Found this on the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers website. All this is on the Travel Tips page for first time Amtrak users. I feel its one the better descriptions of railfans.

""In the station section, several locations are noted as gathering sites for railfanis americanis (railfans- the really serious ones). They generally walk around with a railroad radio in their ear, looking terribly concerned. Some of the worst ones can be pests. Most of them are a little weird, some very much so. They're all harmless, but we do not advise engaging them in conversation. If you do, you will get a nonstop lecture about things you never wanted to know about."

ra1508vh@cs.com

> Yeah, except for the proposition that they are all harmless. Seen to many watch between the rails for a pic, push and shove in a photoline, etc.

Superheater@beer.com