We love a great railfan story. It’s one of the reasons we’re so fond of our front porch overlooking the Norfolk Southern rails: It’s the perfect spot to talk shop and swap tales. (To experience it yourself, book a room!)
We’re on an unofficial mission to catalog the very best railfan stories ever told, so we’ve started writing this blog to capture them.
Of course, we’d love to include your story as well—so feel free to share yours either in our contact form or add it in a comment below.
Table of Contents
Our Best Railfan Stories
The Internet’s Best Railfan Stories
Share Your Best Railfan Story
Our Best Railfan Stories
We’ve been telling some of our favorite stories right here on this blog.
Sure, there’s the obvious stuff, like when the Horseshoe Curve was briefly targeted by Nazis. But we’ve also dove into our own stories. A few highlights:
‘My First Train’
Our 2025 Artist-in-Residence, Julie Fether Rockwell, shared the formative experience of seeing her first train as a toddler—and how her father’s passion for photography fostered a similar reverence for railroad photography.
Read her full story in Landscape And Longing.
That Time I Nearly Missed A Once-In-A-Lifetime Shot… For Pancakes
At The Station Inn, I almost skipped a rare sighting for breakfast. A friend rushed into the room saying an EMD SD45-2 was tucked behind the usual Norfolk Southern power. I shrugged—those units, once the most powerful diesels of their era with 20-cylinder engines and huge fuel tanks, still make trips between New Jersey and Conway Yard. I’d seen them before.
But then came the twist: The lead unit failed, and SD45-2 #1703 suddenly took point on the Conway-Allentown 10N. Pancakes down, I jumped in the Pathfinder with my friends, chasing the train from Cresson through MO, AR Tower, and down “The Slide” toward Horseshoe Curve. Cameras clicked, brakes screamed, and adrenaline carried us across dusty back roads and fences to catch every angle.
By day’s end, we’d filled memory cards, swapped stories, and laughed at how breakfast nearly cost me one of the most thrilling catches of the year.
Read the full story in 20 Cylinders On the East Slope.
The Annual Abeles Pilgrimage
In our July newsletter, we shared a brief story about Dave and Ben Abeles, two brothers who’ve hosted an annual reunion of railfan friends at our humble inn for more than 30 years.
Sign up for our newsletter to read future stories—and for regular updates on The Station Inn!
The Internet’s Best Railfan Stories
As avid readers, we’re always on the lookout for great stories from fellow railfans. Here are some of the best we’ve found on sites like Quora and Reddit:
1. An Act of Kindness Returned
In 2013, a tall college student, about 6’2″, was traveling overnight by train after his vacation. He had secured a comfortable berth, but an unexpected encounter changed his journey.
An elderly woman with a recent hip operation was seated nearby, distraught because her husband’s reservation was in sleeper class due to a booking error. She feared traveling alone in her condition. Seeing her distress, the student immediately offered his seat so the couple could remain together. Despite their initial hesitation, they accepted, blessing him repeatedly for his kindness.
The student moved to the husband’s sleeper berth, only to discover it was cramped, humid, and difficult for his height. Worse, he realized he had left his dinner in his car back in the parking lot, leaving him hungry with just half a bottle of water for the eight-hour ride.
Later that night, the elderly husband walked seven coaches to find him, carrying a serving of food his wife insisted he deliver. He offered the meal, refusing to leave until the student ate. They shared a warm conversation about family, studies, and life. The two even exchanged contact details, and weeks later, the student met the recovering woman again—grateful their paths had crossed.
Source: Vikash S., Quora
2. Falling In Love Abroad
On a train journey back to Johannesburg in the early 1960s, a South African college student expected a routine trip. Her father had booked her into a private room for safety, but the solitude soon turned dull. Curious, she stepped into the corridor and was surprised to hear French chatter from nearby compartments. Soon, she met Jean-Pierre, a handsome young French dancer traveling with a cabaret troupe performing in South Africa.
They struck up a lively conversation that lasted hours, and near Johannesburg she playfully repeated a French phrase she had once been taught. To her surprise, Jean-Pierre responded with a warm kiss. Before parting, he invited her to see him perform at a Greek club that evening.
That night, she watched in awe as Jean-Pierre sang and played guitar in French and Greek. Afterwards, he introduced her to the rest of the troupe over breakfast at their hotel. Though she never saw him again, the brief encounter left a lasting memory of a magical train ride, an enchanting performance, and a fleeting but unforgettable connection with a charming Frenchman. Even decades later, she fondly recalled the journey as one of the most entertaining of her life.
Source: Cindy F., Quora
3. How A Night Of Sleep Was Saved By Coconut Oil
After a long day at work, a man boarded his train home and was assigned to a side upper berth near the compartment’s entry door. Unfortunately, the self-closing door screeched loudly every time someone passed through, and though passengers complained, the attendants ignored the problem. Resigned, he braced himself for a sleepless night.
Nearby, another passenger sat with his wife and two daughters. After a short while, the man disappeared into the next coach and returned with a small bottle of coconut oil. Calmly, he applied a few drops to the door’s bearings, and when it was opened again—the squeak was gone. The once-annoying sound had vanished completely.
The fellow passengers celebrated together—and they all enjoyed a quiet evening of restful sleep on the train home.
Source: Priya S., Quora
4. Stopped By A Suspicious SUV
Here’s an interesting one from a railroad worker:
Around 2007–2008, a conductor was flat-switching cars in a small Arkansas town. The train had a string of hydrochloric acid tanks mixed with boxcars and coil racks, when suddenly two SUVs barreled down a rough access road at high speed. One skidded to a stop by the switch stand while the other blocked the track behind the train.
Before the crew could react, four well-dressed men jumped out with guns drawn, shouting for hands in the air. The startled conductor had his ID taken while two of the men went to confront the engineer. After the situation calmed slightly, the armed strangers finally identified themselves as Department of Homeland Security agents.
They demanded to know the crew’s intentions with the acid cars. The conductor explained they were simply being spotted, producing paperwork to prove their legitimacy. Once convinced, the agents’ demeanor shifted—they apologized, urged the crew to “report anything suspicious,” and drove off as abruptly as they had arrived.
Later, the railroad showed little interest in discussing the incident, though around that time another group was caught extracting drug packages from a tank car two hours away.
Source: user_unknown_2022, Reddit
Share Your Best Railfan Story
As we mentioned earlier, we want to hear your stories, too! Drop them in the comments, or book a room with us to swap stories over our famous breakfast table or on our front porch.