Viral TikTok trainspotter from England visited Toronto to review Ontario transit
Unless you've been living under a rock recently, you can't miss seeing viral TikToker Francis Bourgeois spotting trains on your feed.
Earlier this month, the train lover made his way to Toronto for the first time to test out Ontario's transit line, including the UP Express and the GO Trains, to share his thoughts about the transit lines and his love of trains.
blogTO was lucky enough to sit down with Francis for an exclusive interview while he rode the GO Train.
When asked about when his love of trains first started, Bourgeois said it just felt like he always loved trains, ever since birth.
"My parents didn’t drive so we used to get the train everywhere. I think I feel like I've been quite drawn to mechanical things, so seeing trains was the pinnacle of that kind of interest," says Francis.
The TikToker had a ton of childhood memories of looking out the window in awe and shouting with excitement.
His TikTok account has amassed a following of 2.6M followers eagerly anticipating Francis's trainspotting all over the United Kingdom and Europe.
In his videos, Bourgeois is seen documenting his train spotting adventures with a unique point of view for his viewers. He remembered as a kid he would attach his GoPro to his helmet when filming BMX tricks on his bike. Francis decided to flip the camera on his face to catch his reaction as the trains went by.
"I don't even have to hold onto it and can just forget it's there. I tried it and reviewed the footage and thought this looks awful, it doesn't work but then thought to try it out anyway. People loved it and it was a happy accident so I just kept going," says Franics when asked about his decision to film with the unique point of view.
Bourgeois is not only filming his excitement and reaction to different trains but is also trying to encourage others to ride the train as well.
The TikToker and Metrolinx have teamed up to encourage people to start riding the train again now that things are starting to get back to normal after a couple of years.
"I'm trying to encourage people to return to that form of travel, because it's so much more sustainable. In the UK it used to be these big beasts that carry people in well formed carriages and comfy seats but now it's all become just a service for efficiency."
He wants people to have a different perspective when it comes to travelling by train.
"I want to encourage that sort of passion for travelling from a different perspective. Not that it's an inconvenience getting on a busy train but it's a nice moment to switch off and just look out the window to enjoy the trains for what they are, rather than just being a service."
Francis also mentions that riding the train is much more environmentally friendly, as it's better for hundreds of passengers to ride one train instead of hundreds of cars on the road.
If you're a fellow train enthusiast or just need a small pick me up, make sure to check out Francis' trainspotting videos on his social media where you can also see his thoughts of the UP Express and GO Trains.
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