this post was submitted on 01 May 2026
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I was just joking with a friend that I have no idea how he took so long to be diagnosed with autism when he has a playlist dedicated to songs about trains; he made this playlist after randomly having 3 songs about trains come on in a row when he put his music on shuffle, and decided to start collecting them in a playlist. There aren't too many on there at the moment, and he'd like to collect more, if anyone has any suggestions.

I will share the resulting playlist on here afterwards as either an edit to this post, or a comment reply. If you want to be pinged about this, let me know in your comment, and I'll make sure you receive a link to the playlist.

Bonus question: if you're autistic, what are your opinions on trains? I'm personally ambivalent about trains, but they also feel like they're my culture, because of how many of my fellow autistic nerds like trains.

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[–] eezeebee@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago
[–] palordrolap@fedia.io 2 points 1 month ago

Almost certainly AuDHD here. The aspect of collecting train* numbers did vaguely interest me for a while, but I never had the strong desire to get into it. And for a short period of time I understood the wheel type system for steam engines**. Numbers again. Things like 2-2-2. I forget the exact meaning now, but I could probably hazard a guess what they mean.

The trouble with trains* is that to interact with them you have to go outside and worse, they're noisy. I do not like being outside or suffering noise.

But there's a genetic component to AuDHD and so I look to parents, one of whom is very, very into steam and would ride heritage railways and look at engines all day if there weren't other important things to be doing. And who was once very friendly with the model railway community, but couldn't afford to get into it themselves.

Said parent also sings the chorus from the following at random intervals among other songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7_IMEvr9ek

This might be a bit too cheesy for your friend - it certainly is for me, but there's no accounting for taste.

* Or properly, railway locomotive(s). Trains are a railway locomotive plus at least one other thing that it's pulling, like a (railway) passenger carriage or a (railway) goods wagon. Arguably, train should also be "railway train" because there are other kinds of train.

The fact I have these footnotes here is just more indication of my unofficial diagnosis.

** Railway steam locomotives, naturally. There are other sorts of steam engines.

[–] Fedegenerate@fedinsfw.app 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Hey Porter - Johnny Cash

Like the 309 - Johnny cash

One of his first, and one of his last songs are about trains.

[–] seathru@quokk.au 2 points 1 month ago

Don't forget his version of Rock Island Line

Johnny Cash - Rock island Line

Folsom Prison Blues probably counts, too. Johnny Cash liked trains.

[–] mech@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)
[–] 1hitsong@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago
[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 1 month ago

locomotive breath but its not really about trains just uses the imagery. not autistic (that I now of) but while im not specifically obsessed with trains they are my prefered mode of transit next to walking/biking.

[–] prex@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago
[–] ptychodus@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotton (so good) Orange Blossom Special by Johnny Cash Rock Island Line by Leadbelly

[–] hanrahan@piefed.social 2 points 1 month ago

Holly Johnson - Love Train

Hes even riding the train !

Stoke it up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GgsL6ZIw8s

[–] Rebels_Droppin@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

B.T Express - Ride On BT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEMtbbpM4XM

It's got a real funky flute on the track

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 2 points 1 month ago

Wreck of the old 97 Bringing in the Georgia mail Orange Blossom Special

The first is no long considered appropriate.

[–] Widdershins@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Nitro - Freight Train

This song delivers an abundance of hair. Nitro has an abundance of necks per guitar as well.

[–] _NetNomad@fedia.io 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The Locomotion - any version you can find, they all rule M.T.A. - Kingston Trio Last Train to London - ELO Moonlight Express (album) - The Ivory Heart Love Train - The O'Jays

stretches: Takin' Care of Business - BTO ("if your train's on time...) Rydeen - Yellow Magic Orchestra (licensed for the arcade game Super Locomotive. for a rerelease without the license, they wrote a pastiche called "Ryzeen") Detroit Medley - Bruce Springstein (has a part about a train a-comin' that IIRC has never been done on it's own)

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[–] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I apologize in advance, just cannot help myself.

https://youtu.be/WUNL7PjBr8U

[–] kaklerbitmap@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago
[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 1 month ago

b52s cosmic thing has the word train in it but is not about trains as well.

[–] noxypaws@pawb.social 2 points 1 month ago
[–] turdas@suppo.fi 2 points 1 month ago
[–] yakko@feddit.uk 2 points 1 month ago

I didn't see anyone suggest:

Electric Six - Riding on a white train

ELO - Last train to London

[–] OfficeMonkey@lemmy.today 2 points 1 month ago

Judging my number of neurospicy friends, I might be somewhere on a spiciness spectrum -- but I don't know anyone who doesn't think trains are awesome!

I was surprised not to see this one, but it's about laying train tracks, so maybe it doesn't qualify: Driving the Last Spike by Genesis

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I know a band called Train but I don't think any of their songs even mention trains. 🤔

There is Casey Jones by Grateful Dead and Locomotive Breath by Jethro Tull that are train *adjacent. * 🤷‍♂️

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[–] FrederikNJS@piefed.zip 2 points 1 month ago

Little Red Caboose (preferably the one performed by The Laurie Berkner Band): https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OEUtoCv_ot8

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

Probably repeating here but this is my list: Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot How Long Must I wait For You - Joe Jackson Chatanooga Choo Choo - ? Train In The Distance - Paul Simon The Gambler - Kenny Rogers (was he on a train or stagecoach, I can't remember) Orange Blosson Special - Johnny Cash Frankfurt Special - Elvis Presley The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - The Band (a bit of a stretch but a train and tracks are mentioned) Nobody - Ry Cooder (just a line or two)

[–] thicksliceham@mander.xyz 2 points 1 month ago

Transcontinental by Pedro the Lion. Upbeat song, but the lyrics are a little dark.

[–] Phantom_Engineer@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

A couple old folk songs about trains are "People Get Ready" and "Railroad Bill"

There's also Bob Dylan, "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" and The Band, "Just Another Whistle Stop."

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

One of my favorites, Train Home by Chris Smither:

https://youtu.be/kNiGmmPlVzk

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

What a superb question.

I admit these may not be what you're looking for, but there's a tale of railway hubris here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmCA2yJHGfs

And a cheery celebration of train travel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yT4F8hzykY

Just.... not quite what you might be expecting.

I'm gently aspergic with a proper dose of ADD, so not really so firmly autistic, but I absolutely adore trains, travelling on trains, reading about trains and pretty much everything to do with them. The only reason I'm not a train spotter is that it requires a level of determination, organisation and effort that isn't really my strong suit.

[–] moistclump@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Night Train - Amos Lee

[–] chicagohuman@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago
[–] CetaceanNeeded@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

It's maybe more train adjacent, but Roger Miller - King of the Road.

"Third boxcar midnight train, destination Bangor Maine." "I know every engineer on every train, all of their children and all of their names."

[–] Vandals_handle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago
[–] wpb@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

https://youtu.be/BAylQ6uQ5HU

He won't be able to put this on a playlist on spotify, but this is 32 seconds of heaven for me.

[–] gigiocor@lemmy.eco.br 2 points 1 month ago

Trem das onze, from Adoniran Barbosa

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