Train

The locomotive of a train.

A train was a grouping of vehicles that moved over two rails, transporting passengers or freight. Trains were widely used on Earth during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Trains consisted of a locomotive, which provided the power for trains to move, which was attached to one or more vehicles designed to either carry freight or passengers.

Specifics

When trains were a novel concept, some believed riders would be unable to stand once the train accelerated. (TLE novel: Deny Thy Father)

20th century locomotives were powered by diesel engines. (DS9 novelization: Far Beyond the Stars)

Grain-carrying train cars contained angled bays with doors at the sides and bottoms to facilitate unloading. (DS9 novelization: Trials and Tribble-ations)

Passengers boarded trains at railroad stations. (TOS - Strange New Worlds 8 short story: "Shanghaied")

History

During the 19th and 20th century, the Orient Express^MA ran from Paris, France to Istanbul, Turkey. The Orient Express became associated with intrigue and luxury travel. Dr. Beverly Crusher became fascinated with the experience of traveling on the train, and had a holodeck program that recreated the early Orient Express. (TNG episode: "Emergence")

In 1930 in a timeline created when Leonard McCoy saved the life of Edith Keeler, McCoy watched the trains while in Brooklyn. After waiting one year for a rescue, Keeler suggested that McCoy take a train back to Atlanta. In 1932, he boarded a train to Philadelphia. When he ran out of money he hitched rides on empty cars, eventually jumping off near Hayden, South Carolina. (TOS - Crucible novel: Provenance of Shadows)

One of Benny Russell's uncles worked as a porter assisting train passengers in sleeping cars. (DS9 novelization: Far Beyond the Stars)

The popularity of using trains for transporting passengers declined during the 20th and 21st centuries as other means of transportation — such as automobiles and air travel — became more popular. Despite this, some humans continued to prefer trains. Zefram Cochrane did not like flying, and preferred trains when traveling. (TNG movie: Star Trek: First Contact)

Leonard McCoy thought the Hall of Pelasht on Vulcan looked like a train station. (TOS novel: Spock's World)

In 2293, assassins attacked Councilor Kahnrah during his train ride to the chambers of the Klingon High Council. (ST - Klingons - Blood Will Tell comic: "Issue 5")

Facilities

• Pennsylvania Station
• Baltimore freight yard (Maryland, Earth, 20th century)
• Grand Central Station (New York City, Earth, 20th century)
• Pioneer Railroad (United States, Earth)
• Railroad Building (Flushing Meadows, Earth)
• Southern Pacific Railroad (San Francisco, Earth)

Related vehicles

• maglev train
• maglev tram
• monorail
• subway or tubetrain
• tram
• trolley or cable car

Appendices

Appearances

• TOS - Crucible novel: Provenance of Shadows
• TOS comic: "Husian Gambit"
• ST - Klingons - Blood Will Tell comic: "Issue 5"

References

• TNG episode: "Emergence"
• TNG movie: Star Trek: First Contact
• TOS novel: How Much for Just the Planet?
• TOS novel: Spock's World
• TNG novel: The Best and the Brightest
• DS9 novelization: Trials and Tribble-ations
• DS9 novel: Trapped in Time
• TOS - Strange New Worlds 8 short story: "Shanghaied"
• TLE novel: Deny Thy Father

External links

• Train article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• Train article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.