The mother of all "you might be a railfan ifs...."

[joecool1212]

How about when you see a RR employee and you know more about the loco he is using than he does.......Joe

[Modelcar]

....I like the post above that identifies the ex ROW in a cultivated field. I put myself in that category...and add, no matter how long ago and where it did run years ago, I can identify it as an ex RR ROW.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrnut282
.

- if you stop at every crossing whether the lights are flashing or not...

thats good advice because gates and lights are not always foolproof.
STAY SAFE
Joe

It can be especially startling to look both ways and discover the nose of an idling loco about 25 yards from the crossing, on the main. (Crew likes to go for beans at a convenience store next to the tracks). Done that many times, and the heart still misses a beat or two until I figure out what's going on.

[JoeKoh]

dont know how often they do it now but the local crews used to stop for kfc and ice cream and now we have a dairy queen going up along the tracks.
stay safe
Joe

[Puckdropper]

QUOTE: -your teenaged stepson insists on riding or walking 100 yards ahead of you so he doesn't have to hear the history of the railroad that used to occupy the trail.

Don't you mean 6 carlengths?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh

dont know how often they do it now but the local crews used to stop for kfc and ice cream and now we have a dairy queen going up along the tracks.
stay safe
Joe

We have a place called The Ranch Kitchen right across the street from the tracks in Woodland Ca.. The Cal- Northern crews always stop there for breakfast[:D] The best vittles in town[bow][C=:-)]

[jeaton]

Puckdropper-Yeah, your right, except on those tracks it would have been more likely 7 1/2, not figuring a caboose, whatever those were.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JoeKoh

dont know how often they do it now but the local crews used to stop for kfc and ice cream and now we have a dairy queen going up along the tracks.
stay safe
Joe

Our town's grocery store is located right next to the tracks, so occaisonally a crew might stop there to pick up groceries. When I was about 5 I was lucky enough to be near there when a crew stopped to buy potatoes and they let me go in the engine. That was a thrill!

[Anonymous]

What about if you are posting on this forum on Christmas day (Like Me)

[Anonymous]

You might be a railfan if...
...you spent the better part of your stay at the Grand Canyon at the GCRy station (I did)
...whenever you go to an open space, you immediately begin surveying a route for railroads in small, live steam, and full size scales
...a member of your family asks "what is a train, specifically," and the first words out of your mouth are "well, I tell you-this is a topic that has baffled the greatest of philosiphers."
...you express all driving distances by the railroad distances you have memorized
...you've heard of Rails-to-Trails, and said "well they're great, but I feel that Trails-to-Rails is the natural succesor to them"
...you always bring swing music and dress up whenever you ride Amtrak for the "complete experience;" I am not quite guilty of this yet

[Anonymous]

How about this:
...you go through entire sets of encyclopedias page by page to find any train pictures and bookmark them (yes, I am guilty of this one!)

[Anonymous]

you intentionally park out in the middle of the tracks in Blue Island, Illinois hoping to be blocked by trains !!!
you can't see the car right in front of you but you can read RR reporting marks a mile away !!!
you have reserved parking at your favorite railfan spots !!!
you know the RR police on a first name basis !!![:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

While I was on a bus that had a movie playing, I stared out the window at the Union Pacific and HLCX diesels rather than the movie.

[Anonymous]

You might be a railfan if...
...you gladly went to see The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan, but were incredibly dissapointed when there were no 2-8-2s
...your dreams while you sleep generally consist of spending five hours in the firebox of the locomotive undergoing restoration nearest to your house, when its 90 degrees outside and so is about 120 degrees inside the firebox. Then you wake up and think "that would be nice"
...your day dreams consist of running that locomotive
...your wife wants to go to the symphony and so you take her on a museum excursion for the "symphony of steam"
...you're trying to think of something else to write here (like I am right now)
...the fifty-six stall roundhouse on your model railroad was filled up, so you built another one, then filled that one up...

[cherokee woman]

You won't let your spouse go to sleep at night because you want the two of you to hop in the car, and go railfanning at the tracks to see what's coming in or going out on the next train[|)][|)][|)]

[cherokee woman]

When you move into a larger house, the wife tells you to turn the dining room into the railroad room.

[Mikeygaw]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cherokee woman

When you move into a larger house, the wife tells you to turn the dining room into the railroad room.

i like to have that kind of wife... i think we all would...[:D]

[Anonymous]

I agree!!!
how about:

You might be a railfan if you forgot you wanted to watch a movie on cable last night because you were on a railroad chatroom for 6 hours!

[Anonymous]

If you eat breakfast at the same time, in the same place, everyday in order to watch the same trains on the NEC.

[Anonymous]

You might be a railfan if...
...your "railfan bag" with camera and guides consists of two suitcases
...you have checked this forum four times today (I have)
...you have ever considered 1:1/2 scale (twice the size of the real thing)
...your bedside table has a picture of a: BL-2, two pictures of a 2900 class 4-8-4, MK-10 2-8-2, and the caboose in your back yard, instead of the family

[locomutt]

With just the two of us who needs a dining room[?]
No basement,just a very small,damp celler[sigh]
So she said,use the dining room[:O][:D]
Who am I to argue[}:)][swg]
ERGO [#welcome] to the RAILROAD ROOM[bow]
She's the[angel] around here[;)]
Actually,I'm not even coming close to knocking it.
At least she is interested in it,and helps work on it.
'nuff said.

[Anonymous]

You might be a railfan if...
...you stopped going to OSH because they now have a flower calendar instead of their old train one (I am seriously upset about this)
...in response you sent a letter to OSH, had your friends sign it, and called them the Board of Directors of the KR&NP Railroad (little does the reader know that KR&NP stands for Kneading, Repaire, and New Partes)
...you have more "forum buddies" than actual friends
...you go the auto show and end up talking about Alco, Baldwin, and Lima first generation diesels
...someone put a board with a number on the stop light, and when you drive up to it you say "it's a CTC advisory signal" and pass through it at restricted speed
...you actually get these jokes

[Anonymous]

- if the train crews come to your house for 'beans' because your chili is better than the diner's

[Anonymous]

You might be a railfan if...
...kevinstheRRman has agreed with you on every topic you have both posted to, except EMD vs. GE, when you reply with a marathon of attacking responses (I'm sorry, Kevin [:(][:(][:(][:(]).

[Anonymous]

You might be a railfan if...
...ordering a plane ticket was one of the hardest things you ever did.
...you can say when the train is passing when you are blindfolded and have ear plugs, because you memorized the schedule
...you scrutinize the new K-Line Mikado, closely comparing every detail to the real USRA light Mikado in your back yard
...when your family in the back seat of your car wants you to turn up the heater, they are required to say "rear brakeman to engineer, please increase steam heat, over"
...you put TWC-ABS signaling on your driveway
...your motivation for doing this is that:
1.) if your mother-in-law comes, you can simply deny her a warrant,
2.) it's more familiar for your railroader friends, and
3.) you had to do something with the tree semaphores, four Pennsy-style color-position signals, and seven AT&SF cantilever signal bridges in your back yard
...you have ever wondered "what voltage does Mr. Rogers' trolley run on???"
...you can tell an E-unit from and F-unit from a mile away
...your car has ditch lights
...you feel honored when your wife's non-railfan friend calls your son a "big boy"
...you regard your son being able to tell an SD from a GP as an important developmental milestone

Hope you got some laughs,
Daniel

[JoeKoh]

when you go to your brother in laws new house and see some empty shelves.Hey a train would look nice here.
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

Dear JoeKoh,
I don't have to wait to go to my brother-in-law's house to do that. I do it at home (come to think of it, I don't have a brother-in-law).

Here's some humor:
Railfan phrases not to use as pick up lines on your girlfriend:

Baybe, you've got a nose like a PA.
I can replace five flue tubes in one hour.
Say, have I ever shown you my railroadiana collection?
I've got a book I think you'd like: The Thunder of Their Passing.
You know, I'm not sure which is prettier: a GS-4 or you.
I can't wait to introduce you to the guys at the forum.

Again, do not use these unless you are certain she knows that a PA's nose looks nice and that she knows The Thunder of Their Passing is about the D&RGW.

No offense to anyone.

Hope you got some laughs,
Daniel

[UPTRAIN]

You might be a railfan if...

You install a K5LA on your vehicle and wire the fog lamps to flash alternatly during and 20 seconds after you blow your horn.

[JoeKoh]

Originally posted by trainjunky29

Dear JoeKoh,
I don't have to wait to go to my brother-in-law's house to do that. I do it at home (come to think of it, I don't have a brother-in-law).

daniel
First of all I have plenty of extra track and pics for that project.And My wife knew what she was getting into because the day I proposed I took her picture with a CSX Dash 8 coming over her shoulder with an empty hopper train.Will be 10 years come october and she doesnt mind driving while we look for those elusive trains.I cant ask for a better partner[:)]
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").

 

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