also: てつヲタ
noun
railfan; train buff
Slang abbreviation of 鉄道オタク (railway otaku). Used in casual, often self-deprecating or in-group contexts among enthusiasts.
See also: 鉄道ファン
彼は休みのたびに撮り鉄に出かける、いわゆる鉄オタだ。
He goes out taking train photos every holiday—he's what you'd call a railfan.
鉄オタの間では、この駅の駅弁
Among train buffs, the ekiben at this station is apparently popular.
Subcategory of railfan focused on photographing trains; 鉄オタ is the broader term.
Abbreviation of 鉄道 (railway) + オタク (otaku). The オタ/ヲタ spelling variation reflects otaku subculture orthography.