ferroequinologist

English

Etymology

From Latin ferrum (“iron”) + Latin equus (“horse”) + English -logist (“one who studies”).

Noun

ferroequinologist (plural ferroequinologists)

1. (humorous, nonstandard) A student of ferroequinology; a person who studies trains as a hobby.
   • 1954, Trains, Kalmbach Pub. Co.

     And because you care, you’ve automatically classified yourself as a railfan (alias railroad enthusiast, train-watcher, ferroequinologist).

   • 1980, Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book, page 18:

     [E]ven more outrageously, a person heavily into trains is not a trainspotter but a ferro-equinologist (an iron-horsist, no less).

   • 1990 October 19, Bruce Tiffany, “Re: 'America, a Godless State' and 'Barbaric Theists' merged.”, in alt.atheism (Usenet):

     The fact that automobiles, buildings, clothing, bridges, watches, locomotives (my personal favorite, being a ferroequinologist!), ad infinitum are designed by people has no bearing whatsoever...

   • 1991 November 20, Warren T. Brill, “Re: what does this mean?”, in rec.railroad (Usenet):

     It's a schnazzy-looking engine, looks a lot like a GP-35, which I believe our ferroequinologist guru Roger Mitchell says it was rebuilt from.

   • 1992 August 8, Doretta Hanschka, “Re: Outta here for awhile...^[sic]”, in bit.listserv.words-l (Usenet):

     I'd tell you to take the kids on the mixed train.... It was fun even for a raiload^[sic] victim like me - ferroequinologist father.

Synonyms

• (enthusiast) railfan