I was wondering if anyone can recall which issue of Trains which had an interview with a former President of the Santa Fe, who talked about being a railfan and working for the Santa Fe. One of the points of the article I am trying to find is his take on how there are two types of railfans. I believe this issue came out in either 2007 or 2008. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Possibly this one - though it's way outside the dates you mentioned -
A letter from the president Trains, August 1975 page 20 memories of dynamometer car tests ( 2-10-4, ATSF, "REED, JOHN S.", STEAM, ENGINE, LOCOMOTIVE, TRN )
Otherwise -
Route 66 railway Trains, March 2006 page 28 Santa Fe and parallel U. S. highway 66 ( ATSF, BNSF, DIVISION, HIGHWAY, "LAWRENCE, ELROND", PHOTO, SOUTHWEST, TRN )
Railroad reading: My usual lunch Trains, April 2006 page 86 a bet with a dining car waiter ( "ADLER, LOUIS S.", ANECDOTE, ATSF, CAR, DINING, TRN )
Beyond these, suggest you try searching using the ''Index of Magazines'' at the bottom of the page here. I got like 152 'entries' back, at -
http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=ATSF+TRN&sort=A&output=3&view=0
- PDN.
Probably not the story you seek, but I remember many years ago they published a short commentary describing railfans as falling into one of two categories: "Geographers" or "Technicians." It was right on the money.
The railfan/president of the Santa Fe to whom you are referring may be John Shedd Reed. Mr. Reed passed away at the age of 90 in March 2008, and I recall that Trains Magazine subsequently featured a nice obituary about this extraordinary gentleman two or three months later. One of the summer 2008 issues may have what you're looking for.
Bruce Kelly Probably not the story you seek, but I remember many years ago they published a short commentary describing railfans as falling into one of two categories: "Geographers" or "Technicians." It was right on the money.
Technicians and geographers Trains, January 1985 page 22 The two types of railfans ( "BEAUMONT, RALPH", FRONTISPIECE, RAILFANNING, TRN )
Yep - ever since then, I've known that I was a 'Geographer', not a 'Technician', and have been comfortable with my lack of knowledge of - or interest in - the number and pattern of the rivets on a particular steam locomotive's tender, and the like. Mr. Kelly, from your writing I'll wager a goodly sum that you're a 'Geographer', too. I found that article about a month ago - it has a nice photo of a Canadian Pacific Railway's Geep crossing a trestle in a scenic location in southern Ontario, if I recall correctly. I believe the irony there is that the train was way late for some reason, and the author/ photographer would have been happy to get a photo without the train - because he liked the scenery so much, the train was just the icing on the cake.
- Paul North.
Might this be it -
''John dug in his heels once again and performed the same old same old. He is for progress, he said, and railfans are only for preserving the past.''
- From a post by Fred Frailey to another website's forum - Date: 03/19/08 22:17''Requiem for a man who loved trains''.
If you want the precise source, try a search for ''John S. Reed'' and ''railfan'' and 'trains''; or maybe ''John Reed'', ''railfan'', and ''frailey'', should get you close.
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