We call it Trainspotting. There are other names for the pastime, but we like that one best (loath the term “railfanning”). In its simplest form…one grabs a camera, finds a place overlooking some train tracks, snaps away and there you have it! Of course there are those who take it “higher”, foamers as they’re oftentimes called. The name is embraced by some and to others is an insult, but regardless is used fairly universally.
Those players bring tons of gear, two or more still cameras, another for movies, multiple tripods, they’ll pack scanners to keep abreast of the action, they’ll don visibility vests so everyone knows who they are and regardless of what’s happening their focus never leaves the tracks. Even when nothing’s happening, it never leaves the tracks. Ahead of a visit, they plan…oh do they plan. Compare them to rabid comic-con Star-Trek types…only for trains.
The BIGDoer.com folks take a more bucolic approach.
We of course plan, but not all that seriously. We want to see trains but if they don’t show, who cares. No scanners here. Some of our fondest trainspotting outings have resulted in zero trains. No matter, it’s about the experience. We’ll bring wine, of course, often a picnic lunch, a good book to read between trains (if any show at all), perhaps the tablet to play with and we talk and chat. It’s like fishing – the act is more important than the catch. A bad day train spotting is still a pretty good day…a great day trainspotting is pure magic. We let fate decide which it’ll be.
The location seen here is along the Bow River near the CPR’s Mitford Bridge, west of Cochrane Alberta. A pretty pleasant spot.
Short Subjects: reports that for any number of reasons are brief in nature. They might be updates to older articles, previews of posts planned or not yet published, brief snippets of things that don’t fit in anywhere else or subjects that are so obscure that information on them can’t be found. Or sometimes we just ramble on about Lord knows what.
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Date of adventure: November, 2016. Location: Cochrane (Mitford), AB.
I hate the whole vest thing too. But we often have to wear them when on the job documenting whatever, trains included. Oh the humility! Great analogy. Bird watchers are weird types and so are those who seek out trains.
I prefer ‘railfanning’ over ‘trainspotting’ in my opinion and no vests! Don’t need the railway employees to be distracted by people in vests trackside 😛
When I think of fan, I think of fanboy, a term I absolutely hate. That’s me though. I think most use the term railfanning and that’s fine. The vests – sometimes when we’re recording trains officially, we have to wear them. Hate that we look like the hardcore foamers! But we have no choice.
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Beer Parlour Fridays: The Cadillac Hotel in Cadillac Saskatchewan, visited in June 2024 by Chris and Rob. Sadly, they unexpectedly closed soon after their visit, but it is for sale and hopefully will reopen under a new owner. Those amazing SK skies! Watch for the Cadillac Hotel and others appearing at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. Celebrating old school watering holes!
Scroll down to the comments for more!👇 _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: before Pilsner in Saskatchewan, there was Bohemian or simply Boh. For decades, it was the most popular beer in the province. Incidentally, both Pil and Boh were for decades products of Sick's Brewery. This Boh cap was found in the basement of an old hotel in SW Saskatchewan during a visit by the Beer Parlour Project. It celebrates the beer winning a prestigious best in world award in the late 1960s.
Beer Parlour Fridays: here's a standard issue cast-metal leg round-top Beer Parlour table. These were supplied through the liquor control board (who heavily regulated the business) and therefore could be found at most drinking establishments. They date back to the 1940s-1960s period and surprisingly, we still see them out there in the wild all the time. Often they were covered in terrycloth to help sop up spilled beer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Tompkin's SK Hotel/Lucky Loon Saloon, previously Woody's. It was just a drive by visit and not a stop on the recent Beer Parlour Project tour of SW Saskatchewan. Had it been open we would have checked it out, however. Celebrating old school watering holes at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Wildwood Hotel in Wildwood Alberta, built in the late 1950s to replace one that earlier burned down. Visited in October 2024 by Chris and Rob. Watch for this hotel and others appearing at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. Celebrating old school watering holes!
Scroll down to the comments for more!👇 _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
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A glass of a fine goblet of red wine, a good book, box of dark chocolates and plenty of changing sunlight angles.
Nailed it! That’s how it’s done.
Oh, good book!
Love Greg’s writings. He’s the man!
I like to compare
railfanstrainspotters to bird watchers. Same meticulous planning, same interest in odd sightings. But I must insist on no vests!! 🙂I hate the whole vest thing too. But we often have to wear them when on the job documenting whatever, trains included. Oh the humility! Great analogy. Bird watchers are weird types and so are those who seek out trains.
I prefer ‘railfanning’ over ‘trainspotting’ in my opinion and no vests! Don’t need the railway employees to be distracted by people in vests trackside 😛
When I think of fan, I think of fanboy, a term I absolutely hate. That’s me though. I think most use the term railfanning and that’s fine. The vests – sometimes when we’re recording trains officially, we have to wear them. Hate that we look like the hardcore foamers! But we have no choice.