# The most unusual passengers



## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

This by no means is a detailed trip log but I *HAD* to share this picture. I doubt any member of AU has seen something so unusual! This was on train #5 at the Glenwood Springs fresh air stop on Tuesday (07). At first I thought they were mascots paid to entertain the passengers at the stop, but nope. I never got to speak to them to ask their motivation for dressing up the way they were. However, before leaving the train in Emeryville, I did overhear one say it was the other’s first trip via Amtrak. No matter what compelled them, they were having fun and isn’t that what riding the train is all about? I had fun just watching their fun!


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## PaTrainFan (Dec 9, 2021)

Furries! It's a thing.


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## tgstubbs1 (Dec 9, 2021)

I have read a little about 'furries' .

I guess they are basically harmless. A type of fetish, I guess.


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## Law638 (Dec 9, 2021)

They are furries! Much to the delight of the citizens, hotels & shop owners. They hold their large convention in downtown Pittsburgh & They are welcomed with open arms.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

I heard them being called furries throughout the trip but thought it was a term of endearment and not a “thing“ or a “trend”. Still, in my nearly a decade of riding LD trains in the Amtrak system and my more than ten years as a member of AU and Amtrak Facebook groups, I’d never heard anyone discussing them before. I guess I wonder if either I’ve always been on the wrong train at the wrong time to see this or that nobody’s experienced this before on Amtrak. I think it’s the former over the latter probably. As I said above, it added some fun to the trip, seeing how much fun these two guys were having! I head back to Michigan tomorrow, maybe I see something else I’d not experienced before. As is blatantly obvious, the new and different is less expected because I’ve experienced a lot, from having my train’s bag car getting hit by a vehicle to almost any type of severe weather you can imagine…sans hurricanes. Train travel is always an adventure and never ever boring to me.


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## Asher (Dec 9, 2021)

tim49424 said:


> I heard them being called furries throughout the trip but thought it was a term of endearment and not a “thing“ or a “trend”. Still, in my nearly a decade of riding LD trains in the Amtrak system and my more than ten years as a member of AU and Amtrak Facebook groups, I’d never heard anyone discussing them before. I guess I wonder if either I’ve always been on the wrong train at the wrong time to see this or that nobody’s experienced this before on Amtrak. I think it’s the former over the latter probably. As I said above, it added some fun to the trip, seeing how much fun these two guys were having! I head back to Michigan tomorrow, maybe I see something else I’d not experienced before. As is blatantly obvious, the new and different is less expected because I’ve experienced a lot, from having my train’s bag car getting hit by a vehicle to almost any type of severe weather you can imagine…sans hurricanes. Train travel is always an adventure and never ever boring to me.



Brand new for me also. Anthropomorphic characters. Glad to read it’s not just a California thing.


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## flitcraft (Dec 9, 2021)

One of the gifts of the Internet is that, however unusual your predilections may be, you can easily find an online community to bond with.


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## Maglev (Dec 9, 2021)

I used to dress up in suits like that at a department store where I worked for special occasions (for example, I was once the Easter Bunny). They are extremely hot and uncomfortable.


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## Devil's Advocate (Dec 9, 2021)

I can understand hobbies like cosplay but the furry fetish was a bridge too far for me. At first I assumed it was a recent phenomenon but there is a _Simpsons_ joke that seems to reference a scene in _The Shining_ from 1980.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

Maglev said:


> I used to dress up in suits like that at a department store where I worked for special occasions (for example, I was once the Easter Bunny). They are extremely hot and uncomfortable.



These guys didn’t seem to be complaining. They got into their characters completely. Also, in Colorado the temps were around freezing so I’m sure they weren’t uncomfortable. I didn’t see them in costume on the train, as I assume they took off the costumes asap upon getting on board.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

flitcraft said:


> One of the gifts of the Internet is that, however unusual your predilections may be, you can easily find an online community to bond with.



I’m not sure what that has to do with the discussion in this thread, no matter how true your statement is….which is spot on, just off topic.


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## Dakota 400 (Dec 9, 2021)

anumberone said:


> Anthropomorphic



I learned a new word today.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

Dakota 400 said:


> I learned a new word today.



Always good to learn new things.

I knew the word but never seen it used in that context.


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## OBS (Dec 9, 2021)

So, other than Furries, How is your trip?


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## Seaboard92 (Dec 9, 2021)

I actually attempted to run a charter trip for the furry community once because one of my former best friends who is in the railroad community is in that community. From attempting to run that trip I learned they can be quite cheap they didn't want to pay for the PV trip from NYP to PGH with three or four nights ( I can't remember now) sleeping on the railcar. In all practical purposes it would have been cheaper than a hotel and transit for them. But they didn't buy a single ticket. Those suits they wear are well over five thousand if I remember what my former friend paid for his Beaver. 

I saw them once getting on a Cascade at Seattle once as well. I think they are mostly harmless but the Kremlin is considering labeling them as an extremist group so who knows.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

OBS said:


> So, other than Furries, How is your trip?



Great so far! Everyone was so great on #5. I had a fantastic attendant, who had Amtrak employee friends in common with me, both on the Empire Builder and California Zephyr, so it was great trading updates and also had fun communicating with friends for him and vice versa (of course he couldn’t do it himself being he was working). Even if nothing of these sorts, like with the furries and I’d not uttered a word to anyone, just watching the scenery go by is great fun for me!


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

Seaboard92 said:


> I actually attempted to run a charter trip for the furry community once because one of my former best friends who is in the railroad community is in that community. From attempting to run that trip I learned they can be quite cheap they didn't want to pay for the PV trip from NYP to PGH with three or four nights ( I can't remember now) sleeping on the railcar. In all practical purposes it would have been cheaper than a hotel and transit for them. But they didn't buy a single ticket. Those suits they wear are well over five thousand if I remember what my former friend paid for his Beaver.
> 
> I saw them once getting on a Cascade at Seattle once as well. I think they are mostly harmless but the Kremlin is considering labeling them as an extremist group so who knows.



I might be private messaging you on my way home. I was talking to a gentleman from Baltimore, who was interested in the possibility of doing a private car trip and you came to mind. I’ll talk to him further in the next couple of days and if he’s still interested in that possibility as he’ll be on 6 with me tomorrow. I’ll direct him your way if he is. He’s not currently an AU member, so I’ll have him sign up.


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## SarahZ (Dec 9, 2021)

It’s not necessarily a “fetish”. Some people do it because they don’t feel comfortable as themselves (extreme social anxiety) and enjoy life much more as their “fursona”. The costumes can become quite expensive and elaborate.

It doesn’t bother me. They aren’t hurting anyone. /shrug


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## Ziv (Dec 9, 2021)

I hear you about acting differently when wearing a costume. I worked for Phillips By the Sea in OC MD way back in the day and I wore the 8' tall blue crab suit when the dining room was slow. So I would prowl up and down the boardwalk and have fun while advertising the restaurant. In real life I am a reasonably well adjusted introvert but when I put the crab suit on I was a non-talkative but very gregarious and friendly crab. 



SarahZ said:


> It’s not necessarily a “fetish”. Some people do it because they don’t feel comfortable as themselves (extreme social anxiety) and enjoy life much more as their “fursona”. The costumes can become quite expensive and elaborate.
> 
> It doesn’t bother me. They aren’t hurting anyone. /shrug


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## Seaboard92 (Dec 9, 2021)

tim49424 said:


> I might be private messaging you on my way home. I was talking to a gentleman from Baltimore, who was interested in the possibility of doing a private car trip and you came to mind. I’ll talk to him further in the next couple of days and if he’s still interested in that possibility as he’ll be on 6 with me tomorrow. I’ll direct him your way if he is. He’s not currently an AU member, so I’ll have him sign up.



Feel free to message me anytime. I'll try to respond as fast as I can. I try to check AU at least once a day on my laptop on work trips. Especially when I have threads I'm monitoring closely.


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## Asher (Dec 9, 2021)

flitcraft said:


> One of the gifts of the Internet is that, however unusual your predilections may be, you can easily find an online community to bond with.



Predilections. Great scrabble word.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

Seaboard92 said:


> Feel free to message me anytime. I'll try to respond as fast as I can. I try to check AU at least once a day on my laptop on work trips. Especially when I have threads I'm monitoring closely.



As I said he and I are going end to end together so I’ll make sure I touch base with him and you too.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

I firmly don’t believe these two ”furrie“ people had insecurity issues or any psychological problems. They would change out of their costumes once reboarding, ate meals in the dining car in their ”normal“ clothes and walk throughout the train as well. I truly think they did it for entertainment purposes, nothing more or less, probably hoping they’d see some children to interact with. Ironically there no kids riding this train AFIAK, except MAYBE in coach, but definitely none in the sleepers. They did entertain us older folk and lots of us took pictures, some posed with them.

In my opening post on this thread, I doubted if anyone had seen similar on the train. From the responses, many of you had heard of them, seen them elsewhere, dressed up as characters, etc. But it’s probably pretty obvious my experience is unique on the AU board seeing passengers dress up as furries. It’s an experience I’ll always remember as I said earlier. Most importantly it put a smile on my face.


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## Cal (Dec 9, 2021)

I’ve seen a log of stigma around furries, people using it as a derogatory word. It’s nice to see people actually accepting people for just engaging in their hobby.


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## tim49424 (Dec 9, 2021)

Cal said:


> I’ve seen a log of stigma around furries, people using it as a derogatory word. It’s nice to see people actually accepting people for just engaging in their hobby.



I guess I’m one of those who don’t use it as a derogatory term being I just learned it when it was explained to me in this thread. When I first saw them I thought they were station mascots in Glenwood Springs as I stated earlier. I’m very accepting of most people so I’m not going to exclude ones I know nothing about. Really, the only type of people I don’t accept are wrong doers either for others or myself and even with them, I have a second chance policy, but burn that and you’re excluded.


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## tim49424 (Dec 10, 2021)

Seaboard92 said:


> Feel free to message me anytime. I'll try to respond as fast as I can. I try to check AU at least once a day on my laptop on work trips. Especially when I have threads I'm monitoring closely.



I am with him now awaiting #6. I’ll message you when I get settled on the train. The acoustics at Emeryville make it very difficult to concentrate and he can’t hear me well here anyway. Vice versa is true as well.


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## tim49424 (Dec 11, 2021)

We are currently in Granby Colorado waiting out an incident that apparently happened in the cafe. I heard the police were involved. We’re moving again after a 40-45 minute delay to resolve the issue. I’ll update if I hear more.


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## UserNameRequired (Dec 11, 2021)

tim49424 said:


> We are currently in Granby Colorado waiting out an incident that apparently happened in the cafe. I heard the police were involved. We’re moving again after a 40-45 minute delay to resolve the issue. I’ll update if I hear more.



I’ll bet the fur was flying in that incident!


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## tim49424 (Dec 11, 2021)

UserNameRequired said:


> I’ll bet the fur was flying in that incident!



Wrong train, wrong day, but nice try, I give you credit for trying.


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## Chas (Dec 11, 2021)

Never met furries on a train, so there is always something new.


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## John Bredin (Dec 13, 2021)

Never seen a furry on a train despite commuting in Chicago which hosts many conventions. However, I once saw a man carrying a bat'leth (huge funky Klingon sword from _Star Trek_) on an inbound Metra on a Saturday morning. 

He wasn't in costume, so maybe he was going to a convention to sell it? It wasn't in a scabbard, but then I can't recall seeing a bat'leth being drawn from a scabbard on the show.

The guy seemed pleasant when the conductor spoke with him, and the bat'leth didn't have a sharpened edge yet, so he didn't seem threatening, but it was still odd.


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## trainman74 (Dec 13, 2021)

Devil's Advocate said:


> At first I assumed it was a recent phenomenon but there is a _Simpsons_ joke that seems to reference a scene in _The Shining_ from 1980.



I first learned about furries on local BBS systems in the mid-1980s, so they're definitely not a new thing.


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## AmtrakBlue (Dec 13, 2021)

__





Furries | Encyclopedia.com


FurriesThe word furries is an identity-based term that is embraced by people who enjoy anthropomorphic (animals endowed with human traits) art, online animal role-playing, and/or dressing up in cartoon animal costumes. The furry subculture is a well-organized and wide-ranging phenomenon that...




www.encyclopedia.com


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## PaTrainFan (Dec 13, 2021)

They've had their annual convention for years (sans last year) in Pittsburgh. They add a lot of color as they fan out around downtown and throughout the city. They are welcomed with open arms here.


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## SarahZ (Dec 13, 2021)

Reminds me of this article from a few years ago. It was a cute story.









Syrian refugees get warm welcome at Vancouver Furry convention


What could have been a clash of cultures turned into a heartwarming moment




www.mashable.com


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## caravanman (Dec 14, 2021)

Most pet owners imbue their animals with at least some human characteristics, so I guess it is okay for the reverse to happen too!  

As the former proprietor of a fancy dress costume hire business, I did note that sometimes when folk got into their outfits, they acquired a change of personality. 

Yes Tim, I know this is off your topic too...


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