Being a Railfan UnAmerican?

[Anonymous]

In regards to that topic, I do not believe so but because of the events of 9-11, you can no longer stand anywhere near a main-line and take pictures. This even goes as far as going to Airbases with aircraft on static display. Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene has a nice collection of aircraft but because of 9-11, the general public is not allowed to see the display. Although the aircraft are on base, it was possible to view them in the past but not now. I understand the need to be cautious but there are some circumstances where it is taken to the extreme. It is possible that if we all do not speak up about things such as this, we may not be able to even look at a train or a plane when it passes us by. Paranoia (sp) is good only in small doses! Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I came home and read this article immediately today after being warned by Metrolink police for trespassong on the UP coast line near mile 400 in Montalvo (E. Ventura) Calif. I am aware that I have been trespassing, but am always careful and wave at Amtrak or UP switcher crews.

Metrolink has been much more concerned about people near the tracks since they began construction on the Montalvo station. It has also had a terrible time recently with automoibles and walkers on the tracks.

Given the nature of the times, perhaps there should be a way to register with the railroads as fans and indicacte where we might want to watch trains. I will now drive to downtown Ventura and stay on public ROW, but lose the convenience of walking to a nearby location.

[Anonymous]

WHAT DO WE THINK?
RAILFANNING IS ONE OF THE GREATEST HOBBIES, NEXT TO MODEL RAILROADING.IT SEEMS ODD TO ME THAT IN THE SAME ISSUE APRIL 2003, TAKING PICVTURES OF TRAINS IS DOING SOMETHING WRONG AND YET THE MAGAZINE HAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE 96 MAJOR CLASSIFICATION YARDS IN IT WITH MAP. NOW THIS WOULD BE VALUABLE
INFO TO A TERRORIST, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH ACCESS TO INFOMATION IN THIS DAY AND HOUR (INTERNET)HOW
WOULD YOU STOP IT ANYWAY? RAILFANS LOVE TRAINS AND WOULD BE FIRST ONES TO HELP STOP TERRORIST
FROM HARMING RAILROADS. RAILFAN, JOHN

[Anonymous]

that is what a railfan can do to preserve this great hobby forever!thanjs john. Joe

[ironhorseman]

I guess things in Texas are different there than here in Kansas. There have been no public warnings against railfanning. McConnell Air Force base still continued with it's air show. September 14, 2002 there was an air show and a 5K fun run on the base tarmac with part of the course weaving around parked airplanes. I asked on airman who was in charge of that year's air show about the war in Afghanistan and the security issue and his responce was we have to keep going on as normal, don't let the terroist affect our lives. (but of course security was beefed up. An bomb sniffing dog went crazy over a harmless camcorder and caused a 90 minute delay in exiting the base after the show. The civilian's camcorder turned out to be a false alarm.)

In reguards to trains: I have photographed some track in the state that has an automatic greaser unit on it. I had been on a bike ride when I spotted it and having never seen anything like it snapped a quick photo of it. Also I have taken a picture of some propane tanks used to heat mainline switches in the event they're frozen shut by ice in the winter, something also new to me. I did take my pictures to Walgreens to be developed, however, if I had taken them to Wal-Mart I might have been arrested. (A woman who took her pictures to a Salina, KS Wal-Mart was arrested after it was discovered she had taken nude photos of her 8mo old daughter in the bath tub. They said it violated their policy of no nudity in pictures.) So will Wal-Mart prosecute railfans, too? (I don't intend to totally bad-mouth Wal-Mart, it's just my satire on paranoia)

Also, I can stand by any mainline in the Wichita area and still get a friendly wave from the engineer as he passes. They'll even blow the horn an extra couple of times.

Good luck, and happy railfanning
Signed,
Ironhorseman

[eolafan]

John, great point about the article on classification yards being info. to the wrong people but we can not watch or take photos of trains!

[Anonymous]

Having just spent a week taking photos at 6 major locations in London, UK with no problem whatsoever, you guys have my sympathy. The thought that always occurs to me with things like this is that if the Police etc. are harassing the law abiding citizens following their hobby, then the terrorists are winning !

[Anonymous]

After 9-11 I read that KCS had asked its employees to report anyone suspicious. I do a lot of videos of trains and decided to inform the sheriffs of the counties I travel about my hobby. In person, I gave them my car's description, license plate, cell phone number, and that I would always be wearing a blaze orange jacket. One payoff for informing law enforcement is that they wouldn't have to waste their time trying to find me if I was reported. They could just try the cell phone number. Always stay off RR property and give them a friendly wave if you can. I get lots of friendly toots in return. ***

[Anonymous]

I never have any trouble standing at a crossing watching Norfolk Southern trains. Don't get on R.R. private property anymore than you would get on somebody's farm, but road crossings belong to the public and I have never had any trouble. I stay well back beyond the ditch line out of the danger zone which is just common sense, which isn't very common anymore. Of course, some police departments, especially small burgs, have snotty officers who like to pu***he public around. Large cities are like TV stations - make a mountain out of a mole hill, scared to death of their shadow. Greenriver