I guess we're just friendlier here in Charlotte.
Most of the top level NASCAR teams are here. They all have areas in their shops where fans can stand and watch the guys work on the cars. Some are behind glass, some are elevated overlooks. A couple let you right into the work area as long as you stay behind a line painted on the floor. There often is a car out where you can even touch it. At several of the shops you can watch the pit crews practicing at a short pit wall in the parking lot. Only Michael Waltrip's shop charges admission, the rest are free. Cameras are OK, and if you are lucky enough to be there when one of the drivers is, he will talk to you and sign autographs. They all have free handouts for the fans.
Our airport, the tenth busiest in the US, has an unlocked, unattended overlook parking area where you can watch the planes come and go.
Our light rail facility had an open house and gave tours of the maintenance facility and dispatch center to attendees.
No one seems to be offended that "those people are watching me work and/or taking my picture".
That's why my flabber was completely gasted when the police detained a tourist because he was taking pictures of the skyline from a city street.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I've always referred to railfans as buffs,buffys.But I guess that sorta what I am.
Just because I work on the railroad,doesn't mean I don't like taking pictures and enjoy the rich history or railroading.I sometimes get frustrated with the railroad,and hate being on call 24/7,but it is the railroad.An industry in it's own spectrum.
I find more of the fellows I work with enjoying this also along with model railroading.And I think alot of that has to do with "the next generation in the family" getting jobs on the railroad.I'm 4th generation on my Dad's side and 3rd on my Mother's and I think that surely added to the enthusiasm I show in railfanning.
Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R."
I wouldn't say everyone at UP is paranoid about railfans being associated with terrorism. I railfan around here and it's mostly UP. There is a BNSF line but it's hard to get any good vantage points on it without deliberately trespassing. Last year I saw the MOPAC engine going north to Magnolia, TX. I turned around and followed it noting that it was slowing down. It stopped at a red light right in Magnolia next to a small trackside BBQ restaurant that I like to eat at. The engineer got out and got in line for food. I walked around taking pictures of the engine. He walked up to me and asked me if I'd like to see inside the engine. I climbed up and he showed me how everything worked. Really nice guy.
There is a spot on the north side of Lloyd yard in Spring, TX just before town that many people stop and watch trains go by. They also stop inside the wye since a road goes through it. There have been several times that trains or yard switchers would stop at the lights at these points and then just get out and chat with railfans. Even the MOW guys have been pretty friendly.
Earlier this year I was down in Galveston doing some research on the old roundhouses there. One slab is directly next to the UP yard there and not accessible by car. You have to walk a little ways to get to it and on UP property. They have a fairly quiet yard there. I just drove up to the yard office and told them that I wanted to walk the old slab site and take pictures. They didn't care. They just said be careful and to not climb on any train cars. The key is to be courteous and stay out of their way. If you ask for permission to do something, the worst they can do is to say no. Just respect it.
I'm not sure how large the percentage of RR employees there are that poke fun at railfans but from what I've seen they've generally been pretty nice to them as long as those railfans weren't being idiots.
kolechovski wrote:I didn't get to read the whole topic of posts yet, but add "paparazzi" to the list if it isn't already.
That i might consider a little offensive. That term should be reserved for those scumbags that harass cellebrties, and were responsible for the death of a princess
i think around here they just call us railfans. and i dont see why anyone would flip a crew off for being late. for me, i always assume they had some sort of difficulty along the way and hence were late. more than often i find out i was right. i still wave or do a 2-finger salute when they go by.
But most importantly, i make sure i'm not in their way at all. i've gotten many cheerful "hello"s from conductors walking the trains to get to the front.
the terrorism scare is very minimal here. a lot of the crews are older CNW-heads and know the area well enough to see that nothing here is of any value to a terrorist (seriously. what's the worst that will happen if a terrorist bombs the line here? UP has to reroute 4 trains down the geneva sub. There'd be no point.)
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Modelcar wrote:....I'm sure some rail fans make a nuisance of themselves and use little common sense. But having an interest in one's profession seems a little strange that "it's" employee's harangue folks with such "handles". But it is the duty of "fans" to stay clear of RR ROW's and in a safety zone....Personally, I try never to make a nuisance of myself and stay the distance where necessary.
....I'm sure some rail fans make a nuisance of themselves and use little common sense. But having an interest in one's profession seems a little strange that "it's" employee's harangue folks with such "handles". But it is the duty of "fans" to stay clear of RR ROW's and in a safety zone....
Personally, I try never to make a nuisance of myself and stay the distance where necessary.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
zugmann wrote: You sound like someone who is very upset with us employees that view our jobs as just a job.
You sound like someone who is very upset with us employees that view our jobs as just a job.
A clarification is in order.
MOST TRAIN CREW EMPLOYEES are just common people with feelings that just try to do their job.
HOWEVER, I believe UNION PACIFIC top management has inspired paranoia among train crews, so that it seems that everyone even looks at a train might be a terrorist to be slain dead. With that kind of bad influence on the nation, I'm inclined to believe America would be better off if Union Pacific was broken up into three or four smaller railroads.
I really have not seen a major problem with other railroads, only Union Pacific. So, I trust this clarification will end any alarmed mystery among railroaders about my hostility at the forum. My hostility is only toward those that in essence are destroying America's sense of right and wrong and freedom values.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
tree68 wrote: zugmann wrote:I could care less who is cursing me. In fact, I find people that have a fit about waiting 3 minutes downright amusing.It could be 3 seconds - the point is that they have to wait.....
zugmann wrote:I could care less who is cursing me. In fact, I find people that have a fit about waiting 3 minutes downright amusing.
It could be 3 seconds - the point is that they have to wait.....
And the longer they yell and flip me off the longer they wait.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
K. P. Harrier wrote: Greetings, Rail-Roadwarrior!In your 6:02 P.M. April 21 post, you wrote: "We used to have more railfans follow us and take photos, just haven't seen too many lately." Might that little picture on the left side of your posts explain why? Ha, ha.K.P.
Greetings, Rail-Roadwarrior!
In your 6:02 P.M. April 21 post, you wrote: "We used to have more railfans follow us and take photos, just haven't seen too many lately." Might that little picture on the left side of your posts explain why? Ha, ha.
K.P.
Naaaahh that's just to ward off the evil spirits. I'm also a fan of Clint, and guns so it only seemed right.
tree68 wrote: Murphy Siding wrote:What exactly is their other option-run their trains in secret, in the shadows, so no one notices?Seems like they do that anyhow, even if it isn't to avoid the railfans....
Murphy Siding wrote:What exactly is their other option-run their trains in secret, in the shadows, so no one notices?
the wifey suggests curtains...
Of course we live with it - is there a choice? But I reserve the right to make fun of the people out there wasting a beautiful sunday afternoon watching some common-sight doublestacks going through a brownfield. I have that right.
You sound like someone who is very upset with us employees that view our jobs as just a job. We are not in it for the greater glory. Rail workers make fun of buffies. Buffies complain about rail workers that complain about their jobs. All of life is a circle.
K. P. Harrier wrote:What is so weird about it? That's reality. We live in America, and people have a right to gawk at what ever they want to. Train crews should just live with it.Of course, Americans have the right to elect Osama bin Laden to the American presidency too, and he could stop the gawking, but I'm absolutely sure the American people will never do that.What would be weird, though, is if reality became like past history ... Remember the Japanese emperor, or whoever he was, that was so holy one could not even look upon him for fear of immediately being struck dead? Now, something like that may make some railroaders happy! Imagine, everyone bowing down to passing trains and being in mortal fear, because if they even got a glimpse of a locomotive, fire from heaven would come down immediately and strike them dead! I guess we can all be happy that such foolishness doesn't prevail under the red, white, and blue ...
What is so weird about it? That's reality. We live in America, and people have a right to gawk at what ever they want to. Train crews should just live with it.
Of course, Americans have the right to elect Osama bin Laden to the American presidency too, and he could stop the gawking, but I'm absolutely sure the American people will never do that.
What would be weird, though, is if reality became like past history ... Remember the Japanese emperor, or whoever he was, that was so holy one could not even look upon him for fear of immediately being struck dead? Now, something like that may make some railroaders happy! Imagine, everyone bowing down to passing trains and being in mortal fear, because if they even got a glimpse of a locomotive, fire from heaven would come down immediately and strike them dead! I guess we can all be happy that such foolishness doesn't prevail under the red, white, and blue ...
Murphy Siding wrote: K. P. Harrier wrote: It is out in the open, gets in people's way at grade crossings, and otherwise noisily disrupts others' normal activities. In that light, by their own choice, train crews have made themselves fair game to be gawked at, and photographed. And, they have no right to complain. Well, that's certainly a weird take on things, but not very fair to the train crew's point of view. What exactly is their other option-run thier trains in secret, in the shadows, so no one notices?
K. P. Harrier wrote: It is out in the open, gets in people's way at grade crossings, and otherwise noisily disrupts others' normal activities. In that light, by their own choice, train crews have made themselves fair game to be gawked at, and photographed. And, they have no right to complain.
In that light, by their own choice, train crews have made themselves fair game to be gawked at, and photographed. And, they have no right to complain.
Well, that's certainly a weird take on things, but not very fair to the train crew's point of view. What exactly is their other option-run thier trains in secret, in the shadows, so no one notices?
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
4merroad4man wrote: As for me, what do I call myself? I'm not sure, but my reaction, one of mixed amusement and annoyance begs the question, "What would you do if I came to your place of employment and took photos of you and stared at you while you tried to concentrate at work, knowing that those photos could be used to discipline and/or fire you?"
As for me, what do I call myself? I'm not sure, but my reaction, one of mixed amusement and annoyance begs the question, "What would you do if I came to your place of employment and took photos of you and stared at you while you tried to concentrate at work, knowing that those photos could be used to discipline and/or fire you?"
Yes, what would any of us do if someone came to our place of employment and took photos of us?
The big difference with railroading, however, in my humble opinion, is that railroading is NOT locked in a back room somewhere. It is out in the open, gets in people's way at grade crossings, and otherwise noisily disrupts others' normal activities.
In that light, by their own choice, train crews have made themselves fair game to be gawked at, and photographed. And, they have no right to complain. If any do, that is like, in reality, a star quarterback at the Super Bowl game saying, "Spectators in the stadium should be outlawed. I want it quiet so I can plan and execute my next play."
I am realtively new to railfanning. And I have to say I've never gotten the slightest hint of anger from a crew. It might be that I bring my son a lot.
I've started taking a lot more pictures lately, but that is so I have references for dirtying up my models. Still, I think that when you respect people, you get respect back even if the people are too far away to see clearly.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Never mind the engineer waving...
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080421/METRO/804210350
How about a "formal salute" on the horn?
Red Horse wrote:Can you please explain to me what a "weed weasel is"?
A railroad manager (trainmaster, etc) who "hides in the weeds" watching for crews to screw up so he can write them up. Weasels, of course, are generally thought of as a bit sneaky anyhow.
On the face of it, observing crews to ensure proper performance of their duties seems like the right thing to do, but some "weed weasels" take things a bit further than might actually be necessary, so the story goes.
I'm sure our regular RR employees can relate some colorful stories...
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