Train watching: Why do we do it?

[steve-in-kville]

Early morning, when its still dark, but it is starting to glow a bit in the east, is the best train watching. BTW- is it normal for stray cats to hang around tracks? Or is it just my area?

[steve-in-kville]

I usually do my watching early. The weather/air quality determines how far away I can hear train make grade crossings. Now maybe its my imagination, but does a tracks seem to hum somehow when a train gets closer?

[Overmod]

steve-in-kville

... do tracks seem to hum somehow when a train gets closer?

In my experience, sometimes they do, but if you can hear it you're probably too close to the track and the train is probably close to you.

I remember there being more 'hum' back in the bad old days when track maintenance was lower and wheels were less frequently turned, so more energy was available to 'ring' the rails.  Now the hum can be clearly heard during the passage of some heavy trains, perhaps more pronounced on Pandrol-equipped track, but it is not something giving more than a few seconds of reliable warning in advance of visible sighting of a train in most cases.

[NDG]

FYI.

 

When at different places, I try and spot the location the Slack goes from Stretched to Bunched when there is a DPU on the rear Pushing.

 

Thank You.