Definition of a Railfan

[Anonymous]

one who loves all form of trains from the real kind, down to the electric toy trains, & I do both, but watching real train roll by is getting to be a chore, construction, is taking site's more & more of the watching places at least in SEATTLE/TACOMA WASHINGTON, area, one of the few places left is in puyallup wash.,, where BNSF, run thru downtown, freight & passenger trains use same train rights. HUB

[Anonymous]

I'm an engineer on the UP, and I think railfans are pretty cool. I have often said that if these guys actually had to work for this outfit they would lose interest, but I think it would be their dream job. I have often seen, in the course of a trip the same fan or group of fans at more than one grade crossing, traveling 100 miles or more to get photos or video of my train! That's dedication!! These guys & gals catch alot of crap, but I think it's a great hobby. I have a little of this in my blood myself. Nothing sounds cooler than a GE Dash 9 at full throttle under load!! Very cool indeed.

[Anonymous]

Check out the definition at wikipedia.com.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railfan
You can also modify or add to the definition there.

[Anonymous]

A person which the term "Racing a train to the crossing" means speeding up to be first in line, not to be the last one across the tracks.

[tarnett]

If you ask a railroader, such as my step-father, the reply would be "a nut"!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tarnett

If you ask a railroader, such as my step-father, the reply would be "a nut"!

More like a FRN!!!

Man these people bug me.. Maybe I should ask them where they work and ask them if I can take pictures of them while they work. Don't think they realize that guys have gotten suspended from the pictures they take!![:(!]

[SSW9389]

That's true some rails could be suspended because they are not following the safety rules and then some railfan comes along and finds out about it. I turned an engineer in for reading a newspaper at the top of a 75 foot to the mile grade while his train was moving. Yes he got some days off and should have. I've got a camera, a cell phone and have the phone numbers to the dispatch centers of every line I fan. If something or someone is not safe I call it in. [}:)]

Safety First, Last, and Always. You want to come on one of my job sites and take photos, fine. Wear some safety shoes, and eye protection. Don't get in the way. If you see an unsafe act stop it before someone gets hurt. It works both ways. Workmen's Comp insurance ain't cheap/

Railfans: Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints. [8D]




More like a FRN!!!

Man these people bug me.. Maybe I should ask them where they work and ask them if I can take pictures of them while they work. Don't think they realize that guys have gotten suspended from the pictures they take!![:(!]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SSW9389

That's true some rails could be suspended because they are not following the safety rules and then some railfan comes along and finds out about it. I turned an engineer in for reading a newspaper at the top of a 75 foot to the mile grade while his train was moving. Yes he got some days off and should have. I've got a camera, a cell phone and have the phone numbers to the dispatch centers of every line I fan. If something or someone is not safe I call it in. [}:)]

Safety First, Last, and Always. You want to come on one of my job sites and take photos, fine. Wear some safety shoes, and eye protection. Don't get in the way. If you see an unsafe act stop it before someone gets hurt. It works both ways. Workmen's Comp insurance ain't cheap/

You are such a tool!! You have no Idea what it's like to be out on the road. Working long days, never see the family, never know when your working all that stuff. Your going to turn a guy in for reading a paper. Remember next time your taking pictures you better not be trespassing. Which I'am sure you have. What make you better than anyone else. Our jobs are hard enough with out you pricks making it worse. Why doing you come take some pictures of me while I'am working. So I can take that camera and shove it up your ***.. [:(!] I'd have you arrested so fast it will make your head spin. Don't make stupid comments about something your obviously don't know anything about. Just because you have some plywood in the basement doesn't make you an expert...

[SSW9389]

You don't strike me as much of a rail. You completely ignored everything I wrote about SAFETY. The engineer I busted got 30 days off, I am sure his job insurance covered him. He still did a stupid thing operating a 5,000 ton freight train down grade while reading a newspaper. I hope you don't think that is OK.

Tell me about your difficult job, I spent over 20 years in Uncle Sam's Army as a Combat Engineer.

Sign me,

One who has passed the flag . . .



[

You are such a tool!! You have no Idea what it's like to be out on the road. Working long days, never see the family, never know when your working all that stuff. Your going to turn a guy in for reading a paper. Remember next time your taking pictures you better not be trespassing. Which I'am sure you have. What make you better than anyone else. Our jobs are hard enough with out you pricks making it worse. Why doing you come take some pictures of me while I'am working. So I can take that camera and shove it up your ***.. [:(!] I'd have you arrested so fast it will make your head spin. Don't make stupid comments about something your obviously don't know anything about. Just because you have some plywood in the basement doesn't make you an expert...

[Anonymous]

First off, I'am not a rail nut. Second, who are you to decide what is safe and what isn't. Just cause you think something is unsafe, you have the right to bag this guy. I hope you had enough balls to tell this guy you ratted him in. Who do you think you are. You assume he had job insurance. Here is something else you know nothing about. If you want to take pictures of the train, fine. Don't snap shots of the men working or turn them in. A 5,000 ton train going down grade.[:D] Are you kidding me. You really don't know the first thing about railroading. Do us all a favor and go back down in the basement and play with your trains...LOL

[SSW9389]

This is getting interesting. I would love to spend five minutes with your Trainmaster and show him what you think of job SAFETY. I didn't exactly turn the guy in. I showed the photo to a Dispatcher I was friends with and he took it to the Trainmaster. Then the guy signed for 30 days. I am no expert as you say, but the Trainmaster had no qualms putting that engineer out of service. You sticking up for unsafe things like that tells me what kind of rail you are.

QUOTE: Originally posted by SSoM

First off, I'am not a rail nut. Second, who are you to decide what is safe and what isn't. Just cause you think something is unsafe, you have the right to bag this guy. I hope you had enough balls to tell this guy you ratted him in. Who do you think you are. You assume he had job insurance. Here is something else you know nothing about. If you want to take pictures of the train, fine. Don't snap shots of the men working or turn them in. A 5,000 ton train going down grade.[:D] Are you kidding me. You really don't know the first thing about railroading. Do us all a favor and go back down in the basement and play with your trains...LOL

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding me?? The railroad I work for gets the Harriman award nearly every year for safety. You probably don't know what that is. What railroad did this guy work for? Wondering if it was NS.. This whole think doesn't surprise me. All the dispatchers where I work are all railnuts. They can't dispatch trains to save thier life. Which is fine with us cause they make us a ton of money. You could spend as much time as you want with my train master. He will laugh in your face. If he doesn't throw you off the property first..LOL Safety is of first importance I'am not going to disagree with that. If a guy is going to get caught, let a company official do it. We have enough people watching us, let alone some railnut taking pictures. You might want to think before you show certian people your pictures. If you still want to have access to your "hot spots". News gets around fast on the railroad. Faster than you can even imagine. If you Screw people they will find out who you are and will make your picture taking, hell. I would be nice, and the favor will be returned. We don't mind letting you guys on the engine and stuff. Even though we are not supposed to and can get in trouble. Just show us the same respect and don't blow us in for nonsense.

[SSW9389]

The railroad was the AT&SF,almost 20 years ago. I think they might have won a few Harriman's too. The hill this guy was going down was short, about two miles long with a restrictive curve at the bottom. The engineer should have been paying attention, not kicked back reading a newspaper. Sight distances are often fairly short in the mountains.

You may have read about the accident BNSF had on Halloween four years ago on this same stretch of track.. Follow this hyperlink to an eyewitness account of what happened.

http://calvarychapel.com/payson/pastor_joes_testimony.htm

Times have changed. I have had interaction with the local CSX people here six times. Once for a leaking load out of a covered hopper, once for a broken spring hanger on a truck, three times for sticking brakes, and once for a large spike nail sticking up out of a crossing. My point being that railfans can be that extra set of eyes that can prevent an accident.

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeSanta

A railfan is someone who, when they're out driving and come to a railroad crossing and has to stop for a train thinks it's great that they have a front row view of the train.

SO,? What's wrong with that?[:)]

[iGoDwnTwn]

A RAIL FAN???

Someone who plays with thier model trains........plays with trains simulations on the computer....and actually works for a railroad.....like me!!!!!!! LOL

Just started training.........BN!!!

IGO