You are only a true railfan if...

• You use JR instead of the subway, even if it means a longer journey.
• You always use the 24-hour clock even in daily conversation.
• You buy the all-line JR Timetable each month not to check any particular train times, but just for a good read.
• When planning a trip, you decide on the train you want to ride before deciding on the destination.
• The ring tone on your mobile phone is a station departure jingle.
• Even your girlfriend/wife is able to recognize the sound of a VVVF (AC motor) EMU.
• When buying an electric appliance (fridge or air con), you always choose the one with an inverter.
• When waiting for a train, you don't mind letting several trains go before your favourite type comes along.
• You find the JR adverts inside trains more interesting than the raunchy adverts for weekly show biz gossip magazines.
• When you see the letters "NHK", you think "Nozomi-Hikari-Kodama" rather than the national TV station.
• When a train crash or incident is shown on the TV news, you always lean forward to try and read the number of the train.
• You get annoyed when people still refer to JR as JNR.
• You feel it necessary to correct them.
• When standing on the platform, you always feel obliged to watch passing expresses or freight trains until they completely disappear into the distance.
• When trains are coupled or uncoupled en route, you have to go and watch.
• Whenever you see three-digit numbers, you automatically think of that EMU class.
• You say "3-V-F" instead of "V-V-V-F".
• When symbols such as "E1", "E2", "G" or "V" appear in your school physics textbook, you instinctively think of shinkansen set numbers instead.
• You always call the city of Fukuoka "Hakata".
• Your credit card and cash card security numbers are made up of your favourite train numbers.
• When driving, you are glad to get stopped at a level crossing.
• When crossing the road, you point left and right train-driver-style to check that there are no cars coming.
• Your car navigation system is programmed with your favourite lineside photography spots.
• When playing Densha de Go at the amusement arcade, you don't feel at all embarrassed about giving the correct hand confirmations when signals appear.
• You get annoyed when you hear people refer to the TGV as the "French Shinkansen".
• When a Joyful Train passes through the station and you hear other passengers mutter "I wonder what that train is?" you really want to tell them the class, allocated depot, and even interior configuration.
• When riding diesel or electric multiple units, you always sit in the powered car to enjoy the motor or engine sound.
• You have memorized all of the automated platform announcements at your local station.
• You always take a compact camera with you on business trips "just in case".
• You name your children after trains (e.g. Tsubasa or Hokuto for boys, Nozomi or Komachi for girls).

This article was first published in Issue 47 of Bullet-In and is translated with permission from the original on the TRAIN/TRAIN website.