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I enjoy doing both of the things that the OP's friends do. I don't get to do them much nowadays, seeing as how I have kids to occupy my free time (and, while sometimes they enjoy these things, it isn't often), but I certainly do understand why some folks really like doing them.
Sure. I think everyone in this thread has to admit that it is unusual in the sense that it is not the norm for most folks. But your friends certainly are not alone. There is a relatively smallish hardcore community of enthusiasts for both trains and planes, and I am sure a large subsection of those enjoy doing the things you mention. I kinda fall into both camps, somewhere on the less hardcore spectrum.
1) I like airplanes and I like airports, and I get enjoyment out of flying in/out of new airports. I have a list of all the airports I have visited since I was a teenager. I have even taken a behind-the-scenes tour of a local airport. If the average person's airport enthusiasm level is ~3 on a scale of 1-10, I would probably be around 5 or 6.
However, I have never intentionally wandered around an airport, and I have definitely never driven to an airport just to watch the planes. The second idea is absurd to me (though I understand others will enjoy that)
2) I really like trains. More than airports/airplanes. I enjoy studying maps of city transit systems and, to a lesser degree, intercity train maps as well. However, I have still never gone on a train "joyride." I have made it a point to only ride trains when there was a transportation need (although I admittedly have used a flexible definition of "need"). The closest I ever came was nearly driving 3 hours to Orlando for the free launch of Sunrail (unfortunately I had a conflict that made it inconvenient enough that I did not go) and I also really wanted to go for fun to the heavily discounted launch of Brightline (about 30 minutes from me) but unfortunately I was out of town that weekend. And to this day I still have not taken either train, although I anticipate within the next year I will have enough reason to use Brightline aka Virgin Trains at some point.
I love the windy, open spaces of an airport and if there were a place where I could just sit out and watch the planes take off and land all day, I'd do that as well. And one of my dreams is to travel on Amtrak across the country. Not to get off and explore, but just to ride the rails and look out the window. I want to wait until I can afford to have a cabin and buy food, though.
People have all sorts of hobbies and things they do that might seem strange to other people. One of the things I love to do and indulge in whenever I can is to go and watch the Drum and Bugle competitions. Sometimes I'm the only person there who isn't there to see a relative or friend in the band. But the price is right and the entertainment is superb. I can go by myself and have a great time. And a pox on anyone who thinks it's weird.
Day and night, a webcam records passing trains at the famous Horseshoe Curve, a few miles west of Altoona, PA; it's only one of about 50, including a few in Europe, and there are several busier locations out west, operated from a site known as Virtual Railfan.
For the first hobby, it's called "planespotting." There are local clubs in various cities devoted to meeting at prime spots to watch the planes taking off and landing at an airport.
Years ago, in my younger days, way before airport security got so tight, I used to occasionally like to go out to the local airport and visit the observation deck. Also, I enjoyed strolling around and seeing where flights were going.
Also, in my younger days, I would sometimes (along with friends) ride the subway, even changing lines. Eventually, I could say that I rode just about all the lines from the beginning to the end.
FWIW, I did the above things ^^^^when I lived in Boston and vicinity as a kid.
Still to this day, I like watching planes come into an airport or taking off. A few months back, we stayed in a hotel that was by EWR. The first day there, we noticed that planes coming in were flying by our hotel room window. We both liked seeing the different airlines---some we rarely see.
I also enjoy taking Amtrak whenever possible (which isn't all that often).
Whatever floats their boat. Personally, I find offbeat hobbies interesting and encourage this person to continue pursuing their endeavors as long as it makes them happy.
I love historic railroads; northern California has a veritable cornucopia of these, ranging from street railways to scenic railroads to museums. I've been there several times and always been thrilled. I've linked to only two websites, but dig around: you'll find many more.
I used to work for Amtrak, and would meet lots of train enthusiasts. They would spend long chunks of time on thier trips and make scrapbooks...I think I might even be in a few.
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