Trainspotting with Rail Fans
Clip: Special | 1m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
Rail enthusiasts gather at a busy railroad crossing in Rochelle, Illinois.
So many rail fans gathered regularly at a busy railroad crossing 90 minutes west of Chicago that the town of Rochelle created a small park for them. Geoffrey Baer chats with rail fans and joins in on the trainspotting.
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Chicago Tours with Geoffrey Baer is a local public television program presented by WTTW
Trainspotting with Rail Fans
Clip: Special | 1m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
So many rail fans gathered regularly at a busy railroad crossing 90 minutes west of Chicago that the town of Rochelle created a small park for them. Geoffrey Baer chats with rail fans and joins in on the trainspotting.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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(soft music) (train rumbling) - [Narrator] These are rail fans, and they're passionate about trainspotting.
(train siren wailing) So passionate, that the city of Rochelle, Illinois created this railroad park, about an hour and a half west of Chicago at a particularly busy crossing of two rail lines so rail fans could safely gather and indulge in their favorite pastime.
- When I was old enough to crawl, I would crawl myself up to the window, and I'd pull myself up, watch the train go by.
And then I thought I was the only one who liked trains in this world, and then I met more people like these gentlemen right here, and my interest just sparked.
- We'd get on our bicycle summer nights, and we would ride down to where the Indiana Harbor Belt and the Burlington Northern cross is.
And we would just watch trains all the time.
(train tracks rumbling) (train containers whooshing) - And it's very relaxing to me.
There's something about it, I don't know if it's the methodical aspect of it.
There's something that's very, I just really like it.
(train tracks rumbling) - That's so cool that you're here from Seattle to watch the train.
- I've worked for BNSF back home, so some of the trains that I handle out of Seattle show up here.
It's been a good career, it's been a good living for my family, and it's still fun.
- [Geoffrey] Yeah, I bet!
- Obviously, I'm doing it on vacation, right?
(slow train tracks rumbling) - [Geoffrey] And who's responsible for the food?
- Well, my friend Ruth-Ann always brings the candy.
She's the candy lady.
(Geoffrey laughing) And Cherry always bags up things for us, and I try to bring popcorn, or something else, And cookies are from Doug, and- - You gotta have a lot of nourishment while you're waiting.
- Oh, absolutely.
(laughing) (gentle music)
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Chicago Tours with Geoffrey Baer is a local public television program presented by WTTW