ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is still a dedicated group of fans who
> tirelessly record locomotive numbers and collect
> frame numbers (or other identifying information)
> to trace the history of the locomotives. You
> might even say this is what the hobby entails for
> them, and short of taking the occasional trip to
> go photograph locomotives, they spend more time
> with databases and spreadsheets than they do
> trackside. The Loconotes Yahoo group (remember
> those?) still has over 1000 members and is active.
> There are other smaller group specializing in
> even deeper locomotive history discussions and
> tracking.
>
> As I always tell friends and family, "If you've
> met one railfan, you've met one railfan."
> Interests in this hobby are so varied, it is quite
> often that you can have two people meet who have
> absolutely no common interests in trains other
> than the connection it has something to do with
> railroads. One guy only likes steam and will only
> venture trackside for mainline steam; the other
> wants to sit at the busiest freight line in the
> area and will instantly upload the photos he takes
> to social media. And each one thinks the other is
> weird... ;-p
>
> Mike Derrick


Thanks Mike,

My comment was meant to act as a spur to the memory, as I know at least some APers remember the old days when the yellow mimeo'ed CTC board was full of detailed "train sightings."