Why is the rail engine not off?

Wait, why is the engine still running? I mean, the train’s just sitting there! You’d think they’d turn it off, right? Well, turns out, it’s not that simple. They’ve gotta keep all sorts of stuff powered up. Like the brakes, for instance. You know, pretty important! Apparently, the air compressor that makes the brakes work is electric. So, electric locomotives use their big transformer thingamajig to keep the juice flowing, and diesels, they use their alternator and some other converter… it’s a whole thing, honestly. It’s like, imagine if you turned off your car engine but still needed power steering – wouldn’t work, would it? I remember once, I was at a train station, stuck for ages, and that rumbling engine was driving me nuts. But then I learned about all this, and it kinda makes sense. I guess safety first, huh? It’s a bit like leaving your computer on overnight for a big download – maybe not ideal for the electric bill, but necessary sometimes! So yeah, next time you see a train idling, remember those brakes need their power!