Basic Railfanning Tips?

Searching for references of the RR you are targeting might get some starting information such as how many trains a day they run.    ON NS aND CSXT that is many.   On shortlines it might be one a day or one a week.

My experience with shortlines are if you call or visit their HQ and respectfully ask what is running when, they will tell you, generally.    There are a few around that want nothing to do with railfans and will shoo you off the property immediately, but most will friendly.    Remember stay off RR property other than visiting the office unless you have permission.

On my trips with an old buddy, we treated it more like fishing.    We went and caught whatever came along.   We generally visit sites along CSXT and NS.    We did chase the Everett RR once and some shortlines in northen mich.    Sometimes we got good catches and sometimes not, but the fun was in going.   And we would sit or stand wait just like fishing - until we got something.  

Some fellows have good scanners and know how to use them.    We had an old one that was programmable, but we never figured out how to get any good information using it.  

Check out these two links from Rail-fanning on the OGR Forum.

https://ogrforum.com/...9#169233314908100409

&

https://ogrforum.com/...8#169233314944220838

Always have your camera with you, a camera phone works great for most stuff. Looking for frieght trains, I like to hang out just outside of freight yards. There are always trains going in and out. Most yards will have a viewing area.

Amtrak are also fun, I have their App on my phone. I also use Google Earth to look for trains, especially if I am in a new place.

A lot of good stuff on YouTube, my favorite channel is “Jaw-Tooth”

https://www.youtube.com/@JawTooth/videos

Hope this helps and I will look for you out rail-fanning. 🚂

Wherever you go - stay 30' from any moving train. Loads shift, strapping bands come loose, and other things happen that will kill you.

As far as what you need - take more water than you planned, buy a scanner, stay off RR property, and take an extra SD card and battery for your camera.

Some people like to park next to a grade crossing so the bells will alert you to a train coming (usually within 40 seconds of the gates starting to lower).

I like to find a spot that has a little height and hang out with a book and some music while I wait. Unfortunately, there is no real heavy freight action near me to hang in one spot and see multiple trains. I need to plan a trip out west. You may want to look for a book that lists the RR hot spots. There are a few out there.

Have fun, be respectful of anyone's private property, and be safe.

Paul

@Railrunnin posted:

As far as what you need - take more water than you planned, buy a scanner, stay off RR property, and take an extra SD card and battery for your camera.

Thank you for the tips. The safety emphasis is appreciated.

Any suggestions on a scanner? I saw a few reviews of Uniden Bearcat BC125AT which looks like an affordable model for someone just starting out. More positive reviews than negative, with battery life being the most common complaint. Looking to minimize initial investment at first. Other handheld scanners worth considering?

You might also look into phone apps - I use one called "Railmap" that lets you see where you are with regards to active rail lines and even some abandoned lines that are now bike trails.

When going to unfamiliar territory, I often use the satellite and "street view" features of Google Maps to virtually scout for locations.  Of course driving around to scout for locations is fun, too.  Asking locals at restaurants or bars can also get results.  When we were scouting Big Boy locations outside of St. Louis, some bar patrons gave us an awesome location that was not very crowded.

Andy

If you do get a scanner, be sure to check the laws in your state (or states you might railfan in). In some states, you have to get a license to operate a scanner in your car. (The assumption is that if it's not licensed, you're using it to listen to police / state patrol radio to try to avoid getting caught speeding or other nefarious purposes.) In my state (Minnesota) it just involves filling out a form and paying a small fee - $10-$15 IIRC.

You can listen to railroad radio online too....

RailroadRadio.net

I recommend the SPV series of Railroad Atlases if you want to know where the local tracks are.   The BC125AT scanner works well for railfanning. 

@ESPEE 8722 posted:

I recommend the SPV series of Railroad Atlases if you want to know where the local tracks are.   The BC125AT scanner works well for railfanning.

Thanks for the suggestions. Good response to the question from a number of folks - all very helpful. I've watched a number of videos on the BC125AT and this seems to be the handheld unit of choice. I'll pick one up soon.

Sometimes I use a Diamond RH77CA antenna with my scanner.  It is useful when you are not near any yards, in hilly country, or need a little extra gain or clarity.  It is 15" long compared to the stock antenna at 6.25".

Don't be a foamer. Have situational awareness. Remember to expect a train on any track, at any time, moving in any direction. If you have to cross the track, remember to step over--not on--the rail.

@smd4 posted:

Don't be a foamer. Have situational awareness. Remember to expect a train on any track, at any time, moving in any direction. If you have to cross the track, remember to step over--not on--the rail.

Steve...you hit the nail on the head....follow his advice you'll live to fan another day!!!!!

@smd4 posted:

Don't be a foamer. Have situational awareness. Remember to expect a train on any track, at any time, moving in any direction. If you have to cross the track, remember to step over--not on--the rail.

Safety first, ah yes. Thank you.

As to being a "foamer" I have never even heard of the term, so I am hoping I'm not one already and don't even know it. Being new at this, anything is possible and likely shows my ignorance. So far, any railfanning I have done is from a distance - viewing platform, parking lot, my car, etc.  - all common sense. Not looking to team up with Hobo Shoestring on the back of a hopper or trespass on railroad property. Sticking to watching the trains go by and maybe take a photo or two with a telephoto lens.

The places I've frequented while traveling for other purposes have all had designated viewing areas or a natural look out. This would include Horseshoe Curve (park), Bailey's Yard (tower), Enola Yard (bridge), E Deerfield Yard (bridge) and long stretches of state roads parallel to the tracks in Sandhills of Nebraska, eastern Montana, and places in Wyoming. Planning to go to Palmer MA next week (30 minute drive), maybe Burlington VT (homecoming) and then hoping to go to either Ohio or West Virginia locations this spring. Mostly looking at those bigger areas that have a viewing park for starters. Picked up a copy of Trains magazine 75 hot spots for some location tips.

@ESPEE 8722 posted:

Sometimes I use a Diamond RH77CA antenna with my scanner.  It is useful when you are not near any yards, in hilly country, or need a little extra gain or clarity.  It is 15" long compared to the stock antenna at 6.25".

Bought a Smiley Antenna 5/8 Slim Duck 160MHz before seeing this. Supposed to be an improvement over the stock issue, too. We'll see, but nice to know the Diamond RH77CA works.

@Mooner posted:

As to being a "foamer" I have never even heard of the term, so I am hoping I'm not one already and don't even know it.

This term goes back decades, and refers to railfans that are so rabid about trains, they foam at the mouth.

Frequently, this attitude results in them being very stupid around trains, becoming a danger to themselves and others. These are the guys who think it's a good idea to stand in the gauge (i.e., in the middle of the track) to get that perfect shot of an oncoming train.

Here's a good example:

Don't do stuff like this and you'll be fine.

Speaking of attitude...if approached by railroad police or local police, be polite and don't have an attitude like "Why are you bothering me?" They might ask you to see your driver's license. They may not understand why you are there and you might be a terrorist, vandal, whatever... for all they know.

Just my own story...maybe 20 years ago, I was taking pictures along the Hudson Division of Metro-North Railroad (not on railroad property) in Dobbs Ferry, NY and all of a sudden 3 or 4 police cars came up to me. The officers were very nice and they were just concerned for my well-being. This was because someone a few miles north had committed suicide on the tracks earlier in the day.

Another time almost in the same area...a Metro-North train in New York Central colors was going up and down the Hudson Line. A friend and I had nice positions, standing on a bridge. A local sergeant came by to ask what we were doing and he actually stayed with us because he became interested, too.

Tom

PS--Always remember that your personal safety is of utmost importance. If you scout out a location/nearby area on Google Maps or something else, if the neighborhood looks rather sketchy, pass on it and try somewhere else. No train picture is worth losing your life over.

Tom

I have found it useful to carry some old copies of Trains magazine with me and give one to any inquisitive law officer.  Many of them are unaware that there are lots of hobbyist train watchers who have no hidden motive and just like to watch and photograph trains.

@Mooner,

Please be aware of security around 'high-profile targets' as well.  Click here for commentary on one of these, which spans the U.S.-Canadian border:

     Did the TSA stop you or give you a warning? (2/14/23) | Mellow Hudson Mike

Mike

@smd4 posted:

This term goes back decades, and refers to railfans that are so rabid about trains, they foam at the mouth.

Frequently, this attitude results in them being very stupid around trains, becoming a danger to themselves and others. These are the guys who think it's a good idea to stand in the gauge (i.e., in the middle of the track) to get that perfect shot of an oncoming train.

I figured it was a derogatory term involving inappropriate behavior. Wild video! I'm happy to report I'm not a foamer. If I were it would be a onetime thing as at 65 my time in the 40-yard dash has deteriorated considerably.

I did get a chance to use my BC125AT for the first time in Palmer MA today and it was a fun experience listening in on the CSX crew. CSX, New England Central and Mass Central all were active on the tracks off Depot Road. I'll post something later in the railfanning thread.

All lots of great advice. I will second (or third!) all of the comments regarding safety, dealing with the police and not acting like a "foamer". I also have used the same fishing comparison as prrjim.  Admittedly, I've spent more time lately on my 1:1 hobby than my 1:48 one! I use the BC125AT and personally like the Smiley antenna over the Diamond one. Another thing to do is join railfan groups on Facebook or Yahoo. These can be a great resource for sighting posts. I live on the Ontario/Michigan border, so I belong to groups on both sides and have benefitted greatly from those group posts.  I would imagine there's a few New England based groups you could join. Best of luck. It can get addictive!

Rob

@smd4 posted:

This term goes back decades, and refers to railfans that are so rabid about trains, they foam at the mouth.

As I have posted many, MANY times previously, the term began back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the eastern U.S., as follows"

the original was FOMITE, which stood for:

F = Far

O = Out

M = Mentally

I = Incompetent

T = Train

E = Enthusiast

The "foaming at the mouth" came later, which then slurred into "Foamer".

Frequently, this attitude results in them being very stupid around trains, becoming a danger to themselves and others. These are the guys who think it's a good idea to stand in the gauge (i.e., in the middle of the track) to get that perfect shot of an oncoming train.

@Mooner posted:

Bought a Smiley Antenna 5/8 Slim Duck 160MHz before seeing this. Supposed to be an improvement over the stock issue, too. We'll see, but nice to know the Diamond RH77CA works.

I will check the Smiley out, gain specs are similar and it is 6" shorter than the Diamond.