Originally posted by BNSF railfan. Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply cpbloom Member sinceAugust 2003 From: Still on the other side of the tracks. 397 posts Posted by cpbloom on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 5:16 AM "railfans are sometimes known as "foamers". This comes from slang used by railroad workers, who have noted that some people start "foaming" with excitement whenever they see a train. It is a slightly derogatory term but railfans have adopted it with pride." My definition comes from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railfan Reply Sterling1 Member sinceFebruary 2002 From: Traveling in Middle Earth 795 posts Posted by Sterling1 on Monday, April 18, 2005 4:02 PM Foamers are those who drool over certain favorite railroad equipment. They may choose to endanger themselves. Railfans appreciate whatever is out there and understand some history and the roles that the equipment take part in transportation. The term that I am most familiar with is rail enthusiat (back from my Thomas the Tank Engine days, lllooonnnggg time ago . . .) I am a railfan for the most part and stay well away from the track for safety reasons and still get the shakes even at a "safe" distance. "There is nothing in life that compares with running a locomotive at 80-plus mph with the windows open, the traction motors screaming, the air horns fighting the rush of incoming air to make any sound at all, automobiles on adjacent highways trying and failing to catch up with you, and the unmistakable presence of raw power. You ride with fear in the pit of your stomach knowing you do not really have control of this beast." - D.C. Battle [Trains 10/2002 issue, p74.] Reply MP173 Member sinceMay 2004 From: Valparaiso, In 5,921 posts Posted by MP173 on Monday, April 18, 2005 3:34 PM I really start foaming when I see what my shares of Illinois Central and Canadien National have done over the last 10 years. I just drool. ed Reply canazar Member sinceAugust 2004 From: Phoenix, Arizona 1,989 posts Posted by canazar on Monday, April 18, 2005 3:04 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper John k I love you (spiritually)! I love you too man!! Spiritually of course![;)] Best Regards, Big John Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway Reply canazar Member sinceAugust 2004 From: Phoenix, Arizona 1,989 posts Posted by canazar on Monday, April 18, 2005 3:02 PM Yup, oh it was very true. I got a good giggle out of it too. And yes, the treated me a bit different after that. We talked for a few then then had to go. But they were pretty nice and even filled me in on the expecting trains for the night and what to look for. It is bit odd I guess, with my job, I am in the same boat as a RR crew is when it comes to foamers. I get the same. Of course, I kinda like haveing folks around. Maybe someday the will become customers. But then again, you can annoy me pretty quick too. I got bills to pay and jobs to complete. But is has also given me a very intersting perspective on how to handle the railroad guys. I know how I can get at work, I can get busy and dont have time for chit chat, and move, your in my way.. I have found the best thing for me, and which will win instant respect for me is when someone comes in and just wants to look or watch. They will tell me right up front why the are there, stay out of my way and insist on letting me work with out bothering me. ( I love that, and I find myself working a bit quicker so I can get some time to talk or to show them somehting) And yes, lots of times people come to take pictures of me working to, so I understand comepletly about the camara issues. Sometimes its great, others not. So when I am at the yard or around the crews, I try and keep myself in their shoes. I think about how I am at work. Stay out of there way, make sure you are in the right spots, be respectful with the camara (which, I hardly take with me) Dont bother them. If they want to come over and chat, great. If not, fine with me, As I explained to the kid, (which is usually why I go, we "train hunt" 2-4 times a month) We are at someone elses work place and the guys are busy, and maybe we well "get lucky" . Im ust be doing somehtign very right. And, I can say that I have been very, very fortunate. I am doing somethign right becuase in 8 months, the kid and I have gotten invited up into 3 different engines.2 Dash 9's and an old GP38) I have never even thought about trying to ask.. One crew held up there switch and ushered us across two sets of track just so we could get aboard. ( Talk about a thrill for the kiddo and Dad. My impression and defining of RailFan and fomaer are a bit different. Here is my take. RailFan: Appricates the histroy, the makings and the alure of RR with respect to its heritage and its future. Also to those that operate and work for the Rail Road. For the the imporant part is, they are working. Be how you would want someone watchign yuo at work when you are super busy Foamer: Same as above to extent. But but have a feeling that the crew is there for them. Dont get the concept of "people are working" I look it as they treat RR employees like ride attentands at the theme park. Oh well, glad you guys got a kick out of th story, I got a couple of other I will sahe sometime soon.. All though, this is the only "zing " story [;)] Best Regrads John Kanicsar Best Regards, Big John Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway Reply siberianmo Member sinceFebruary 2004 From: Chesterfield, Missouri, USA 7,214 posts Posted by siberianmo on Monday, April 18, 2005 2:14 PM QUOTE: canazar Posted: 18 Apr 2005, 01:29:00 Ok, this is a little off topic, but thought it would fit with hths thread.. Not everyday you get to zing a railroader. .........READ THE STORY ABOVE! That's just too good to be true (and I'm not doubting that it is!) Don't we all wish WE could be so fortunate to have had the opportunity to "zing" the way John k did? Love it![tup] Happy Railroading! Siberianmo Reply CSSHEGEWISCH Member sinceMarch 2016 From: Burbank IL (near Clearing) 13,540 posts Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, April 18, 2005 12:50 PM Ed's distinction is probably the best so far. I try to stay in his first class since it implies responsible behavior. Years ago, I had a teammate on my rugby club who was a brakeman on C&NW and he appreciated having somebody who enjoyed listening to him talk shop. I always assumed he knew much more about practical railroading than I ever would and I learned a few things just by listening. Paul The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 18, 2005 12:44 PM As a current rr employee, I have no interest in modern day rrrs at all. It is a job and I treat it as that. I do have an interest in the past history & tradition of the industry and I will purchase books & tapes w/a history theme to it. In terms of photographing trains, I have not done this in several yrs and the film in my camera had been in the since 2001. Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 18, 2005 10:33 AM I've been a RRer for 32 years, an Engineer for 26, and a Railfan for all my life (50 years). I've been called all the above names but teh only one I have any distaste for is "BUFF" (or train Buff or Railroad Buff". I would like to say that the railroad employees who chose to BUFF-BASH are the ones that are really insecure about themselves in their jobs, and don't know enough about their industry to understand why it may hold some fascination to others. A generation ago, there were planty of railroaders who were NOT fans, but understood that there WERE admirers of their industry around, and many of them went out of their way to accomodate us. HECK, I know of a "foamer" who would set up a sign in advance of his photo location reading: "PHOTOGRAPHER-ONE MILE AHEAD". Many a steam locomotive engineer would see this sign and arrange to make extra smoke, thus creating a more dramatic photo! The crop of people that RRs are hiring nowadays is just a new low in human TRASH. Human Rescource departments seem to go out of their way to hire people who do NOT have the railroad in their blood. Sadly, morale on the railroad suffers for it and is now down in the crapper. This may or may not alighn with your thoughts, but I think it hurts like hell to see our wonderfull industry handed over to the current generation of clueless crapheads while all the good and dedicated men are all pretty much gone. Reply Edit tree68 Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Northern New York 25,011 posts Posted by tree68 on Monday, April 18, 2005 9:25 AM There is something, somewhere, that will turn even the most placid railfan into a rabid foamer. 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... Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Monday, April 18, 2005 9:22 AM Good one John, That's funny. Did they cut you some slack after that ? Reply spbed Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Austin TX 4,941 posts Posted by spbed on Monday, April 18, 2005 8:33 AM Yes sounds most reasonable especially when you see 3 CNWs units in origianl paint squeaky clean. Or the Centinential thudering by. For sure that has to be it! [:p][:o)][:D] Originally posted by jeaton Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply jsoderq Member sinceSeptember 2002 From: Saginaw River 948 posts Posted by jsoderq on Monday, April 18, 2005 7:10 AM "Foamer" comes from a reference to rabid dogs which foam at the mouth and act crazy - sound like any one you know? Reply daveklepper Member sinceJune 2002 20,096 posts Posted by daveklepper on Monday, April 18, 2005 3:21 AM John k I love you (spiritually)! Reply canazar Member sinceAugust 2004 From: Phoenix, Arizona 1,989 posts Posted by canazar on Monday, April 18, 2005 1:29 AM Ok, this is a little off topic, but thought it would fit with hths thread.. Not everyday you get to zing a railroader. Ok a little history on me. I own a 4x4 fabrication shop. I build some pretty wild and custom stuff. Just eveybody who knows me or I have done work for, thinks I have the coolest job in the world. I usually get a few folks who come down everyweek just look at what I am building or some project . . I used ot have 4wheelin as my hobby but it kinda got ruined by me doing everyday in the industry, hence my new found passion for trains. I love it. I model, I fan, I take the kid to see the local and it has nothing to do my job.... So, it easy for me to understand the postion of a crewman, who just shows up and does his job, the novelty wore off on his 3rd callup in a week at 2am or who might be haveing a bad day and might careless about me. But is being polite and chatting with me, just like I have done for folks who come into my shop and want to gabber.... So ok.... One night I am down at one of the main yard with the kiddo wathcing the action, I am talking to the trainmaster who is way cool and giveing us all the scoop... When 2 guys walk up, a local crew and check in with the TM. The one guy asks me, "So, you are foamer eh?" I had learned about the term before so I just kinda rolled with it, "Yeah, I guess so. We just came down to watch the trains." I replied The other crewman popped off and said "Well be careful you dont stain your shirt" Being funny, but the smartass flavor was strong as 3 day old coffee. But when he made the comment, he happened to look down ay my shirt, it siad my comany name of the left side. He asked, what it was. I explained what i did. The one guy got really excited and asked if I ever built "rockbuggies"? (just a really kickbutt 4x4 built from scratch, kind alike a dune rail on steroids) I smiled, "As a matter of act I do, I have 2 in my shop I am building right now". Both crewmen asked to come down sometime and see.. I reached in my wallet and brought out 2 biz cards. As I handed them the cards, I said deadpanned.... "Make sure you were some grubby shirts, your probably gonna drool all over your self and make a mess" With that they went completly pale and the TrainMaster exploded in laughter so hard he went into a coughing fit and was laughing all the way back to the office. Best Regards. John k Best Regards, Big John Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 17, 2005 11:17 PM To add to Ed's timely and elucidating post: Glazer--foamer whose eyes also glaze over at even the thought of a train. FLIM--foamer living with mother GLIM--glazer living with mother FLIM and GLIM apply to adults, not kids, and are self-explanatory[banghead][banghead][banghead] Reply Edit edblysard Member sinceMarch 2002 9,265 posts Posted by edblysard on Sunday, April 17, 2005 10:43 PM Rail fan, someone who takes an interest in the hobby of watching and observing trains, their operations and equipment, but does so in moderation, and in a safe, consistent manner . Foamer...someone with total disregard for the safety of both themselves, and the railroad employees. Know to trespass, steal, and interrupt service in the pursuit of their personal goal, often with acute, single minded, rabid attention to obtaining their wish fulfillment...referred to as foamers because in their intensity, they often forget to wipe the drool from their mouths, and it foams at the corners....somewhat like a rabid dog. The former is often know to crews and railroad management, and just as often, allowed access within limits. The latter is also known to management and crews, and, due to the danger they present to both themselves and crews, regarded as a threat. Ed 23 17 46 11 Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 17, 2005 10:09 PM And I thought I wasn't the only one was crazy about Trains.LOL. I guess not. Reply Edit overall Member sinceDecember 2001 From: US 1,475 posts Posted by overall on Sunday, April 17, 2005 8:59 PM I prefer the title "serious student of railroading" because I study the history and engineering behind railroading as well as observing trains ( from a safe distance on public property ). I guess that makes me an "SSR" ? George Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Sunday, April 17, 2005 8:43 PM Aww, and here I thought we were dividing up for a game. The railfans vs the foamers.[:D] Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:32 PM As a railroad employee, I always lumped all of the fans into one distinct category with arbitrary layers/gradations. Like the German language, I viewed the term "railfan" as the polite form (Sie) of address when conversing with a congenial and mild-mannered fan. The term "foamer" was more derrogatory/informal (du) and reserved for those who (as mustanggt pointed out) earned a paycheck at Mickey D's and yet seemed to profess more knowledge about the inner workings of the Railroad than I did. The worst grade of fan was the "railnut", which I reserved for the select few foamers/rivet-counters who risked removing themselves from the gene pool just to get the perfect snapshot of the "Dash-9 with Four Grabirons instead of Three" or the equivalent. Reply Edit espeefoamer Member sinceNovember 2003 From: West Coast 4,122 posts Posted by espeefoamer on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:25 PM I was in the middle of typing my reply when the above post was added. Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool. Reply espeefoamer Member sinceNovember 2003 From: West Coast 4,122 posts Posted by espeefoamer on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:22 PM From what I have heard,the original term was foamite,which stood for; Freaked Out And Mentally Incompetant Train Enthusiast. Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool. Reply mudchicken Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Denver / La Junta 10,820 posts Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:16 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans So it would seem no one knows the origin of foamers(a term I have never heard) do we have any more guesses as to what this rather bizarrre name means? pseudonym for F.O.M.I.T.E. (Fraternal Order Of Mindless Incessant Train Enthusiasts)....GO BACK AND LOOK IN THE OLDER POSTS!~ Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west Reply tatans Member sinceMay 2004 4,115 posts Posted by tatans on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:07 PM So it would seem no one knows the origin of foamers(a term I have never heard) do we have any more guesses as to what this rather bizarrre name means? Reply trains61 Member sinceDecember 2002 From: US 12 posts Posted by trains61 on Sunday, April 17, 2005 3:16 PM From what I hear, most crews consider the term to be synoymous. As a railfan I try to keep a low profile. The term foamer is from steam days, when the engines would sometimes foam ( an undesirable condition) The crews likened this condition to some railfans that seemed to foam at the mouth when viewing an engine. You can be polite as you want but sometimes being in the wrong place at the right time can get you labeled as a foamer. Like the time I just got my scanner and a adjustable whip antenna,was sitting a block away from U.P., listening to the crew set out cars. Someone called the cops on me, telling them I had a strange device. The officer got a chuckle out of it: but I was extremely embarrassed. Reply jeaton Member sinceSeptember 2002 From: Rockton, IL 4,821 posts Posted by jeaton on Sunday, April 17, 2005 3:15 PM Short for foaming at the mouth, maybe from salivating and breathing hard at the same time. Tends to be used most often by railroad employees who have no particular interest in railroads other than as a place to work, get the job done, collect the pay and go home. (Nothing necessarily wrong with that.) More often their target is a fellow employee who is also a rail fan. That accounts for the reason that employees who have an interest in the railroad business beyond the scope of their own job will often hide that interest. Jay "We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics Reply JoeKoh Member sinceApril 2003 From: Defiance Ohio 13,310 posts Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, April 17, 2005 3:02 PM I talked to some people today about this. a fan will watch trains take pictures and be polite.a foamer would be one pacing for a train take unneeded risks would endager himself or others to see a train. stay safe Joe Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener"). Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper John k I love you (spiritually)!
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
QUOTE: canazar Posted: 18 Apr 2005, 01:29:00 Ok, this is a little off topic, but thought it would fit with hths thread.. Not everyday you get to zing a railroader. .........READ THE STORY ABOVE!
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...
Originally posted by jeaton Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub Reply jsoderq Member sinceSeptember 2002 From: Saginaw River 948 posts Posted by jsoderq on Monday, April 18, 2005 7:10 AM "Foamer" comes from a reference to rabid dogs which foam at the mouth and act crazy - sound like any one you know? Reply daveklepper Member sinceJune 2002 20,096 posts Posted by daveklepper on Monday, April 18, 2005 3:21 AM John k I love you (spiritually)! Reply canazar Member sinceAugust 2004 From: Phoenix, Arizona 1,989 posts Posted by canazar on Monday, April 18, 2005 1:29 AM Ok, this is a little off topic, but thought it would fit with hths thread.. Not everyday you get to zing a railroader. Ok a little history on me. I own a 4x4 fabrication shop. I build some pretty wild and custom stuff. Just eveybody who knows me or I have done work for, thinks I have the coolest job in the world. I usually get a few folks who come down everyweek just look at what I am building or some project . . I used ot have 4wheelin as my hobby but it kinda got ruined by me doing everyday in the industry, hence my new found passion for trains. I love it. I model, I fan, I take the kid to see the local and it has nothing to do my job.... So, it easy for me to understand the postion of a crewman, who just shows up and does his job, the novelty wore off on his 3rd callup in a week at 2am or who might be haveing a bad day and might careless about me. But is being polite and chatting with me, just like I have done for folks who come into my shop and want to gabber.... So ok.... One night I am down at one of the main yard with the kiddo wathcing the action, I am talking to the trainmaster who is way cool and giveing us all the scoop... When 2 guys walk up, a local crew and check in with the TM. The one guy asks me, "So, you are foamer eh?" I had learned about the term before so I just kinda rolled with it, "Yeah, I guess so. We just came down to watch the trains." I replied The other crewman popped off and said "Well be careful you dont stain your shirt" Being funny, but the smartass flavor was strong as 3 day old coffee. But when he made the comment, he happened to look down ay my shirt, it siad my comany name of the left side. He asked, what it was. I explained what i did. The one guy got really excited and asked if I ever built "rockbuggies"? (just a really kickbutt 4x4 built from scratch, kind alike a dune rail on steroids) I smiled, "As a matter of act I do, I have 2 in my shop I am building right now". Both crewmen asked to come down sometime and see.. I reached in my wallet and brought out 2 biz cards. As I handed them the cards, I said deadpanned.... "Make sure you were some grubby shirts, your probably gonna drool all over your self and make a mess" With that they went completly pale and the TrainMaster exploded in laughter so hard he went into a coughing fit and was laughing all the way back to the office. Best Regards. John k Best Regards, Big John Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 17, 2005 11:17 PM To add to Ed's timely and elucidating post: Glazer--foamer whose eyes also glaze over at even the thought of a train. FLIM--foamer living with mother GLIM--glazer living with mother FLIM and GLIM apply to adults, not kids, and are self-explanatory[banghead][banghead][banghead] Reply Edit edblysard Member sinceMarch 2002 9,265 posts Posted by edblysard on Sunday, April 17, 2005 10:43 PM Rail fan, someone who takes an interest in the hobby of watching and observing trains, their operations and equipment, but does so in moderation, and in a safe, consistent manner . Foamer...someone with total disregard for the safety of both themselves, and the railroad employees. Know to trespass, steal, and interrupt service in the pursuit of their personal goal, often with acute, single minded, rabid attention to obtaining their wish fulfillment...referred to as foamers because in their intensity, they often forget to wipe the drool from their mouths, and it foams at the corners....somewhat like a rabid dog. The former is often know to crews and railroad management, and just as often, allowed access within limits. The latter is also known to management and crews, and, due to the danger they present to both themselves and crews, regarded as a threat. Ed 23 17 46 11 Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 17, 2005 10:09 PM And I thought I wasn't the only one was crazy about Trains.LOL. I guess not. Reply Edit overall Member sinceDecember 2001 From: US 1,475 posts Posted by overall on Sunday, April 17, 2005 8:59 PM I prefer the title "serious student of railroading" because I study the history and engineering behind railroading as well as observing trains ( from a safe distance on public property ). I guess that makes me an "SSR" ? George Reply chad thomas Member sinceJanuary 2005 From: Ely, Nv. 6,312 posts Posted by chad thomas on Sunday, April 17, 2005 8:43 PM Aww, and here I thought we were dividing up for a game. The railfans vs the foamers.[:D] Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:32 PM As a railroad employee, I always lumped all of the fans into one distinct category with arbitrary layers/gradations. Like the German language, I viewed the term "railfan" as the polite form (Sie) of address when conversing with a congenial and mild-mannered fan. The term "foamer" was more derrogatory/informal (du) and reserved for those who (as mustanggt pointed out) earned a paycheck at Mickey D's and yet seemed to profess more knowledge about the inner workings of the Railroad than I did. The worst grade of fan was the "railnut", which I reserved for the select few foamers/rivet-counters who risked removing themselves from the gene pool just to get the perfect snapshot of the "Dash-9 with Four Grabirons instead of Three" or the equivalent. Reply Edit espeefoamer Member sinceNovember 2003 From: West Coast 4,122 posts Posted by espeefoamer on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:25 PM I was in the middle of typing my reply when the above post was added. Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool. Reply espeefoamer Member sinceNovember 2003 From: West Coast 4,122 posts Posted by espeefoamer on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:22 PM From what I have heard,the original term was foamite,which stood for; Freaked Out And Mentally Incompetant Train Enthusiast. Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool. Reply mudchicken Member sinceDecember 2001 From: Denver / La Junta 10,820 posts Posted by mudchicken on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:16 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans So it would seem no one knows the origin of foamers(a term I have never heard) do we have any more guesses as to what this rather bizarrre name means? pseudonym for F.O.M.I.T.E. (Fraternal Order Of Mindless Incessant Train Enthusiasts)....GO BACK AND LOOK IN THE OLDER POSTS!~ Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west Reply tatans Member sinceMay 2004 4,115 posts Posted by tatans on Sunday, April 17, 2005 4:07 PM So it would seem no one knows the origin of foamers(a term I have never heard) do we have any more guesses as to what this rather bizarrre name means? Reply trains61 Member sinceDecember 2002 From: US 12 posts Posted by trains61 on Sunday, April 17, 2005 3:16 PM From what I hear, most crews consider the term to be synoymous. As a railfan I try to keep a low profile. The term foamer is from steam days, when the engines would sometimes foam ( an undesirable condition) The crews likened this condition to some railfans that seemed to foam at the mouth when viewing an engine. You can be polite as you want but sometimes being in the wrong place at the right time can get you labeled as a foamer. Like the time I just got my scanner and a adjustable whip antenna,was sitting a block away from U.P., listening to the crew set out cars. Someone called the cops on me, telling them I had a strange device. The officer got a chuckle out of it: but I was extremely embarrassed. Reply jeaton Member sinceSeptember 2002 From: Rockton, IL 4,821 posts Posted by jeaton on Sunday, April 17, 2005 3:15 PM Short for foaming at the mouth, maybe from salivating and breathing hard at the same time. Tends to be used most often by railroad employees who have no particular interest in railroads other than as a place to work, get the job done, collect the pay and go home. (Nothing necessarily wrong with that.) More often their target is a fellow employee who is also a rail fan. That accounts for the reason that employees who have an interest in the railroad business beyond the scope of their own job will often hide that interest. Jay "We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics Reply JoeKoh Member sinceApril 2003 From: Defiance Ohio 13,310 posts Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, April 17, 2005 3:02 PM I talked to some people today about this. a fan will watch trains take pictures and be polite.a foamer would be one pacing for a train take unneeded risks would endager himself or others to see a train. stay safe Joe Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener"). Reply 12 Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
23 17 46 11
QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans So it would seem no one knows the origin of foamers(a term I have never heard) do we have any more guesses as to what this rather bizarrre name means?
"We have met the enemy and he is us." Pogo Possum "We have met the anemone... and he is Russ." Bucky Katt "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future." Niels Bohr, Nobel laureate in physics
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.