Why are rail fans called Foamers?


Why are rail fans called Foamers? “Foamers” is how railroad employees refer to railfans because they think we “foam” at the mouth anytime we see a train. To them, railroading is just a job. To us, it's a passion.


Why are people who drive trains called engineers?

From the 1730s engineer in North American English was being used as a synonym for engineman, she says, applied specifically to the driver or operator of a fire engine, then later to drivers of steamships and steam-powered locomotives.


How much do train drivers get paid in London?

The average train driver salary in London is £58,795, with experienced professionals in the region having salaries that often exceed £69,000, while train driver salaries in Scotland start at £38,194 for newly qualified drivers, rising to £48,360 after the probation period has ended.


What is a train conductor slang?

Brass Hat. Slang term for conductor; also for President or boss of a rail line.


What is the derogatory term for train enthusiasts?

In the United States, they can be referred to pejoratively as foamers. There is a dispute over the origin of this term.


What are train guys called?

The conductor title is most common in North American railway operations, but the role is common worldwide under various job titles. In Commonwealth English, a conductor is also known as guard or train manager. A conductor on an Amtrak train.


What is a hobo on a train?

He was a hobo, part of an American tradition that emerged after the Civil War: transient laborers who rode the rails and found short-term work along the way.


What is a train driver called UK?

In the US, they're called “train engineers”. In the UK and other English-speaking countries, I believe they're called “train operators”.


Why are train enthusiasts called Foamers?

“Foamers” is how railroad employees refer to railfans because they think we “foam” at the mouth anytime we see a train. To them, railroading is just a job. To us, it's a passion.


Are railfans foamers?

The term foamer started out as a derogatory term used by railroaders to describe a railfan. But, in the past few years within the industry, at least here where I work, it's not always used in the negative context.