A museum can have a steam locomotive preserved in a climate controlled building, but a steam fan will say it is "rotting away."

To steam fans, a museum that stores a steam locomotive and doesn't run it is evil. A steam fan will say on Trainorders, "if they won't run it, they should give it to someone who will." A chorus of other steam fans will reply with cheers and go on to denounce the evil museum.

A steam fan does not care about the work involved in restoring a locomotive. You can post restoration work updates to a forum and will get crickets in response. The steam fan doesn't want to read about staybolts and firebox patches.

Steam fans only show interest and show up when the work is all done and the locomotive is running. Then they post by the dozens on Trainorders about their visit.

Steam fans have no grasp of economic reality. They show up at museums and grandstand to a volunteer about how the museum needs to run steam in order to attract visitors. In fact, the general public could care less about the locomotive pulling the excursion. The steam fan's demand is thus transparently selfish.

Money is no object to a steam fan, provided it is not their money. The steam fan will not donate to a cause, but will wish for others to donate. The steam fan is not phased in the least by a $1-million price tag for a restoration, precisely because he will not be paying for it.

To a steam fan, government spending is evil. Well except when the government spends money on steam trains. Then it is A-OK.