After the fun we had discussing how many railfans are teenagers, and how few are females, I put my money where my mouth is in trying to convert the world one person at a time.
My good friend and I got together last night, and I took her to one of my favorite restaurants in a Milwaukee suburb—which happens to be right alongside a CPR main line. As we pulled up, a train pulling tank cars passed under the bridge we were on. Once inside, I requested a table in their “veranda.” (I call it the room with the fans.) While we chatted and enjoyed our spinach-artichoke dip, another CPR train came through, in full view of all the veranda diners, as it passed by the wall of windows. (It was mixed merchandise and clearly fully loaded.)
We both stopped talking and just watched the train. When it was gone, she commented how cool she thought that was!
She laughed later at how she never in a million years would have guessed I’d get so nuts over trains of all things. Then she chuckled and said how it really was cool seeing them pass by, though.
That seed’s been planted. Next time maybe I’ll take her out to Duplainsville.
Now, who’s next?
And, more importantly, where in your area can you take people who don’t yet understand the entertainment value in watching trains to gently pu***hem toward railfandom?
My wife has been slowly converted over 20 years of marriage. She now gives me full reports on what she saw on the BNSF line between Lafaytte and New Iberia. And if is something that she thinks I should see, out comes the cell phone and she has my son call me so I can grab my camera and go.
How cool. Sounds like you have an understanding wife like I do. It’s really great when a couple has a shared interest that happens to be railfanning.
Here’s what a buddy of mine did. He started dating this woman that was a single mom of an 8 year old boy. The kid had some toy trains, Thomas the Tank engine stuff. My buddy was babysitting him one day, so he took the kid to one of our hotspots. The kid absolutely loved it. He told his mom about it and begged her to take him train watching. She finally agreed, probably just to get the kid to shut up. Anyway, she thought it was cool, too. Now all three of them go all the time. Sometimes you can have a third party do your convincing for you.
My wife grew up near the B&O RR in New York. Trains were always a big part of her family’s life; so it was not a matter of conversion. I remember her first time in Penn Station in New York. We were on a train from DC to Boston and arrived in NY about 500 p.m.; she looked out the window and said, “There’s more people on this platform than live in my town!”
Anyway - enjoy it, as I know many folks who’s interest is not evem tolerated
My husband is converting himself…he’ll tell me what he has seen go by the house if I’ve missed a train or two, and lately he goes over to the park with us for our 2 mile walk near the tracks, if I go in the evening.
Sometimes it’s nice, and sometimes I wish he would stop deciding to like everything that I like. I WANT to do things by myself now and again!
The biggest problem in railfanning is that most closet railfans have the impression its a kid thing they are to be grown up adults. so they dont go out of the way to see trains but will not go out of the way to beat one or will go out of the way to get stopped by one. And I have let little boys with there kids in tow on the engine let them play with the horn and rev the engine release the brakes and just have fun at the controlls. Someday ( when I know i wont get caught) I will give some lucky person a ride on the lead unit looking at what i see feeling what i feel it be about a 60 mile ride down the main at track speed. ( I hope i can get them off the engine at that point) .
wabash ive been invited in locomotives. the conductor of one let me ride along a switch here in defiance many moon ago.You know my email too.
stay safe
Joe
kathy come have a picnic at Lattys grove in Defiance while the weather is still warm.
For Fathers day, 1995, my wife purchased tickets for us to ride behind UP’s Challenger from Houston to Bay City Texas and back.
Next year she got us UP E units overnight to Corpus Christi, a tour of the air craft carrier Lexiton, and a return run to Houston.
She even managed to get the entire steam crew to sign the flyer they hand out.
She spent both rides in the vestibules between the cars, head hung out in the breeze, grinning from ear to ear.
About wore me out standing all the way from Houston to Corpus!
Maybe not a train fan per se, but I guarantee she is a train ride fan!
Stay Frosty,
Ed
Right now I don’t have a girlfriend or wife to convert, but I’ve done a pretty good job with my parents. They’ve lived with me being a railfan since I was born, so can’t help but be interested in trains now. Both do actually have a genuine interest in trains and have learned a lot from me. I can talk with my Mom and Dad about trains and have an intelligent conversation without having to explain anything or use simplified terms and both completely understand. Right now the basement of our house is packed with my model trains. While my Dad hasn’t gone right out and said it, he has hinted at the fact that he would like to get into model railroading himself someday after I move out on my own and take my trains with me. I’ve gotten other close relatives interested as well, although nothing near the degree of my parents.
One of my favorite spot for luxury train watching with those new and old to the hobby, when I’m in town is HOOTERS at the Carousel Mall in Syracuse, NY overlooking the former Conrail, now CSX Water Level Route. Also visible from the massive windows are the RDC cars of Ontrack the local “excursion” service connecting the Mall to downtown Syracuse and Syracuse University and the "yellowjackets of the NYS&W making their way to and from Dewitt Yard with the daily interchange and the Amtrak Empire Corridor trains and Late Shore Limited too. There is also “other” scenery[:D], but it isn’t threatening. And yes, the wings are pretty darn good.
Try this. Take your kids fishing. Make certain at least one of them falls in the lake and the other is muddy from head to foot. Bring them home and let the kids track the mud in. Clean whatever fish you caught in the kitchen sink, getting guts all over. Then, explain to your wife she needs to cook the catch for the young fishermen and clean them up.
After dinner, tell your wife what a trying day you had trying to keep the kids from putting each other’s eyes out with the fishing pole or hook and fishing them out of the lake (or stream or ocean).
OK, you with me so far.
Explain about how expensive it was to buy fishing equipment and licenses, etc and how much of it was lost in the rocks or broken .
NOW, ask her if she wouldn’t mind if next time perhaps you took the kids to watch a few trains…
Works like a charm. BTW, I still love to fish and so does my dad and my brother.
I agree about the closet railfans. It is amazing how many you see at museums or excursion trains.
60 mph!! I wish our district was that fast. Best we can do is 50 mph except for when we get on NJT (haven’t done thaqt in quite a while as I would have to swap terminals…). So, maybe I’ll come out there and bump somebody…lol…are you on the Nickel Plate Agreement?
Hey, I’m on the NKP (BT) Roster, come on out, I don’t know who Wabash is but since this is a public forum, that’s probably a good thing. I always wanted to take my kids along but fear of getting caught or that being the trip that SOMETHING would go wrong has kept me from it. I’ve seen it done, though, but that was many years ago, more than 20, I’d say.
As a 53 year old frustrated, long haul locomotive engineer (WANNA BE) I have recently found it necessary to buy a digital camera and take pictures of any trains I come across. I show them to my friends and co-workers…some think I’m a little soft and the others think I should be paying more attention to photographic detail. They actually liked the pics.
My point is that I find myself asking people if they like ‘trains.’ And to my surprise most people I have asked say that they would stop, if convienent, and watch a train pass by, or maybe even go a bit out of there way and watch a train. Hmmm… I was rather surprised by my tiny survey.
A quick story:
As an outside sales person that travels quite a bit to various locations in the USA, I have a luxuary of being able to veiw a lot of differant rail companies and equipment. Trouble is I don’t know of a lot of GOOD viewing sites. I recently was in Jacksonville Florida on business and was finished with my long drive for the day. I got the bright idea that I wanted to go somewhere close by and get my fill of diesel fumes, box cars,wheel screech etc…etc.SO, I sheepishly asked the hotel fornt desk person if there were any railroads in the area? Thinking I’d get an afferative response, I was told that they had no idea where the nearest train station was…except there was an Amtrak station somewhat nearby. OK , I thought , I will drive in that direction and go from there. I found the Amtrak Terminal and walked through the station to the platform to look at a parked, live locomotive. I was stopped by the station master and was asked to leave the premises if I did not have a ticket or was there to see off a passenger. I was told it was ‘Rules.’ When I asked if there was a freight line in the area the response was ‘I am not at liberty to tell you anything about the railroad at this location or any other locations!!’ SO much for my excitement for that enening. (Note: as I was leaving the station there was a fast frieght heade
Thanks for the vote of confidence, but don’t worry, I’m able to hold some decent stuff at last and if I really want to make money the XL is turning pretty well now. We have enough trains so some are even being held for crews. Of course it frazzles the nerves a bit with the callers after yhou on your off days, but at least we’re all working…
I also keep my ID secret, you never know with the NS. I’ll bet they do have “Web Weasels” just like the other kind…
First off you couldnt come bump into my territory, but your wecome to come and visit. second i know of 1 weasel on the net but he dont know who i am. ( and i am keeping it that way) and last but not least, It is easy to get people on and off the train with out being detected.
limited clear are xb is turning also, as you see i am not on here that much, and the weasels was out again last night. i just cant understand why they want to fire the guys who work and leave the non productive guys alone. in any other industry they go after the slackers here they go after the productivity.
Hi Wabash,
You guys have butt weasels too?
Wow, I thought this was the only railroad where they punished the guys who worked hard, and rewarded the slackers who screw off.
Still havent fighred out why they do that?
Stay Frosty,
Ed
