Talk to just about any long time conductor on Chicago’s Metra BNSF passenger operation about trains and they will likely go on about “foamers”!  ”Foamers” are railfans who are foaming at the mouth about all things railroading. Most of the conductors I speak with use the term in a sarcastic almost caustic way, but they will always admit the value of these “foamer”s for letting them know when something is wrong. A failing hotbox et cetra. Often the conductor might volunteer to me that the term foamer is also a term of endearment as well. “Hell, we even have three or four “foamers” who work right beside us everyday!

So next time you are riding the Big Nasty Santa Fe into Chicago to do a little rail fanning  remember you are are a geek, likely a nerd and most definitely a foamer!

-Rev