That fan “trick” is a great one- I discovered it in summer camp back in 1968! (also helped keep mosquitos away!) Long before those “electronic relaxing sounds” devices started showing up as retail items. The hum of the fan acts as a background “white noise” generator. But nothing beats the clickety-clack of a train on a railroad track!
Cedarwoodron
I’ll second that. Many years ago, I lived directly across the street from the Fitchburg line of what used to be the Boston & Maine. I was working nights, and one day I was having trouble sleeping because a dog on the other side of the tracks was barking. Finally, a freight came along, the noise drowned out the dog and I drifted peacefully off to sleep.
For me this isn’t a Friday either (workwise, my days off are Sundays and Mondays), but I still can be philosophical as well.[:)]
I think for some people, it gives us a sense of history when we look at the car or other building. The weathering and the other garbage that work their way onto these items shows what the cars have been subjected to in their lives. I even saw a car yesterday on a train, that due to various garbage on the car, the road number had been supplemented with what looked like hand written or sprayed numbers. The original number could still be read under the garbage but looking at the car I could understand why some shop person did that.
I think this also goes toward why many people are involved with restoration of historical buildings and other railroad items. (Good examples: the NP steamer in Washington State and other NP-related structures all over my home state of Montana, including one that I myself am involved with.) In that restoration, it gives us a chance to touch the history behind that structure or car and also make us a part of that history and give us the opportunity to extend that history to future generations.
Just an opinion from someone who had a minor in college of History… with a major in Computer Science.