From railfan to railroader: A childhood passion comes full circle

Jul 24, 2026

Long before he worked for Norfolk Southern, before engineering school and leadership roles, Brian Yeager was the kid asking his parents to turn the car around so he could watch a train pass. What began as a childhood fascination eventually became a career on the railroad he admired for years.

Brian Yeager reading book with grandfather

Every weekend felt like a railroad adventure

Growing up in Piscataway, New Jersey, trains were a constant part of Brian's childhood. Although he didn't come from a railroad family, his parents and grandparents encouraged his interest from an early age. Weekends often included riding New Jersey Transit with his grandfather, reading train books, watching railroad videos, and visiting Pennsylvania's Strasburg Railroad. Those experiences helped turn a childhood hobby into a lifelong passion.

"Every weekend we'd either buy a train book or a VHS tape and spend the afternoon reading or watching videos," Yeager recalled.

Family members trackside at Strasburg Railroad

Family members gather trackside at the Strasburg Railroad. Brian credits his parents and grandparents with encouraging and supporting his interest in trains from an early age.

One of Brian's earliest train memories began with Thomas the Tank Engine. His love of trains started with toys and books before growing into a railroad career.

A young Brian checks out a train set as a child. From wooden trains and Thomas the Tank Engine to weekends spent watching trains, railroading became a lifelong fascination.

Brian rides a train as a child during one of many family railroad adventures growing up in New Jersey. Train rides with family became some of his favorite childhood memories.

Brian watches a freight train pass by in New Jersey. His parents often stopped to watch trains whenever he spotted one in the distance.

Brian's grandparents frequently took him to Pennsylvania's Strasburg Railroad, where the family stayed at the Red Caboose Motel—a favorite childhood destination for the young railfan.

Brian and his daughter watch a NS train in Locust Grove, Georgia. Brian says his daughter enjoys spotting "choo-choos" and waving to passing trains.

Finding his way back to the railroad

Like many childhood interests, railroading eventually faded into the background as school and other priorities took center stage. But while attending engineering school, Brian's interest was reignited when a Norfolk Southern recruiter visited campus.

"It brought back all these memories," Yeager said. "I've always enjoyed the work that I've done, and it's interesting taking a childhood passion and relating it to a career that I plan on being in until I retire."

Brian joined Norfolk Southern as a co-op student in 2013 and began his full-time career in 2014. During the past decade, he has helped advance technologies that strengthen safety and improve asset health, including machine-vision portals, wheel integrity systems, AI-enabled analytics, and other data-driven inspection tools. Today, he serves as Senior Director of Mechanical Operations and Support. In his current role, Brian oversees teams that support freight-car reliability, inspection technologies, engineering programs, and wayside systems that help improve safety and operational performance across Norfolk Southern's network.

Living the dream

For Brian, the railroad never stopped feeling special.

"I can legitimately say I'm living my dream—my childhood dream—working for the railroad," he said.

Earlier this year, Brian had the opportunity to ride aboard Union Pacific's Big Boy steam locomotive. Watching families and railfans gather along the route reminded him of the same excitement trains sparked in him as a child.

Brian on train while child waves from foreground

Seeing the Magic Through a Child's Eyes

As a lifelong railfan, Brian says riding Union Pacific's Big Boy gave him a chance to experience the same excitement he felt as a child. Standing on the rear platform and waving to families gathered along the route, he was reminded of the joy trains can inspire and why so many young people are drawn to railroading in the first place. For a child who once made his parents turn the car around so he could watch a train in the distance, the opportunity to ride aboard Big Boy was the kind of experience his younger self could only have dreamed about.

"It was so cool to see all those happy kids. I mean, it was just thousands of happy people, town after town. Nobody was angry. Nobody was upset. Everybody was just happy. It was great," said Yeager.

Brian holding daughter in front of train

A full-circle family story

Today, trains remain part of Brian's family story. Both he and his wife work at Norfolk Southern, and their daughter is already developing her own interest in trains. She enjoys watching passing trains and now plays with the same wooden train set Brian used as a child.

Seeing those interests emerge in the next generation has given Brian a greater appreciation for the support his parents and grandparents provided when he was young.

"You never know what is going to drive your kid," he said. "Encourage them when they're young. Embrace their interests and help them explore them. You never know where it might lead."

Read more: From childhood railfan to industry leader, Brian's passion for railroading recently earned him recognition as one of Progressive Railroading's 2026 Rising Stars. Learn more about his award and career journey.

By Kasandra Jenkins, Communications Manager

Kasandra Jenkins assists with external communications for Norfolk Southern, focusing on community impact, awards, and media relations. Kasandra joined NS in 2025, with more than 10 years of media relations, and corporate/crisis communications experience.