Everyone should sleep within the distant earshot of the railway. Nothing is as pleasingly poetic, or romantic, than to hear the sounds of trains in the distance. I’m not saying you need to see the railway, or feel the trains thundering by….
The sound of the train passing, is a subconscious reminder of the rocking movement of train travel. It’s a jolly useful way to get to sleep. I’ve already posted about the “dreaminess” of train travel – it’s no wonder that a gentle train whistle in the distance helps for a good night’s sleep.
The railway whistle is a staple of American popular culture. The vast landscape and the isolation of rural lives could easily make people feel dizzy. In fact, it can drive you mad! In the days before the telegraph and the internet, the railway whistle was a reminder of the world beyond the immediate horizon…and of the great system whirring away.
Train whistles often feature in the prison songs of Johnny Cash…as a reminder of the “outside.”
Now you can listen to these whistles on the internet. They’re big sounds and brilliant too. Go on! You know you want to…
And, Hornby have launched a digital sound system for their models.