[Knight of Gondor]

Originally Posted by sallkid

don't mean to flog a dead horse, but on the subject of gandalf's fireworks.

It's concievable (though would be almost completely anathemic) that gandalf supplemented his fireworks with his own power or the power of his ring (which i believe was known as the "ring of fire") Although someone as wise as gandalf probably wouldn't have used a ring of power so frivlously, it is possible that, after the fall of the necromancer he felt safe using this power, untill the rumours of the dark lord rose again.

I believe that in The Hobbit, it is mentioned that Lakedown had seen fireworks, not necessarily of Gandalf's making. I would agree that the fireworks might have been the result of Gandalf's power (he had shown similar powers by lighting the branch to stave off the wolves on Caradhras, or the flash that killed the goblins in The Hobbit) except that Saruman, who did not have any known specialty in flame, was able to weaponize some form of gunpowder/explosive to unmake the wall of Helm's Deep.

On the subject of trains, it could refer to a wagon train. Carrying people or supplies through the shire. this fails to take into account the hiss of steam but a wagon train travelling an "express" route would surely travel at the greatest speed possible?

Please forgive my sincere lack of knowledge in this respect.

Already mentioned above, and I believe the consensus tends to be that a wagon train would neither rumble nor whistle.