Western Railroad Discussion > Trainorders.com get out of jail free card

I started printing up the name tags for Winterail when I noted that I have lots of room on the back side. It gave me an idea to print the following on the rear so that when you have to explain to the authorities that you are a railfan you can show them your Trainorders.com card.

Maybe for espeeboy I should put my toll free number on it and print it in hunter orange.

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The person named on the opposite side of this card is a member of a railroad enthusiasts web site named Trainorders.com. The site is home to thousands of ferroequinologist who like to watch and take pictures of trains.

ferroequinologist
Student of trains.
From L. ferrum 'iron' and L. equinus 'of, pertaining to, or resembling a horse' (< equus 'horse').
"Another crazy ferroequinologist out chasin' trains."
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Todd Clark
Trainorders.com

Winter Rail is 3000 miles away. Todd, will there be a way for the non-attendees that are TO members to obtain a card?

Yes, I am looking at making them available to those not attending for $2.50 each which will cover postage. I will offer them sometime next month.

Todd Clark
Trainorders.com

webmaster Wrote:
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> Yes, I am looking at making them available to
> those not attending for $2.50 each which will
> cover postage. I will offer them sometime next
> month.
>
> Todd Clark
> Trainorders.com


Sign me up. :))

LOL Todd! Hmmm, I'll take maybe 10 of these - to cover the next year or so!!! Joking aside, I wonder if it would be possible to get out of a sticky situation if a real legit "Nonthreatening Railfan ID" card existed?

think it's a great idea! some kind of identification has been discussed on here before and some people thought it was a joke. Wasn't there talk on here, too, about trying to register somehow somewhere stating you're a fan..maybe with the railroad police or something???

anyway, I'm game!

I like the idea of hangin' around the tracks with a TO lanyard and an 'official' lookin' ID. But nothing too dorky or nerdy in the language, ok ??

Whats next? Wooden train whistles for your excursion patrons to blow on?

I would prefer to see an Eastern Board that doesn't have 5 days of material on it (as of right now, I see posts from 2-3 thru 2-7 inclusive).

We need less gimmicks, and less of a California slant, if this site is going to survive.

err, California has plenty of interesting and a variety of railfanning locations and enough people to keep this site going strong for a while. With pool power galore on the UP and BNSF these days, it's like the all of the nation's distant RR's have come west to mix it up in a giant colorful sald bowl of locomotive power in this great state we call California. So please don't get mad at the generous Californian railfans generous enough to share their past and present stories and photos when the eastern boarders are laggin' in their posts...

espeeboy Wrote:
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> err, California has plenty of interesting and a
> variety of railfanning locations and enough people
> to keep this site going strong for a while. With
> pool power galore on the UP and BNSF these days,
> it's like the all of the nation's distant RR's
> have come west to mix it up in a giant colorful
> sald bowl of locomotive power in this great state
> we call California. So please don't get mad at the
> generous Californian railfans generous enough to
> share their past and present stories and photos
> when the eastern boarders are laggin' in their
> posts...

Considering the "great state of California" has a population of 34 million (plus several more million just visiting) is there any wonder the "eastern boarders are lagging in their posts"?

My comments weren't meant as debate about left coast/right coast demographics.

It was commentary regarding the over-commercialization that this site has become.

Its no longer a balanced discussion forum. It has turned into a place where its more important to collect subscriptions, run "oddity contests" to build material fodder for marketing mailers, sponsorships of left coast PV trips, shindigs to replace the Winterail Pizza party, T-shirts and videos, and now selling "railfan ID badges" which are supposed to help you get out of trouble when the heat is on? I am over 40 years old, and I am offended when I get "marketed to" 24/7 like I'm a 12-year-old.

In the midst of creating this huge marketing machine, the discussion has suffered. The eastern board was not nearly as slow as to have 5 days worth of posts before the mission of this site changed.

Hey, Todd, sign me up - I'm all for it.
You might also put on the card that this person is a taxpayer and a voter. What we need right now is political clout, particularly in the Cajon Pass area. BTW - make up a tag for me - see you at Winterail - I'll have some money for you too.
Take care, keep up the great work
Have fun, be safe
Doc Jones