When did you become a railfan?

[yarddog]

I was 6 years old and was living beside the L&N rr track that went through our small town. This was in 1959. Trains would stop here near the crossing and I could talk to the crews. F7's , Gp units and some steam could be seen. It was great ! The line ran between Louisville and Evansville,In. It still does (CSX Now). The old train depot and concrete coaling tower still remains. Also a branch line (41 miles) which began was near our home. The last run was made in 1941. The right of way still can be seen. I grew up during the late steam and the early diesel period and it has left an impact on me that that has lasted a lifetime and i'm glad to have been able to witness the changes in the last 50 years.

[Anonymous]

I've always been a train lover, but I guess it really set in about sixteen years ago when someone at work left a Model Railroader book laying out and I looked through it. Two weeks later I was building my first layout. The rest is history...

trainluver1

[jeaton]

Early and then later. I'm a born again railfan,

Jay

[Anonymous]

I became a railfan very early in life, at perhaps four or five, when I'd watch the daily UP 4-6-2, 2-6-2 or 0-6-0 street running in front of my grandmother's home in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Those engineers got used to seeing me out there in front of her house and they'd always blow the steam whistle and wave as they slowly went by. One day, they had a surprise for me. A big one! I was in-vited, with my Mom, to go to the UP roundhouse in Walla Walla, Washington, where my mother and I would be allowed to spend a day on the rails with these fine gentlemen. I'm 60 now, but that was a never-to-be-forgotten event in my life. I've been a dedicated, if not a fanatic, railfan since that day, if I wasn't before then.[:)][:D]

[Cheviot Hill]

I became a railfan when I was about 4 years old. I received my 1st train set at Christmas. I became a fanatic when my cousin, who was an engineer for the C&O gave me a cab ride from Cheviot Yard, to deliver some cars on the west side. What a thrill for an 8 year old boy. [:)]

[markn]

Hard to answer exactly when, but I have always been fascinated by those big, noisy,rumbling, moving things going places unknown with magical unknown things inside (didn't see too many passenger trains as a kid)