An art director from Kalmbach Publishing was talking with me about printing and trains and made comments about "foamers". When I told them that I enjoyed watching trains, etc. I was told that "foamers" are the model RR's, and I was just a "train wienie".
I thought that was a good classification for me.
Phoebe VetNow I understand. My 6 and 11 year old grandaughters are rail fans. They like trains and love to ride on them or operate the layout. My 20 month old grandson is a foamer. He jumps up and down points at it while screaming as loud as he can, over and over, "Train, train, papa train, train" and then he makes that Woooooo Wooooo sound. It makes no difference if we are looking at a train, our light rail, a model, a TV show with a train in it, or a photograph of a train.
Now I understand.
My 6 and 11 year old grandaughters are rail fans. They like trains and love to ride on them or operate the layout.
My 20 month old grandson is a foamer. He jumps up and down points at it while screaming as loud as he can, over and over, "Train, train, papa train, train" and then he makes that Woooooo Wooooo sound. It makes no difference if we are looking at a train, our light rail, a model, a TV show with a train in it, or a photograph of a train.
But he is only a foamer because he does not know better.
Anyone that is pre-adolescent should get a pass.
Myself on the other hand, sometimes I am borderline foamer (excluding trespassing or course).
Maybe we all have the non-leathal form of rabies that makes us all go nuts upon the site of giant machines with flanged wheels that ride on rails.
Once when I was watching a train a cop stopped and asked what I was doing. I said I was a train fan. He was completely unaware of this phenomenon. I explained that I like trains like other people like cars.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
Phoamer, one who becomes very excited over the sight of a train or locomotive. To foam at the mouth. See FRN.
This may sound goofy, but here we go,
I never classafied myself as either. 1. I don't like freek out when a train goes by. I will look at it and see if it has anything "cool" onboard. Normally not. I will then not pay attention untill we get to the loco's. Then I will identafy the loco's. 2. I do like to here a a big diesiel engeine (especially an SD70M) Idle or go past me at speed. 3. When trackside and the train thunders past I knid of I don't know... tremble. For 2 reasons, 1., I have great respect for these machiene's and I know you can kill youre self if too close. 2. I feel honered to be standing next to something that I have an intrest in.
I will have to stop being a rail enthuseist if I want to work for the RR. I will get made fun of. Besides I will spend all of my time with them too, so...
Do you guy's think I'm a foamer? I hope not.
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This is simple - a foamer is simply someone who is more enthusiastic about trains than you are, level headed rail fan that you are.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
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"We have met the enemy and he is us!"
Careful. I had to pay big bucks for the right to use.
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Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
blownout cylinderOne difference being normal railfan isn't likely to go and get into tresspass issues with RRP's whereas foamer likely to get into having issues with RRP------
True that. Although once in a while, you get that unfriendly employee who will report anyone within a mile of the tracks.
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ns3010 A railfan is a normal person who shows an intrest in trains and railroading.A foamer is more along the lines of: "OMGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRAINS ARE TOTALLY AWESOME AND COOL!!!!!!!!! I LOVE TRAINS!.!.!.! WOOOOOOOOO!!!!! See the difference?
A railfan is a normal person who shows an intrest in trains and railroading.A foamer is more along the lines of: "OMGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRAINS ARE TOTALLY AWESOME AND COOL!!!!!!!!! I LOVE TRAINS!.!.!.! WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
See the difference?
One difference being normal railfan isn't likely to go and get into tresspass issues with RRP's whereas foamer likely to get into having issues with RRP------
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
FOMITE, shortened to Foamer
Fraternal Order of Mindless Incessant Train Enthusiasts
I did a search using the term and the first item listed on the results page is the following. There must be several others over the past four years.
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/76297/914168.aspx#914168
-Crandell
The web site below is interesting, but I don't think the name is related to an old railroad term.
Steam locomotives used to pull water sometimes out the exhaust when the water was foaming, but this was a bad thing and could cause a lot of problems. Maybe it is related!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://foamer.railfan.net/index.html
"Foamer" is used to describe someone who is obsessed with trains. Not just a railfan, but beyond that. Some people think that all railfans are foamers, but I think there is a distinct difference.
And what is it in respect to? Is it slang for an old railroad term.
alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)
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