So...Why do we like railways?

[Broken Viking]

Hail All!
I was just wondering - Mainly out of curiosity more than anything else - As to what draws all of us towards railways and being railway enthusiasts? 8)
Now I'll hazard a guess that one of the main reasons is simply because we may just like trains for what they are...But I'd also imagine that everyone has their own sub-reason(s) for being a "Railhead", and I'm just curious as to what those reasons may be.

For me personally, here's why I like railways and consider myself to be a railway enthusiast:

• Trains (Especially maglevs) are much faster than any other form of land-based transport,
  .
• They are environmentally friendly...Indeed, electric trains are themselves completely emission free (When not considering the emmisions produced in generating the electricity that they use) And Diesel trains - Despite their larger engines and greater mass - Actually manage to achieve much greater fuel-economies than I could ever get out of my 2.0L Peugeot with maximum coasting and very frugal usage!
  .
• High-speed trains feel faster than aircraft due to their proximity to the ground...Especially true on the lower level of double-deck trains,
  .
• Trains go unfeasibly fast for something of their size and weight, and have a greater amount of power in them than most other types of vehicle,
  .
• Railways - IMO - Have the potential to go at speeds that would make air travel completely outdated and obsolete...We havn't even begun to explore the maximum potential speeds of rail travel yet, although I'm hoping that - Someday - I may be able to help bring about a solution to that problem...
  .
• Some of the older freight locomotives - The BR 9F especially - Are true artworks of engineering, and even the most profound technical innovations made in cars seem nought by comparison.
  .
• Finally - And please don't admonish me for this - But I find that railways also have the greatest potential for Gore en-masse. Though I am fairly aware of the emotional and psychological effects of railway suicides on all of those involved, IMO there is little more satisfying then the sight of a much detested individual - Such as George Bush or Gary Glitter - Being hit full-on by a 370 going at over 550mph¹...
  (Though in any such instance, I'd rather that I was the one driving the train at the time of the incident, and preferably the only one who has to put-up with the horrors of witnessing and dealing with such an event and the resulting clean-up job. )

So...What are thy particular reasons for liking railways, and are there any railway-related dreams that ye someday hope to make a reality? 8)

Farewell...
>> Death <<

¹ - Personally, I have no respect or care for those who choose to commit suicide on the railway as they fail to consider those who will have to deal with the resulting mess. If I was driving a service and someone clearly deliberately threw themselves onto the line in front of me, then I'd be inclined to accellerate and hit their worthless corpse as fast and in as horrific a manner as I could.

 

[mrcheek]

because when I was a child, I suffered from travel sickness if I went anywhere by car, bus or coach. when i discovered that this didnt apply on trains, I obviously fell in love with rail travel.

also, as with many things, I take after my father, but with a slight difference. he loves steam railways. personally, I have no love for kettles, but love railways in general.

 

[466.networkers]

Only reason I am a train enthusiast is MSTS/BVE and the fact I travel a lot of the time on a train.

That's about it really.

 

[P156KWJ]

probably the fact I've lived next to a line for 15 years of my life!

 

[rail-britain]

Originally I enjoyed the railway as you could travel much further and easier than bus
For longer distances I preferred coach travel, as it was vastly cheaper
I then became a car driver and owner, and found my journey times almost halved in some cases

However, I still use rail transport where it is helpful to hold meetings while travelling (which is almost impossible while driving), to relax to or from work, and to save money on driving and parking costs

 

[Darandio]

Pretty sure I have answered a similar question before but my main reason is my dad who was a trackwalker for 42 years.
With him getting free travel and the constant days out it inevitably became my interest.

 

[me123]

Contrary to a lot of people, I think it's because going on a train was not that common for me as a child. As a result, it turned into a bit of an event. I only began a real interes, however, about 4 years ago, when I simply wanted to learn a bit more about the trains I had to endure for years (the 320s) and to convince myself that the railways were better than that. Thankfully, I then discovered that other trains exist

Sadly, I don't therefore remember the 303s as class 303s or "blue trains", but I can remember them and even as a kid I always preferred them :?

 

[EE Type 3]

Living in a house for 16 years with 20s, 24s, 25s, 37s, and everything else screaming past.

Plus my dad taking me out on bashes on 37/4s up the coast

Got me right hooked

 

[Crompton Karl]

For me being the son of a Train driver it was in my blood you could say.

Karl

 

[D306]

because my dad wanted to watch thomas the tank engine again, and watching that, i became a rail enthusiast

 

[yorkie]

Living next to the Chiltern line until I was about 5 and being taken to a bridge to see trains go by but I don't particularly recall the traction. I became particularly interested in 87s/86s on the nearby WCML but never got the chance to go on them when I was a kid (something I went out of my way to do in 04/05 before the Pendos completely took over). HSTs were my favourite train from the age of 2 or 3 and I was fortunate to get them on trips to see relatives in the South West, and also I was taken to stations such as St Pancras (where my Dad used to work) to see them, part of what makes them special is the sound so MTUs will never be the same for me.

 

[support-uk-rail]

I've always liked transport.

Merchant shipping, railways and aviation are at the top of the list, of course, and my Transport Hobby seems to revolve around these every month!

When my dad left the Royal Navy as an engineer, he became a senior design signalling engineer, giving him PRIV Pass entitlement. This enabled, as a young child, and still today, long distance travel always possible by train. I got a train set, and gradually became interest in the livery changes on trains (most notably in the Anglia region, with annual trips to Felixstowe, and the brand changing every year!).

Ok... and a bit of Thom the Tank!

And it's in my blood on the other side, my great grandfather wrote two (or one) books about steam (even though kettles interest me not one bit)....

 

[Phoenix]

Because as a small child just the sheer sound and sight of a train speeding past me just caught my attention and impressed me more than anything else.
Plus you can't see the world any better than on a train.

 

[support-uk-rail]

Because as a small child just the sheer sound and sight of a train speeding past me just caught my attention and impressed me more than anything else.
Plus you can't see the world any better than on a train.

Maybe if we could fly

 

[adamp]

I have no idea what draws me to them. I used to go on them with my uncle at a very early age. Then couldnt care less until last year. I feel 'at home' around and in trains dont know why though. They relax me, just cruising on them at speeds over 90mph and watching everything go past me through a window. Maybe I was born with the disease and now its decided to show itself

 

[class 313]

Unlike many of you I haven't liked trains all my life. I have always enjoyed going by train down to the Kent Coast but didn't know anything about them and didn't take much notice of the slammers. It wasn't till 2005(ish) that I started searching around and looking into railways more, I then started taking photos around mid 2006 when a 150 was doing the St Albans Abbey shuttles. Since then I have gone to further and more destinations and since the start my photography as improved somewhat.

 

[RJ]

Personally I like trains primarily for the sound of a 20/37/40/56 storming by on full chat. I'm getting a bit bored of hanging around platform ends and deserted fields don't really appeal to me, but I do like taking videos nowadays. There's always plenty to talk about with others with similar motives and those people also keep me interested.

It was also a form of escapism and allows me time to ponder over various things, although I've taken to doing that whilst whimsically riding on buses on and more recently night buses around London with my free Oystercard, seen some 'interesting' things to say the least, a real eye opener hock:.

 

[JoshW1992]

I have always been attracted to steam, as there is something special about it.

When I was little, we lived in Hythe, Kent, where the world famous Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is based. My mum used to take me to the station to watch the locos turning round on the turntable, then departing. I used to love it.
I then started to develop my interest by visiting other railways, and now, at the age of 15, I am a volunteer on the RH&DR and EKR.
I travel around the UK photographing and riding different trains, visiting preserved railways and working on the RHDR and EKR.