The L.A. Times quoted me in an article they published today: “Train hobbyists are loco for that motion.”

Check it out by clicking here. Here’s a sneak peek:

Towns across the nation have discovered that although they are in the middle of nowhere — perhaps because they are — they have become popular railfanning destinations.

Rochelle, Ill., a town of 9,000 with a renowned freight crossing, built a park on an elevated piece of land where railfans can watch trains, complete with speakers broadcasting the transmissions of engineers and conductors. This summer, North Platte, Neb., opened a $4.5-million, 15-story-high platform where railfans can watch the action at the Bailey Yard, billed as the largest rail yard of its type in the world.

“We get people from every age group, from all walks of life. Everyone can make of it what they want,” said Todd DeFeo, the Atlanta-based editor of www.railfanning.org, one of the more popular hobby websites. “It’s a nice hobby.”

Enjoy.