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Delve into the Railfan Psyche
"Just What Is It About Those Trains?!?!"
"DNatureofDTrain" of Wisconsin:
"Born with Trains in my Blood. I am can hear my heart beat happily to the rhythm of the rails. I love everything there is about trains. The sights, the sounds, the smells. And for me, there is a hidden mystical or magical element behind them. They keep me alive, relaxed, and happy. That is why I am a railfan."

Eric of Ohio:
"To sound quasi-philosophical, I think it has to do with seeing this very large, powerful mode of transportation ultimately at the mercy of the human spirit. That is pretty deep! (Gets your boots on!) I appreciate all aspects of the hobby...it has so many specialty areas that you can submerge yourself within."

Carrie of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio:
"Now that we have a little boy of our own who tags along with his dad either on "the chase" or just out in the back yard to watch trains, the gleam in his eye is worth seeing every time a train goes by. My dad, who has since passed, was also railfan. He had a big HO layout with his favorites- B&O, Chessie, C&O, NYC, and I hold onto his prized O Gauge set from when he was a young boy in the late 30's- early 40's. (no it is NOT for sale) Dad was the reason that railfanning was no surprise to me...You will meet the most awesome people and develop some really great friendships during your journey into the railfan hobby. Take it from a very antisocial (jk) person here- Both Jon and I have met some great people through his railfanning. Hank and Tammy, and many others..."

Johnny Trains, of New York, New York: 
It's the sights, sounds, smells.
It's in the bloodstream.
The anticipation.
Power. 
History. 
Iron and Steel.
Muscle.
Sweat. 
GLORY.
It's America! It's Europe! It's India! 
(And all other countries too with their own railroads and railfans!) 
Some things and places only our imaginations could dream of.......
Travel. 
Dream.
The ability to recreate our own little worlds in scale, 
whether it be an exact replica of our hometown memories 
or just a plain old miniature world 
in which we choose to live in whenever we want. 
I'm the Mayor of this town damn you! 
The railroad WILL run right down the middle of the street!
It's the ability and nerve to really run an actual railroad train. 
Driving a train. That sounds so romantic in itself.
It's getting your hands dirty.
Hard work. 
Determination.
Planning.
Creating.
Serving a nation.
It's being alone. 
It's being with other railfans sharing your knowledge.
It's fishing. Waiting for the big one to come alone. 
It's riding. 
Comfort. 
Scenery.
Coal smoke and steam.
Valves popping. PHISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rumbling diesels assulting your senses. 
You can feel them.
Taste them!
It's the look on little kid's faces. 
It's the 80 year old couple on Amtrak 
in the dining car next to you telling you 
how it's their second honeymoon. 
It's modern sights and old ways. 
It's missing what has gone.
Everything at once assaulting your senses. 
A living thing. 
It's our friend. 
It's Godzilla eating a subway train while you hear people screaming. 
Terrifying you.
The train always gets it.
Speed. 
Frustration.
A way to get home.
A religious experience.
IT'S IN YOUR BLOOD.
Some like a train transfusion and become railfans. 
It's a job.
A family tradition. 

Naw. 
There isn't anyway to describe it. 
Ya just gotta be there. I have chased trains since I could walk. 
Don't know. 
I'll be damned. 
Makes me happy, I know that.

Listen to Simon and Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound". 
The first line says it all. 
It's his destiny.


John, of Auburn, California: 
Why?

This hobby allows me to enjoy alot of different interests all at once.

Modeling

Photography

Computers

Nature (watching animals while waiting for a train, 

as well as hiking or moutain biking along the tracks)

History

Travel

Geography

Geology (collecting rocks from cuts)

Architecture

heck, I even collect train postage stamps!

I get to meet alot of cool people too!!!!

It's not just the trains. What other hobby can offer so much?


John, of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania:
"WHY is because most of my relatives, Grandfathers, (great, great/ great/ and regular) as well as my uncles, (great, great/ great/ and regular uncles) on my mom's side of the family all were railroaders, particularly on the B&O.... So I was born with the 'B&O Railroad Blood'. Sadly with my health condition and the area I live in, CSX won't hire me for liability reasons with my health. So I get what my relatives got through the scale models.... And being that, my grandfather had bought me my first train set for a Christmas gift at the very young age of 2! It was under the Christmas tree running on Christmas morning. It ran all night. That poor ole Bachmann SD-40-2 got its guts ran out that night. And with all that, I still have that same train in almost mint condition, and I turned that very Christmas morning into a Christmas tradition. I still run that loco, and all 8 cars 'including the caboose' under my Christmas tree. Its only run under the Christmas tree too. Its never seen the rails of my home layout nor the train club layout rails that I belong too.... It's been the tradition now for 21 years this past Christmas.. And this comming Christmas, it will do it for the 22nd year! It doesn't run all night long like it first did.. But it does run in the evenings and all while everyone is around.. Very well broken in. And for being a Bachmann guys, and a straight Bachmann "not Plus or Spectrum" it runs along and nice, very quiet .. I know unusual but.. I'm not arguing... HA! It runs after all those years and all. And it get a test run on my test stand for lubrication and wheel cleaning but that exactly 3 feet. And then taken from the test stand to the track under the Christmas tree after the tree is up and decorated....."

Jon of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio:
"I have always liked trains since I can remember (what little boy didn't) and used to ride my bike down to the B&O tracks through town every chance I could.....it was so cool to have the engineer wave and honk the horn at you and feel the ground shake under your feet from the power. I used to go to visit my aunt when she lived in Newton Falls,Ohio and would take my bike along so that I could ride down the street to the same B&O tracks to the station and was befriended by the first trick operator (Ike). He used to let me come up and throw the signals and teach me about the operational end of the railroad........to a young kid this was the center of the universe! That's when the bug bite hard and hasn't let up since. I did take some time away during the teenage years when girls were more interesting than trains.... You meet all kinds of different people in this hobby....you quickly learn which ones share your same ideals and which ones blow more steam than a 2-8-4 . I've been very fortunate to have developed some great friendships along the way like with Henry and Tammy....you find there's nothing you wouldn't do for friends like these."

Jay of West Virginia:
"It is because I admire railroaders, specifically those on CSXT's former-B&O lines in northern West Virginia. I began photographing their work 41 years ago, when I was 14. They were the first group of adults who ever took the time to explain their work to me. Since then, I've always operated under the outdated assumption that they--not media celebrities--are the type of people who have given us the country we have today.
Most of my photography is existing-light nighttime work. There are people who consider it artistic; but artistry actually has nothing to do with it. I began doing nighttime photos in 1972, after I returned from Viet Nam. As was relatively typical of people who served in combat over there, I returned home with a strong sense of uneasiness at night. My solution was to spend time after dark at B&O's Benwood Junction engine terminal. That was the one place where I could be sure that everyone else around would look out for me. After Benwood Junction's engine terminal was shut down 17 years ago, I shifted to Grafton; but nothing really changed. I don't come to the railroad because of the photographs; I come to the railroad because of the railroaders."

Neil of Fremont, Ohio:
"If I had a nickel for every time someone asked 'What is so interesting about trains?' I'd be a millionaire! What's not to like? The sheer power of trains is amazing! People think that sports cars or pick-up trucks have power... I see trains pulling hundreds of trucks and cars every day, along with nearly a mile of coal cars, truck trailers, grain, and too many other things that your car or truck couldn't handle. I love the way the ground rumbles underneath your feet as the trains roll by. I love the sounds of trains. The loud growl, blasting horn, and squeal of wheels may annoy others, but it is music to me. Trains have a size, power, and legacy unmatched by any other."

Clay of Washington:
"...the models are fun to play with, you can let your imagination run wild. The real things the 1:1 scale models...they are fun to look at and dream..."

Henry, of www.Railfan.net
"Trains are awesome, the history aspect of it is just a huge bonus. Big powerful machines which move huge amounts of material great distances are just the ultimate toy."