A wordless – though scarcely silent – rail journey through the first half of the 20th century, the remarkable archival documentary Trains posits that the locomotive served as not just a revolutionary mode of transport but also a driving engine of history. Drawing on footage from 46 archives, the film proceeds in roughly chronological order, devoting particular attention to the two world wars – in which trains played a crucial and highly problematic role – but also chronicling the everyday railroading experiences of the traveling European public. Beginning with a fascinating sequence that shows several key steps in the assembly of a locomotive, the film eventually moves from the factory floor to train yards, grand stations, and bustling platforms filled with passengers. Having efficiently established train travel’s essential elements, director Maciej J. Drygas then subtly shifts into the film’s next