A post that shall remain nameless conveyed something to the affect that people think we are geeks because we go out and take photographs of trains/read about them. It reminded me of a tirade I once read in Trains Magazine or Railway Age, which said the author feels less embarrassed reading a Playboy off the shelf in a public bookstore as compared to a Trains Magazine.
Does anyone else feel that way?
If you do, that is fine, I am not knocking it—but I feel as though it is unnecessary.
I think there are three kinds of rail fans:
(1) Those that feel that they are somebody special because they know a lot about trains and feel the need to pronounce this fact from on high. Yes, these people do get made fun of—and understandably so. There is nothing particularly deserving of public praise because one likes trains. It is no different than liking NASCAR, Tea parties, linguistics, fashion, battleships, weightlifting, etc. It is a hobby.
(2) There are the fans that are embarrassed about their hobby, like the article I described above. I once was like this, and not even my closest friends knew I liked trains and the thought of sharing this with a girlfriend—I would have sooner ate nails.
I now find this attitude kind of silly too. It is a hobby, everyone has hobbies, trains are no different. If people don’t like it or think it is silly, they are entitled to their opinion. But so what if they think that way? People can sense insecurity—probably the reason the fan felt the need to hide the fact that he was reading about trains.
(3) There is the fan that just does what he or she wants to do and accepts it for what it is. I really think these fans are the most fun to be with. Funny thing is, the fans that seem comfortable with their hobby but don’t feel the need to pronounce it from on high seem to even get a little respect from the public—they are regarded as interesting rather than a geek.
I think I fall into group 3, Gabe. I have fun with my hobby, and its just one of those things I’m interested in. People who know me know that that is just me. And trust me, there’s a lot more than my interest in trains that makes me weird.
For example, most people look at my lens collection for 3 different lensmounts (M42, Canon FD, and Canon EF) and think I’m nuts. The fact that I would spend $1400 on a single lens amazes people. But it’s still fun to me, so I go with it.
And then there’s my love of cars. I went to the Auto Show in Motion last Sunday, and I’m sure people must’ve thought I was nuts because I drove at least 20 different cars, and I drove one in particular at least 20 times (Pontiac GTO). I was virtually the only person there who went alone, too. But I had a blast, and managed to drive the quickest time of the day for the GTO on the dyno (13.14 @ 106 at a Mile High).
I think one just has to do what one likes, and not worry about what other people think. Chances are that they have a hobby that could be seen as nutty, too.
I’m not embarrased at all. I enjoy the hobby. Always have. Always will. Furthermore I don’t know why one would be. I know some are though. That to me is silly. That would be like say a football fan being embarrased about being a football fan. If it’s something you enjoy doing than by all means do it and have fun. And screw anyone that has a problem with you hobby. They are not worth worrying about.
I don’t usually care what people think , however being an industry insider does give me a good reason to look at trains, after all it is every employees responsibility to inspect passing trains and report any unsafe conditions. Does it matter if you don’t work for the railroad you are looking at? I look forward to doing rollby’s of steam powered excursions.
Randy
Wow, do they have steam powered excursions in Maine? I couldn’t think of a more beautiful place to view a steam locomotive, particularly the Texas-type locomotives the D&H used to use.
One of the things I enjoy is educating those that have no clue about railroading. When someone is truely interested in what railroads do. I have had some really educated people ask me some of the wildest questions. It’s not that they are dumb, it’s just in todays world most people have no clue what railroading is about. And really they have no need. In most cases people don’t directly need the railroad for anything. But indirectly depend on the railroad for many things. It makes me feel good to be an embassador of railroading and sheading light on those that have no understanding of the subject, not for the lack of want but for the lack of need. And often I find myself being educated in how John Q Puplic sees trains.
I fall into category 3. I don’t see any difference between someone who’s hobby is trains vs. someone who’s into cars, motorcycles or anything else for that matter.
I suspect that this will tick SOMEBODY off,…but I think (just as in all aspects of life) the people who get carried away with it give everyone a bad image.
The “foamers” are laughably over zealous, and tend to paint the picture most non-fans envision when conceiving the image of a RRfan in their minds eye.
You know the stereotypes: 55 year old foamer has taken over 3/4 of the basement with his model train set (ahem: “for the kids”) The wife goes downstairs to find he has gouged a tunnel through the wall into her laundry room and the guy is scale modeling the powder river basin down into her Maytag, so she offeres an ultimatum “It’s either me or the trains, but one has to go” And the guy, knowing this day would eventually come, pulls the passenger ticket out of his wallet that he’s been saving just for this occassion, from the erie lacawanna passenger days…no less. [#oops]
I guess I tend to fall somewhere inbetween #2 and #3… Since most of the people I know tend to have a rather dim, skeptical view of anyone who is too enthused with trains… That tend to have an "Ahhhh,…a “train nut,…e’hhh?” type reaction…but I blame that on their ignorance, since it is a stereotype that exists in their minds rhat they are compairing me to.
I usually wait until there is some tidbit of information that I can share with them that my interest in the hobby givess me unique knowledge over, they might be mulling over something while sitting at a crossing gate and witness a turbo stack fire or hear a flat wheel pounding as it rolls by, and they bother to exclaim out loud wondering what that is,…so I tell them, but in such a way that they don’t think I’m obsessed, etc
Well, I can’t speak for Mutt; but, I’m very happy to tell people that my husband
and I like to go out and watch trains going by and, oh by the way, my husband
is a model railroader. Our dining room is the railroad room!
I am not embarrased about my hobby. I enjoy trains and so there are some people who don’t whoopppy Doo. They don’t know what they are missing. So some people might think it is wierd or geekish, so what… I am a geek and proud of it.
I was fitting under #2 and with good reason when I was still in the hobby. If/when I get back into it will still be a #2. Someday when teh kids are in college and if my wife wants to tinker with structures and scnery we might build somnething but it will be us two and I don’t ant to advertise it to friends who can tehn wonder whya grown man plays with trains. I think the overzealous Gerfs and Foamites paint an exceptionally bad picture for the hobby and as we all know a few visable bad apple spoil it for everyone in the publis’s eye. My brother enjoys star trek and star wars and is by no means a geek, butt he keeps this to himself, watching video when teh mood strikes him, no collectables and no urge to run out and stand in line when teh new movie comes out, his friends and co-workers have no idea. He just likes teh various series and stories and is well aware of teh mega-geek image that "hoby " ahs and wants no part of it.
I am into cars big time but that in the public’s eye is “normal”…in certain ways. I tell no one outside those who share the hobby that I dabble with slot cars as once again it is the adult palying with toys problem once again. No one has any problem with my full size mustang GT, thats thought of as cool and normal for an adult, some when they see my finished garage and see the slot track and built up model car kits see it in it’s entirity and really dig automobiles, racing and the various aspects I have, it’s a real guy’s paradise of sorts but to tell an outsider I have toy electirc cars all on it’s own…NO WAY !
The reason I had decided to go underground lone wolf long before I got out of trains was I got tired of getting calls from various gerfs and train geeks…the kind we dislike, wanting to set up trips or other stuff and I just gave teh impression I was out of the hobby so they would go away, I dropped memberships and quietly modled on my own and was far happier.
When I worked for the railroad it was DEFINITELT FROWNED UPON so you g
My wife jokes that I went railroading so I could do so up close research for my model railroad.
She is partially right…
Yes, the fanatical foamer does give the rest a bad image, but every hobby has its version of the foamer.
I never gave a second though to how others viewed my interest in trains, it truly never occurred to me that their opinion should bear any weight…
After all, there are quilt collectors, doll collectors, I know a guy who builds model aircraft, and who races RC airplanes, and no one thinks he’s nuts, so why should my obvious enjoyment at watching a nice long freight drag by be any different.
And, if it does strike them as odd, well, their loss, not mine.
Ed you are so right: even though I like the trains as much as Mutt, I also
crochet and work with bump chennile, and love to paint suncatchers. It
does not matter what your hobby or interests are. Just be proud of it, and
to heck with anyone who thinks you’re dumb, strange, a geek, nerd, what-
ever. As long as you’re happy, that’s what is important.
I’M NOT ASHAMED OF TRAIN WATCHING, I DO THINK BIRD WATCHERS ARE A LITTLE OFF,BUT IT IS THERE HOBBY. MY WIFE HATES TRAINS, HER DESK IS 50 FEET FROM THE TRACK IN CARLBAD CA. AMTRACK AND LONG FRAIGHTS REALLY PUT A DAMPER ON TRYING TO DO BUSINESS. YES THE PUBLIC HAS A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT RAILROADS AND MODERN RAILROADING.MOST THINK THAT AFTER PASSENGER TRAINS WERE TURNED OVER TO AMTRACK THAT RAILROADS DIED.
I’m not embarrassed about it, but like everything else there’s “a time and place”. I work about 1/4-mile from a rail line (BNSF Harbor Sub in Redondo Beach, CA) but I don’t run to the window every time a train goes by…
I bought some rail videos a few years ago, but the non-fan family members who saw them considered them to be majorly b-o-r-i-n-g. These train videos are now used as a benchmark for lame movies, i.e. “well the music is better than on those train videos” or “that was as bad as those train videos” etc. I don’t think I’ll ever live it down. I will just need to watch the videos on my own…
Colleagues and co-workers know I like trains – can’t miss it: framed posters in my office; personalized license plate on the car. I only discuss the subject when asked…I don’t expect anyone else to care about green goats, Dash 9s, or other stuff like that. Colleagues know about various rail trips I take (Atlantic City etc.) and figure ‘hey, whatever floats your boat’.
I do have one of those engineer caps with all the pins, but I only wear it when on volunteer duty at a table for the RR museum.
