Several miles from where I live is a branch line with a number of spurs. During weekdays, local passenger rail has a section of the branch line.
After 9pm or so, a local freight company shunts cars to the spurs, which service some industrial parks. I don't mind listening to the train whistles if I happen to wake up in the middle of the night.
That last bit you put in inspired me to leave this comment, because one of the spurs has several freight cars which have sat on that spot for so long they are enmeshed with blackberry vines.
I’d heard of main lines and branch lines since I was little owing to a childhood watching “Thomas the Tank Engine” on VHS. Same goes for sidings (though the term ‘passing loop’ is new to me). First I’d heard of spur lines was in “Death Train” (“Detonator” for our American friends).
Several miles from where I live is a branch line with a number of spurs. During weekdays, local passenger rail has a section of the branch line.
After 9pm or so, a local freight company shunts cars to the spurs, which service some industrial parks. I don't mind listening to the train whistles if I happen to wake up in the middle of the night.
That last bit you put in inspired me to leave this comment, because one of the spurs has several freight cars which have sat on that spot for so long they are enmeshed with blackberry vines.