We know that some railfans are male and some are female, but how exactly in this forum, I’m not sure.
Also I wonder how many females, anlong with the males work in the active part of railroading (driving, putting together, and breaking up trains, etc.)
[:D][;)]
In both cases (railfans and workers) I would imagine the percentages are pretty low. Especially for railfans. Railfanning is one of those things that a lot of women don’t understand (though the ones who do are almost always lovely kind members of the fair sex who often brighten any place they frequent, such as this forum).
I would kind of attribute it the same way as I see the majority of women with shopping. My mother and sisters dearly love to shop for the sake of shopping. I don’t know too many guys that share their feelings.
Just an observation, though. I could be lost, dazed and confudes again! [:P]
For Sterling1 (and anyone else interested)
I ‘work’ on or more accurately volunteer on the Sumpter Valley excursion Ry. in Oregon. We have a small number of women working with us and at least two are qualified on every position on the train and make no bones about having to do any of the tasks the rest of us do. And they handle it quite well, I might add. They get head to toe filthy in grease, soot and cinders and you don’t hear one complaint. Anything resembling a complaint is more like loving affection for having gotten dirty from working on a steam engine. Not too many people get to do that. Plus a fair number of the ridership of the female persuasion seem to be weekend railfans so there are probably more than you might think. Go to a train show and you’ll see a great number of women enthusiasts. It’s not just a guy thing.[:)]
To this day my wife can not understand what enjoyment I get from my rail fan trips. Actually though see thinks the same of watching sports. So I would say there are really some male things in this world & some female things like I will not go to a mall. Whatever I wear she has bought me! [:o)][8D]
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Originally posted by Sterling1
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100% agree. See my post below! [:o)][:I][:D]
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Originally posted by CopCarSS
Well great for those women who work with you. However, my opinion is the reason you see woman on excursion trains is beacuse it is a what I will call a “family thing” . As for train shows which I also attend & at least in my part of the USA the only reason a woman is there is because her & her hubby are going somewhere after the show. Just as a analogy I once asked a waitress in her opinion who drank more de-cafe man or woman. The waitress said by far woman by 9 to 1 over man. That is just about the % I of man to woman I see at the train shows I attend. [:o)][:I]
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Originally posted by Dale Trongale
For Sterling1 (and anyone else interested)
There is a good percentage of females on the rr in all crafts but hardly any of them I would believe have very little interest in trains and are not railfans.
There some things that men like more than women and that women like more than men. But to try to put into words what I feel, as a woman, what I feel inside upon hearing a train whistle or the rumble of its locomotive coming up a steep grade, well, there are no words.
How many of you men developed your first interest in trains when your mom helped you count train cars while stopped at a crossing? Or how many of you were filled with stories of far away places that the trains might be going? Was your Mom as unknowning railfan?
Railfans, rail buffs, rail workers, rail historians, we all love trains.
Are there any real statistics out there as to the number of female workers on RR’s and their particular crafts?
I’ve had a number of girlfriends over the years, as well as an ex-wife (thank God for the ex part…), and not any of them cared for trains-or The Three Stooges. The only female I’ve ever know that had any kind of interest in trains is my 70 year old mom. If she even suspects that I’m going train chasing, she grabs her purse and says I’m going too!. She even carries a camera around with her just in case she’s out and about and sees a good photo opportunity. And what a collection of pictures she’s got…
Day I proposed to future wife I got her with a csx dash 8 coming by here in town.Just last week she was trying her hand at pictures from the van while pacing an ns train on the way home.shes getting good
stay safe
Joe
My late great aunt, bless her heart she was a wonderful aunt, lived across from the Santa Fe trks in Wichita,KS for 24 yrs (1948-1972) and never took a single picture of any ATSF train passing in front of her house. If she would have done some type of yr by yr photo album, there would have been enough to fill up a issue for a Morning Sun book.
My wife has become a railfan since we first started dating. I asked her why one day, and she loyally said “because it’s special to you, and it’s something I never noticed before.”
She has also become a rabid hockey fan… and before we get into the beating of chest male thingie about hockey, let me just add that the vast majority of the booster organization is made up of… women.
Erik
Think about it for a minute:
For the first 150 years of railroading, the expected roles in society were fairly clearly defined.
Employment operating trains (i.e. Engineers, Brakemen, Conductors) was clearly a MALE thing.
Little boys were given LIONEL TRAINS and expected to grow up to be Locomotive Engineers (and G.I.s and truck drivers & fishing boat captains, etc).
Little girls were given DOLLS and were expected to grow up to be Motthers and Housewives, etc.
Sorry if I shock or offend the generation X-ers who grew up after these barriers were dissolved, but that’s the way it was back in the days of Ward and June Cleaver.
It’s no small wonder that society responded to those “established” role guidelines that were in place for so long.
From what I can see, the barriers in EMPLOYMENT have dissolved faster tahn those in railfandom, although both are dissolving.
Psychological barriers are harder to dissolve. I’ve still heard of MALES being ridiculed for having careers as Nurses, and I remember 30 years ago, a male railfan friend of mine was embarrased to find work as a telephone switchboard operator.
Finally, let me say this: Walk into a social event, with a mixed gender attendence. Now, start spouting off about a railroad subject. You’ll probably be told QUITE QUICKLY, how much of a GIRL THING that trains are NOT !
I can address both parts of ths question. We had the first female qualify on my job (car retarder operator) about three years ago. She was the only one until last year; now there are four. One of these has also qualified as a hump conductor (probably one of the most pressure-filled jobs out there), and another is in the process. For the most part, they do very well. To qualify as a CRO, you start out as a yard switchman (OK, switchperson). Again, the three newer ones are not only qualified switchmen, but also qualified remote control operators.
As for female railfans, I’m personally acquainted with three of them who frequent the forum. The two who are married have spouses who are fairly knowledgeable about the subject (some things tend to rub off), but would not consider themselves to be railfans.
I’ve been on the “family thing” route myself, but think I’d rather do my railfanning with an honest-to-goodness railfan (of either gender) who’s willing to either teach me something or learn something from me.
Now, mixing the two: of the three Forum members I know, one’s employed in the railroad industry; another hopes to be once she’s done with college, and the third is the daughter of a railroader, and often wishes she could have worked for the railroad.
Yeah, I need a date…
Adrianspeeder
A railfan girlfriend. What an awsome concept !!! [:P]
You are super lucky I guess! [:D][:o)]
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Originally posted by chad thomas
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Yea right, I wish !!!
Well in all my rail fan hours I have never yet seen a female engineer. That would be either BNSF or UPRR. The only woman rail fans I ran into were there by default because there hubbies are railfans. Your info though is top notch at least in my book. [:o)][:I]
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Originally posted by CShaveRR
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Well MHO say your are. In fact the Nebraska escapade I will be going on she opted to no go. So it is only little old me going to be enjoying whatever Neb has to offer. . [:I][:o)]
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Originally posted by chad thomas