What is a train fan?

The hobby extends to all aspects of rail transport systems. Railfans may have one or more particular concentrations of interest, such as: Railway locomotives and rolling stock. Still-used or disused railroad lines, bridges, tunnels, stations, signal boxes and other infrastructure.



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Railroad enthusiasts are found throughout the world and hail from all walks of life. Some follow train technology or operations, others create elaborate train layouts or models, and many enjoy taking photographs or are content to just watch trains from a distance.

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Railfans get used to the usual patterns of trains in their area, and use scanners to listen in on railroad dispatch frequencies. But it takes knowledge and practice to decipher what you hear on the scanner.

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“People assume that trains are loud, but that assumption is based on the fact that when a train's gone past them in a station it's noisy. That's because the noise a train makes is mainly projected to either side. When trains are moving directly towards you they are barely audible–until it's too late.”

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It is absolutely not legal to ride on any part of a freight train without the express permission of the railroad. You would be guilty of trespassing and of theft of service since you would be getting railroad transportation without paying for it.

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Stadler FLIRT is an electric multiple unit (EMU) manufactured by Stadler Rail, a Switzerland-based rail manufacturer. FLIRT stands for Fast Light Innovative Regional Train. These trains are manufactured for operations on suburban and regional railway lines.

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Trains Magazine, an industry publication, estimates that there are 175,000 U.S. railfans, mostly male baby boomers. The word 'enthusiast' doesn't begin to cover their devotion, said Rhonda Del Boccio, head of the Okefenokee Chamber of Commerce, which oversees railfan tourism in Folkston.

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Some spotters desire photos of the trains, whilst others just enjoy the satisfaction of having seen them in real life, and they do not feel like they require proof. Some spotters also take an interest in old rail tickets, timetables, rail signage or other railway related memorabilia.

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“Foamers” is how railroad employees refer to railfans because they think we “foam” at the mouth anytime we see a train. To them, railroading is just a job. To us, it's a passion.

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noun British. 1. someone who is very interested in trains and spends time going to stations and recording the numbers of the trains that they see. 2. informal.

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The most common form of penalty for train surfers is a fine, however, in some countries, such as the United States or Canada, train surfers can be not only fined, but imprisoned too. In the United Kingdom, train surfing is prohibited under railway byelaw No.

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By the time a train operator sees you, it is too late to stop the train in time. An oncoming train is moving faster and is closer to you than it appears. Similar to an airplane traveling at 150 mph that appears to float onto the runway, it's hard to determine a train's speed and distance from you.

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Train Travel is Relaxing When you're on a train, the only thing you need to do it sit back and enjoy the scenery (check out out ride along the scenic Alaska Railroad). Unlike cars, there's no traffic to deal with and you don't have to worry about taking a wrong turn and getting lost.

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