How to ride trains and whether you can control them in Red Dead Redemption 2

1. The first way (safe), you can buy a train ticket at any post office in almost any city where there are railroad tracks nearby. The cost will be between 1 and 10 dollars, totally depends on the distance of the trip. After you buy the train ticket, it will show up at the station and your journey will start from there.
2. Second way (stowaway). Wait for a train on your platform, climb on it and ride. All trains want fixedly on the same route.
3. Third way. Climb onto the roof of the train, after which ride on it. If you wish, you can hijack the train.

In either case, you can take control of the train. You just need to get and level with the train, then find the cabin and throw out of its driver, thereby taking control. You have full control over the speed of the train, its sound signals.

Obligatory: take into account, as soon as you took control of the train, you are committing a crime. This means that the train security service will try to stop you, and the nearest sheriffs will rush to the train to catch the dangerous criminal.

Consider also the moment that if you started robbing (threatening with weapons) passengers, most likely your fine will reach 200$ (which will need to be paid at the post office), and the profit from the train is money about 350-400$ + valuables.