I drove to Hinsdale Il to see 4449 arrive in Chicago. I parked across the street from the Police station. I noticed a man across the tracks with a camera. I figured he was there to photograph the arrival also.I walked across the tracks.
I greeted him and we talked about the arrival of 4449. He had inside information update information arriving on his phone. We were joined by another photographer.
We set up a system to photograph the traffic. Me being the shortest. I was closest to the tracks. They shot over my and the next mans shoulder. We got several good shots.
Local people began to show up. One very nice lady lived just across the street. She was wondering what all the commotion was about.
She talked about all the traffic and different equipment she seen in 26 years.
Then we heard the whistle way off.
We still had a very good open position on the platform.
As the light of 4449 appeared. A man (triple wide) and his son( double wide) was walking towards us.
He placed his tripod on the yellow line five feet in front of us. Side by side they stood. He turned and looked back at us.
"This is a great spot" he announced to us.
I have heard some astoundingly foul language hurled forth in just that circumstance (even with small children present). Sometone told me they even saw some rock throwing in such cases! The "traditional" way to deal with it is to yell (or say loudly) "photo line" as a group but frankly some folks just do not get the point.
Having said that I have myself sinned in this regard because I did not see the guys behind me with the huge lenses.
Back when I used to tape record trains rather than photograph them, I was always hounded by people starting up conversations just when the train appeared. I know a video photographer who always has the same problem. Pointing to the tape or video recorder with a finger to the lips brings forth even more talk, together with plenty of "huh? huh? huh?" Some of those tapes are pretty funny to listen to now. They annoyed me hugely at the time.
Ah well. They can't all live in Washington DC can they?
Dave Nelson