I don’t want to pester too much but I’d love if you could share some resources for a beginner train enthusiast. I’m talking how they work, different models and designs, maybe some global railroad history. Like if someone asked you: “Hey, I want to learn about trains,” what would be the first thing you’d recommend them to read or watch? (Real trains, not models)
BIG PICTURE: Most people with a desire to know about trains want to know:
-What kind of trains am I seeing near me, or what trains have I seen in my life?
-How do locomotives work?
-History of railroad lines & systems
-How to identify types of trains? (locomotives & rolling stock)
Youtube is probably the most fun way to learn about trains, big exciting videos with (hopefully) lush visuals to kindle interest at any age and comprehension level. Here's some of my favorite channels/videos to help you learn efficiently and potentially grow what'll definitely be a lifelong passion.
Part 1: How DO trains work?
The best videos I've seen are actually fairly recent, Animgrafs has produced (at least) two factually correct and excellent videos, covering how modern diesel-electric locomotives and old steam locomotives work.
Diesel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQ0yIZgQeE
A diesel locomotive is a fascinating machine that uses an on board diesel engine of between 5,000-15,000 cubic inch displacement (An average pickup truck has ~350 cubic inches) driving a generator which provides 2 megawatts of power to giant electric traction motors mounted on most, if not all wheels directly.
Steam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hszu80NJ438
This unbelievably charming 1940's industry film covers the fundamentals, but all done with stunningly gorgeous hand-drawn animation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrqCyAg44gk
Steam Locomotives use fuel (wood, coal, and later on, a type of thick crude oil known as "Bunker C") either shoveled or pumped into a firebox which is like an oven. Surrounding the oven is a jacket of water, which eventually boils, making steam which collects in a dome above the water jacket. Steam is fed through a pipe to the cylinders on either side of the engine, which drive the wheels.
Electric
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJbUI2D3rLY
Electric locomotives work similar to Diesels, except the power plant isn't on board the locomotive, it's a stationary structure with either overhead wires (known as catenary) or some form of electrified 3rd rail alongside. Electric locomotives usually only have an electrical collection device (either a pantograph, third rail shoe, or trolley pole) and traction motors on the wheels. No on board electrical generator.
Part 2: Finding your area of interest.
Finding out what KINDS of trains you like is a lifelong journey, but there's lots of fun ways to learn about them. One great resource for North American trains is this channel:
FMnut (his name references his enthusiasm for Fairbanks-Morse diesel locomotives made in the 1940s-50s.) covers a WIDE variety of well shot vintage and modern train subjects from rare color footage of steam engines from the 1940's forward into the diesel era of the 1950s and beyond. Lots of rare and unusual delights await. Just click on any random one that looks good, sit back and chill.
Part 3: How does a railroad, its people, and the equipment function?
Well Hyce has you covered with this engrossing playlist covering a (growing) variety of real railroad topics. Everything from what a Caboose is to how to airbrakes work or why did railroads employees wear denim bib overalls?
Periscope films has an incredible variety of vintage industrial films both about how railroads work, but also their history, and what they thought the future of railroading might look like in every decade from the 1930's forward. (check the 175+ film playlist at the right of this video link)
Watching vintage industrial films is a GREAT way to learn about railroads, as older media on the topic came from a place of institutional knowledge of real people in the industry versus some guy looking things up on wikipedia and badly paraphrasing it.
If you want to know more about British Railways, and especially London's transport network, I highly recommend Jago Hazzard. His witty videos cover topics I never thought would be fascinating, but they really are!
If you want to see and explore the impossibly deep world of railways abroad, Blackthorne57 has traveled to almost every corner of earth to film various railroads' operations. Of particular note are his adventures to Ethiopia/Eritrea, China, and South America.
This list as it is probably is overhwelming, to say the least. This will definitely get you sucked in to the endlessly deep, absolutely incredible and fascinating world of trains. Beyond this, there's entire worlds of transit system youtube, historic railroad museum youtube, and other stuff.
I may add/amend to this list, so this current version (1) was written on Feb 23, 2024. IF I update this, I'll note below this sentence what I've added in and when.
I hope this brings all who see this post joy and I personally welcome you to the world of trains!
