In Episode 16 of the What a Stranger Told Me podcast, Jon sits down with a Perth-born train driver who now calls Sydney home, though his heart never really left the west. Dragged across the country years ago by an ex-wife who hated WA, he stayed for the job he genuinely loves. “If I could drive trains back in Western Australia tomorrow, I’d be gone in a heartbeat,” he says with a laugh that doesn’t quite hide the ache.

He’s qualified on both electric and diesel locomotives, working city and regional runs, and when he talks about being in the cab you can hear the grin. “It’s just me, the tracks, and the world flying past. No desk, no walls, no boss breathing down my neck. Best office anyone could ask for.” Rain, heat, sunrise, sunset — none of it matters when the scenery keeps changing and he’s the one making thousands of people reach their destination safely every shift.

Yet the homesickness is real. He misses the wide-open spaces, the slower pace, the red dust of home. Sydney keeps him here because the rail opportunities are bigger, but every time he looks west he feels the pull. “I’m a West Australian through and through,” he admits. “This side of the country just doesn’t feel like home.”

He’s seen the job change over the years. People used to wave at trains — kids especially — and drivers always waved back. Now most passengers are glued to phones, heads down, missing the world outside the window. “It’s a dying thing,” he says, “but when someone does wave or mouths ‘thank you’, it still makes the whole shift.”

The cab is his sanctuary. No small talk, no office politics, just him and the rails. He controls what he can — safe driving, on-time running — and lets the rest go. That mindset keeps him steady through long rosters and the occasional tough day on the network.

This episode is pure, no-filter insight into the reality of being a train driver in Australia today: the freedom, the solitude, the pride, and the quiet longing for a place 4,000 kilometres away. Whether you’ve ever dreamed of driving a train or just love hearing someone speak honestly about work they love in a city they don’t, this chat is gold. Press play and ride along with a genuinely happy — but undeniably homesick — train driver who wouldn’t swap his moving office for anything… except maybe one back in Perth.

Chapters
00:00 – Sunshine Chat with a Homesick Train Driver
01:20 – Dragged from Perth to Sydney by Love
02:10 – Why the Cab Is the Best Office Ever
04:00 – Electric vs Diesel: City Runs and Regional Dreams
06:30 – The Dying Art of Waving at Trains
08:20 – People-Watching from the Front of the Train
09:40 – “If WA Called Tomorrow, I’d Be Gone”

Key Takeaways
Train driver’s cab is a moving office with million-dollar views
Homesickness doesn’t fade even when you love the job
Waving at trains used to be normal — now it’s rare and special
Drivers control what they can and let the rest go
Perth-born drivers still bleed sand and sunsets



 

🎙️ Want more, Stranger?

Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here.

📸  Join us behind-the-scenes

Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram.

☎️  Got a story you'd love to share?

Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.

👽  Don’t be a stranger

Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;)

🤩  Who’s behind all this strangeness?

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Will Reid & Andy McColl

In Episode 16 of the What a Stranger Told Me podcast, Jon sits down with a Perth-born train driver who now calls Sydney home, though his heart never really left the west. Dragged across the country years ago by an ex-wife who hated WA, he stayed for the job he genuinely loves. &ldquo;If I could drive trains back in Western Australia tomorrow, I&rsquo;d be gone in a heartbeat,&rdquo; he says with a laugh that doesn&rsquo;t quite hide the ache.
He&rsquo;s qualified on both electric and diesel locomotives, working city and regional runs, and when he talks about being in the cab you can hear the grin. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just me, the tracks, and the world flying past. No desk, no walls, no boss breathing down my neck. Best office anyone could ask for.&rdquo; Rain, heat, sunrise, sunset &mdash; none of it matters when the scenery keeps changing and he&rsquo;s the one making thousands of people reach their destination safely every shift.
Yet the homesickness is real. He misses the wide-open spaces, the slower pace, the red dust of home. Sydney keeps him here because the rail opportunities are bigger, but every time he looks west he feels the pull. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a West Australian through and through,&rdquo; he admits. &ldquo;This side of the country just doesn&rsquo;t feel like home.&rdquo;
He&rsquo;s seen the job change over the years. People used to wave at trains &mdash; kids especially &mdash; and drivers always waved back. Now most passengers are glued to phones, heads down, missing the world outside the window. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a dying thing,&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;but when someone does wave or mouths &lsquo;thank you&rsquo;, it still makes the whole shift.&rdquo;
The cab is his sanctuary. No small talk, no office politics, just him and the rails. He controls what he can &mdash; safe driving, on-time running &mdash; and lets the rest go. That mindset keeps him steady through long rosters and the occasional tough day on the network.
This episode is pure, no-filter insight into the reality of being a train driver in Australia today: the freedom, the solitude, the pride, and the quiet longing for a place 4,000 kilometres away. Whether you&rsquo;ve ever dreamed of driving a train or just love hearing someone speak honestly about work they love in a city they don&rsquo;t, this chat is gold. Press play and ride along with a genuinely happy &mdash; but undeniably homesick &mdash; train driver who wouldn&rsquo;t swap his moving office for anything&hellip; except maybe one back in Perth.
Chapters
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>00:00 &ndash; Sunshine Chat with a Homesick Train Driver</li>
<li>01:20 &ndash; Dragged from Perth to Sydney by Love</li>
<li>02:10 &ndash; Why the Cab Is the Best Office Ever</li>
<li>04:00 &ndash; Electric vs Diesel: City Runs and Regional Dreams</li>
<li>06:30 &ndash; The Dying Art of Waving at Trains</li>
<li>08:20 &ndash; People-Watching from the Front of the Train</li>
<li>09:40 &ndash; &ldquo;If WA Called Tomorrow, I&rsquo;d Be Gone&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
Key Takeaways
<ol dir="ltr">
<li>Train driver&rsquo;s cab is a moving office with million-dollar views</li>
<li>Homesickness doesn&rsquo;t fade even when you love the job</li>
<li>Waving at trains used to be normal &mdash; now it&rsquo;s rare and special</li>
<li>Drivers control what they can and let the rest go</li>
<li>Perth-born drivers still bleed sand and sunsets </li>
</ol>
<hr>
&nbsp;
🎙️&nbsp;Want more, Stranger?
Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up <a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/contact/">here</a>.
📸&nbsp; Join us behind-the-scenes
Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatastrangertoldme">Instagram</a>.
☎️&nbsp; Got a story you'd love to share?
Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.
👽&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t be a stranger
Got some feedback? <a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/contact/">Bring it on</a>. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;)
🤩&nbsp; Who&rsquo;s behind all this strangeness?
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto Photography by Will Reid &amp; Andy McColl

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

And if you’ve got a story you’d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.

Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you’ve got a conference you’d like us to podcast from, then contact us at What a Stranger Told Me.

Credits ...

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill

Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto

Photography by Andy McColl & Will Reid

 

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages &amp; backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
And if you&rsquo;ve got a story you&rsquo;d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.
Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you&rsquo;ve got a conference you&rsquo;d like us to podcast from, then contact us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatastrangertoldme.com">What a Stranger Told Me</a>.
Credits ...
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Andy McColl &amp; Will Reid
&nbsp;

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

What a Stranger Told Me

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

Take a break from the everyday, and dive into the lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

And if you’ve got a story you’d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.

Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you’ve got a conference you’d like us to podcast from, then contact us at What a Stranger Told Me.

Credits ...

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill

Music Supervision by Denis Feletto

Photography by Andy McColl & Will Reid

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages &amp; backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
Take a break from the everyday, and dive into the lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
And if you&rsquo;ve got a story you&rsquo;d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.
Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you&rsquo;ve got a conference you&rsquo;d like us to podcast from, then contact us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatastrangertoldme.com">What a Stranger Told Me</a>.
Credits ...
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Denis Feletto
Photography by Andy McColl &amp; Will Reid

Homesick Perth train driver reveals why his cab beats any office – and why he’d move back to WA tomorrow. Raw reality of the job. Episode 16 of What a  Stranger Told Me podcast..