THIS exists in M-E?

[Feanorsdoom]

Yes, thanks for the reminder about Melkor in between the Chaining and the death of the Trees. It shows that he must have been contemplating how best to have Elves kill each other beforehand, because wouldn't need weapons himself, of course. Still, it brings the question of what versions of these JRRT intended. Britain didn't have an advanced weapons tradition until the Romans and Norse showed up. Did JRRT sketch swords or spears or talk about armor as closely as he did banners?

[Elladan and Elrohir]

Originally Posted by Feanorsdoom

It shows that he must have been contemplating how best to have Elves kill each other beforehand,

Feanorsdoom, thanks for my laugh of the day! There's just something about the way you said that that makes me smile.

[The Saucepan Man]

Mucking about on Google (when I should be working ), I found the following site and was reminded of this thread:

Middle-earth model railway

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

Mucking about on Google (when I should be working ), I found the following site and was reminded of this thread:

Middle-earth model railway

Oh! Wonderful! And who was right here?

"Bree-Rivendell InterCity Konsortium (BRICK)"

!!!

[Knight of Gondor]

Not possible. Absolutely inconceivable for there to be a train in Middle-Earth. I don't mean to sound unkind, but the answer comes as much from personal desire for there NOT to be a train in Middle-Earth as much as conviction that Tolkien was speaking from metaphor and not from actual comparison.

The whole fantasy/medieval nature of Lord of the Rings is what makes it worth the mental journey. It is a world so different from ours, with inspiring characters and thrilling stories. The lack of technology is what makes it such a romantic, fanciful and perhaps even idealistic world. The deep blast of a train-whistle would pull us back to the real world, not draw us further in.

It seems to me that the technology tree of Middle-Earth had only reached so far as siege weapons and initial dealings with gunpowder or other explosives. They were used in the fireworks, and had only begun to be weaponized by Saruman. (One might expect that cannons would not be terribly distant developments.)

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Knight of Gondor

Not possible. Absolutely inconceivable for there to be a train in Middle-Earth. I don't mean to sound unkind, but the answer comes as much from personal desire for there NOT to be a train in Middle-Earth as much as conviction that Tolkien was speaking from metaphor and not from actual comparison. (One might expect that cannons would not be terribly distant developments.)

KoG is correct. The express train reference is metaphorical, yet another Hobbitish anachronism. The Shire is chock full of anachronistic items, and the book The Hobbit is the main purveyor of such oddities (like Bilbo's mantle clock, for instance). Tolkien spent much time editing out such anachronisms in LotR (potatoes and tobacco, most notably, changed to 'taters' and 'pipeweed'); however, some references, such as an express train remain. Hobbitish society itself is anachronistic to Middle-earth, and that is part of its charm: westkits, umbrellas, afternoon tea (and lunch *winks*), clocks, etc.

However, as far as powered means of locomotion, Eärendil's ship Vingilot was a pretty nifty spaceship.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Hobbitish society itself is anachronistic to Middle-earth, and that is part of its charm: westkits, umbrellas, afternoon tea (and lunch *winks*), clocks, etc.

That's because it's English