Talk:Train spotting

Can we have some input from U.S. Wikipedians on this topic? I don't believe that trainspotting ever caught on in the USA. 00:45 19 Jan 2004 (UTC)


 * It didn't. There are certainly a very large number of railfans (railway enthusiasts), but number-taking as a pastime never caught on.  The obsessives in the US fraternity tend to be certain manic photographers.


 * One can certainly buy roster books for some large US railroads, though (I've seen Union Pacific books) but I don't think they are used for the same purpose.


 * Possibly the sheer size of the country made it impossible; one would have to have way too much free time and money to have a chance of completing just one big railroad's equipment.


 * I removed the mention of the US and added a bunch more stuff. &mdash;Morven 22:40, 5 Feb 2004 (UTC)

From the article:
 * Some began carrying cameras in order to document more unusual sightings, in order that they be believed...

As a U.S. guy who doesn't really know, (or understand), about all of this, I'm having a hard time understanding what would make a train "unusual". The color? A special limited edition boxcar? Perhaps the article could use an example? func(talk) 06:00, 26 Sep 2004 (UTC)


 * Unusual sights vary, but one would be seeing a locomotive outside its normal working area, or pulling a train normally not hauled by that type. Unusual train formations, new paint schemes, and the like might also qualify. &mdash;Morven 00:51, Sep 27, 2004 (UTC)

What about the people who 'spot' HGVs? That are not so obvious as the people who hang around railway stations, but they do exist. See Eddie Stobart. How about a catagory for them?--JBellis 15:03, 26 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I'm unsure whether or not the statement, "In the United Kingdom, however, the British Transport Police have used train spotters' vast knowledge to their advantage, and have actively encouraged them to report any suspicious persons or activities." is accurate given this BBC article from a quick google search: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2943304.stm -- QuantumJim 21:40, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)


 * Not sure if it's accurate, but that article is talking about Network Rail, not British Transport. Or have the two merged? --SPUI (talk) 23:31, 22 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Proposal to merge Train spotting into Railfan
A proposal has been made on the Railfan talk page to merge the contents of this article into that page. Please join the discussion there. slambo 13:00, July 15, 2005 (UTC)
 * After five days and absolutely no further comments? Time to move the merge proposal along. I've added the mergeto/mergefrom templates to try to generate a little more discussion on the proposal.  Please comment on Talk:Railfan.  slambo 13:16, July 20, 2005 (UTC)