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Poor Bilbo couldn't bear it any longer. At may never return he began to feel a shriek coming up inside, and very soon it burst out like the whistle of an engine coming out of a tunnel 'An Unexpected Party' The Hobbit
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Interestingly both the train/engine references appear in the first chapter of each book. I would have to agree with SoN, though. Clearly this is the translator speaking, not the 'author' (ie Bilbo/Frodo). Rateliff makes the point that TH (& by extention The New Hobbit, at least in the beginning) was written with a specific audience in mind. we know that the Tolkien boys loved trains - both real (CT's reminiscence of sitting on the White Horse Hill with his father, watching a train steam past in the valley. CT loved it, but says his father felt it to be 'an intrusion' ) & toy (cf the references to Hornby train sets in the Father Christmas Letters).
I think this is the most logical explanation. Tolkien was using references that would appeal to his audience. Rateliff also makes the point about the prevalence of bears in Tolkien's works (TH, FCL, Mr Bliss) & the fact that all his children had teddy bears (Priscilla at one point owning 60 of them). Hence, bears appear in his stories.
Love the idea though....
