January 13, 2008 There is no wrong way to railfan - unless of course you are putting yourself or others in danger in the process. Railfanning captivates us and motivates us all in different ways. For some it's about roster shots, for others it's about shooting for specific websites or other forms of media while for others a camera isn't even involved. It's how each individual railfans that makes it so special for them personally.
As I've stated previously, I've always been a railfan, and quite frankly have been since before I even knew what that was. Growing up, trains were a part of my life in one way or another; to this day I'm grateful for that. I have been a railfan for long enough to figure out that generally speaking, railfans have a lot more in common than a strong passion for trains. We may all come from a variety of backgrounds, differ in where we grew up, the times we grew up in may be drastically spaced apart by decades at a time but we all like to share more than a passion of trains.
I've noticed on several occasions that railfans like to talk. We like to share information such as movements. We like to share stories about a particular moment in time in our life and we like to reflect on and share memories that we hold dear to our hearts to this day. Maybe you had a grandfather or a dad that worked for the railroad or maybe it was just a close friend. No doubt there are times when we wish we were the ones working for the railroad (and some do).
One thing I consider special, is how unselfish many railfans can be and sometimes I'm no doubt a bit naïve to think we're all this way. Some people take the time to share information about a particular hot-spot they frequently enjoy visiting and many will actually take you there so that you can enjoy it on your own time or with others. We all know that the railroads are constantly changing and there isn't a thing any one person can do about it - like it or not. It's important that people continue to freely share the information, stories and memories they hold so that people entering the hobby get a feel and maybe even a sense of respect for how "things used to be" and where they are headed. For me, hearing information about a particular line that used to exist in a given location, better yet seeing first hand an old tunnel or roadbed is just as exciting as shooting a picture of the latest locomotive in action. They are equally important in several respects.
I've had the opportunity to meet and get to know several people that make railfanning special for such reasons I've described. Those of you that unselfishly share information with others I thank you as you've no doubt helped me and others gain a stronger passion for what we all know as railfanning.
Trains are a common element in any railfans life; it's how we pass our information, stories, and most importantly, our memories on to others that will keep the hobby we all know as railfanning intact for years to come.
See you trackside.