How Not to Ride a Train in the Desert

How the Mauritania Railway Was Built—And How It Works Today

(Thumbnail image and logistical aspects come from Against the Compass. Please follow their great work)

I love the creativity of world-building. The fantastical settings in Star Wars and Dune captivate me just as much as the stories themselves. They showcase how humans might live on other worlds—adapting to every imaginable landscape, wielding technology far beyond our reach. Yet, despite all this imagination, one thing always bothers me: where are the trains?

Recently, while scrolling through TikTok the last few weeks, I noticed a trend. People were pairing the Dune soundtrack or Arabian Nights with footage of themselves riding ore trains across the Mauritanian desert, traversing the country’s sole rail line as if they were on Arrakis themselves.

(Now, just to be clear—you should NEVER do this. It’s incredibly dangerous.)

Take a look: