Are you an idiot railfan?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

If you get at least 10 of these, then you ARE an idiot railfan

You know you’re an idiot railfan if:

On your railfan outings, the four food groups become: McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Mr. Donut.

Your car has a bumper sticker that says “This vehicle stops at all railroad crossings.”

Despite common sense and the instructions that came with the camcorder, you still shoot videos into the sun.

Your railfan territorial dominance is enough to scare away The Black Panthers.

You carry a saw and a BB gun in your camera case to remove ALL obstacles from your shot.

You have a denim vest or jacket that has more patches than the earth has hydrogen molecules.

You’ve considered contacting the police to obtain permission for using flashing red lights and siren during a train chase.

The sound of a K5LA airhorn off in the distance does more for you than a double-shot of prozac and cocaine.

Your definition of the best type of railroad photograph: the “Three-quarter, no-thought roster shot”.

Your definition of the best night shot: the “Three-quarter, no-thought roster shot”, lit up like the Space Shuttle on launchpad 39B.

Your car’s license plate is customized with a locomotive designation, railroad initials, or both.

So is your email address.

You’ve been known to stand on the roof of your car to get that shot over the fence.

Your scanner is on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You still live with your parents because you spend too much money on Kodachrome.

You don’t realize how stupid or suspicious you look to passing motorists as you stand out in the middle of nowhere with a camera around your neck.

Summer weekends for most men: Beer, Babes, Boats, and Barbecue; Summer weekends for you: refer to #16.

The number 614 gets you more excited than the number 69.

2

Those leave me out. I am a normal railfan.

3

guess Im an idiot…

4

It all depends upon who is asking or who has defined idiot for the sake of the discussion.

Fess up now, BNSFKLINE, who many apply to yourself?

5

You forgot one.

You spend most of your waking hours dreaming up this stuff.

6

I said yes to 16,but two no longer apply. I used to have a licence plate reading SD TROLY, and a cat named Alco. Not at the same time,though.

7

Theres one more.
You have been arrested due to your railfanning activities.
I’m guilty on that one[:(]!

8

My uncle has a license plate " SD40" and a website. www.SD40.com

Alec

9

I was riding a NS steam trip years ago and saw a guy laying on his stomach on top a station wagon running a video camera. That car was running about 50 mph down a dirt road that ran by the tracks.

George

10

Haha!

11

Im am Idiot Railfan,And proud of it. My Plate says BNSF and I love it.
Allan.

12

hmmm, i am potentially an idiot!

13

bnsfkline:

You left out another one:

If you refer to two or more diesels MU’ed together as a “lashup” . . .

Old Timer

14

I have a cat named Chessie but that is the only one of the terms. So I guess that I am slightly idiotic? What does it say about someone who would take the time to write this long list? Are these items autobiographical?

15

hmmm had a cat name chessie, “You’ve ever railfanned drunk” i have the problem of getting drunk, and deciding i dont want to go to bed, then go to the tracks and sleep in the car.

16

How many did you get? [:o)]

[quote]
Originally posted by bnsfkline
[

17

Had a cat named Chessie, and one named “Traina.” Got the picture in the right hand seat as an adult, but not as a child. I do think some of the local crews recognize my truck… Might be some others in there that apply, but I do try to be circumspect when I 'fan…

(Added Later)
Ok, took a closer look at the list:

  1. Actually, it’s fire department stuff. My patch collection is in a binder, though. It would take a full length coat to even begin to hold them all.
  2. I do have red lights and a siren on my truck – I’m a fire chief…
  3. You mean it doesn’t have that effect on people (except those people who bought a house next to a railroad crossing)???
  4. Actually it is, but not to listen to RR stuff (it barely comes in at the house), but for FD and law enforcement.
  5. Yep, although she’s since gone to the great yard in the sky.
  6. Got mine at the local PBS station. The RR donated it to them.
  7. Actually it’s for my model railroad, but there’s some fanning stuff there, too.
  8. It was a siren, not a horn. Wasn’t room for that, either.
  9. Wouldn’t have fit in the garage…
  10. It was at the end of my cab ride (#29)
  11. But several of the antennae are for emergency services radios.
  12. Nice part about the red lights on the truck…

Hmmm…… Bit of a cross between fire and trains. Not quite a full 10 in either category, so I guess I’m safe……

18

I don’t apply to all of those, but quite a few, though I think the better ones. I once flung myself down a small cliff to save a roll of film with a WC SD45 on it. LOLs
Matthew

19

This thread is all over the map, from sublime to rediculous, somewhat like Railfans…

20

I would say that I’m an idiot railfan. One of my emails is bnsfc44@hotmail.com .
Though I may have taken it to the extreme. For the past seven years I lived next door to BNSF Bakersfield Sub in Hanford, CA.