Yeah this is something I've been tracking for a few years now actually. There's a real cluster of reports near old colliery rail lines up here in South Yorkshire and I don't think its coincidence. My working theory is that the rail corridors created these long undisturbed strips of land, dense vegetation, natural tunnels under old bridges, basically perfect habitat if you're something that doesn't want to be seen.
The liminal angle interests me too. Rail lines cut through landscapes in ways that feel genuinely "in between" - old trackbeds especially, where nature has reclaimed everything. A few researchers I respect think certain cryptids are drawn to transitional spaces and abandoned infrastructure fits that perfectly.
Anyone got specific locations they're willing to share? Even rough areas would help. I'm trying to map UK reports alongside historic rail network data and the overlap is more than I'd expect from pure chance. Would love to compare notes with anyone who's done similar work in the States where the Dogman sightings are obviously far more documented.