I have only ridden a modern train. In my country, I have only rode it once or twice. Here's why:
This should be a fair warning to those who want to ride the train in the Philippines. Take care of your belongings, learn self defense, and be sure to know how to push people out of the way without it bothering your conscience. You may only offend at least 2 people, and they will do it to you too anyway. Not to bring a damper in my society, but this is a fair judgment.
Now for the cool part. Has anyone ever ridden trains in Singapore? Sure every now and then you'd have to stand, but their discipline, order, and cleanliness is really amazing. The only thing that's a bit off is maybe the noise of chatter (which is rare) and the smell of armpits. Yes, men have extreme problems in deodorizing their underarms. You know who you are.