Trains going by

[BeignetPommes]

I live right next to a railway line. There are many freight and passenger trains go by at 20 minute intervals. Passenger trains only during the day, but freight trains throughout the night. I was fully aware, when we bought the house, that there would be trains going by day and night.

But I really love hearing the trains going by. They never wake me up if I'm asleep.
But if I'm having a wakeful night they are very lulling. The tickety boo is more
likely to make me sleep than wake me up. I just think of the driver who is taking freight from the east to the west coast or something. He's awake. So am I.
When I hear a freight train going by at 3am I feel like somebody else is also awake. I don't sleep well generally but I sometimes wish I was sitting next to the driver and going somewhere..

I used to live with the West Coast mainline at the end of my (short) garden. I know what you mean! Once I got over the shock of everything vibrating a bit the first night I never found them an issue and actually quite enjoyed them!

We had a branch line at the bottom of a garden of one of our old houses. I loved hearing the trains. Apart from that one time at 3am when some sort of incredibly heavy, incredibly slow train went past. It took several minutes to pass and our bed was shaking! Loved that house, but not the noisy neighbours.

Yes, it is nice.

Also, very handy for bumping off any stray criminal gangs who rent rooms in your house and pretend to play Boccherini string quartets.

I nearly bought a house with a train line at the end of its long garden. If it had been the right house, that would have been part of my "reason to buy" list.

I like the sound of a freight train at night too. In my case the track is at the far end of 8 football pitches, so depending on the wind the sound can be crystal clear or dreamlike, or come in waves.

It makes me think of a lovely edition of Skimbleshanks the railway cat which DS is too cool for now but I remember every word and picture from when he was in his train phase.

@thatsmetold sounds like a track leveller. They go along very slowly (usually in the small hours) and pick up the pieces of track while another bit levels the gravel and then it gets put down again. Fascinating (but super noisy).

I know exactly what you mean OP. We have a train line about 500m in front of our house. You don’t generally hear the trains during the day as there is so much else going on but I like hearing them in the night. When DS was a tiny baby and I was awake feeding him, I used to find the noise of the train so comforting - reminding me that other people were out there, awake! It feels cosy somehow.

Oh you are my people! I live right next to a railway line, mostly passenger trains but every night at around 12.30am the potash train trundles past with it's twenty or so carriages and when I hear it I know it's time for bed. It makes me so happy. And there's no better sound than a train whistle at night.

@DiscoBeat thank you! We knew it had to have been some sort of maintenance train but it was pre everyone having internet and I’d forgotten about it until this thread.

I love that film! Especially the end where she totters away with all the loot!

we have a branch line not far from the end of our garden. It runs something like 6am-11:45pm Monday to Saturday. Just a passenger line. I love it.

my parents live rurally and they hear six trains a day on the track not far from them. They listen out for them, and always remark on them. It’s sort of like a cuckoo clock, marking time.

I’ve lived near the a13 (and also with the DLR right outside my bedroom window) and would always, always take the sound of any train over the sound of road traffic. But maybe this will be less impactful after vehicles become electric.

We have many a children’s book about trains! As well as skimbleshanks, I give you Bob the railway cat, the cat the mouse and the runaway train, the little red train series and many, many Thomas stories.

I don't live near a railway line anymore, but used to as a child. Sometimes if I can't sleep I listen to train noises on YouTube to help me drift off.

I get you @BeignetPommes I used to live in Northolt in West London near a railway line, and I LOVED the sound, and the rumble of the trains.

I like the sound of a freight train at night too. In my case the track is at the far end of 8 football pitches, so depending on the wind the sound can be crystal clear or dreamlike, or come in waves

Even when you are 200 yards away, the wind can make a huge difference.
Sometimes it sounds like it's in your front garden! If the wind is in the other direction it can sound like the middle distance.

Contrary to how most people might feel about freight trains on their doorstep, it actually helps me sleep better. Funny, isn't it?

Something that the vast majority would find annoying is quite the opposite to others. There must be some psychological explanation I suppose.

I just love the sound of trains going by and it lulls me off to sleep.

If I leave my bedroom window open at night I can hear the trains in the distance. It’s soothing to me too. I love it.

I love trains. There is a house near us that is right next to the line, with bedroom windows angled to see the approaching trains. I’d love it to be mine.

When DS was a tiny baby and I was awake feeding him, I used to find the noise of the train so comforting - reminding me that other people were out there, awake! It feels cosy somehow

Yes. I think that might be a contributory factor. I also fed my babies in the middle of the night to the sound of freight trains. My husband worked away all week so I was alone. The train going by made me feel like I wasn't the only person awake and functioning. So exactly the same as you.

Freight trains that wait in the line?
Do you live in my village 😂😂

@Lifeinlists me too! We could all do with being a bit more Mrs Lopsided.

We lived next to a train line for years when the kids were young. In the summer a steam train goes along it, and it used to stop to take on water near our house. If we were home, the kids would all run out to watch, like railway children.

at around 12.30am the potash train trundles past with it's twenty or so carriages and when I hear it I know it's time for bed. It makes me so happy. And there's no better sound than a train whistle at night

So are you in the US? My knowledge of potash trains is limited.

Where I used to live I could hear the trains and the motorway, the latter sounded almost like water, like a river.

I now live somewhere very quiet and need to wear headphones with something, anything playing because it's too quiet! I'm weird

Freight trains that wait in the line?

Not sure what you mean. They're every 20 minutes.

I completely vetoed a house last year that my DH loved, purely because the train line was at the bottom of the garden… reading this thread I’m kicking myself and even listening to your descriptions is making me feel peaceful!

would always, always take the sound of any train over the sound of road traffic

Yes, it's completely different. Trains are soothing