 |
Re: Do Foamers make good railroaders?
Author: MAPAZ
Date: 05-20-2015 - 20:23
This is an excellent topic/question that has puzzled me and many of my colleagues in the rail transit/transportation industry for years.
We've come to the arm-chair conclusion that the railroad industry itself is partly to blame for the animosity towards 'railfans' or 'foamers'... based on the following observations.
The Automobile industry encourages its execs and employees to embrace auto culture. Every CEO and many employees in the auto-biz either collects cars, loves cars, showcases model cars, has posters and paintings of cars or frequently attends auto shows like Barrett-Jackson.
The Airline industry encourages its execs and employees to embrace airplane culture. Every CEO and many employees in the air-biz either collects or flys private planes as a hobby, loves planes, showcases model planes, has posters and paintings of planes or frequently attends air shows all around the world.
The Boating/Shipping industry encourages its execs and employees to embrace maritime culture. Every CEO and many employees in the boat-biz either collects yachts and boats or sails boats as a hobby, loves boats, showcases model boats and ships, has posters and paintings of boats and planes or frequently attends maritime boats shows and races all around the world.
The Railroad industry since sometime in the 1970s has actively and passively discouraged its execs and employees to embrace railroad culture outside of work. Employees in the railroad-biz who collect, model, photograph, paint, restore, historically preserve or have any hobby related to railroading are regarded as 'children-who-never-grew-up' , 'not-serious' and ‘unsafe’.
In my professional experience in the past 25 years, some of the finest railroaders I've known and worked with have been closet 'railfans' and 'foamers' as to not-draw attention to themselves. I do wish the industry would appreciate them for what they are. These 'foamers' are people that spot derailments and dragging equipment from afar, call-in trespassers and vandalism, assist railroaders in distress or in need of help in the middle of nowhere, preserve railroad history through art, technology and science, and provide a point of pride to an industry that has, unfortunately and inexplicably, chosen to shun its biggest supporters.
I would hope this analogy would assist fellow railroad enthusiasts in the need to educate folks on the value of loving your hobby AND loving your work... just as people in the auto, aviation and maritime industries have done for decades.
Thanks
MAPAZ
We've come to the arm-chair conclusion that the railroad industry itself is partly to blame for the animosity towards 'railfans' or 'foamers'... based on the following observations.
The Automobile industry encourages its execs and employees to embrace auto culture. Every CEO and many employees in the auto-biz either collects cars, loves cars, showcases model cars, has posters and paintings of cars or frequently attends auto shows like Barrett-Jackson.
The Airline industry encourages its execs and employees to embrace airplane culture. Every CEO and many employees in the air-biz either collects or flys private planes as a hobby, loves planes, showcases model planes, has posters and paintings of planes or frequently attends air shows all around the world.
The Boating/Shipping industry encourages its execs and employees to embrace maritime culture. Every CEO and many employees in the boat-biz either collects yachts and boats or sails boats as a hobby, loves boats, showcases model boats and ships, has posters and paintings of boats and planes or frequently attends maritime boats shows and races all around the world.
The Railroad industry since sometime in the 1970s has actively and passively discouraged its execs and employees to embrace railroad culture outside of work. Employees in the railroad-biz who collect, model, photograph, paint, restore, historically preserve or have any hobby related to railroading are regarded as 'children-who-never-grew-up' , 'not-serious' and ‘unsafe’.
In my professional experience in the past 25 years, some of the finest railroaders I've known and worked with have been closet 'railfans' and 'foamers' as to not-draw attention to themselves. I do wish the industry would appreciate them for what they are. These 'foamers' are people that spot derailments and dragging equipment from afar, call-in trespassers and vandalism, assist railroaders in distress or in need of help in the middle of nowhere, preserve railroad history through art, technology and science, and provide a point of pride to an industry that has, unfortunately and inexplicably, chosen to shun its biggest supporters.
I would hope this analogy would assist fellow railroad enthusiasts in the need to educate folks on the value of loving your hobby AND loving your work... just as people in the auto, aviation and maritime industries have done for decades.
Thanks
MAPAZ
