Quite often, the train tracks follow the shortest distance between two points. So, if you're on foot, they may be the fastest way to get somewhere—and an easy way to die.
Also, trains are loud while they're running by you. I had an acquaintance many years ago who lost a friend on the tracks. The way the story goes, the friend was walking on parallel tracks. As a train approached in front of him, he skipped over to the other track and kept on walking as the train roared by. BUT! As the train roared by, it was blaring its horn full blast in a continuous blast. Suddenly, the guy was run over by a train that came up behind him that he never heard because the train passing him was too loud. Later, the engineer of the passing train told investigators that he was on his horn trying to warn the walking man of the train approaching behind him. Alas, dude died.
Moral of the story: Stay off the tracks!