Way back many years ago a railfan thing to do was come down to the depot on a Sunday afternoon when a person did not have to go to work and watch the afternoon passenger train arrive. Passengers got on and off. People kissed their friends goodbye. There was much scurrying around loading and unloading the head end cars. One could speculate about what was in some of the Railway Express packages. Water was put in the tender. The engineer was oiling his locomotive with an oil can and checking things. Then after about ten or fifteen minutes the conductor gave a loud "Board." The train took off with two toots of the whistle and the fan watched it disappear down the track. No photos were taken. Who could afford the film and developing?

That entire world has vanished today except for a very few museum or tourist railroad re-creations.

That's how the hobby has changed.