Eugene Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I gotta agree I don't think attitudes have
> changed, there are just more soapboxes.
>
> I started in the hobby seriously in my early
> teens, in the 1980s, and there were "selfish and
> proud" railfans then as well. I recall guys who
> thought they stank not because they know so and so
> at this or that railfan publications. I knew guys
> who had collections of paper or model railroads
> that were well known and if you weren't "on the
> list" for access, you were dirt.
>
> I say guys who would slap each other on the back
> about what great shots they had taken and those
> photos were barely in focus.
>
> I just kept looking until I found folks to fan
> with who treated me like a decent human being and
> those became my peer group in the hobby.

I was just thinking of a time I was up on Pepper, maybe twenty years ago. Two railfans pulled up (I'd seen them before, but didn't know them - still don't know who they were).

Anyway, we're standing there when one of them here's something on his scanner, whispers to the other, so I won't here and they both jump in their cars and speed away.

I'll always remember thinking - wow - thanks for sharing.

Now, reality is that I have no idea what they heard and chase (may have had nothing to do with trains for all I know). But I bring it up because I remember it.