COMMENTARY BY ALEXANDER B. CRAGHEAD
whiteriverproductions.com
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www.railfan.com PUBLISHER
KEVIN EUDALY
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from our readers are always welcome. Please contact the editor for details.
EDITOR
E. STEVEN BARRY (862) 354-3196
EDITOR@RAILFAN.COM The Railroad Park in Rochelle, Ill., is a popular train-watching spot. STEVE BARRY PHOTO Railfanning: Chasing or Watching?
THE WAYS THAT RAILFANS INTERACT WITH TRAINS are varied, with patterns that are sometimes geographic in nature. For example, in the Midwest, it is common for railfans to stick to one spot and watch the trains pass them. Major junctions are frequent hot spots for this sort of thing. In some cases, enterprising small towns have created dedicated “railfan parks” for this purpose, some merely consisting of a parking lot and some trash cans, while others are more elaborate with barbecues, shelters, restrooms, web cams, and even local railroad radio channels blasting over speakers. This tradition is not entirely Midwestern,
but it is mostly so. There are unofficial railfan parks in places far outside of the Midwest, like Salisbury, N.C., Vancouver, Wash., and Fullerton, Calif. For the most part, however, the traffic densities outside of the heartland are simply too low. Unless you are going to see a train many times each hour — or unless your railfanning is combined with a camping trip someplace particularly scenic — the whole thing is about as entertaining as watching paint dry. Where density of traffic is too low to sit and
wait, you want to make the most of the few trains there are. One tradition that has thus developed is that of the chase. Rather than let a train pass you by, you pursue it across the landscape, typically in hopes of seeing it as many times as possible. Mostly photogra- phers do this, but train chasers who merely want to see the train go by are not at all unheard of. It is difficult to chase a train on a mainline,
since typically the track speed is too high. Sure, most lines have an upper speed limit of 60 to 70 miles per hour for freights, which is comparable to freeway speed limits in many states. Three factors, however, give the train the advantage. First, mainlines usually operate more smoothly than your average freeway. Second, freeways and rail lines do not always parallel each other; getting trackside often means exiting the freeway and slogging through urban traffic or slow country roads. Third and last, many mainlines have no nearby freeway at all, thus reducing the railfan’s ability to pace and chase. Advantage: railroad.
4 SEPTEMBER 2015 •
RAILFAN.COM There are a few rare exceptions, especially
where mountain rail lines and main highways share space. For example, it is (just) possible to chase a BNSF Z-train — the hottest, fastest freight on the system — as it climbs up the grade of Washington’s Stevens Pass. Thanks to the railroad’s climb and curves, and the presence of U.S. Highway 2 parallel- ing much of the alignment, you can catch a train at least three times as it goes over the hill: the truss bridge at Index, the old Great Northern helper yard at Skykomish (or the steel viaducts of the Foss River bridge), and the summit at Scenic. Mostly, though, chasing a train is something you do on branchlines and backwoods routes. Whether it’s a backwoods spur off the old Maine Central lines, or a busy lumber branch in coastal Oregon, or a coal mine run in Appalachia, these quieter lines typically move at a slower pace. Track speed is sometimes as low as ten miles per hour, making the chase almost too easy, and the problem (at least for photographers) becomes not how many times you can beat the train, but how long the daylight will hold out. It’s true that chasing trains requires
caution, decorum, and discretion. Crews can sometimes get a bit paranoid about being followed around, especially by people with large cameras, or driving in SUVs. Chasing a train requires a certain degree of knowledge of the roads, of the operating practices, and of the communities through which you pass. Chasing or watching? While traffic patterns
and geography may influence your decision, the ultimate choice is yours. Sometimes it’s just nice to relax along the tracks, even if nothing is running. Other times the excite- ment of a chase is just the way to kickstart an otherwise routine day, even if there are plenty of trains out there. No matter how you choose to enjoy your favorite hobby, take a moment to reflect on what brought you trackside in the first place. Enjoy the sights and sounds of a captivating industry.
Consulting Editor Alexander B. Craghead is a transportation historian, photographer, artist, and author.
EDITORIAL ADDRESS RAILFAN & RAILROAD P.O. BOX 554
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