"Puffing Billy" is the train in which Oda inspired to create the "Puffing Tom". Puffing Billy was an early steam locomotive, constructed in 1812-1814 by engineer William Hedley, engine wright Jonathan Forster and blacksmith Timothy Hackworth for Christopher Blackett, the owner of Wylam Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the world's oldest surviving steam locomotive. It was the first commercial steam locomotive, employed to haul coal chaldron wagons from the mine at Wylam to the docks at Lemington-on-Tyne in Northumberland. It was one of a number of similar engines built by Hedley, the resident engineer at Wylam Colliery. The engines remained in service for many years and were not retired until as late as 1862.

On the other hand "The Rocket" is the train in which Oda is inspired to create the "Rocket Man". In 1824 Edward Pease joined with Michael Longdridge, George Stephenson and his son Robert Stephenson, to form a company to make the locomotives, Robert Stephenson & Company. In October 1829, the Robert Stephenson entered their new locomotive, the Rocket. To increase the heating surface, he replaced the conventional 12 inch diameter iron fire tube with several tubes of 2 inch diameter made of copper. Her cylinders drove on the front pair of wheels and were steeply inclined towards the rear.

Also Tom's name, the one of the legendary carpenter responsible for the Umi Ressha, was inspired by the name of an infantile show called "Thomas the tank engine".