# Attention Foamers.....



## Tumbleweed (Nov 23, 2013)

While not directly related to AMTRAK, I found this link http://www.railfandepot.com/ a source of information that may be of interest to AU members, such as a railroad map for Windows..... :hi:


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## amtkstn (Nov 23, 2013)

We fomers like free stuff!


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## Ted Bell (Nov 23, 2013)

Why do you call yourselves foamers? Or as @amtkstn spells it "fomers"?

And what exactly is a foamer?


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## amtkstn (Nov 23, 2013)

A foamer what real train crews call a rail fan. They think we all foam at the mouth when rail fans see trains we like.


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## Ted Bell (Nov 23, 2013)

Where does the term "foamer" come from in relation to a rail fan? And what makes a rail fan a "foamer"? I love to ride the train. I use the local light rail and commuter rail every chance I get. I refuse to drive a car if I can take a bike and/or train as it consumes resources, adds pollution, and contributes to wear and tear on existing infrastructure. Does this make me a foamer?

If a foamer is one of those idiots that drives a car or truck simply to photograph trains, I would be offended to labeled as a foamer.


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## SarahZ (Nov 23, 2013)

People who photograph trains are not idiots. There is nothing wrong with having a hobby.

I cannot believe you accused several of us of being judgmental of sloppy drunks in one thread and then had the audacity to come in here and judge people who aren't annoying or hurting anybody.


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## Ted Bell (Nov 23, 2013)

Dear SarahZ,

I don't recall judging you or anyone of being a sloppy drunk. In fact, I recently apologized for being a "sloppy drunk" myself and saying things that I later regretted ("sloppy drunk" weren't my words).

I'm under the impression that I have offended you in several threads. For that I am very sorry. It is not my intention to offend anyone, I thought that this was place I could share my opinion, and receive constructive comments and criticism.

To you and anyone else, I am truly sorry. I appreciate your experience and wisdom. I will try to keep my extreme beliefs to myself.

Humbly, me.

PS. Anyone who drives around, consuming valuable resources and polluting the air that I breathe, that you breathe, and that all of my friends and family breathe just for a few photographs of a train, yes. They are idiots. Please don't do that. Walk, bike, take public transit. Why would you hurt others just to take a picture of a train? I love that people have hobbies. As long as they don't compromise the health or safety of others.

(Edited for yet another spelling error. I think I spell better when I'm drinking.)


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## NW cannonball (Nov 24, 2013)

Ted Bell said:


> Where does the term "foamer" come from in relation to a rail fan? And what makes a rail fan a "foamer"? I love to ride the train. I use the local light rail and commuter rail every chance I get. I refuse to drive a car if I can take a bike and/or train as it consumes resources, adds pollution, and contributes to wear and tear on existing infrastructure. Does this make me a foamer?
> 
> If a foamer is one of those idiots that drives a car or truck simply to photograph trains, I would be offended to labeled as a foamer.


Where the term "foamer" comes from - etymology questions are outside the expertise of most of us.

Practically, "foamer" means "someone who is much more obsessional about my hobby than I am"

That's all it means.


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## JayPea (Nov 24, 2013)

Since I see it irritates someone to drive to photograph trains, that gives me more incentive to do so.  There are no railroads within walking or biking distance from where I live and public transportation in my neck of the woods is non-existent. I like to do so, and will continue to do so.


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## Ryan (Nov 24, 2013)

NW cannonball said:


> Ted Bell said:
> 
> 
> > Where does the term "foamer" come from in relation to a rail fan? And what makes a rail fan a "foamer"? I love to ride the train. I use the local light rail and commuter rail every chance I get. I refuse to drive a car if I can take a bike and/or train as it consumes resources, adds pollution, and contributes to wear and tear on existing infrastructure. Does this make me a foamer?
> ...


 Not really, the answer has even been provided in this thread:



amtkstn said:


> A foamer what real train crews call a rail fan. They think we all foam at the mouth when rail fans see trains we like.


Count me amongst those who drive my car to take pictures of trains.


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## NW cannonball (Nov 24, 2013)

> Count me amongst those who drive my car to take pictures of trains.


Well, yeah, so I've done that sometimes --

Is there a support group for "foamers" -- never mind -- sorry I asked - I know where those boards are :unsure:


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## Devil's Advocate (Nov 24, 2013)

We seem to have some sort of confused bipolar dynamic going on lately.

_Group X is stupid. _

_Oh, wait, I'm sorry I said that. _

_But seriously, group X are a bunch of idiots._

_Please accept my apologies._

Say what?

There seem to be two voices coming out of one head.

Personally I don't see the photography thing as being directly related to "foamers." I've seen freight railroad employees take pictures of railroad equipment before, including Amtrak, so that kind of knocks the idea of it being foamer specific. I've also seen third party rail contractors taking photos of Amtrak trains. In fact I saw an RCX employee take a picture today while a freight crew watched. I believe the foamer term is intended to denote someone who is obsessive compulsive about their hobbies. So much so that they may inadvertently drool or "foam" at the mouth when up close and personal with the subject of their desire. In other words it refers to folks who are likely to exhibit excessive enthusiasm with little in the way of social etiquette to temper their reaction.


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## tp49 (Nov 24, 2013)

I'm not much into train photography so I'm going to get in my car and drive to the airport and take pictures of airplanes.


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## MattW (Nov 24, 2013)

Ted Bell said:


> Dear SarahZ,
> 
> I don't recall judging you or anyone of being a sloppy drunk. In fact, I recently apologized for being a "sloppy drunk" myself and saying things that I later regretted ("sloppy drunk" weren't my words).
> 
> ...


I'm sorry but this is far far too much for me speaking as someone who lives 2 miles from the closest track, with NO transit whatsoever, with a really bad neighborhood in between me and said tracks. Who are you to judge my hobby? Is someone who drives to the hobby store to buy wood from cut down trees or plastic that was made from petroleum any worse? Railfans get enough grief from the police and the real railroaders sometimes and we really don't need it from anyone else trying bunk arguments like pollution. :angry2:


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## The Davy Crockett (Nov 26, 2013)

Heck, I'll even drive my car to ride trains, not just to photograph them. :blink: Thus wasting even more resources! :help:

And once on the train I'll drink a beer or two that have nice heads of foam. 

That way folks can't tell if I'm a foamer, a drinker, or... or... _*GASP*_... both! :giggle:

Hey, at least it keeps me from logging onto AU and writing trollish jibberish when wearing a beer mustache.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Dec 5, 2013)

Foamer does not have an exact definition and it has nothing in particular to do with photography alone It is meant to suggest a rabid dog, foamng at the mouth and all brain matter gone except train data.

It is a state of mind in which a person lives, eats and breathes trains not just by themselves but to the exclusion of other things. Such as other hobbies, a social life, and sometimes travels by other modes even when it is not an emergency.

Determining whether one is a foamer is tricky.

I could easily be taken for a foamer but I can plead other hobbies,, such as wild animals and the live theater,the weather ,a few other things. As to a social life I have always been an introvert. But not as much so anymore thanks to AU


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## the_traveler (Dec 5, 2013)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> Foamer does not have an exact definition and it has nothing in particular to do with photography alone It is meant to suggest a rabid dog, foamng at the mouth and all brain matter gone except train data.
> 
> It is a state of mind in which a person lives, eats and breathes trains not just by themselves but to the exclusion of other things. Such as other hobbies, a social life, and sometimes travels by other modes even when it is not an emergency.
> 
> Determining whether one is a foamer is tricky.


That describes me to a T. (And sometimes I even take the T - as in MBTA :giggle: - to foam!) I have no other hobbies or social life. The nearest train track is 15 miles away, and there is no public transportation in the middle of nowhere.
Without AU, I don't know what I would do. Now I have to get a towel to clear all this foam off the computer screen!


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