What's up with trains?

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There was a brief period of time when I was reading the Dark Tower series by Stephen King where I was obsessed with Blaine the Mono (though no other trains, and mostly because he liked riddles and so did I, not because he was a train), does that count? If not, then I am once again in what seems to be the minority, an Aspie who has never had the slightest interest in trains of any kind or in any other forms of transportation. My thing when I was younger was insects and other arthropods, and also reading any scary story I could get my hands on.

Airplanes are more my thing.

please note: I was never all that interested in the facts about trains, but I love the look and the feel.

Best things about Trains:

The tracks
something about how they follow a track is so satisfying.

The way the cars couple together
similar to the tracks, the modular nature of the train is very satisfying

Tunnels
What is better than going through a tunnel in a train?! It's so exciting but also relaxing. Both from inside the train and from outside with a model train

The mechanics of a steam train, including:
The chugga chugga sound of a train starting up and when it's running well.
The whistle, which for some reason I think of as a 'satisfied' sound from a train that has achieved full speed. Even if that's not what it really is.
That arm that connects the wheels and bobs up and down as it runs. I love that arm!
Also the smoke belching out the top. This is definitely a thing I like in abstract as I would not enjoy being close to it.

In general most things I like about trains I like in the abstract or miniature. I actually find them kind of scary in person. They're so big and loud!! My dad is super into trains so I saw a lot of them, and I remember mostly that they are loud, hot and smelly.

But I really love riding commuter trains. I love that I don't have to drive and I can watch the world go by. I love the train!!

The arms that couple the wheels are called conrods (Abbreviated from onnecting rods), though you may also see piston rods and the various valve gear rods (Usually walschaerts valvegear).
Also seen on the drive wheels are counter balancing weights etc.

I love model railways and real ones... But the model railways are my prefered area of my interest. I have been informed when I was posting on this site that it is my special interest and I can't deny that! Haha!