Dieter's right - I used to hit the tracks at lunch with some Burger King take-out, and just wait. Where I watched, there was usually a NS yard job banging tri-levels around or a drag transfer, but the quiet moments are equally as nice. Don Ball was a master of non-train railroad pics, and those are something that is neat as well. Although I'm not a botanist or even an "amateur flower guy", I like to take pics of plants while waiting to hear the horn of an oncoming. Gives me something to do and new ideas to try. Also, snacks, magazines, radio, iPod, etc... can dull the boredom, as can a walk. Finding an abandoned spur is a nice way to pick up some spikes or something. But unless you live in Chicago or New York, this isn't a hobby for the impatient.