Why is it the worst view of a town is the one you see from a train?

Simple -- because nothing for which a view would matter wants to locate anywhere NEAR a railroad track, especially if there's a crossing within a kilometer's distance. Too much noise! So that leaves the area near the railroad as a prime location for other dirty, noisy, smelly types of industry, and/or the kind of housing that no one who can possibly afford anything better will live in.