Train Driver Cares For Locomotive Like A Pet

Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN

Video Credit:  CEN/David Conrad-Fuerstenberg

This is the funny moment a train driver turns his high-speed locomotive into a modern day ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ by petting it’s nose and feeding it a tasty snack.

The video was shot by 38-year-old train driver David Conrad-Fuerstenberg, who has worked for Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) for 22 years.

David had been giving extra training to other drivers in the central German city of Kassel for the last three years, and filmed the moment a student decided to have some fun with one of the country’s trademark Intercity Express Trains (ICE) during a lesson.

Pictures Credit: CEN & CEN/David Conrad-Fuerstenberg

The video shows a student, identified only as 57-year-old Rene, approaching the locomotive as a colleague opens and closes the train’s front cover like a mouth, saying: “Are you hungry my little one?”

The position of the windows on the train make them look just like two eyes, and the front cover opening and closing looks exactly like a huge mouth munching on the greenery.

While carrying some twigs from the side of the track, the man asks the locomotive: “Do you want something to eat?”

The train opens and closes its ‘mouth’, seemingly nibbling away as if the train is live like the characters from the ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ series.

The man says: “Here, have something to eat my little one! You are such a fine one! Oh that tastes good!”

According to David, they came up with the idea when they opened the front cover and one of the students said: “It looks like Pac-Man!”

David said: “As our trains run on green power, they also have to eat greens!”

He explained: “It matters to me as an instructor that lessons contain an element of fun.”

Bosses at Germany Rail agreed with David’s fun approach.

A company spokeswoman said: “The instructor teaches in an enjoyable way, and if our soon-to-be train drivers have fun during their training then that can only be a good thing.”