Railin'

Ever since I was a little kid, I have had a fascination with steam engines. This, of course, goes back to my love of "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" (which is the proper title. Thomas & Friends is for the newer generation who can get off my lawn at any time). But it's interesting that my love of the series (which still exists, although as an adult I look at it from a humor and story point instead of gawking at steam engines who can talk) has grown further.

When my family went to London, my major goal was to ride a steam train. Unfortunately, I did not accomplish that, but I did ride on British rail through the countryside to Stonehenge so that was alright, I guess. I was still disappointed that I didn't get to do it, but maybe someday.

What is it about steam engines that fascinates me? The Reverend Wilbert Awdry, who wrote the stories that would lead to the Thomas series said that as a boy he used to hear the engines from his window and the sounds they made felt to him like they were talking saying "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it"etc. I think that's part of it and it ties into something else. Steam engines look alive as compared to other forms of transportation. They exhale smoke and steam, like breathing. They chuff in a rhythmic style, just like walking. They whistle, just like talking. Some to say hello and some to say goodbye.

Beyond that, riding the rails is very romantic, not in a lovey kind of way, but in a soulful kind of way. Think about it. In a plane, all you can see is the sky and the ground below you. That does give freedom, but the detail can't be seen. Driving a car or riding a bus? You can see some detail, but you also see the road and the blacktop. Same with sailing on a boat, you see sights but you also see the water and other boats.

Trains are different. You can see all the different sights and a lot of the time you are alone, in terms of side traffic. It's you, the engine and the views of the world. That's the romance of it.

I really like trains but there is one time that I love them and the Thomas series most of all. But, as they say, "that's another story".