Entertainment world is Making Fun of Us!!!!!!

[bnsfkline]

Have you ever noticed, when watching a TV show that usally airs on NBC, CBS, ABC, or Fox, that whenever they have an episode that has a railroad buff, they ALWAYS make that person Mentally Retarded. To me, that is INSULTING us railfans. Just the other day, on my way home from New Mexico, I was watching Highlander, and they had a railbuff, and off course, Mentally Retarded. Always Stating facts about the railroads (At least the got the corrct date for Amtraks Start Up date correct). Other Examples of this Happaning has been "Touched by an Angle", "JAG", "Walker Texas Ranger", "Early Edition", and many others. However, that Highlander Episode did have some nice shots of C425's, SD40-2's. SD40-2F's, Slugs, BCR 3860 and 3716. However, they did damage the 3716 when Duncan McCloude Ran his sword through the Firemans side window.

Other than that, what do you guys thing about this. I mean, we are NOT Mentally retarded for liking trains, are we? Its insulting. Just my [2cs] worth

[Willy2]

I did see a show on the Challenger not too long ago and I did't find anything insulting about it. Other than that I haven't seen many shows about trains or railfans on TV lately.

Willy

[Anonymous]

I watched a good bit of Ronald Reagan's funeral this week; the last time before that was when Baghdad fell in March of last year. Prior to that, it was on when golfer Payne Stewart's plane was off course and headed for a crash. I don't watch any "entertainment" shows. And I also don't worry about what those freaks and perverts and elitist muti-millionaires think about me! Just remember, they think EVERYONE between New York and Los Angeles is a rube, and easily led. They really don't have a very high opinion of anyone outside of their little world. Don't lose any sleep about it, bnsf.

[Anonymous]

[:D] LOL, you really had me laughing here....

Never noticed this at all, but that sounds hilarious.

I'm with tomtrain on this one, I just don't watch TV anymore (at least not like I used to).

Funny about those shows you have mentioned, I've never watched a single one of them, but it would be cool too see the railfan episodes.

Oh well.

[JoeKoh]

I watch sports and train video programs that are on. really don't give a hoot what others think.
stay safe
Joe

[bnsfkline]

Glad to know that I am the only one here worried about our image. Its making everyone think that we cant make decisions for ourselves.

[Puckdropper]

I'm not worried about how the media portrays me, they portray Christians (often) as over-religious "you're going to Hell if you disagree with me" types of people, and I will state, for the record, print it on page 23 of Trains Magazine if you wish, Railfans and other groups are OFTEN portrayed WRONGLY by the media.

If your perceptions of how people are comes from TV, turn the stupid thing off and go outside and meet someone!

[oubliette]

It's the same here in the UK. A railfan or trainspotter as they like to put it is usually the target of comedians or news programmes. Trainspotters are usually referred to as "anoraks" and usually subject to severe leg pulling. So much so that some call themselves rail enthusiasts and make sure everyone knows they are not trainspotters. To me they're both the same, they like trains - so what.

I've been a railfan/trainspotter; call it what you will and its water off a ducks back as far as I am concerned. If they are not calling railfans they would soon find another target.

I wrote a light hearted article about it a number of years ago and anyone interested may find it at:

http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/Oubliette/GoingLoco.html

Cheers

Rory

[Anonymous]

I have noticed this" What the hell are you doing by the tracks" look from many people when im at a crossing watching trains but there are also many placesthat i go and people wave at me or pull over and talk. I guess it just depends on where your at. The media does have this thing about making trans kinda "silly" and when a railfan tries to corrrect then we get laughed at. Oh well. LONG LIVE THE ROCK!!!

[tomnoy3]

Actually, I have apergers syndrome which is quite similar to autism, and my behavioral psychologist, or whatever she is, has told me that many of her other patients who have autism spectrum dissorder, also are fascinated by trains. So, the media isnt far off on their betrail of us, although theyre making fun of the minority. Im not really taking offense to this, becuase im more higher functioning, but, the reason why theyre using the "mentally challenged" for the scetches, is becuase most of them are idiot-savant. Which means, that the person might not be able to tie his/her own shoes, but can sit by the railroad tracks and recite the serial numbers of every car that just went by. But as for me, im satasfied with my mental state, and that of my "rail enthusiaism".

-Tom

[daveklepper]

I'm glad that the point has been made that one can be a religous person and be a good tailfan and also live sensibly in the real world. I've also run into the problem, even with close relatives who thought that anyone religous ws fundamentalist (thinnking only one opinion should be voiced) and that anyone liking trains as much as I do either never left childhood or was senile.

[bnsfkline]

tailfanning? What, you take pictures of Tails? lol.

[mustanggt]

Tom, I have aspergers syndrome too. And I am also in the high spectrum. but everyone thinks my love of trains is fascinating. I know what you all mean. A movie came out last year- Im not sure what its called, but the main character was a mentally challenged guy. I dont want to get off supject, but another problem train people have is people calling model trains toys, even after you explain they are scale models. and that your juvinile for liking trains.

[bnsfkline]

I never thought of Scale models as toys, I am both a modeler and a railfan!

[JoeKoh]

Jim
not only was i a railfan but a tourguide. helping people get good shots of the cp 2816 coming through Defiance.
stay safe
Joe

[jeaton]

100,000 people are jammed together for three hours watching the same couple of dozen cars pass by TWO HUNDRED TIMES!!!

We're challenged? Gimme a break.

Jay

[tomnoy3]

mustanggt-

Thats pretty cool. small world I guess.

"but another problem train people have is people calling model trains toys, even after you explain they are scale models" that gets me pretty peeved as well. lol

A problem we used to have at the model railroad club I belong to was that some of the guys brought their hotwheels to put on the HO layout. That gets to become a bit "toyish" but we voted on it and got rid of them. Im glad. lol.

[Puckdropper]

tomnoy3, I use hotwheels for HO cars... The fact they're only a few dollars a piece makes them a better alternative than trying to get a model for $10. You need a lot of cars, so it quickly adds up.

(I suppose if I started getting "real" cars, I'd have to take my fleet of hotwheel cars off the railroad, they'd just look bad next to a nice model.)

[tomnoy3]

Im not saying its a bad thing. The cost is a major factor in it. But as you said, once you start getting more 1:87 vehicles, they start taking over the layout, and your check book.

-Tom

[Train Guy 3]

I love being portrayed as being stupid for being a railfan. Especially since the people who portray us as being dumb sit around watching American Idol. And the rest of the world usually ends up under the wheels of the train I watch roll by.

For the money i put into my layout it''s definaly not a toy. I might use Hot Wheels but they are concidered a "collectable" these days. They may not be to scale but they are a great way to add on to your layout. And its bonus if your a car lover too.

[Granny74]

Rory:
Bob and I just finished reading your writings on the train. We really enjoyed your narratives of railfans. Thanks for posting the link and sharing with us.
Nancy and Bob from AZ[:)]

[Anonymous]

The trouble with the entertainment world is that it is fantasy that is their business and getting the the public to mindlessly watch them and buy the sponsers products is their only objective. Railfans have the distinction of having some knowlege of what makes the country run. There are few so called hobbies that bring out understanding in such diverse fields as electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, economics of scale, the chemistry of fuels, communications both historically and real time,geographic knowlege beyond the ordinary, historical knowlege that puts us close to the masters level in study both in general and those sub-disciplines of business, labor, social political, economic,and military histories.The point of the matter is that we know more about the real world of hard work, active living and reality than any actor or show biz type would hope to know. Entertainers are in many way just dressed up,(in most cases) salesmen and women that are restricted to a small world of memorized lines that someone else wrote, expanded egos, lights, cameras and very controled environment t. We of the fraternity of Ferroequinology do have the good grace to be kind to those in the entertainment industry. They are in the fantasy of lets pretend while we know the reality of things that move and really makes it happen [2c]

[Mookie]

I keep biting my tongue (and it hurts) but I have to post this!

We have been making fun of them for many, many years. I guess turnabout is fair play!

Mook

[BentnoseWillie]

"Lord, why do you hate my trains?"
- Rev. Lovejoy, The Simpsons

[:)]

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton

100,000 people are jammed together for three hours watching the same couple of dozen cars pass by TWO HUNDRED TIMES!!!

We're challenged? Gimme a break.

Jay

Actually, there are a significant number of them waiting for some of those cars to crash.[xx(]

[StillGrande]

The lead character (the human one) in Alien Nation - The Series had a layout in his living room. Police Detective. Never mind. I just made their argument again.[:D]

[daveklepper]

The only tails I take pictures of are of the rear ends of horses pulling horse-ddrawn streetcars. (Yes, Douglas, Isle of Man, Great Britain, still has an operating horse-drawn streetcar line. Also a preserved 1893 very scenic honest interurban electric railway (to Laxey and Ramsey) with its original equipment and a narrow gauge steam operation (to Cambelltown), ditto.) I meant "railfan", but my computer skills aren't quite match for the computer that has access to Internet that I use. Notice the ddrawn above. Thanks for sharing my misery. Dave

[Anonymous]

Screw the entertainment industry! They're the ones who are mentally retarded, and personally, I don't care for them that much. They just want to give people wrong views on things. Whoever the guy is who thought up the mentally retareded railfan charecter should be punched 40 times!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kylerama

Screw the entertainment industry! They're the ones who are mentally retarded, and personally, I don't care for them that much. They just want to give people wrong views on things. Whoever the guy is who thought up the mentally retareded railfan charecter should be punched 40 times!

You will never be shot for lack of candor my friend - Piouslion [bow][bow][bow]

[ngfred]

I do watch TV. But TLC, Discovery, History, Discovery- Wings(earned my wages in airline/aerospace for years), and HGTV. Do find some programs on trains. Even a garden show which had a program on garden railways. Then spend time on my railroad, the Colorado and Western Narrow Gauge.
Live not to far from the Yakin Valley Railroad, so get to see their trains, even NS with string of cars for the Yakin Valley interchange at Rural Hall, NC.
I do not pay attention to the dumb shows.
Fred in NC.