I think a more apropriate term would be “railfan geek” not “idiot railfan”.[8D]
Maybe “Truly Happy Person!”?
I thought that most Railfans where concidered as Nerds.
Allan.
Wow too much words[D)]
Well I most certainly know that I’m a railfan idiot or nut!!! I knew this for sure about 4 years ago when my 10th grade Bussness Law teacher told me that I must of been train nuts for starting my own railroad that didn’t exist. Man, I put so much time and effort into that railroad too.
I can’t speak for anyone else but I’m pretty far from being a nerd or geek and even farther from being an idiot.[8D] Mabee that’s why I don’t hang out with too many other railfans.[;)] Except for here in the forum.[swg]
How many of you use some type of railroad term as a password on your computer at home or at work??? I’m guilty!!!
I have to plead guilty to that one,your honor.
LOL.
I’m not gonna sit here and call myself an idiot, I’m dedicated!
Guilty as Charged!!![:D]
Locomotive number, and in some cases its railroad initials.
Years ago I was friends with some owners of a railroad hobby store, who sold belt buckles imitating the “Do not hump” placards railroads place on specific rail cars. I remember one of the owners saying that particular belt buckle sold well. I thought, “I’ll bet it’s a popular one, until the owner’s wife or girlfriend sees it!” [:O] [;)]
Am I an idiot railfan? Well, friends, you decide.
Within the railfan community there are certain subsets: Diesel Fanciers, Steam Nuts, Traction Phreaques. and the Rapid Transit Lunatic Fringe. Put me in the latter category. Here’s why…
I spent my college years (1967-1972) in the greater Chicago area. If I was downtown during the evening rush hour and had to walk from, say, Madison and Waba***o the Chicago & North Western station, I seldom took the direct route. No, I’d usually walk north to Lake St., west to Wells, and then south to Madison before heading west again. I didn’t do it so much for the exercise as for the aural pleasures that were only a few feet above.
During those years the CTA fleeted a series of rush hour schedules called the “Evanston Express.” These trains ran from Linden Ave., Wilmette, through the Chicago “Gold Coast,” around the elevated Loop, and back again. I never was much for the post-WW2 era “Green Hornet” equipment that protected some of those schedules, but I would stop whatever I was doing whenever a 40-to-50 year old brace of “Cincinnati Heavyweights” would come rolling by. I didn’t even have to see the equipment - just hearing those General Electric traction motors wind-up from a standing start with a basso-profundo groan that steadily transformed into a coloratura roar was enough to get my soul all stirred up! Even if my derriere was draggin’ from pounding too much pavement in and around the city, the sight and sounds of those trains always gave me a second wind. They gave a better jolt to the system than a tripple serving of Starbucks!
A couple of three years ago I was in East Troy, Wisc. where I had the pleasure of reliving those moments at the trolley museum. The day of my visit, an old retired buzzard was playing motorman and that old guy really knew how to kick-back the controller, almost to the point of abuse. The pair of “Cincinnatis” he was running sounded great, but they would have sounded even better o
I am for sure, the 1st one.
Sarah,are you telling me that THE railroad that I’ve worked so hard on really doesn’t exist;even on paper and the decals that have already been made !?[:O][:O]
As far as screen names and passwords go;I guess I’ve GOT to plead guilty,I think the signature should give that away.[X-)]
You know you are an idiot railfan when:
“Your cat’s name is Chessie”
We had a cat called Chessie. The kids named her because she was gray like Chessie.
“You have faithfully written down the f/stop and the shuter speed of every shot you have taken for the past zillion years…”.
That doesn’t make you an idiot railfan in any way!!! Many photographers, regardless whether or not they are railfans, record shutter speeds f/stops, film speed, and the like. Photographers do use that data in many ways. I use the record of f/stops and shutter speeds to help diagnose the cause if any of my slides come back over exposed or under exposed for example. Exposure data are also useful if you revisit a photo location in that if you know that the exposure you used the last time was adequate you can use it again.
Your favorite song is NWA’s “F**k Tha Police”!!!
(that’s for all those who get harassed by the railroad cops when they’re out railfanning.[:D])
Nooo noo no I think you miss understood me. I was talking about my railroad that I made up a long time ago called CSC. It doesn’t exist period it’s just a railroad in my head. [:D]
Mutt, your railroad is an existing railroad even though it is a model.
I for one am a rabid steam freak.
How to identify an RSF:
1.) He can take an accurate guess of nos. of tubes and flues from the outside.
2.) The smell of motor oil is repulsive to him.
3.) He pours over outdated schematics of old turbogenerators.
4.) He can name every part of Walscheart’s and Stephenson’s, explain it, and understands precisely how it works and why.
5.) His car has boxpok wheels.
6.) He can tell you the difference between a 3751, 3765, 3776, and 2900 class Northern.
7.) He gets a bump on his forehead, but is okay with it because it looks “fluted.”
Sincerely,
Daniel Parks