Railfans: The Passion for the Iron Horse (2004)
Railfans: The Passion for the Iron Horse (co-produced by Steve Holmes Productions and Metro Studios, 2004)
This isn’t a hobby. This is religion.
Whether you are a railfan, trainspotter, or FRN, award-winning Railfans captures the soul and substance of who you are and why. Steve Holmes, producer of the acclaimed The New Ball Game, displays the same sensitive insights that make Railfans an admirable complement to David Plowden’s lyrical steam engine photography.
Railroads and photography commenced in the same era. This documentary, interspersed with glorious train photography, traces the recent evolution of railfans, from the demise of steam engines to the emergence of newer, handsome iron horses.
Railfans are driven by a passion that attracts mostly white males, and, when possible, their spouses. The beauty and the majesty of these trains is what draw railfans to devote countless hours stalking their prey, then glorifying in the sight and sound. For many, railfanning is like fishing, requiring patience, a love of the outdoors, and luck. As one railroader expressed it: “It is a powerful thing to stand by and listen to a sound that actually shakes your skin.”
The camaraderie of railfans is revealed at diverse levels. The more active railfanners chase trains at 80 mph, driving with a camcorder in hand. Some of the veterans prefer motels to camping out, as they sit in chairs and watch the trains pass by.
Every week end across the country railfans gather to share photos. The Internet provides a greater opportunity to network and share across the country and the world. In Rockville, Indiana, a local official was astonished to hear from a New Zealand railfan about a faulty local web cam.
Some professional railroaders grumble that railfans glorify a life that is pretty rough. Especially since 9/11 the relationship between railroad companies and railfans has become antsy. Though the possibility of railroad terrorism is real, some railroads has seemed insensitive to well-intentioned railfans.
Railroading has changes profoundly from when there were local freight agents and trains interspersing much of America. Today railfans are adapting, both in their watching and with the Internet, to a 21st century version of their hobby. They are rail historians who provide a permanent record of railroading. Their love affair with railroads is captured exquisitely in Railfans.
