As a 9 year old I remember going from Naples to Trieste in Italy. There were no seats on the train and we rode part of the way in the part of the train that connects the cars. It would wiggle back and forth when the train turned. I thought it was fun. I bet my parents did not. Not only that, but my 4 year old brother was with us and I bet they carried him the whole time. I also remember pulling into Bologna and seeing the unusual lights. Remember I was 9.
It's been a few years since I've been on a train, but I've usually enjoyed riding the train. Besides trains in the U.S., I've ridden trains in several countries in Europe. The TGV in France is very enjoyable - it's been over 20 years, but, at the time, it traveled at around 185 mph (300 km/h) and it felt like you weren't moving at all - a very smooth trip.