I’m still a railfan.
I’ve had my doubts. From not feeling like going out to see trains, to withdrawing from the online communities and in-person gatherings, I hadn’t felt like a “real” railfan.
I haven’t felt the need to be trackside very often.
And yet.
On an errand for my wife, I still drove out of my way for a chance to spot BNSF Manitoba’s locomotive.
On my way to pick up some timetables, I turned around to get trackside to see a train.
I went to SuperTrain in Calgary, and I had a great time. We took lots of train photos along the way.
I’m still a railfan.
I’m just doing it differently now.
I don’t think we ever really cease to be a railfan once we are in the mode but as yourself I have taken breaks from time to time some of them months long. What brought me back from one of my rest periods was looking over some old pictures I had taken many years ago. It seemed to re-ignite the spark. And the big blowup I have framed in my home office of 2816 in Bellows Falls, Vermont helps too.
Keep railfanning Steve, we’d miss you terribly.
Looking over old pictures helps! You remember what fun it was to take them.
Thanks, Steve, I’m still railfanning, just in a different way.
Yes it’s a “different” way but it is still important and works well. Glad to see your train photos and looking forward to our next visit!
I love that sense of “I’m still a railfan. I’m just doing it differently now.”
We can do something for longer and longer and never change. We can do something and mature over the same length of time. As we mature, if we mature, we are growing in our understanding of who we are, why we return, and what we seek in these experiences. I like to think that we learn more about the questions we’re asking, of ourselves, by the practice of these creative expressions.
I hear so many people who “stop going out” and regret their loss of fascination. I love how you went out anyway and reconnected with the why of your connection. I can’t wait to see where this takes you.