Thursday, July 19, 2012

Ode to the Railfan: a Different Kind of Family History

This blog has been a tad quiet this week, mostly because of family things. Yesterday was a full day with my railfan. We went to one of his favorite local spots for train viewing: the Rosenberg Railroad Museum.


The museum backs up to three train tracks and sees lots of train action during a given day.


The best viewing spot (according to my railfan) is the ramp of the museum's caboose exhibit. It's a real caboose that was made in 1972, the same year I was born. That makes it about 29 years old, right?


This railfan is a pro. He has a scanner programmed with radio frequencies so he knows when trains are coming. Then he shoots video of them for his YouTube channel, where he has made connections with other railfans.


Talk about serious, this railfan even wears the company clothing. BNSF needs to hire this kid.


While the railfan filmed outside, I sat in the air-conditioned caboose with my iPad and book. It's like it was made for the parents who  play taxi to their railfans.


The final tally was eight trains and eight train videos. The railfan considers this a success. What I find even more of a success is that he has a passion and is actively pursuing it. We should all take a page from the railfan.



7 comments:

  1. Not a kid anymore... Heh. Thanks for posting!

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    1. You'll always be my kid. That's just the way it is.

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  2. As I've said before on your "rail fan", I think it's wonderful his has such interests. But,you also deserve credit for taking the time to encourage it.

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  3. Passion is the key to success. Your railfan is bound for glory.

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  4. You should take your rail fan to Durango to ride the narrow gauge train there. He would LOVE it (and it's not so bad for non-fans, either).

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  5. Thank you, Amy. Sometimes being a mother is hard, and other times it's great. But helping children pursue a passion, if in no other way than taking the time to transport them, is helping them in so many ways that we'll never be able to count.

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  6. I love this "rail fan". He's the best.

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