Final answer:
The literary device used in the passage where a train is described as hissing like a snake and vanishing in its hole is personification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage "A voice drifted after him, 'Denham's, Denham's, Denham's,' the train hissed like a snake. The train vanished in its hole." uses the literary device of personification. Personification attributes human characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas. In the given text, the train is described as 'hissing like a snake,' which imbues the inanimate train with animal-like qualities. Also, the train is said to vanish 'in its hole' as if it were a living creature retreating to its den. Personification is a common literary device used to create vivid imagery and to help readers connect emotionally with non-living entities in literature.