Diversity

by Steve Eshom on August 2, 2006

The longer I hang around railfans and the rail fanning hobby the more impressed I am with the diverse interests that exist within a single hobby.  I firmly believe that each of us involved in this hobby likes something different about it.  And just to spice things up, those that like the same things approach them in a unique way.  Think about your railfan friends, enemies, or just people you know.  What do they like?  Is it the historical perspective, the locomotives, the freight cars, the operations, the structures, or photography?  I think you’ll be surprised at the variety you can come up with quickly.

So what prompted this diversity discussion?  I read an interesting piece on RailroadPhotoEssays about how one of the photographers I respect got his start in the hobby and how one particular aspect keeps his love for the hobby alive.  To me this piece demonstrates perfectly the variety of interest that keeps all of us coming back for more. 

 

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  • http://www.theboykos.com/nbrr/blog Steve Boyko

    Railfan enemies? Does anyone take this hobby so seriously that they have enemies??

  • http://www.steveeshom.com Steve Eshom

    Unfortunately I am aware of a few select situations where there are enemies. Are these situations bad enough that the people involved are fighting like rival gangs? Most certainly not. The situations I’m aware of are based on some difference of opinion or difference of approach to a subject and the people involved are quite strongly opinionated (not in a bad way). Because both parties don’t want to understand the others opinion they have a rift. The end result is the individuals in question won’t intentionally end up in the same place railfanning together, but when they have accidentally the relationship was quite civil.

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