Engineers forgetting to turn on headlights... common?

That's some mighty big "cajones", calling yourself "studly hungwell". You should be thankfull he didn't snap the pic, while you were touching yourself, as the consist drifted by.............

Hey, if railfans can post photos of railroaders doing what THEY do, (complete with comments on whether they are doing it right) why can't railroaders post photos of RAILFANS doing what THEY do? Seems fair to me!

I'm with ya, on that one, Aji'. The guy snapping that pic, should have waited a few more minutes, and snagged the guy "pichin' a tent". That would have been hillarious

Bringing this topic back... I encountered the same thing today. And no, I did not make hand gestures or hold up a sign telling them... I jus concentrated on getting pics. And without further ado...

http://emd_sd_60.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=287292

http://emd_sd_60.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=287294

http://emd_sd_60.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=287297

(notice my playful commentary on the last two.)

I would appreciate if someone on the ground that noticed no headlights would give some sort of gesture that the headlights werent' on.

I'm sure that a MOW Guy would say something. That or the crew will notice that the lights are off when they go to turn the lights off when they come up on anouther aporching train and I'm sure that they rember to turn them back on once they pass the head end of the oncomeing train.

I think thats what happens most times is that the crews are passing each outher and turning there lights off as common practise gos they get wound up in radio chatter with the dispatcher or something and just forget to turn the lights off.

FINALLY!!! Yes.. this happened to me a few weeks ago. A GE had just come off the Plymouth Diamond, and stopped. Its ditchlights were working but NO Headlight!!! It was at night too. Also, had the Yellow for the south route.

I think railfan's should recognize, and respect the fact that the railroad is our workplace. I mean really, I don't go to McDonalds and watch you make cheeseburgers do I? Mistakes happen,.. Sometimes engineers forget to turn on the headlights, just like I'm sure that you forget to wash your hands before making nuggets, or fish sandwiches, or something.



TxBritt

txbritt wrote:I think railfan's should recognize, and respect the fact that the railroad is our workplace. I mean really, I don't go to McDonalds and watch you make cheeseburgers do I? Mistakes happen,.. Sometimes engineers forget to turn on the headlights, just like I'm sure that you forget to wash your hands before making nuggets, or fish sandwiches, or something.



TxBritt

You're asking the impossible! Some railfans consider their mission in life to be second guessing us. At times, they're also forced to drop a dime, all in the name of safety for those concerned.

txbritt wrote:I think railfan's should recognize, and respect the fact that the railroad is our workplace. I mean really, I don't go to McDonalds and watch you make cheeseburgers do I? Mistakes happen,.. Sometimes engineers forget to turn on the headlights, just like I'm sure that you forget to wash your hands before making nuggets, or fish sandwiches, or something.



TxBritt

I agree with ya I used to work on the railroad too for Sperry Rail Service. I don't work for them anymore I keep my distance and let things go as they are. I my self have always seen it to keep my nose out of everyone elses business. I'll admit that in my time I have forgtton to turn on strobe lights or have run half the day with the head light on dim and or off befor after passing an on comeing train. You get so busy stoping and starting and backing up and blowing the horn and bell and picking up to reply on the radio things can get crazy in the cab in a matter of minuets and i would forget what the hell I did from one thing to the next all the wile operateing the car.
I found it to be just a job like any outher and had enuogh bosses and enough distractions as it was and did not need anymore. If I had an annoying F.R.N. or some NIMBY Bitching about something I called the cops plane and simple problum taken care of! Now if it was the cops giveing us trouble we just called the railroad and they took care of them.

BR&P wrote:While we're on idiot railfan stories, here's one. About 15-20 years ago a couple fans came to the shortline I was working on at the time and asked to take photos, which was granted after they signed a release. One guy had a photo album of shots he had taken which he shared with us. He had some nice shots - steam, sharks, Baldwins, I forget what else. Well, they left without reclaiming the book.

We held on to it in the office, then somebody in the engine house borrowed it. A week or two later the guy showed up asking for his book back. We checked the office, could not find it, and called back to the shop, but the train and track crew guys were out working. We told the guy, who was acting pretty PO'd, we'd send it to him when it turned up. He left (we thought!)

Come to find out, he went out to the engine house, and started opening drawers and file cabinets searching for the thing! He gave the mechanical guy a ration of crap about it was his book and he wanted it back! Obviously he was asked to leave which he finally did.

When the crews were all back in and the story was told, one guy freely stated he had the book, had been looking at it, and it was in his truck and he had no intention of keeping it, he just had not figured on the owner showing up that day or he would have made sure we had it available.

The bozo had left his address, but when we thought about his actions going to the engine house and searching it, we said forget it and divided up the photos! He had forgotten it in the first place, and we would have gladly sent it back. But when he started accusing us of stealing it, and tearing the place apart, we sure were not about to go out of our way to mail it back.

If you are who I think you are, BR&P, then the guy who screwed with you is a complete ingrate. Geez, you've always treated me with the utmost respect and friendliness- to the point of calling me at work so I'd know your schedule. And I'm happy to stay out of the way and just take pictures. You don't owe the fans anything, and for that guy to just "toss" the office is nothing short of criminal. If it was me, that guy would have gone to jail.

To be honest, I've been watching trains for years. There is not one pciture or one memory of an engine without a lit headlight. I guess it's a pretty rare occurence for any train crew.

Railfans leave the big bad loco drivers alone. they know what they are doing and we don't. silly us. i'm sure the ego driven engineers would rather get busted by a manager or the FRA than have some foamer with a pocket protector and horn rimmed glasses help them out. To the engineers who would appreciate an assist like that i apologize.

badneighbor wrote:Railfans leave the big bad loco drivers alone. they know what they are doing and we don't. silly us. i'm sure the ego driven engineers would rather get busted by a manager or the FRA than have some foamer with a pocket protector and horn rimmed glasses help them out. To the engineers who would appreciate an assist like that i apologize.

Here's a suggestion: Tell us where you work and we'll gladly drop by and render constructive criticism where needed.

jg greenwood wrote:

badneighbor wrote:Railfans leave the big bad loco drivers alone. they know what they are doing and we don't. silly us. i'm sure the ego driven engineers would rather get busted by a manager or the FRA than have some foamer with a pocket protector and horn rimmed glasses help them out. To the engineers who would appreciate an assist like that i apologize.

Here's a suggestion: Tell us where you work and we'll gladly drop by and render constructive criticism where needed.

Mermansk Shipping, Mermansk, RU good luck you'll need a good boat and about a thousand gallons of gas to keep up the Ocean is a mighty big place

SRS125 wrote:

jg greenwood wrote:

badneighbor wrote:Railfans leave the big bad loco drivers alone. they know what they are doing and we don't. silly us. i'm sure the ego driven engineers would rather get busted by a manager or the FRA than have some foamer with a pocket protector and horn rimmed glasses help them out. To the engineers who would appreciate an assist like that i apologize.

Here's a suggestion: Tell us where you work and we'll gladly drop by and render constructive criticism where needed.

Mermansk Shipping, Mermansk, RU good luck you'll need a good boat and about a thousand gallons of gas to keep up the Ocean is a mighty big place

Can you say OBTUSE?