Railfan

This article is about railway enthusiasts. For the Railfan PlayStation 3 games, see Train Simulator series.

"Train spotting" redirects here. For other uses, see Trainspotting.

Railfans practising their hobby at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Railfan photographers awaiting a special train in Belgium.

Railfan photographing a Caltrain service in the United States.

Virgil 'Cowboy' Fitzpatrick was awarded a rare railfan opportunity & was given a tour of the inside of CSX EMD SD40 engine 4617 by CSX Transportation Engineer Murphy.

A railfan or rail buff (American English), railway enthusiast (Australian/British English), or (often with a more specialized meaning, described below) trainspotter (British English), is a person interested in an amateur capacity in rail transport. Railfans can be found worldwide.

Other names

Excessively enthusiastic railfans are sometimes referred to pejoratively as foamers, especially by American rail workers, in reference to the joking notion that they foam at the mouth in their excitement over train operations. FRN (for fucking rail nut) is a similarly-used term in the American rail industry. The UK equivalent is crank, which has been taken into enthusiast usage.

In the UK, railfans are sometimes called trainspotters, grizzers or gricers, according to their speciality (see below). The term trainspotter has become somewhat derogatory when used by the general public. There are still some pure 'trainspotters' (see below), but a large proportion of UK enthusiasts have wider interests than mere 'spotting'. In Australia, they are sometimes called gunzels.

The study of railways, or a general interest in them as a hobby, is sometimes known as ferroequinology (literally, "study of iron horses"). The term is rarely used by non-railfans. The Railway Magazine attempted to popularise the term railwayac without success in the early 20th century.

Metrophile

A metrophile is a person whose hobby is the study of metro (subway, underground) systems.

Such people may indulge their hobby by:

• Traveling and visiting as many metro systems as they can.
• Attempting to find out about and/or visit hidden nooks and crannies of a metro system.
• Learning about and taking tours of abandoned metro stations.
• Learning about the technology, architecture, and history of various metro systems.
• Collecting material related to metro systems, such as maps, plans, transfers, tickets, and fare tokens, often from many cities around the world.
• Publicizing their metro systems (some metrophile websites contain more information about systems than the official transit company websites).
• Designing expanded metro networks for various cities.
• Discussing their findings with others.
• In general, writing, learning, teaching, photographing, and thinking about metros.

Some metrophiles even manage to attract attention, approval, help, and even employment from transit companies.

In the Greater New York Area, they are instead known as railfans. Some of them have formed a well-organized lobbying organization.

Some also combine this with bus spotter or tram spotter to form "transit fan", a person who studies a city's entire urban public transit system.

One metrophile, a New Yorker named Darius McCollum, impersonated a range of New York City subway personnel for some time; he was so technically proficient at driving trains, helping repair crews, fixing trains, and even dealing with emergencies, that he served unpaid with some distinction (and a certain amount of complicity from actual personnel). This was illegal and he was repeatedly arrested and, despite a plea to have him treated for Asperger's syndrome, was finally imprisoned. Harper's Magazine published an article on him in May 2002.

Perhaps the most famous celebrity metrofan was film director Alfred Hitchcock, whose hobby was collecting and memorizing railway timetables, and who prided himself on being able to recite from memory every stop on the Orient Express.

Activities

File:Loxxzoo.jpg

A model railroad of Berlin's Bahnhof Zoo at the LOXX Berlin model railway.

The hobby extends to all aspects of railroad systems. Various people have one or more particular concentrations of interest, such as:

• Railroad locomotives and rolling stock
• Still-used or disused railroad lines, bridges, tunnels, stations, and other infrastructure
• Subways and other local rail transit systems
• Railroad history
• Railroad photography
• Railroad signalling
• Model railroading
• Railway art or architecture
• Railway operations, economics or commerce

Railway photography

a WAG-5 in Araku Valley near Vizag, India - a paradise for trainspotters.

Train photography is a common activity of railfans. Most railfans do their photographing from public property, unless they have permission to use a specific private property owner's land. Occasionally, they run into problems with law enforcement, especially due to post 9/11 paranoia, because they are sometimes viewed as suspicious. In fact, in 2004 the New York City Subway attempted to institute a photo ban. This was met with fierce opposition, and was ultimately scrapped. Railroad companies also sometimes dislike railfans, considering them a nuisance.

Railfans respond that their presence makes the railroads safer, since they typically know what is normal behavior and can detect criminal behavior, or something that appears to be abnormal. Some railroad photographers have become well known for their works. Many railfans are familiar with the works of H. Reid, Otto Perry and O.Winston Link; in the UK with Derek Cross (1929-84), Maurice W. Earley (1900-82), Rev. Alfred H. Malan (1852-1928), Brian W. Morrison, Ivo Peters, H. Gordon Tidey and Rev. Eric Treacy; or, in New Zealand, with W.W. (Bill) Stewart (1898-1976).

Connex Melbourne now require any railfan wishing to take photographs to obtain a permit. Permits last for 90 days, except in the case of some select stations in which a permit only lasts for 7 days. This system has been met with resentment from the railfan community, and many refuse to apply for permits. In November 2005 one railfan was issued with an infringement notice simply for holding a camera on a platform. Spanish RENFE railroad company also requires an application for a permit, but even with it railroad security staff still forbids and requires photographers to delete all pictures taken with digital cameras. In the United States this requirement is illegal. Even on private property, photographers cannot be forced to delete digital photos or destroy their film. It is their property, and cannot be taken or destroyed without a court order.

Trainspotting

Train spotters at Norwich station, England

It is a misconception that all railfans are 'trainspotters'. Many enthusiasts simply enjoy reading about or traveling on trains, or enjoying their rich history - which may extend to art, architecture, the operation of railroads, or simply modelling, drawing or photographing them.

Those who are "trainspotters" make an effort to 'spot' all of a certain type of rolling stock. This might be a particular class of locomotive, a particular type of carriage or all the rolling stock of a particular company. To this end, they collect and exchange detailed information about the movements of locomotives and other equipment on the railway network, and become very knowledgeable about its operations.

The equipment of a trainspotter consists of: a data book listing all the locomotives or other equipment in question, in which locomotives seen are ticked off; a notebook and pens, to note sightings for transfer to the book at leisure. In the UK, this aspect of the hobby was given a boost by the Ian Allan "ABC" series of booklets from the 1940s onwards.

Some trainspotters now use a tape recorder instead of a notebook. In modern times cellphones and/or pagers are used to communicate with others in the hobby, while various internet mailing lists and web sites aid information exchange. Railfans can maintain private computerized databases of spotting records as well. Radio scanners are common equipment for listening to railroad frequencies in the US to follow rail traffic.

Those who spend most of their time on one station only are known as "stoats" or "veg". "Cranks" are particularly attracted to one type of train and make sure they see all of its workings. "Neds" concentrate on special rail activity and tend to ignore the regular happenings on the lines, and look for "gen" (information about railway workings) prior to spotting.

'Virtual' trainspotting

A relatively new phenomenon, made possible by easy image searches on the Internet.

'Virtual' spotting can involve any area of railways. As an example, an enthusiast may wish to search for photos of a particular locomotive in a given area or a specific period. Upon finding an image online, they have then 'spotted' the loco in question, and may regard it as a 'cop'.

'Basher'

A term used by railway enthusiasts to mean several different things.
a) 'Bashing' used on its own is a general term for a railway enthusiast's trip, excursion or holiday involving train travel and observation.
b) 'Line bashing' (see 'complete riding' below) is more focused, and would be an attempt to cover as much of a railway network as possible. This can also be called 'track bashing' especially if the person wishes to try and cover individual sections of track such as crossovers and sidings, in addition to completing an 'A to B' journey on each section of line. In the UK (especially), Germany, and to a lesser extent in other countries, railfans often use a special excursion train for railfans (usually known as a 'railtour') to cover freight-only railway lines in order to complete their 'coverage' of a country's rail network.
c) Another development from trainspotting (almost unique to the UK) is the 'haulage basher' or locomotive haulage enthusiast. These individuals attempt to ride behind or in the cab (some people do not count the latter as proper 'haulage') of as many locomotives as they can, marking them off in a book as would a regular trainspotter. Even the shortest 'haulage' will count, such as being hauled for a few hundred yards by a switching locomotive (UK=shunter) when one portion of a train is being hooked up to another at a junction. These individuals sometimes use unusual words and language known as 'basherspeak'.

Complete riding

Another enthusiast activity is attempting to ride the complete railway network of in one or more cities, state, or countries. This may take months or years in the case of dense networks. The definition of 'complete' riding may change from person to person, and non-passenger routes may be included by travelling on special excursion trains, others may attempt to ride on each individual track and curve, rather than the route as a whole, some may not include riding during night, and others may require visiting each stations rather than just passing though. British enthusiasts who attempt to cover a railway network are usually referred to as "gricers" or "track bashers" (see above).

Timetables

An 1844 timetable for the Long Island Rail Road

Timetables are a source of train schedule information which are useful for railfans planning photography expeditions. Timetables are also useful for railfans who attempt to cover an entire city's railway network in one day, riding from first to last train. Other railfans collect old train timetables, and imagine trains not existing now, or search for historical matters relating to the railway.

Collecting railroadiana

A brakeman's lantern from the Chicago and North Western Railway.

Many railfans also collect "railroadiana" or "railwayana". Railroadiana refers to artifacts from railroads and railroad operations and could include nearly anything to do with a particular railroad, including public or employee timetables, locomotive number boards, dining car china, passenger train tickets, tools and pieces of equipment such as lanterns, or sometimes items as big as train horns, or track speeders. Although few can afford the acquisition cost or the space for storage, some railfans collect full size rolling stock or locomotives.

Collecting unusual tickets is a pursuit for some railfans. For example, China Railway does not sell round-trip tickets officially, but one could buy a multiple-trip ticket with the identical starting and ending station, making a round trip. This problem was fixed in the latest ticket-selling software. Another example is the two railway stations Dongfanghong (The East Is Red) and Taiyangsheng (The Sun Rises) in Heilongjiang province, approximately 600 kilometers apart with no direct train connecting them. Someone bought multiple-trip tickets from one to another so the ticket read Dongfanghong -> Taiyangsheng, this is a famous lyric in a Chinese song The East Is Red.

Fantrips

Many railway preservation groups run special trips for railfans using restored trains, often on "rare mileage"- locations that do not see regular passenger service. These trips are both social events, as well as an opportunity for railfans to photograph unusual trains. Chasing a fantrip by road for the purposes of photography is often referred to as "Motorcading" in Australia.

Exploring abandoned railways

The overgrown remains of Lilbourne station in Northamptonshire, on the former LNWR line in Great Britain.

Searching for and exploring abandoned railways is another area of railfan interest. Using old maps, one may find the former route, and the abandoned railway stations, tunnels and bridges may remain after a railway closure.

Other activities

Some railfans are interested in other aspects of railroads not directly dealing with the trains. They may be interested in studying the history of the railroad companies, their infrastructure, law, financing and operations, including never-built plans. Abandoned railroad grades can often be found long after the railroad stops using them. Trams (and occasionally even monorails) may also be of interest.

Various magazines, clubs and museums are designed mainly for railfans, concentrating on the history of trains and railroads. Some clubs organize fantrips, either by car or by train; the New York Transit Museum owns some old equipment with which fantrips are occasionally run on the New York City Subway.

See also: List of railroad-related periodicals.

Origins of interest

The motivation for someone developing an interest in railways ('becoming a railfan') can come from many sources.

Many railfans have a fixation with steam locomotives, which sometimes also fascinate the general public, as seen by the attendance at stations to view steam-hauled railtours. Sometimes the appeal of trains is nostalgic, recalling an earlier era when the railroads played a central role in commerce and transportation, and the depot was the center of every town. Sometimes the appeal is due to a fondness for large machinery. Sometimes there is an appeal of the scenery of the railroad running through open, uninviting terrain, or the gritty ambiance of the urban train yard. In this case, urban exploration poses a similar appeal. Some people were raised near streetcar tracks or railways. Everyday activities were associated with railroad, which seemed to be a part of life. This may lead to an interest in railcars, how they move, numbering, and other rail systems in the world and how they compare with their native ones. If these people move to another locale, their interest in railroads might be nostalgic.

Another appeal of the railroads is the business side of railroading. Railroads were long central to economic growth and commerce, and still are to some extent. The history of railroads and railroaders (such as James J. Hill) is a fascination for some, whether they view them in a positive way as capitalist heroes or in a negative way as robber barons.

An interest in model railroading can often lead to an interest in 'the real thing', perhaps to aid in building more accurate models or operating more accurate trains.

Many railfans once worked in railroading, or had relatives who did, leading to a lifelong interest in trains. Others may develop an interest in trains through a hobby, such as model railroading.

Many people like to travel, and although other forms of transit such as road, air, and boats are available, rail travel may seem more traditional and relaxing.

Many people who would not think of themselves as railfans just like trains. Most cannot explain why. Songs and stories have glorified railroading ever since the invention of the locomotive, especially in the United States, while children's toys and books about trains continue to be popular. The Railroad Tycoon series of simulation computer games is another example of railroads' enduring popularity.

Safety

Railfans in America have been asked to keep railroad areas safer by reporting crimes and suspicious activity. In the United Kingdom the British Transport Police have asked trainspotters to report any unusual behaviour and activities at stations.

In the United States concerns about terrorism have led to situations where railfans are followed or confronted by local law enforcement or transit police .

The BNSF railway instituted the 'Citizens for Rail Security (CRS)' for the general public reporting suspicious activities on their railways. Obtaining this card is common for railfans and is a derivative of the BNSF 'On Guard' program for employees. However, this card does not recognize members as employees or contractors, and are asked to keep off railway property. Union Pacific, nor any other U.S. Railroad support such a program.

Many experienced railfans have enhanced knowledge of railroad operations and hazards that can help the railroad, such as reporting malfunctioning crossing gates and other equipment.

Trainspotting in popular culture

Trainwatching was featured in the 2003 movie The Station Agent.

In the United Kingdom in particular, trainspotting is seen by many of the individuals who are not themselves involved with the hobby as being virtually synonymous with "dull" and "geeky", and the term has gained an ulterior meaning as any sort of activity that appears pointless to outsiders. In the Monty Python's Flying Circus episode "You're No Fun Anymore" a camel spotter is interviewed. When asked how many camels he has seen he says, "Well, nearly, nearly...nearly one. Call it none." Later he claims that he has previously been "yeti spotting". In the end he turns out to be an ordinary train spotter. (Interestingly, Monty Python member Michael Palin is a self-confessed trainspotter.)

The activity of trainspotting was briefly mentioned in a passage set in a railway station, in Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name; however, it was left out of the film adaptation altogether. The novel Trainspotting and its film adaptation are not directly related to the hobby, although it may be inferred from the movie's opening scene that the title expresses the author's view that the hobby is pointless, or that it seems pointless to outsiders.

Railfan jargon

Railfans have jargon that can be foreign to others. Because of the regional differences in railfan slang, three separate articles to describe them are warranted:

• List of UK railfan jargon
• List of US railfan jargon
• List of NZ railfan jargon

See also

• List of notable railfans
• Rail terminology
• Rail transport modelling
• Darius McCollum - who has been arrested for impersonating New York City Transit Authority employees and operating trains without authority
• Sensible Train Spotting, the world's first computer train spotting simulator
• List of railroad-related periodicals
• Tetsu - Japanese railfans

Similar hobbies:

• Aircraft spotting
• Bus spotting
• Gongoozler
• Roadgeek

References

• Kisor, Henry (1994). Zephyr: Tracking a Dream Across America. Holbrook, Massachusetts: Adams Publishing. ISBN 1-55850-477-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)

Further reading

• Adams, Will (2006). Trainspotting Days. Kettering: Silver Link Publishing. ISBN 1857942671.
• Harvey, Michael G. (2004). Forget the Anorak: what trainspotting was really like. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0750934026.
• Harvie, Christopher (1992). "The English railway enthusiast". In Diller, Hans-Jürgen (ed.) (ed.). Englishness. Heidelberg: Carl Winter. pp. 107–22. ISBN 3533045366. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help)
• Mathison, Phil (2006). Shed Bashing with the Beatles. Newport, Yorkshire: Dead Good Publications. ISBN 0954693736.
• Packer, David (2003). Well Trained. Leigh: Triangle Publishing. ISBN 0952933381.

External links

General

• Railfan & Railroad Magazine
• Railpictures.net
• RRPictureArchives.net
• Railfan Europe
• Railway Herald Worldwide
• Trains Magazine

Australia

• RailPage Australia (see Railpage Australia)
• Victorian Signals Australian Railways
• Queensland Railways Interest Group Railways in Queensland

Canada

• Niagara Rails

China

• 海子铁路网

Finland

• Vaunut.org

India

• RailFans India

Indonesia

• IRPS Indonesia Railways Preservation Society

Lithuania

• Lithuanian railway picture gallery

Malaysia & Singapore

• KTM Railway Fan Club

Russia

• Steam Engine IS

Spain

• Tranvia Portal

Serbia

• Railway Fan Club

Sweden

• Järnväg.net

Taiwan

• Internet Railway News (IRN)

United Kingdom

• Railspot
• Railway Herald
• Ferroequinology

United States

• Central California Rails
• Frograil.com
• The Idiot Railfan
• LocoPhotos.com
• Michiganrailroads.com
• NYCsubway.org
• PA Area Railfan Locations
• Railcams.com
• Railfan Pennsylvania
• Railfanning.org
• RailfansWelcome
• Railfan USA
• Railroad.net
• railroadfan.com
• List of Chicago rail junction photography spots
• Top 20 Train Watching Spots in Chicago
• Subway.com.ru