Have seen it used in trains magazine and elsewhere
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It is a term often used as a derogatory way to describe railfans by people who actually work on the railroad. It is derived from the idea that railfans foam at the mouth at the sight of a train.
willygee posted:Have seen it used in trains magazine and elsewhere
As I have explained many, many, many times previously, even here on the OGR Forum, the term originated in the New Jersey area in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Originally it was "FOMITE" which stands for:
Far
Out
Mentally
Incompetent
Train
Enthusiast
Over many years the acronym simply got slurred into "foamer", which was spread throughout the country by the Engine Crew of the American Freedom Train (many of whom where from the eastern states).
Hot Water posted:willygee posted:Have seen it used in trains magazine and elsewhere
....the term originated in the New Jersey area in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Originally it was "FOMITE" which stands for:
Far
Out
Mentally
Incompetent
Train
Enthusiast
Over many years the acronym simply got slurred into "foamer", which was spread throughout the country by the Engine Crew of the American Freedom Train (many of whom where from the eastern states).
That reminds me of when I got inside the NJHR's club and saw glass display cases and cases of extra trains. My mouth dropped open and tongue hung out and I think I blurted out stuff like whah? and whoa!! My mouth stayed open while walking around the layout for what seemed like hours and as it dried out I imagine foam appeared?
I finally got near Ed B. who made it obvious he wanted nothing to do with my over-enthusiasm. 
Apparently he had seen that condition develop before.
So, I always thought it might have originated from outsiders seeing so many trains in that club?
A "foamer" is an individual who, when faced the the prospect of seeing a steam locomotive run on a weekend, begins to foam at the mouth on Thursday afternoon.
When the weekend finally rolls around, a foamer can easily find himself in this situation because the foam impairs his vision.
Like many derisive terms within hobbies (any hobby has one, I'm sure there are insulting terms for knitters or stamp collectors, too), there is some conjecture as to where it came from. I've heard three or four versions of the 'true' story of how it came to be. Each of which was plausible and compelling.
I do know that "Loon" was a common term for people of that ilk in the 1960s. Ron Ziel mentions it in his classic 1963 book, "Twilight of Steam Locomotives".
My Sister and I was watching a bunch of foamers turn narrow US 90A between Rosenberg and East Bernard TX into a WB one way street chasing a train. We were sane and safe, in a Dutch Door of one of the passenger cars behind SP 4449 returning from New Orleans to Portland Oregon.
And it was the day before the tender and locomotive came apart in West Texas in 1985.
Foamer : Rabid?
Sooooo.......It's not this guy???
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dkdkrd posted:Sooooo.......It's not this guy???
Egads thats ugleeeee
FOAMERS
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wild mary posted:FOAMERS
I object that the photographing of a train automatically makes a rail enthusiast a foamer.
Were Link, Steinheimer, or Benson foamers?
How about David P. Morgan?
Borden Tunnel posted:wild mary posted:FOAMERS
I object that the photographing of a train automatically makes a rail enthusiast a foamer.
Were Link, Steinheimer, or Benson foamers?How about David P. Morgan?
I would agree. I have several friends who work as engineers for the railroad and are also railfans who photograph trains. How can they be foamers? They know the rules and act in a professional safe manner around all railroads.
It seems the term has really evolved to be the antonym of "rivet counter". If one displays too much knowledge they get called a rivet counter. If they don't display enough knowledge they are referred to as a "foamer". Just my opinion.
Borden Tunnel posted:
I object that the photographing of a train automatically makes a rail enthusiast a foamer.
Were Link, Steinheimer, or Benson foamers?How about David P. Morgan?
Yeah, if they stood in a photo line like this, they would have been.
I've known plenty of foamers whom I couldn't stand being within 100 feet (either for their lack of social skills are horrific funk), yet they got published all the time and were excellent photographers. A couple of them were/are indeed household names among some train fans.
GG1 4877 posted:
It seems the term has really evolved to be the antonym of "rivet counter". If one displays too much knowledge they get called a rivet counter. If they don't display enough knowledge they are referred to as a "foamer". Just my opinion.
Yep, typical "darned if you do/don't" hobby scenario:
- Anyone less into the hobby than you is a waste of space and is to be ignored/mocked
- Anyone more into the hobby than you needs to get a life
About 20-30 years ago, the staff at a famed publishing house devoted to prototype and model trains referred to those with an excess of passion as "foamers", with the derivation being that these are people who foam at the mouth when it comes to their hobby. Rich Melvin's definition above that a foamer is someone who foams at the mouth on Thursday over the prospect of playing trains on Saturday is 100% consistent with the usage I heard ... and pretty funny to boot.
In this same time period, I also heard an expression describing train zealots as being guys with "too much time, too much money, and too few wives".
While on the topic, I'll offer a final corollary that, while "foamers" can be "rivet counters" and "rivet counters" can be "foamers", they're not always the same thing. Just most times.
Steven J. Serenska
You almost got a shot of my bottle of Dawn on the layout, but Meeko helped me out. A true foamer, she runs around and barks at the prototypes excitedly, and often watches when I run mine too. She likes the big ones, Puppi likes the little ones. (chillin in bed now)
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Dominic Mazoch posted:My Sister and I was watching a bunch of foamers turn narrow US 90A between Rosenberg and East Bernard TX into a WB one way street chasing a train. We were sane and safe, in a Dutch Door of one of the passenger cars behind SP 4449 returning from New Orleans to Portland Oregon.
And it was the day before the tender and locomotive came apart in West Texas in 1985.
That happened just west of Del Rio, TX in 1984.
Borden Tunnel postedI object that the photographing of a train automatically makes a rail enthusiast a foamer.
Were Link, Steinheimer, or Benson foamers?How about David P. Morgan?
Objection noted.
I'm just "kookoo about choo-choo's"
I think Dominic got it closest to one word with rabid. I wanna say "Rabid enthusiasm".
Derogatory? Mirage-atory. It's a badge of honor for the ardent folks willing to "own it" 
You almost got a shot of my bottle of carpet cleaner and DE-foamer on the layout, but normally camera shy Meeko helped me out as I railed cars. 
A true foamer, she runs around, and barks back at the prototypes horns excitedly. Puppi (140lb also), just likes the little ones. (But chillin in bed now, he is the normal spotlight hog, lol). She prefers the big ones, but as you can see, watches mine too sometimes. (Though I suspect they'd both prefer a Gravy Train)
Yea.. her spit dries to "glue", thats her couch, not mine, she keeps to her side of the backrest, and doesnt eat the trees anymore.. Her foam is less wet; "empty bubbles". It dries to a foam fast, and brushes away like ash, leaving no real trace. Really weird. Not as much slop flung as I imagined either.
I didn't choose miss foamy, lol. She got left here.
Borden Tunnel posted:wild mary posted:FOAMERS
I object that the photographing of a train automatically makes a rail enthusiast a foamer.
Were Link, Steinheimer, or Benson foamers?How about David P. Morgan?
It's not the ACT of taking train photo's. It's how one ACTS when taking train photo's.
Rusty
Rusty Traque posted:Borden Tunnel posted:wild mary posted:FOAMERS
I object that the photographing of a train automatically makes a rail enthusiast a foamer.
Were Link, Steinheimer, or Benson foamers?How about David P. Morgan?
It's not the ACT of taking train photo's. It's how one ACTS when taking train photo's.
Rusty
I agree. The guys in that photo do not appear to overly enthusiastic or emotional about the train. Just going off that one picture I wouldn't call them foamers. I mean look at the guy in the white shirt toward the upper left. He looks kind of bored and a little like Gerald Ford.
I only foam for Santa Fe trains.
Seriously, I do not use the term, as it is always at least mildly derogatory, and I have conscience trouble about painting a whole group with one brush. The railfan community certainly does include some nerds, know-it-alls, know-nothings, and really irritating people, but it also includes some pretty cool people.
I think Dominic got it closest to one word with rabid. I wanna say "Rabid enthusiasm".
Derogatory? Mirage-atory. It's a badge of honor for the ardent folks willing to "own it"
You almost got a shot of my bottle of carpet cleaner and DE-foamer on the layout, but normally camera shy Meeko helped me out as I railed cars.
A true foamer, she runs around, and barks back at the prototypes horns excitedly. Puppi (140lb also), just likes the little ones. (But chillin in bed now, he is the normal spotlight hog, lol). She prefers the big ones, but as you can see, watches mine too sometimes. (Though I suspect they'd both prefer a Gravy Train)
Yea.. her spit dries to "glue", thats her couch, not mine, she keeps to her side of the backrest, and doesnt eat the trees anymore.. Her foam is less wet; "empty bubbles". It dries to a foam fast, and brushes away like ash, leaving no real trace. Really weird. Not as much slop flung as I imagined either.
I didn't choose miss foamy, lol. She got left here.
Since l don't photograph "modern" trains, but usually just steam, that is the one place l encountered a large group of foamers, once. In this area if l am down by the tracks, it is to photograph a structure. When l was a kid, cab and caboose crew would wave. Since l had heard foamer was a derisive term for railfans, l was startled not too long ago, standing there with a camera, when waiting for a diesel freight to pass so l could get a grain elevator shot, the engineer waved. It felt like a step back in time.
If you saw our black lab, you would know what a foamer is!!!!!
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Train enthusiast is what I was told I am... among other things. My wife the Shrink tells me the among other things crowd is more highly accurate. Well it is a free world they say.
A train foamer is the following according to me;
1. A true nerd.
2. A true geek.
3. Truly considers him/her self a rivet counter. and has know idea of time and will cont rivets for a few days or as long as it takes.
4. They start to smell like a caboose.
THE possibilities.
maybe they get bit short tempered if you block his/view,/shot/sun.
looks like he is talking on a blue tooth. but he is not.
Likes model trains. hangs in book and video departments in hobby shops.
AND most importantly knows Matt Jackson.
In the 1960's the term "foamer" was also used to describe "fire buffs" who hung around fire stations 24/7 and chased the engines. It was said they "foamed at the mouth" when they saw a fire.
My favorite foamer ... boxcar biscuits are in hand.
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foamer , foam at the mouth, 1. to be uncontrollably excited for or at something
- Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms
Who knew?
