The term for a "train person" depends on whether you are referring to a professional employee or a dedicated hobbyist. Professionally, the person who operates the locomotive is called the Engineer (in the US) or the Driver (in the UK). The person in charge of the train's crew, passengers, and freight is the Conductor (or Guard). For those who are deeply passionate about trains as a hobby, they are most commonly known as Railfans (US) or Trainspotters (UK). Within this community, there are more specific sub-terms: a "Foamer" is a somewhat derogatory slang for an over-enthusiastic railfan who "foams at the mouth" when seeing a rare train, while a "Ferroequinologist" is a whimsical, mock-scientific term meaning "student of iron horses." In 2026, as high-speed rail and heritage railways grow in popularity, these communities have become highly organized, using sophisticated apps and GPS tracking to document "rare catches" of locomotives and rolling stock across the global rail network.