Railfanning in groups?

[Anonymous]

I belong to chicago chapter NRHS. Meetings and outings are interesting.

[CANADIANPACIFIC2816]

I have often found it a lot more fun and rewarding to go railfannning in groups rather than by myself. Every once in a while about a half dozen of us from our local HO scale club, the Sioux Valley Model Engineers Society, will all pile into a van and drive a hundred miles or more to an NMRA swap meet, or to tour a railroad facility of some sort. Earlier this past spring a bunch of us had toured the dispatch center of the DM&E in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In December of 2001 we had toured the shop facilities of Midwest Railcar Repair which is located in Corson, South Dakota.

Ray Loftesness II
CANADIANPACIFIC2816

[Anonymous]

I too am alone, but mostly because I don't know anyone else. There are those who will pacify me with thier quiet patience as I stop the car to stare at a catenary pole or count the trusses on a bridge. But for the most part, railroading is my personal neurosis to those around me, at least until such time as I may recruit a cult of my own.

Occasionally, I have transformed some others and got them to see the light. It amazes me to see how many railfans are out there but don't know they are until someone points it out to them. I think everyone has a little choo-choo inside. They just need someone else to come along and light the boiler!

[Anonymous]

amen[:D]

[mrunyan]

I too, am usually alone because of the opportunistic nature of railfanning. "oh there's something on the tracks". Very seldom is it planned and less so an accompanied activity. My wife carries a book to read, just in case, she's not interested but let's me be, it's nice. And sometimes I meet great folks doing the same, we are easy to spot or hear if there are scanners going. Rochelle has some regulars, very nice folks, great spot.

[halifaxcn]

I like to go by myself, but I have travelled with friends who enjoy railfanning.

Both have their strenghts and weakness.

Now I travel and fan with my 4 y.o son. He loves it and everything is a new experience. I have enjoyed my railfanning as I try and see it throught his eyes filled with wonderment.

Regards

[Anonymous]

My dog likes to go with me. I'm sure she just likes getting outside and running around, but she's always been a good buddy to have along.

mike

[K4s_PRR]

I'm one of the lucky ones. All I have to do is go into my backyard & I can railfan all the CSX I can handle. Sometimes I'll see W&LE and run through power. But this won't last too much longer since I'll be moving.

Charles Sanchez

[JimValle]

Modern diesel railroading bores me to death but I do go on one fantrip a year with the members of my model railroad club. Every trip features camaraderie galore and at least one pratfall or mishap that then passes into club legend, never to be forgotten again. On our annual trips we almost always run into at least one lone wolf railfan who is so socially marginal that we're tempted to start a "Darwin Award for the most Obnoxious Railfan". I think they are attracted to the trains because the trains can't reject them. Meanwhile, the guys are still takling about the gal in a green station wagon who flashed her breasts at us while we were cruising down the interstate after fanning the CSX at Clifton Forge......

[chad thomas]

Sometimes in between trains I get a little skitzo and me,myself and I carry on conversations to kill time. This pretty much guarantees my future railfanning will be solo (if you don't count my other personalities). Of course I only do this in my off time. That is when I'm not trolling the net under one of my many evil aliases.

[mukinduri]

Tucacas, Venezuela

I used to think I was a lone "nut" who liked to watch trains. I haven´t been railfanning with anyone, but the Internet has brought to my attention that there are lots of people just like me.

Jim

[dmitzel]

When I was younger, single and didn't have kids, I used to head down to Toledo (Vickers) and Fostoria with a group of guys on a regular basis. Likewise, when we railfanned Delray we went as a group - not a good area to be alone in as was mentioned earlier. Durand and Plymouth was also a regular spot.

Not that I'm older, married and have 2.5 kids - one on the way - I tend to keep closer to home. When the LHS closed down several years ago, our group sort of broke up as our regular meeting place ceased to exist. Plus, we all had families and careers to attend to.

My "usual" irregular spot (I don't get out as often these days) is the old GTW depot in Lapeer, Mich. - only 15 miles north of my home. Lots of CN NAFTA traffic, an occasional CSX job on trackage rights, and Amtrak stops at the station twice a day to/from Chicago. Not as busy as points south, but a safe and relaxing way to spend a few hours. Less gas to put into the car too.

I was up there this past Saturday in the early AM. Amtrak #365 came through at 06:25, followed by a fast CN freight heading west. Once he cleared, an eastbound CN pulled out of the siding west of town to head for the border. I waited almost an hour until two more westbounds screamed by, the second on the first's block.

Five trains in less than three hours - not bad on the old Grand Trunk Chicago-Canada mainline.

D. Mitzel
Oxford, Mich.

[stewarttrains]

I do about half of my railfanning solo and the other part with friends or my family members who are railfans. I enjoy the solo part but it always nice to have someone to talk to. Sometimes when I am out and meet people who dont understand what we do, I relate it to fishing or hunting or even Nascar. I simply explain to them that there is all types of hobbies, some sit there for a minute and take it in then undersand right off but sometimes I have o explain more in depth. Some get it and some dont. But for the most part I perfer t railfan with others.

[Anonymous]

When I was in college in the '70s in Oklahoma there was a group of about five of us that went everywhere together. When we all graduated the group broke up.I stayed in Oklahoma and found new railfan friends and a new era started. I dropped out of railfanning around 1986 to pursue the classic car hobby. I have now moved to Washington and am slowly getting back into fanning in addition to car shows. I lucked out and a neighbor is a railfan. He and I go out in the Columbia River Gorge about once a month or so.

[Anonymous]

I don't do much railfanning locally as I'm on the West Coast and am most interested in railroads in the Southeast. When I do railfan here it is mostly solo. I do most of my rail-fanning at railway historical society meetings -- once or twice each year.

[Anonymous]

I railfan every morning on the way to work, every evening on the way home. I'm lucky being close to a active Conrail yard in Cleveland. Work at Ford Mtr. Co , Brookpark Ohio right next to Hopkins Airport. On the South side is the busy Berea , Ohio Depot. Have loved trains since a kid. Now enjoying them with grandkids. Glad my grandkids don't know how many times we used to hop trains when we were kids. Al

[CNR1949]

There isn't a lot to see here on Vancouver Island and when I go to the mainland it's usually a spur of the moment thing - I've always been alone in the Fraser Canyon - I agree with another writer that sometimes it would be good to be in a group for safety reasons - but here it's for protection from bears and cougars, not criminals.

[nobullchitbids]

Railfans seek out trains. They run into other railfans. This is better than running into the trains. It is also better than having trains run into the railfans. When that happens, railfans have to seek out doctors. Sometimes.

[spbed]

Snce I live in SE Florida & do all my railfanning on the W/coast I do it by myself. I have met other railfans though at Daggett, Ogden, Dolton, Rochelle, Green River, Cajon Pass [:o)][:)][:p]

Originally posted by 88gta350
[

Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR  Austin TX Sub

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