You can "ride" a train, or you can "take" a train. What's the difference?

You use "ride" when you want to talk about the experience of riding, or when you want to describe something that happened while you were riding the train:

I love riding the train in the middle of the day when it's not crowded.

I was riding the train, and this guy next to me started telling me a story about how he had just gotten out of prison.

You use "take" when you want to talk about how you get somewhere:

Just take the #3 train to 72nd Street and I'll meet you there.

Do you think it'll be faster to take the train or try to catch a bus?