time I can remember, must be the massiveness, the sound, the power, the smell of creosote in the morning, the way some of those old Geeps smelled in the cab when you first walked in the door, the rolling dust cloud a coal train becomes, the rolling blizzard a train at speed becomes when the snow is freshly fallen, the sight of a far-off headlight reflecting off the rail. Nah, I don't know why, exactly.

[Anonymous]

I swear I HATE bike trails. Just seeing the old MP line and the RI line with trails on the old road bed Realy hurts to see them like this.I love Trains & Railroads but most of all I Hate Railroad Abandonments.[:(][V] Yes it IS a fact of life but never had a chance to the see the good things from the past just hurts.

[ajmiller]

Finding a track in the middle of nowhere, wondering where it goes.

Seeing an oddly level grade running along a tree line through a farm field or along a creeek or mountian side and wondering when the last train ran, when the tracks were taken up, what industries it used to serve, why it was abandoned and if it will ever be made into a bike path.

[espeefoamer]

I like seeing the different types of motive power,even though there isn't nearly the variety there was in the early to mid70s.I especially like the roads tht ran a wide variety of units.Southern Pacific, PRR ,New Haven, and Rock Island fall in this category.I once saw a train on the SP that had 7 units,and each engine was a different model[:)].I also enjoy taking long trips on trains.One of the best parts is eating in the diner.I have met and talked with a lot of interesting people this way[:)].

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rvos1979

Being in control of many thousands of horsepower, with tonnage behind you, and knowing it's all at arm's reach.

Knowing that our forefathers pushed these rail lines over empty land with only hand tools, using animal power.

The people, the scenery (nature and human), the trackwork, the technology in today's world.

Oh yeah, the money isn't bad, either.[:-^]

Randy Vos
WSOR engineer

yea..the power trip is a rush!!! lol
csx engineer

[rvos1979]

Being in control of many thousands of horsepower, with tonnage behind you, and knowing it's all at arm's reach.

Knowing that our forefathers pushed these rail lines over empty land with only hand tools, using animal power.

The people, the scenery (nature and human), the trackwork, the technology in today's world.

Oh yeah, the money isn't bad, either.[:-^]

Randy Vos
WSOR engineer

[Anonymous]

The trains.

Picture this: seven 2-10-2's (two on the head end, two shoving, and three cut in the middle) blasting up Cajon Pass with 112 cars of time-sensitive freight. Sure, I'll never see it, but just the pictures are amazing.

The other factor is the dining car. Eating dinner on a train is one of the most unique experiences one can have, even if the food isn't any good [:)].

See you around the forums,
Daniel Parks

[Anonymous]

Or when Engineers wail on their train horn from one end of town to the other side just to realy **** off the people in the middle of the night!(And they know who they are too)UP!

[Willy2]

I like about everything about railroads. I like the trains and the noise and the power that the engines put out. I like the engineers and conductors who wave, and the all other railroad crew.

[jeaton]

csx engineer- OK, if the company isn't going to do anything about the friendly babe thing, then I guess it is fair to take the bucks.

Jay

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton

csx engineer-Don't pull our leg, it's really the hot babes waving at the passing train. LOL

Jay

I actually like the "business" aspect best, but I'll take a train ride, and I will talk to railroad people anytime.

hot babes waving at passing trains....ahahahahahhahahahahahahahaha ahahahah ahahahah ahahahaha ahahaha.... now that is a good one... i see hot babes..but they are hardly ever waving anything but a middle finger....if they arent on a cell phone ..probly bitching to thier husband or girlfriends that they are going to be late becouse they are delayed by my train!!! heheheheheheh....... but once in a great while ill see a fine honey...and she will actual wave with all her figners on her hand..not just the middle one.....
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

I was always attracted to the culture of railroading. The big family tied together by steel and the Credit Union. I liked the individual personalities of the different railroads as expressed in rules, signals, passenger trains, dining car cuisine, trainmen's uniforms and badges, timetables, graphics, and their wills to operate. But the people made the whole picture. Trainmen and enginemen were the first older people to tell us off-color jokes just to see our reactions. They treated us like grandparents, ready to tell us things, hang out with them, and even let us ride with them. In high school a conductor on my evening suburban train on the IC would drive all of us home to make sure we got there safe. Sometimes he let me run the doors and give the highball at station stops. Of course once I went to work on passenger trains there were the girls. It caused marriage. Twice. My 2 children are a direct result of liking the South Shore Line, among other things.
Mitch

[CSXrules4eva]

Ok I love the Locomotives, Diesel Power!!!! To me it's a real thrill to be in control of a machine so powerful, pulling heavy tonage up a steep grade. I guess this is one of the main reasons why I want to be a locomotive engineer. Just the sound, smell, and sight of big power gets me excited. I also like various kinds of excivation and construction equipment because of it's power and size too. Basicly I like big machines.

[Anonymous]

The Money.....
Typical!

[jeaton]

csx engineer-Don't pull our leg, it's really the hot babes waving at the passing train. LOL

Jay

I actually like the "business" aspect best, but I'll take a train ride, and I will talk to railroad people anytime.

[csxengineer98]

the money....
csx engineer

[Anonymous]

The sites,the sounds,the smell,and most of the Power!

[JoeKoh]

Mostly watching the freight come from diffrent parts of the country.and we always wave to the crews.
stay safe
Joe and Matt

[Anonymous]

My dad is the reason I like to watch trains. Many years ago, we would go to the station to watch trains. This was our entertainment before TV was common and it was fun to see the trains, the station agents, the tower operator, the coaling station operators, and the passengers at the station. I really enjoyed visiting the round house as dad knew the people there and we always got to get on engines and ride in the yard.

I still have some items that were given to me by the shop people just because I was a kid and enjoyed the engines they were so proud of. Once when I called a 2700 class 2-10-2 a Santa Fe type, he reminded me that on the Illinois Central, they were called Centrals. They were very pround of their engines and would share stories and rides in the yards just because you were interested. Most of the engines were wiped and cleaned before they left the terminal, unlike the situation we have today.

It all sounds so great, but when I shoot pictures on Doner or at the loop or any of the major grades and watch three or four 4000 plus horsepower diesels pull a train up the grade, I realize it is just as exciting as ever and I just enjoy trains.

[MP57313]

Don't know why. Lived near the D&H in upstate New York as a kid, folks bought a Lionel set for me, and have had an interest in railroads ever since (more interested in the 12"=1' scale and not so much toys or models).

Most interested in the operations...what trains go where, how often; where trains used to run, customers along the route, bridges...and this forum has a lot of good posts to read

[Anonymous]

The people, the physical plant, the scenery through which railroads run, the operations, the equipment, the battles against gravity and nature, the variety in operations (locals, intermodal, etc.), the occasional cab ride.

What sums up most of this -- the sheer thrill of having a heavy BNSF freight blast past at 60 mph at Home Valley at dusk on the old SP&S.

[Anonymous]

i'd have to agree with Modelcar. how the old timers laid out a railroad with nothing but shovels and mules back in the day....no technology like there is today...just blows my mind.

[cpbloom]

The Trains and also the fact that they run 24/7/365.

[BaltACD]

My paycheck!

If you have to ask, you won't understand!

[Anonymous]

The fact that it runs 24/7/365....

There's always a train running somewhere out there.

[Modelcar]

....I like all parts of railroading....but especially I like the civil engineering part of it. The physical plant as it makes it's way across the landscape. Especially in mountainous country...how the locating team found a way to get the route over obstacales and still using decent and moderate grades. There is a NS TV add running in our area now with the camera moving down several miles of track at a speeded up sequence and it really amplifies the beauty of the RoW layout with the long tangents and gentle curves, etc....

[Anonymous]

The Trains

[Anonymous]

Can I say all of the above. Put me down for that and more...

LC

[Randy Stahl]

I'll second that ! The people I've worked with over the years have kept me interested. some of my best and most loyal friends, I salute you !!
Randy