Railfanning

I recently came upon the youtube video below while looking at other Olmsted Falls videos on Youtube.  One vidoe titled, Continuing the Railfanning Adventure – July 28, 2009! caught my attention.  Not knowing what railfanning is, I did a quick search and found a great description at the National Railway Historical Society.  They describe it as:

“Railfanning, also known in some countries as trainspotting, is the hobby or pasttime that may consist of any number of current day legal, safe, and fun activities associated with trains; Some types of railfanning activities include watching trains from your favorite location, riding trains for fun, taking photographs, listening to your scanner, or even going to railroadiana shows.”

I enjoyed seeing the train  go by the depot I see out my window and I had never seen the beautiful Marcy Trestle that spans over the Cuyahoga in Cleveland’s flats.

I’ve been woefully negligent getting posts ready for e23ach week’s My Town Monday, but I’ve resolved to change that this year. If you have something you’d like to share about our town in a My Town Monday post, just send me an offline note, or leave a comment below.

To see posts from other My Town Monday posters, just visit the blog here.

January 3, 2010 | Filed Under Local Attractions, Trains 

Comments

2 Responses to “Railfanning”

  1. Mary on January 5th, 2010 11:42 pm

    That video is just beautiful. And it brought to mind an old family story.

    My great grandfather, Theodore Eppink was just 5 years old when Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train came through Ohio. The Eppink family went to downtown Cleveland from Olmsted Falls on April 28, 1965 to pay their respects along with 90,000 others.

    The train came through Olmsted @ 12:51am April 29 on its way to Columbus, according to a schedule shown at http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/Lincoln51.html

    I wonder how similar the trains are now to those of 1865. Railfanning, who knew?

  2. admin on January 6th, 2010 7:49 am

    I have to say railfanning is really popular. Living by the tracks, there is almost always someone standing or parked watching or photographing the train.

    That is a lovely family story and you answered my question of whether the Lincoln train went by here. Thanks!

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