Just a post to write some ideas/questions down.
What is modern train travel like? What about in the winter? Are there still cargo cars, just to hold bigger items, or crates? What kind of trains are used in the majority of the railways? Are the longer lines (in distance) using similar kinds of engines? Passenger cars? Cargo? How much is a ticket? What's it like to ride on a train for multiple days? Are pets allowed on trains, and if so, where do they get to stay? Are there livestock cars that pets would join, or are pets different and get different lodging? When and how were railways expanded in Europe and Asia? Are there any zoos or wildlife preserves on the coasts of the United States that hold larger reptiles, perhaps Komodo Dragons? What are the challenges for keeping such large lizards, and their shelters, and food, and temperature for their cold-bloodedness? Could they have outside habitats for bigger reptiles like that, in case big storms or hurricanes came through? Or would they just have indoor places for them to retreat to? What are komodo dragon eggs like? What are some of the larger reptiles alive today?
(Spaced for a different story's ideas/questions) How were the railroads expanded in the United States? And I don't only mean physically, though that's important too. How was planning done to expand the railroads? (Also, I just noticed I automatically changed from using railway when speaking in terms of Europe/Asia, and railroad for the United States...odd) I believe dynamite was invented before the mass expansion done in the U.S., was it used to excavate tunnels for the trains to travel through? How powerful were these explosions if they were in fact used? I believe I've read about dragons in Native American lore, somewhere. I need to read up on those again. I'd like to explore those myths and legends. The idea is some railroad expansion blasting awakens North American dragons, causing chaos and mayhem, and just exploring where that idea could go.
