Quote:
Originally Posted by Witt
I'm guessing you're a railfan as well as a railroader...
Did hiring on the railroad take any fun out of your hobby or are you still at it? I've spent 5 years on the ground and have 9 now in the seat and seems like most fans I've encountered that have hired out have either quit or aren't interested in their hobby anymore.
I think its the 3am calls and 12+ hours on duty drills it right out of them.
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I'm a moderate railfan, but I can't tell you the difference between an SD70 or an AC44, etc... I think trains are cool, but I also take the job seriously... I totally agree with you that most full-on foamers don't understand the need to separate the job from their interests, and the tough lifestyle and unforgiving industry crushes their soul. I like model trains and things of that nature, and I haven't found any diminishing interest since I hired out, but I knew what I was getting into. I have a passion for it, and for the industry- the history, and the culture. That said, and not to toot my own horn (haha, I love puns) I've undergone 88 efficiency tests in the past year, with zero failures and still a positive attitude, so I'm blessed to be able to keep work and hobbies separate... but then again, as I said, I like trains, but I'm not as diehard as a lot of the railfans out there that will hang out at the various points along our subdivisions watching the trains go by, but I can relate to their appreciation for what we do. Hell, I have a pretty good collection of N and O scale trains, but they're all in boxes.
I've always said that we lodge like Airmen, drink like Marines, cuss like Sailors and work like soldiers- the average guy that likes to play with toy trains and watch the real ones isn't too likely to cut it out here...
EDIT TO ADD: Also, I did the on call firefighter thing for a decade, so the on-call lifestyle didn't bother me, and my previous job was working for a sewer department for about five years, so FEELING like you got sh*t on by a trainmaster or yardmaster, is much better than actually going home after being sh*t on. lol