I am curious what the thought process for including trains was. It’s probably one of the most creatively different gameplay wise a Zelda game is.

There was actually an Iwata Asks segment about this exact subject: iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/d...

Iwata Asks - Volume 1 : The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks - Page 3

Read the in-depth interview conducted by former Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata.