Railfans, Do we love them or do we hate them? I am a part-time railroader and a railfan. I have always shown proper respect for railroad property, and most railfans I have met on the job do the same. I am friendly and helpful to these people. Some railfans do not show respect for my railroad and I have to tell them to leave. Why do they put themselves and us in danger for a stupid picture? I like most railfans and will do most anything to help them enjoy there day. ------------------ David V. Kittner [This message has been edited by davek (edited 20 April 2000).]
About 12 years ago, while being a member of the California Highway Patrol and with my Sergeant's knowledge of my affection for steam locomotives, I was given the 'awful' assignment to meet the 4449 at the California/Oregon border and escort her through our area along SR97 to the town of Weed. (For those who are not familiar with 4449, it is a beautifully restored Southern Pacific 1941 Lima 4-8-4 locomotive). The reason for my assignment is to keep an upper hand on those 'crazy' railfans who drive like demons and will do about anything to get their cars into position alongside the 60 mph steamer for pictures and or recordings. There had been numerous accidents between Portland, Oregon to California from these driving antics, which we wanted to avoid. Soooooo ... I just put on my lights and moved thru traffic as 4449 blasted thru the tunnel at Doris, California and took the position alongside the loco all the way down to Weed. I'm sure there were many angry drivers behind me, but we all made it safely to Weed. But she sure is a beautiful locomotive and I was happy to have had that experience! Now then, there may be a reader or two in here who may have been in that motorcade and may have a few harsh words to say about it ... but please do not get tooooo personal with your remarks Bill "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
Hi Dave, welcome to Trainboard. Yeah, Bill, I have seen these 'posse's' on video's, and it looks AWFUL dangerous to me too. What is it about trains that makes people act this way? ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com http://Andersley.homestead.com http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com http://eurogallery.homestead.com
Yep, they sure can be dangerous alright! I guess it is caused by something inside of those of us who think it's a once in a lifetime chance to catch live steam on a mainline ... I donno for sure. But there is deffinately a deep passion for it. Bill "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
I say that if they take the time out of their days to SAFETLY come and watch us at work, they deserve a special toot on the horn and a friendly wave, or even conversation. Just as long as they respect the property and equipment. -NSBrakeman
When I was just a small child (before the days of cable television, computers, etc.), my parents liked to go down and park in a public parking lot near the railroad tracks on Saturday evenings to watch a few trains go by. I guess they thought that was a healthy activity for me - which it was. When I grew up, my friend and I found a couple of great places to watch trains (on public property). We always had a good vantage point without ever venturing on to railroad property. Although, the local constabulary forces always thought we were up to something suspicious. They kept asking us what we were doing and when we told them "watching trains," they just couldn't understand why someone wanted to watch trains in a town with so much railroad activity that most locals saw it as an inconvenience. My best railfanning spot was in my grandparents yard on Missouri. Their property bordered the Frisco tracks and I could sit on their propane tank and feel the ground shake as the trains went by so closely that it seemed I could reach out and touch them. I've never ventured on to railroad property and would not dream of it. I think there are plenty of good places to railfan without getting in the way. I read a news report on the radio today at the station I work at about a Maine man that was walking along some railroad tracks yesterday in Rochester, New Hampshire and was struck from behind by a train. Seems he was deaf and did not hear the train. I would think he could have felt it coming anyway. Fotunately, his injuries are not life-threatening but you have to wonder why he was walking down the tracks in the forst place. Charlie ------------------ Ship It On The FRISCO!
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NSBrakeman: I say that if they take the time out of their days to SAFETLY come and watch us at work, they deserve a special toot on the horn and a friendly wave, or even conversation. Just as long as they respect the property and equipment. -NSBrakeman<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> What a splendid comment Thanks, NSB When we were over there, it was great to get a wave from the locomotive crews, I guess we are still kids at heart!! I wonder if I should wear a T shirt with the British flag on it to show how far we have come to watch their trains ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com http://Andersley.homestead.com http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com http://eurogallery.homestead.com
I agree with you people that if a person is not being a danger to themselves or the employees they should be treated nicely. I am always willing to take a moment and tell a nice railfan what is going on, and where he or she can get some good photos. A look in the cab is not out of the question either.
I started out very young as a 'railfan'. We had a branchline of the Southern Pacific that ran right down the middle of our street on a raised, unimproved right of way. Only had one train per day .. one in the morning and when it returned in the evening. But, on weekends there was always an old steam loco pulling that short consist, and I was facinated by all that motion and noise it made. One Friday evening, when I was age 11, I went out and removed the ballast from between two widely set ties. Early the next morning I was awakened by the whistle of the steam loco as it entered the branch line from the Burbank Block. I quickly got dressed and ran out to my spot on the railroad ... I laid on my back between the ties with my feet sticking out under the rails and let the train run over me. I wanted to see what the steamer looked like underneith, but there was so much dust and hot water that fell onto my face, I couldn't see it! The train did not stop, so I guess they did not see me! I guess I can't say I have always respected railroad property. Bill "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
Oh Bill, I hope no one tries to repeat this very stupid action you did when you were 11. The track is in such bad shape around the former SP that any place where there is little or no ballast the rail will bouce down in the soft spot. We see alot of bad spots like this where the rail just bounces up and down when a train goes over. Like I said before this brings chills down my spine to think some dumb kids will run out and try laying under the track.
I guess I was a little crazy .. had to be to take the career that I chose! Come to think of it, the rails did drop down a little on my ankles, but not much. The only other nutty thing I did was to ride my little red 'Flyer' wagon down the spillway of a dam. Now that was really exciting! But you are right TJ .. SP's old roadways are in sore shape .. and I too hope some kid doesn't come in and read about my stupidity when I was a youngster and try it too. Bill "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
Davek- On a more positive note, I can recall a time when I let an old man and his grandson into the cab on my train. I can recall it like it was yesterday. I was sitting with my conductor on our train waiting out a meet. I looked out the window, and I saw the two coming from behind (for it was at a station). I saw the grandfather talking to the small lad, and I immediately knew this was the opprotunity for a once-in-a-lifetime chance. When they got close enough, I slid the window open and hollered to the two. I talked a little while to the grandfather (for the lad was a little shy, being in such a place) and he said he can still recall the times when he fired for the Frisco on steam engines. I invited the two up in my cab, and showed them the controls. The little child was no longer shy, and even gave the horn a toot (much to the suprise of me, my conductor, and his grandfather)! We all had a good laugh, and in a few moments we were off, but not without letting the grandfather get a few shots of his grandson in my lap, with his hands on the controls. I'll never forget the look of joy in his face as we waved goodbye as we started off on out trip, with those diesels growling and horns blaring. Ahh, those were the days. -NSBrakeman
NSBrakeman - That's a great story. I have found that the majority of railroad employees are pretty nice folks and seem proud that non-railroaders are interested in what they do for a living. The rude folks around railroads seem to be mostly the railfans. I have often been appalled at what I have seen my fellow railfans do. I like to take pictures, too, but I'm certainly not going to risk getting killed doing it! That could give a whole new meaning to "once in a lifetime photograph". Frankly, I've gotten to where I more or less actively avoid other railfans. That does not mean I do not continue to have a big interest in railroads and I am on railroad property from time to time. If railroad employees perceive you have common sense, a useful knowledge of railroading, pay attention to what is going on around you, they will usually give you permission to be there. I am sometimes amazed just how friendly and helpful railroad employees are (to be more specific, these are CSX or NS employees). On the other hand, if they begin to perceive you are a danger to yourself and others, you can hardly blame them for not wanting you around!
Crash219- I agree that it is indeed appalling to see how some people act around railroads. It is very stupid for people to risk their lives for a photograph, or to get home 5 minutes earlier. Even though railfans know more about trains than the public, they should at least realize the dangers associated with railroad property. I can recall a time when I was working a local job, and I spotted a few kids walking near the railroad tracks. We were about ready to "go for beans", so I decided to tell these kids about the dangers of railroad property. I expected to be taken less that seriously, but I was wrong. Instead, they apologized, and they stayed clear of the tracks until they go to wherever they were going. This floored me, because usually people just let it go in one ear and out the other. I have found that railfans are better at listening to what we have to say, at least more than the general public. Crash219, are you a railfan or are you a railroader? Just curious. P.S. Whoever started this board- Are you happy now that you pulled a few storied out of one railroader?! Just kidding, I'm always happy to chat. Look Ahead, Look South -NSBrakeman
On our railfan visit to California in 1998, we went down to Caliente, on Tehachapi pass, and the grade crossing was blocked by a derailed freight train. The clear-up crews were there, and there was an SD45 set out on a siding down the track. There were so many hard hats around that we thought we had better ask if it was ok for us to go and take photos of the loco. The person we asked just happened to be a UP Superintendent, and he was extremely friendly, possibly because we asked, but could also have been the English accent He kept us in touch with progress on clearing the tracks, and gave us souvenirs (UP baseball caps, leather UP work gloves, UP I.D. badges, etc.) To us Brits. this was great. Later we were on Cajon, near summit (the fenced off bit) and a UP freight stopped right next to us. They must have thought we looked thirsty, as the crew tossed us a six-pack of ice-cold water! UP SD60M 6166 is a special loco. for us! ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com http://Andersley.homestead.com http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com
NSBrakeman - I'm just a railfan. My job is as an engineer, but the mechanical kind, not the train driving kind. I've spent my career dealing with such things as aircraft, spacecraft, superconducting magnets and fuel cells, but never railroads. But I've been a railfan for an awfully long time. Here is a story my mother used to tell that illustrates both how long I've been a railfan AND the risky things that railfans will do just to see the trains: The house where I was born was no more than 20 yards from the Santa Fe tracks that ran through East Dallas. Texas & Pacific (clue 1 about how long ago it was) had trackage rights through there, and there was a "milk run" (clue 2) that went through there every morning around 4A.M. It was pulled by one of T&P's high-stepping oil-burning steam locomotives (clue 3). I was no more than 3 or 4 years old at the time of this story (that makes it about 1945 or 1946) so I don't remember it, but according to my mother, the train woke her one morning and she decided to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. The kitchen window faced the railroad and when she got there she found me. She said I had pulled out kitchen drawers to make "steps" to climb up onto the cabinet and when she came in, I was standing in the sink watching out the window that was over the sink to see the train go by. After she "rescued" me, she said she started to wonder how many times I'd done that before I'd been "caught". Her reasoning was that I must have been doing it for awhile since I must have climbeed out of bed well before the train got there to have time to get properly stationed and I had obviously worked out all the logistics of getting up on the cabinet so she figured there was no telling how many times I'd done it. I was severely scolded because climbing kitchen cabinets in the dark is very dangerous for a toddler. So I was warned early on about the dangers of railfanning ... and this story suggests that I have been an avid railfan for over 50 years!
Crash219- That's a pretty good story of how much you liked trains! I myself was a railfan before I joined up with the Southern. Oops, I just dated myself! Well, I guess I now have to explain my railroading career as a "boomer". Around the time of Vietnam (again, dated right there) I was about 17 years old, and my father was away in Nam. My mother suggested I get a job, and since the Southern ran right through my town, I thought "well why not?!". I talked to my grandfather, who was the stationmaster (WOO-HOO!!), and he said I have to start in the station with him (for I was 17). As soon as I turned 18, I moved onto the yard work as a *brakeman*. For about 14 months, I slid between being a brakeman and a conductor. Since my grandfather had some friends who were engineers, they let me begin running trains even though I wasn't old enough. I've been doing this ever since then, for a few different railroads. When the Southern and Norfolk Western merged, I was then on the NS, hence my screen name. For a long story short, NS fired me, so I moved to the Illinois Central Gulf, which is now Illinois Central. And no, I do not work for CN since they merged a few years back! We are all Illinois Central men! But I still don't know why it says NSBrakeman, it should be SouEngineer or SouBrakeman, don't know which! I guess it has some sort of meaning for me. Illinois Central Mainline of Mid-America -NSBrakeman
Someone asked if I was happy about the stories that have appeared. The answer is yes. I am a railroader on a part-time basis, and have been a railfan since the beginning of time itself. One of my favorite railfan trips was to New Castle Pa. Myself and some friends had been at a model train show earlier in the day, and decided to do some railfanning when we were done. We ended up at the CHESSIE yard at New Castle Pa well after dark. The first thing we did was get permission at the yard office to take some night photos. The person at the office was very polite and helpfull. He suggested that we go to the tower at the end of the yard. Imagine our surprize when we found a manned, fully operational interlocking tower, with an armstrong switch machine in it. This tower was in the process of being closed, and I do not recall if the switches were actually controlled from that point anymore. I will have to e-mail one of my friends now and find out for sure. The tower operator invited us up and showed us all around. About 6 months later the tower was closed and is now gone. UN tower was removed from the site by a historical society and saved somewhere. It was a real treat to find something like this in the mid-nineties.
The train broke apart about 1AM. We were going so slowly I never noticed, other than we stopped. It was in 1977 or there abouts, I was taking my soon to be wife on a week-end railfan trip. The organizers had 3 pieces of private varnish tied on to the rear end of some crack freight going from Oak Island yards in Newark, NJ to Buffalo NY. I don't remember the name of the yard. ( If anyone can fill in the name of the freight and the yard in Buffalo, I'd appreciate it.) We were taking a route that traveled over a famous viaduct in Penn. I think it was Sarouke or something like that. (again corrections please). The varnish was an old Pensy business car, a coach and a pullman. We were susposed to arrive in Buffalo bright and early Sat. morning have three or four hours for sightseeing, then be back in Newark early Sunday. I'm going to use up all the bandwidth telling this in one batch so... To Be Continued ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine.
