Why are people fascinated with trains ?

[NZRMac]

Thanks railguyho

That's the way I feel to, but your words expressed it way better than I could.

Ken

[Anonymous]

For me some of my earliest memories of my father center around a great big set of lionel F3"s in the SF warbonnet paint.Seeing the amount of effort he applied to set everything up and watching the horror on his face everytime I got ahold of the throttle.Many years passed before I myself became interested in trains again,now no matter how many times i run my trains ,work on my layout,there is something that allways reminds me of him.Those memories i hold dear, In some ways I guess my love for trains was handed down to me.And I wish I could Thank Him for it today.

[Anonymous]

Well, I think average folk simply is paying as much attention to them as to buildings, sidewalks and traffic lights. Yet there are people who view trains differently.

[csxns]

And they are a lot more people that dont like them.

[orsonroy]

They're big and cool and noisy. My favorites belch lots of smoke.

Mostly, it's a guy thing. We're all about big tools, and you can't usually get bigger than a train (or ship!)

[Anonymous]

I've liked trains all my life (I am 25 now) but started modelling in HO quite recently. And naturally my interests in trains only grew.
Many times I ask myself the same question - what is it about trains that is so attractive ?
Why trains ? Why not airplales, why not trucks, or cars or ships ?
OK, I often find myself staring at big 18-wheelers too, as I am driving, but I would never go "truckspotting" [:D]

Few things I can define and describe that make me want to go trainspotting
1) Sheer power which includes speed, noise, wheel clacking, rail bending.
2) Size - boxcars, flatcars are bigger than your average truck.
3) Contrast and coexistance with nature. I find myself prefering photos and scenes where trains are in the rural area not in industrialized districts.
4) Did I mentioned "Powerfull" [:)]

I am sure there are more reasons which are hard to verbally define.

So I wonder, what makes you (for lack of better expression) like trains ?