We call it Trainspotting. There are other names for the pastime, but we like that one best (loath the term “railfanning”). In its simplest form…one grabs a camera, finds a place overlooking some train tracks, snaps away and there you have it! Of course there are those who take it “higher”, foamers as they’re oftentimes called. The name is embraced by some and to others is an insult, but regardless is used fairly universally.
Those players bring tons of gear, two or more still cameras, another for movies, multiple tripods, they’ll pack scanners to keep abreast of the action, they’ll don visibility vests so everyone knows who they are and regardless of what’s happening their focus never leaves the tracks. Even when nothing’s happening, it never leaves the tracks. Ahead of a visit, they plan…oh do they plan. Compare them to rabid comic-con Star-Trek types…only for trains.
The BIGDoer.com folks take a more bucolic approach.
We of course plan, but not all that seriously. We want to see trains but if they don’t show, who cares. No scanners here. Some of our fondest trainspotting outings have resulted in zero trains. No matter, it’s about the experience. We’ll bring wine, of course, often a picnic lunch, a good book to read between trains (if any show at all), perhaps the tablet to play with and we talk and chat. It’s like fishing – the act is more important than the catch. A bad day train spotting is still a pretty good day…a great day trainspotting is pure magic. We let fate decide which it’ll be.
The location seen here is along the Bow River near the CPR’s Mitford Bridge, west of Cochrane Alberta. A pretty pleasant spot.
Short Subjects: reports that for any number of reasons are brief in nature. They might be updates to older articles, previews of posts planned or not yet published, brief snippets of things that don’t fit in anywhere else or subjects that are so obscure that information on them can’t be found. Or sometimes we just ramble on about Lord knows what.
If you need any more information on what we talked about here, by all means contact us!
Date of adventure: November, 2016. Location: Cochrane (Mitford), AB.
I hate the whole vest thing too. But we often have to wear them when on the job documenting whatever, trains included. Oh the humility! Great analogy. Bird watchers are weird types and so are those who seek out trains.
I prefer ‘railfanning’ over ‘trainspotting’ in my opinion and no vests! Don’t need the railway employees to be distracted by people in vests trackside 😛
When I think of fan, I think of fanboy, a term I absolutely hate. That’s me though. I think most use the term railfanning and that’s fine. The vests – sometimes when we’re recording trains officially, we have to wear them. Hate that we look like the hardcore foamers! But we have no choice.
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
April 13th 2024, the Beer Parlour Project visited the Viking Hotel, Viking Alberta and it too was an awesome time. There's Rob Pohl with his curious view camera and in the other photo Chris is seen interviewing local character Doug.
The Viking dates back to the 1930s and replaced a hotel on this same lot, which had earlier burned down.
Incidentally April 13th is also Chris and my 28th anniversary. Chris said he forgot this when scheduling this but that's fine and it doesn't matter where we celebrate but that we celebrate.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2024. Posted by Connie.
April 12th 2024, the Beer Parlour Project visited the Warspite Hotel, Warspite Alberta and it was a great success. They put up our sticker and look for it if you ever drop by. This will be another chapter in what will be a multi-year adventure documenting small town hotels all over the west. We chat with owners, patrons, old timers, local characters and we learn about the building too.
It's believed this one is 100 years old in 2024 and we'll confirm details during the research phase done later.
When we're done we'll have a huge collection of digital and film photos, plus voice recorded interviews for an art exhibit and a book is likely.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2024. Posted by Connie.
This little stone house was built in the 1910s and while it's not exactly clear when last occupied, research suggests it was empty only a couple decades later. This is a dry area of the Alberta and most settlers moved out by the '30s. Trees in back were planted by the folks that lived here and there's no others around as far as the eye can see. In fact, there's nothing but natural prairie in every direction. When the word "remote" comes up, this is the place they're speaking of.
Look to the comments for more info and to see a stone smokehouse also on the property 👇
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
The hardware business is long gone but their old sign from about a century ago remains. We were doing a little walk-about in Three Hills and had a tip to look here. It's little things like this that we love the most, hidden reminders of things that came before and clues to the past that aren't so obvious.
More info in the comments👇
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2023. Posted by Connie.
The Canadian Pacific Railway at Summit Lake Crowsnest Pass in 1983 and 2023. The trains still run, but the railyard and associated infrastructure is a distant memory. Haze in the now photo is from distant forest fires. The old Summit Hotel can be seen in back in both and it's one of the few things still standing here from earlier times.
The Then photo come thanks to the John Bjorklund collection at the Center for Railroad Photography & Art and is used with permission. They sent us others and we'll hopefully be putting them to use later this year.
Go to the comments for more info 👇
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Posted by Connie.
Thanks to the The Val Family for making this post possible. If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/
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A glass of a fine goblet of red wine, a good book, box of dark chocolates and plenty of changing sunlight angles.
Nailed it! That’s how it’s done.
Oh, good book!
Love Greg’s writings. He’s the man!
I like to compare
railfanstrainspotters to bird watchers. Same meticulous planning, same interest in odd sightings. But I must insist on no vests!! 🙂I hate the whole vest thing too. But we often have to wear them when on the job documenting whatever, trains included. Oh the humility! Great analogy. Bird watchers are weird types and so are those who seek out trains.
I prefer ‘railfanning’ over ‘trainspotting’ in my opinion and no vests! Don’t need the railway employees to be distracted by people in vests trackside 😛
When I think of fan, I think of fanboy, a term I absolutely hate. That’s me though. I think most use the term railfanning and that’s fine. The vests – sometimes when we’re recording trains officially, we have to wear them. Hate that we look like the hardcore foamers! But we have no choice.