my wife isn’t a railfan yet…but the brainwashing is moving along nicely…[:D]
Nah, I’m just a figment of your imagination. [:D]
It looks like I’m going to have to take some more time off. I was in Portland, Ore., a few weeks ago for a conference and some chasing along the Columbia River Gorge. (Not nearly enough for my taste, but it seriously tested my husband’s patience. Ah, well.)
And some day sooner than later, I imagine, I plan to take a day or two at least and head south. I’ve got more than a few invites to Deshler, but that’d take some fancy arranging. Still … sure would be worth it.
Other than that, I’ll likely take a Saturday fairly soon and spend it in the Chicago area with a good friend who lives down that way. Too many trains, WAY too little time! But Chicago’s an easy day trip. Anyone going to be in the area?
Give me a holler.
Kat
I am one of the very fortunate male Railfans. My lady friend is a true woman railfan. She got her start as a kid by climbing and playing on the Pere Marquette 1225 when it was sitting at Michigan State University all those years before its resurrection. She loves Steam and BNSF the most. Additionally, she hunts out graffitti like Smokin Joe’s, Collusus of Roads, and Bozo Texino, to name a few. Her favorite railfan locations (we are from Michigan) is Fostoria, Durand, Michigan, and Toledo, Ohio. She longs to go to Horseshoe Curve (she is going this summer) and Rochelle. She has been to Dennison, Marion, Bellvue, Deshler, Flint, Owosso, Plymouth, etc. Furthermore she loves old train stations, old signal lights, Fallen Flags, and Railroadianna (can you say switchlocks?). Did I mention she loves to collect and take photos and videos? We often spend a Sunday driving to find old rights of way, or old train stations for photographing and standing near the structures to relieve what it must have been like in the old days. We are baby boomers, so we remember steam but we’re too young to appreciate at the time.
The first time we were out together she found a switchlock. I couldn’t believe it! And because she is a lady (a pretty one at that) she often gets preferential treatment, where rail personnel offer her all sorts of free stuff or a personally guided tour of areas or train cars where the normal public can not always access. Of course, this is a great benefit for me when I am with her. Also, we are never hassled when out railfanning cause I believe we are viewed as a “couple” standing next to the tracks with camera, as opposed to being viewed as terrorists or something else, as a couple of guys might be perceived.
She has also made many railfan friends (women too) that she railfans with when I am not available. Heck, we have slept in Fostoria’s parking lot, and she will stay up all nite if she has to.
If I had a nickel for every time I was told how l
I drove by the Gallitzin ¶ tunnels a few weeks ago. There were two lady railfans there, taking pictures from the road bridge.