Trains are a big part of my life. I take the train to and from work every day, and when I get to The Franklin Institute, I pass our Trains exhibit hall each morning, with its monstrous Baldwin 60000 locomotive.

The weather can affect train travel in many ways. Strong winds and lightning can disrupt power lines, halting trains that depend on electricity. One of the biggest problems is leaves on the tracks in the autumn - when they decompose, the leaves create a slime that makes the tracks slippery. In comparison, snow has a relatively minor affect on the tracks because the great weight of the train just melts the ice.

Recently, the trains exhibit here at The Franklin Institute has been transformed into "The Train Factory," a brand new experience where, among other things, you'll discover how modern locomotives use electricity, diesel fuel, and magnetic levitation to travel larger distances at greater speeds than ever before. And yes, the Baldwin 60000 is still part of the experience, but in a totally new way.