Irresponsible photographer

Otto Vondrak wrote:

BR&P wrote:How about a paintball gun??

Oooh, be careful. Those leave a mark.

Rogue photographers, you have been warned!!

-otto-

i'd be glad to lend mine
13 rounds per second, full auto.

Hey, does anyone remember, or has anyone been on the recieving end of a "railfan bag"???? I hear tell that the NS used to issue their crews a plastic bag in which they were to, well, defecate and urinate. This was to eliminate the need to service a chemical toilet. I have heard from at least one railfan who saw one tossed out at a grade crossing years back... That'd do the trick!!!
Mike

LOL! All I can say is that if you'd seen this guy flailing up the track ahead of the train, all ankles and elbows, you'd say that such a "gift" would have been warranted in this case. I'll grant you the train was far enough away he was in no danger of being run over but that is not the point.

calaisbranch wrote:

Otto Vondrak wrote:Don't you carry a BB gun for situations like this? I would have called the cops on him anyway... was there anything really preventing you from doing so?

BR&P wrote:So next time you go someplace and are turned down for permission to take photos, or some train crew hollers "FRN" or some similar insult, you'll know who to thank - guys like this one. His type is fortunately in the minority but it only takes one to ruin it for all.

I hope everyone out there takes away a serious lesson from this story. We need to be vigilant and police ourselves. Let's all do our best to be safe and maintain welcome relations with the local railroads.

-otto-

Otto,

Unfortunately, the reputation of us railroad photograhers was soiled a LONG time back. I've done my share of "vigilence and policing" while trackside over the years.


Let's see...Called in a Q424 on CSX for locked and smoking handbrakes on four scrap gondolas and got asked, "How did you get this number?" I asked the guy if he wanted to bitch about it or get ahold of the train before it derails from a hot axle. A town away, they set out the four cripples. Yeah, your welcome!

Another time, at East Deerfield Yard, had an RJED come in and derail a couple cars on a switch just east of the rail bridge. One car nearly went over before snapping the air off and throwing the train in emergency. We looked for rail personel for ten minutes before we gave up. Back at the bridge, a rail cop finally shows up. He looks at us wondering whats going on. We point toward the train, and then he asks us if we had seen the then-new GP40-2Ws yet! Go figure. At least the cop was nice to us.

Sometimes, instances like those make you feel like saying "screw off" to crews. Shots like FRN don't phase me. Just means I have a job AND a hobby. The respect should go both ways, but its always awkward just the same.

I am NOT IMPRESSED. This is a good example of an FRN.

Noel Weaver

Please explain how calling in a problem is an FRN and it makes you UNIMPRESSED?

Charles

Noel has an opinion about people who think its their job to call in and make reports. But we're talking about photographers who take liberties and put everyone in danger.

-otto-

Otto,
Here is a suggestion about calling in a hazardous condition(brakes stuck, shifted load). Instead of calling in to the dispatcher, call the RR police dept. and tell them what you saw and where. Let them notify the dispatcher that a "civilian" noticed a train with smoke coming from the wheels of a car or a car with a load thats off the side and hanging down.
Now you dont have to worry about a dispatcher giving you static and the police have a record that some one called in a dangerous condition.

Or what about calling 911 and reporting to the non-railroad police?
the regular police?

a train in danger of derailing is potentially a danger to the public at large..look at East Rochester a few years ago, that nearly took out some houses..
(oh..that was maybe bad rail if I recall..but still, derailments can have many causes.)

who would be best to call?
I honestly dont know..

Scot

"To report an emergency, call..." found at most Class 1 and regional crossings.

I've called in to a RR maybe 3 times in 17 years of being in the railfan fraternity. I, myself, have never called a dispatcher. That instance with Q424....had a friend who worked for Connecticut Southern along for the day and he actually had the number to call CSX for such a thing. Use 411 info, and they can help direct you, too.

Back on the original subject, I still know an anonymous somebody who has been known to fit the I.P. many times over the years out near Selkirk. He used to do some insane crap like walk WAY into the yards to grab pics of foreign power. Seen some serious railfan idiots in my time which makes me think of wanting to try a different hobby. Then, I see another train or set of tracks, and I'm hooked again

Otto Vondrak wrote:

BR&P wrote:How about a paintball gun??

Oooh, be careful. Those leave a mark.

Rogue photographers, you have been warned!!

-otto-

Oh, but they are worse when you freeze the paintballs...

EMTRailfan wrote:"To report an emergency, call..." found at most Class 1 and regional crossings.

It's in my speed dial. I've actually had to use it from time to time, e.g. a stuck down gate on a dirt road which people had obviously been driving past for a while. On a curve. It's only 40MPH track, but still. FRN? Maybe, but I know that I'd feel like hell if a hazard existed, I didn't call it in, and somebody got hurt. I figure that it's the railroad's responsibility to assign it a priority, not mine.

I have to agree - we *HAVE* to police our own. Also be discrete and use some common sense, and it'll greatly help our cause. If you see a railfan doing something blatantly wrong and quite stupid, tap him on the shoulder and say something - if they give you an attitude, just head to another spot. The local authorities do NOT care who is the good and who is the bad railfan - if they're giving them trouble, they're all getting kicked out, period. They don't have the time or resources to weed out various railfans, so it's much easier to just chase all railfans out of a problematic location.

Rogue railfans in general become famous pretty quick (such as a certain person driving a red Dodge Ram in the Rochester area). No matter what you say to these individuals, they won't change their act. They're usually the ones who get in your face (or the face of authorities) even when they're in the wrong, and are good at dragging down those in the area. Thus, if you see a known "rogue railfan" show up where you're sitting, move to the next crossing - it's not worth the risk. The stupidity and potential harm these individuals create for themselves and those around him (including the railroaders themselves) is ridiculous and often not worth the effort (I.E. standing in the gauge of a main track to get what they consider to be a shot worthy of the cover of Trains magazine). Just be smart, be safe, and be vigilant.

As for calling in defects with passing trains, I know it's a touchy subject on here (especially with employees), so I'm going to avoid the topic entirely...

bwparker1 wrote:

Howiew wrote:

BR&P wrote:

I think in general, most shortlines in this area are pretty railfan-friendly. And most local railfans seem to be responsible and respectful of railroad regulations and property.

And we have an obligation to keep it that way.

AMEN!

I am not going to let that person deter me from being a railway enthusiast /photographer, in my opinion he has tried to place us other railway enthusiasts in a not so good picture for being "railfans" .. Secondly I think we all watch out for others "safety wise", I don't recall the number of times I have talked to my local law enforcement officer back in HAMBURG,NY that whose assignment was the railway grade crossings .

I once "chased" away a father and son who were "playing' around a switch at the interlocking CP-263 in Oneida. Got dirty looks because I wasn't RR and I explained to the guy how dangerious a power switch is/was. He had no clue thinking all switches are ground thrown. Should I have called the law or the DS? I don't know but wasn't waiting around to see the possible bad outcome. I DID call the law once when a distraught woman sat down in the gauge on the ML in near Canastota. I watched and waited till they showed up and would have interveined if needed. They (the cops) later told me she was likely suicidal. If you see a house fire, a mugging or a derailing danger you should act.
Either by call for help (first choice ) or directly ( if the situation deems it). If that makes me a FRN or upsets Mr Weaver so be it.